World Echo

Iran has accused the United States of carrying out an unlawful attack on an Iranian commercial vessel in the Sea of Oman on April 19, warning the United Nations Security Council that the incident amounts to piracy and a serious breach of international law. In a letter to UN Secretary-General António Guterres and Security Council President Jamal Fares Alrowaiei on April 21, Saeed Iravani said US action against the vessel “Touska” requires UN action and accountability, Iranian media reported. Iravani said US forces targeted the vessel “Toska”, alleging the use of "coercion, intimidation, and the reckless endangerment of the vessel’s crew and their families," describing it as a “grave violation” of international law, including the prohibition on aggression. Read: Iran says no talks with US until blockade lifted despite ceasefire extension He said it constituted a breach of a ceasefire agreement reached earlier this month. Tehran also argued the attack qualifies as an act of aggr...

Pope Leo warned on Tuesday that humanity's future was at risk of being "tragically compromised" because of ongoing wars and ‌a breakdown of international law, in a forceful speech in Equatorial Guinea on his four-nation Africa tour. The first US pope, who has drawn the ire of President Donald Trump after becoming more outspoken in recent weeks, also decried what he called the "colonisation" of the Earth's oil and mineral resources, which he said was driving bloody conflicts. "The destiny of humanity risks being tragically ​compromised without a change of direction in the assumption of political responsibility and without respect for institutions and international agreements," the pope ​said. In a speech to Equatorial Guinea President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo and other political leaders, the head of the ⁠1.4-billion-member Church said: "God does not want this." He added: "His holy name must not be profaned by the will to dominate...

Multiple users across social media platforms were sharing a video since April 20, 2026, claiming it shows the American military seizing an Iranian commercial ship amid a US naval blockade in the Strait of Hormuz. However, the footage is from October 2025 and shows a US naval exercise. Tensions have escalated in the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global shipping route, amid efforts for a second round of talks between the US and Iran. Washington has increased its naval presence and imposed restrictive measures in the strait. Iran, in response, has asserted its influence over the waterway and warned that continued pressure could disrupt international shipping. On April 18, 2026, US forces opened fire on an Iranian-linked vessel in the Strait of Hormuz before seizing it. Washington framed the action as a security measure, while Iranian officials condemned it as a violation of international law and the ceasefire agreement. How it started On April 20, a user, who claims to be a Yemeni activist...

Irish Foreign Minister Helen McEntee on Tuesday called for the European Union to take action against what she described as a "country that is very clearly violating human rights," urging the suspension of the EU-Israel agreement or, at a minimum, its trade provisions. Speaking to journalists ahead of an EU foreign ministers' meeting in Luxembourg, McEntee said Ireland, alongside Spain and Slovenia, had written to the EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas calling for a review and possible suspension of the agreement with Israel in light of developments in the Middle East. "We need to, as an EU, uphold our fundamental values," McEntee said, stressing that countries the bloc has agreements with must comply with international law and human rights obligations. She referred to the recent Israeli death penalty bill, which she said disproportionately targeted Palestinians, calling the move "completely unacceptable." She added that there was a growing shift among...

An earthquake with a preliminary magnitude of 7.5 struck off the northeastern coast of Japan on Monday, as authorities urged residents to stay away from coastal areas where tsunami waves of up to three metres (9.84 ft) were expected. The tremor had an epicentre in the Pacific Ocean and was 10 km deep, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency. The biggest waves were expected in Iwate, Aomori and Hokkaido prefectures, authorities said. Speaking to reporters, Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said the government had set up an emergency task force and urged citizens in the affected areas to evacuate to safety. Read: Japan offers $10b support to help Asian neighbours secure oil Broadcaster NHK showed ships sailing out of Hachinohe port in Hokkaido in anticipation of the waves, as an alert 'Tsunami! Evacuate!' flashed across the screen. Meanwhile, bullet train services in Aomori at the northern tip of Japan's main Honshu island were halted due to the tremors, Kyodo news agency re...

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un oversaw Sunday's ballistic missile test launches as part of efforts to evaluate the performance of warheads carrying cluster bombs and fragmentation mines, state media KCNA reported on Monday. The tests represented the fourth ballistic missile launch this month and the seventh this year, as North Korea seeks to build its missile and nuclear capabilities in defiance of UN Security ⁠Council resolutions. The tests involved five launches of upgraded short-range Hwasong-11 Ra surface-to-surface tactical ballistic missiles to evaluate the power and performance of the new warheads, KCNA said. North Korea fired the missiles toward an island target zone about 136 km (85 miles) away, striking an area of roughly 12.5 to 13 hectares (31 to 32 acres) with what the report described as high density, demonstrating the system's capability for concentrated suppression strikes. Read: Kim Jong Un says North Korea’s nuclear status is irreversible, threatens Sou...