World News Roundup: Pakistan counts votes in election hit by violence, suspension of mobile services; Kataib Hezbollah commander killed in Baghdad in US strike and more

Lawmakers voted 57-50 to approve the spending package of 584 billion shekels ($159 billion), or 724 billion including debt repayment, according to a statement by the Knesset, Israel's parliament. Kataib Hezbollah commander killed in Baghdad in US strike A commander from Kataib Hezbollah, an Iran-backed armed group in Iraq that the Pentagon has blamed for attacking its troops, was killed in a U.S. strike on Wednesday, the U.S. military said.

Following is a summary of current world news briefs.

Israeli forces intensify strikes on Rafah in southern Gaza

Israeli forces bombed areas in the southern border city of Rafah where more than half of Gaza's population is sheltering on Thursday, a day after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu rejected a proposal to end the war in the Palestinian enclave. Netanyahu said on Wednesday terms proposed by Hamas for a ceasefire that would also involve releasing hostages held by the Palestinian militant group were "delusional" and vowed to fight on, saying victory was in reach and just months away.

China's Xi urges 'close strategic coordination' in call with Putin

China's President Xi Jinping told Russian President Vladimir Putin that the two countries should pursue close strategic coordination and defend the sovereignty, security and development interests of their respective countries, state media said. During a phone call with Putin on Thursday, Xi said both sides should resolutely oppose interference in internal affairs by external forces, state broadcaster CCTV said.

Scholz, Biden to discuss Ukraine aid, NATO and Israel war

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said his talks with U.S. President Joe Biden in Washington on Friday will focus on how to strengthen support for Ukraine to help it battle Russia's invasion. Ukraine, which is outmanned and outgunned on the battlefield in a war about to head into its third year, relies heavily on its Western allies for military and financial support.

Tractors choke Spanish city streets as farmers protest EU policy

Spanish farmers drove tractors through city streets disrupting traffic on Thursday as they stepped up their protest against soaring costs, bureaucracy and cheap competition from outside the European Union. The protests, which started spontaneously on Tuesday after spilling over from other EU countries, are backed by the country's three main farmers' associations.

Pakistan counts votes in election hit by violence, suspension of mobile services

Pakistan began counting votes after polling ended on Thursday in a general election marred by militant attacks and suspension of mobile phone services, with authorities saying that at least nine people were killed across the country. The vote was held as the South Asian country struggles to recover from an economic crisis while it grapples with rising militant violence in a deeply polarised political environment.

Taiwan thanks world, PLA shows simulated attacks in new year's messages

President Tsai Ing-wen thanked the international community for supporting Taiwan in her Lunar New Year message on Thursday, a day after China's military released a song urging the island to "come home" amid images of simulated missile attacks. China, which claims the democratically ruled island as its own territory, despite the objections of the government in Taipei, has increased military activity around Taiwan during the past four years, including staging war games nearby.

French far-right party joins Meloni's European group in pre-poll shift

The French anti-Islam Reconquete party has said its sole European lawmaker will sit with the eurosceptic group that is home to Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's Brothers of Italy, as alliances on Europe's right shift ahead of elections. The move comes as far right parties across the continent, divided into two main groups inside the European Parliament, grapple with how they might coalesce into a more cohesive force ahead of a June vote in which polls show populists making gains.

Signs of rare unrest among North Korean workers in China, researchers say

South Korea's intelligence agency says poor conditions for North Koreans working overseas have led to "incidents and accidents", while researchers report rare protests and unrest in China among workers from a North Korean military-linked trading company. Fed up with unpaid wages and lingering pandemic lockdowns, as many as 3,000 North Korean workers in China staged protests last month, according to two South Korean government-affiliated researchers, including a former North Korean diplomat.

Israeli lawmakers approve amended war budget for 2024 in initial vote

Israel's parliament gave its initial approval to an amended 2024 state budget that adds tens of billions of shekels to fund Israel's war against Hamas, with higher defence spending and compensation to households and businesses hurt by the conflict. Lawmakers voted 57-50 to approve the spending package of 584 billion shekels ($159 billion), or 724 billion including debt repayment, according to a statement by the Knesset, Israel's parliament.

Kataib Hezbollah commander killed in Baghdad in US strike

A commander from Kataib Hezbollah, an Iran-backed armed group in Iraq that the Pentagon has blamed for attacking its troops, was killed in a U.S. strike on Wednesday, the U.S. military said. "(U.S.) forces conducted a unilateral strike in Iraq in response to the attacks on U.S. service members, killing a Kataib Hezbollah commander responsible for directly planning and participating in attacks on U.S. forces in the region," a statement from the military said. It did not name the commander.