World Echo

Two people have died after an ​explosion at a house in ‌the southern English city of Bristol, with authorities treating ​the cause of ​the incident as suspicious, local ⁠police said on Sunday. Police, ​who have declared it a ​major incident, said they were not treating it as a ​suspected terrorist incident. They said enquiries were at ​an early ​stage, ⁠but that at this point, authorities were ​not looking for ​anyone ⁠else in connection with the explosion. Police added that ⁠there ​was not believed ​to be any significant damage to ​other properties. The Avon and Somersat Police said “two people have died in an explosion at a property in Sterncourt Road on Sunday Morning. We can confirm sadly two people have died in an explosion at a property in Sterncourt Road this morning. Their families have been updated. Please see the statement below for full details. An accessible version of the statement is available to read here: https://t.co/ghXRTF0Mc1 pic.twitter.com/K...

Israel gave final approval for a plan to purchase two new combat squadrons of F-35 and F-15IA advanced fighter aircraft from Lockheed Martin and Boeing in a deal worth tens of billions of dollars, the defence ministry said on Sunday. The deal, approved by Israel's Ministerial Committee on Procurement, is a first step in a 350 billion shekel ($119 billion) plan to bolster Israel's military and "strengthen readiness ahead of a demanding decade for Israeli security," it said. It added that the new squadrons will serve as a cornerstone of the military's long-term force development, addressing regional threats and preserving Israel’s strategic air superiority. Read: US bypasses congressional review for military sales of $8.6b to Middle East allies "Alongside immediate wartime procurement needs, we have a responsibility to act now to secure the IDF’s military edge ten years from now and beyond," said ministry Director General Amir Bara...

The Israeli military issued an urgent warning on Sunday to residents of 11 towns and villages in southern Lebanon, urging them to evacuate their homes and move at least 1,000 metres (3,300 feet) away to open areas. The military said it was conducting operations against Hezbollah following what it described as a violation of their ceasefire agreement, warning that anyone near Hezbollah fighters or facilities could be at risk. Israel has continued to carry out strikes across southern Lebanon, and its troops ​are occupying a strip of the country's south, destroying homes they describe as infrastructure being used by ⁠Hezbollah. The Israeli army has also warned residents of various southern Lebanese villages not to return, citing the ongoing military activity. Read: Trump says Iran war should end 'soon', Hezbollah should support truce The Iran-backed militant group has kept up its drone and rocket attacks against Israeli troops in Lebanon and on northern ​Israel. Leba...

Saudi Arabia has imposed a new age restriction for Hajj pilgrims, barring individuals under 15 years of age from travelling on Hajj flights, the Pakistan Airports Authority (PAA) announced on Saturday. In a press release, the PAA said Saudi Arabia has enforced the restriction with immediate effect. “According to the directive, no pilgrim under the age of 15 years (as of May 27, 2026, corresponding to 9th Zulhijjah 1447 AH — Day of Arafat) will be permitted to travel to Saudi Arabia for Hajj,” the authority stated. The restriction will come into force from May 3 with all relevant authorities at Pakistani airports, including immigration officials, instructed to ensure strict compliance. The PAA confirmed that visas issued to pilgrims under the age of 15 stand cancelled. However, Saudi authorities have assured that affected pilgrims may opt to cancel their Hajj journey and will receive a full refund of the amount deposited. “All airlines and Hajj operators a...

NATO on Saturday said that they are working with Washington to understand the US' decision to withdraw troops from Germany. "We are working with the US to understand the details of their decision on force posture in Germany," spokesperson Allison Hart wrote on X. She said that the "adjustment underscores the need for Europe to continue to invest more in defence and take on a greater share of the responsibility" for their shared security. "We remain confident in our ability to provide for our deterrence and defence as this shift towards a stronger Europe in a stronger NATO continues," Hart added. Also Read: Trump criticizes Germany's Merz, tells him to stop interfering over Iran The US defence chief has ordered the withdrawal of approximately 5,000 troops from Germany, a Pentagon spokesman said Friday. Earlier this week, President Donald Trump said that the US is assessing a possible reduction of its military presence in Germany amid a rif...

US President Donald Trump's administration has bypassed congressional review to approve military ‌sales totalling over $8.6 billion to Middle Eastern allies Israel, Qatar, Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates. The State Department announcements on Friday came as the US and Israel's war on Iran marked nine weeks since its start and more than three weeks ​since a fragile ceasefire came into effect. The State Department claimed US Secretary of State Marco ​Rubio determined that an emergency existed that required immediate sales to those countries and ⁠waived the congressional review requirements for the sales. The announcements included approving military sales to Qatar of ​Patriot air and missile defence replenishment services costing $4.01 billion and of Advanced Precision Kill Weapon Systems (APKWS) costing $992.4 ​million. They also included approval of the sale to Kuwait of an integrated battle command system costing $2.5 billion and to Israel of Advanced Precisio...