World Echo

Posts

FIFA, Board of Peace to support Gaza reconstruction through football

FIFA and the Board of Peace signed a partnership agreement on Thursday to attract investment from global leaders and institutions for sustainable development in conflict-affected regions through football. The Board of Peace, established under the United States President Donald Trump, held its first meeting focused on Gaza's reconstruction fund, aimed at rebuilding the territory once Hamas disarms. The disarmament of Hamas militants and accompanying withdrawal of Israeli troops, the size of the reconstruction fund and the flow of humanitarian aid to the war-torn population are expected to pose significant challenges to the board's effectiveness in the coming months. Read: PM Shehbaz meets global leaders at 'Board of Peace' summit in Washington The FIFA collaboration plan includes building 50 mini-pitches near schools and residential areas in Gaza, five full-size pitches across multiple districts, a state-of-the-art FIFA academy and a new 20,000-seat national stadium, FIF...

US negotiating with India on Venezuelan oil sale, US envoy says

The United States is in "active negotiation" over the sale of Venezuelan oil to India, to help India diversify its sources of crude oil, US Envoy Sergio Gor said on Friday. The US has made diversification away from Russian crude a condition for cutting tariffs on goods imported from Indian, the world's third-biggest oil importer and consumer. "The Department of Energy is speaking to the Ministry of Energy here, and so we're hoping to have some news of that very soon," Gor told reporters on the sidelines of an event in New Delhi where India joined the US-led Pax Silica initiative aimed at building a silicon supply chain for high-tech products. US President Donald Trump this month agreed to cut tariffs on Indian goods to 18% under an interim trade deal. He also removed a 25% punitive levy after India agreed to end the purchase of Russian oil, which the US said helps fund Russia's invasion of Ukraine. He said India would buy more oil from the US and potenti...

Could insight from cats lead to breast cancer cures?

Owning a cat offers many health benefits, including reduced stress and emotional support, and new research suggests our feline friends might also offer clues to better treat certain cancers. That's according to a new study published Thursday in the journal Science, which investigated cancers in cats and found significant parallels with how the disease plays out in humans. Previous studies had highlighted similar links between dogs and humans, but little research focused on cats, said co-author Louise van der Weyden, a scientist at the British Wellcome Sanger Institute. Cats, just like dogs, provide "a great model for us," she told AFP, because they share an environment with humans that includes similar pollution, such as second-hand smoke. "They develop other illnesses that we do when you get cancer," Van der Weyden told AFP, explaining that cancer can be accompanied by ailments like diabetes or heart disease. Not infrequently, she said, the "animals will h...

Australian police probe threatening letter to country's largest mosque ahead of Ramazan

Australian police said on Thursday they had launched an investigation after a threatening letter was sent to the country's largest mosque, the third such incident in the lead-up to the Muslim fasting month of Ramazan. The letter sent to Lakemba Mosque in Sydney's west on Wednesday contained a drawing of a pig and a threat to kill the "Muslim race", local media reported. Police said they had taken the letter for forensic testing and would continue to patrol religious sites, including the mosque, as well as community events. The latest letter comes weeks after a similar message was mailed to the mosque, depicting Muslim people inside a mosque on fire. Police have also arrested and charged a 70-year-old man in connection with a third threatening letter sent to Lakemba Mosque's staff in January. Read More: US lawmakers call on congressman to resign over remarks about Muslims The Lebanese Muslim Association, which runs the mosque, told the Australian Broadcasting Corpo...

UK police arrest King Charles' brother Andrew, BBC reports

King Charles' younger brother Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor was on Thursday arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office over ‌allegations he sent confidential government documents ⁠to Jeffrey Epstein, the BBC reported. Thames Valley Police said earlier this month officers were considering ‌allegations that Mountbatten-Windsor had passed documents to the late convicted sex offender, according to files released by the US government. "Thames Valley Police have opened an investigation into ⁠an offence of misconduct in public office," the force said in a statement ‌on X. "A man in his sixties from Norfolk has been arrested and remains in police custody. As per national guidance we will not name the arrested ⁠man." Thames Valley Police have opened an investigation into an offence of misconduct in public office. A man in his sixties from Norfolk has been arrested and remains in police custody. As per national guidance we will not name the arrested man. Read mo...

No country can deprive Iran of enrichment rights, says country's atomic chief

Iran's atomic energy chief, Mohammad Eslami, said no country can deprive the Islamic Republic of its right to nuclear enrichment, after US President Donald Trump again hinted at military action following talks in Geneva. "The basis of the nuclear industry is enrichment. Whatever you want to do in the nuclear process, you need nuclear fuel," said Eslami, according to a video published by Etemad daily on Thursday. "Iran's nuclear programme is proceeding according to the rules of the International Atomic Energy Agency, and no country can deprive Iran of the right to peacefully benefit from this technology," he added. The comments follow the second round of Oman-mediated talks between Tehran and Washington in Geneva on Tuesday. Read: Iran says US 'more realistic' on nuclear issue, as Guards begin drills in Hormuz Strait The two countries had held an initial round of discussions on February 6 in Oman, the first since previous talks collapsed during the 12...