World Echo

China's ruling Communist Party must keep pace with changing circumstances while safeguarding the advances it has made, President Xi Jinping said on Wednesday during celebrations for its 105th founding anniversary. Xi did not identify specific opportunities or risks, but analysts say slower economic growth and demographic decline pose key challenges for the world's second-largest economy. In a 40-minute speech at Beijing's Great Hall of the People, China's most powerful leader since Mao Zedong urged party cadres to actively recognise and adapt to, change, while promoting the party's work. "China's development is currently in a period where strategic opportunities, risks and challenges coexist," said Xi, who called for the party to better coordinate efforts to tackle domestic and international issues. Faced with external challenges from Western-led curbs on technology to turbulent trade ties with the United States and tension over Taiwan, party l...

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Wednesday warned of an immediate and powerful response after Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said Iran’s Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, was “marked for death”. “The terms of the Islamabad MoU are crystal clear and public for all to see. POTUS has committed the US to muzzling its pets in Tel Aviv. If they ignore their master, Iran will school them,” Araghchi said in a post on X. He said any threat against Iran’s people and leadership would receive an immediate and powerful response. Araghchi's X post ​was ⁠attached to comments made by the Israeli defence minister.  Katz further said that Israel could target Iran again “if it deems it necessary” despite ongoing US efforts to pursue diplomacy. Speaking at a memorial ceremony for those killed in the 2006 war in Lebanon, Katz said: “We have attacked twice with proactive, preemptive strikes in Iran and, if necessary, we ...

Israeli occupiers stormed the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound in occupied East Jerusalem on Wednesday under the protection of Israeli police, according to the Palestinian news agency WAFA. Citing the Jerusalem Governorate, WAFA said dozens of occupiers entered the compound, toured its courtyards and performed Talmudic rituals under the protection of Israeli police. https://ift.tt/ob73cMw Al-Aqsa Mosque is the world's third-holiest site for Muslims. Jews refer to the area as the Temple Mount, claiming it was the site of two ancient Jewish temples. Palestinians said Israel was escalating efforts to Judaize occupied East Jerusalem, including Al-Aqsa Mosque, and erase its Arab and Islamic identity. The Palestinians regard East Jerusalem as the capital of their future state, in line with international resolutions that do not recognise Israel's occupation of the city in 1967 or its subsequent annexation in 1980. Israeli police begin recruiting far-right officers for Al-Aqsa Mos...

China's covert military training of Russian forces last year was personally approved by President Vladimir Putin's defence minister and directly involved at least four Russian and Chinese generals, according to two European officials and documents seen by Reuters. The officials said the involvement of such high-ranking individuals in training linked to the Ukraine war signalled the importance for Russia and China of such cooperation, which has caused alarm in Europe even as Beijing has denied it took place. A classified Russian document seen by Reuters directly referred to an internal decree issued by Defence Minister Andrei Belousov in August, 2025. It said that, in accordance with a decision by Belousov, a delegation from Russia's armed forces travelled to China to participate in training exercises at People's Liberation Army (PLA) facilities. Training in radiological, biological, chemical warfare The same report detailed one of the training courses - a three...