World Echo

Russia threatened to take military "countermeasures" if the West boosts its own military footprint on Greenland, Moscow's foreign minister Sergei Lavrov said Wednesday. Several European countries have sent small contingents of troops to Greenland in recent weeks after US President Donald Trump repeatedly said he wanted to annex the Arctic island. "Of course, in the event of the militarisation of Greenland and the creation of military capabilities aimed at Russia, we will take adequate counter-measures, including military-technical ones," Lavrov said in a speech to Russian lawmakers. Greenland -- home to some 57,000 people -- has been an autonomous Danish territory for decades. Trump last month backed off threats to seize Greenland after saying he had struck a "framework" deal with NATO chief Mark Rutte to ensure greater US influence. He had previously been warning that if the United States did not seize Greenland, Russia or China could. "The US, D...

President Asif Ali Zardari congratulated Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, and the Iranian people on the 47th anniversary of the Islamic Revolution. President Asif Ali Zardari conveys felicitations to Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei and the people of Iran on the 47th anniversary of the Islamic Revolution, reaffirming the deep-rooted brotherly ties between 🇵🇰 & 🇮🇷 and extending prayers for peace and prosperity. @khamenei_ir — The President of Pakistan (@PresOfPakistan) February 11, 2026 According to Radio Pakistan, President Zardari said Pakistan and Iran share ties rooted in common history, language, culture and geography. He said he hoped the “spirit of brotherhood” would continue to support prosperity and stability in both countries and the wider region. He also extended wishes for the supreme leader's good health and offered prayers for peace, progress and prosperity for the people of Iran. The Iranian Revolution Iran’s Islamic Revolution refers to the ...

The Hague’s Permanent Court of Arbitrationhas said that India did not respond to an invitation to participate in a hearing and did not appear in proceedings over a case related to the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) dispute with Pakistan. The IWT of 1960 stands as one of the most carefully negotiated and legally robust transboundary water agreements in modern international law. Concluded between Pakistan and India with the good offices of the World Bank, the treaty was designed to remove water from the volatility of politics and conflict and to anchor it firmly in law, engineering discipline and neutral dispute resolution. It is a binding international instrument governed by the foundational principle of pacta sunt servanda — that treaties must be honoured in good faith. In a press release issued a day ago, the court said it concluded its hearing for the Second Phase on the Merits on February 3 in an arbitration initiated by Pakistan against I...

A proposed multinational peacekeeping force for Gaza could total about 20,000 troops, with Indonesia estimating it could contribute up to 8,000, President Prabowo Subianto’s spokesman said on Tuesday. The spokesman said, however, that no deployment terms or areas of operation had been agreed. Prabowo has been invited to Washington later this month for the first meeting of US President Donald Trump's Board of Peace. The Southeast Asian country last year committed to ready 20,000 troops for deployment for a Gaza peacekeeping force, but it has said it is awaiting more details about the force's mandate before confirming deployment. "The total number is approximately 20,000 (across countries) ... it is not only Indonesia," presidential spokesman Prasetyo Hadi told journalists on Tuesday, adding that the exact number of troops had not been discussed yet, but Indonesia estimated it could offer up to 8,000. "We are just preparing ourselves in case an agreement is reached...

South Korea will set up a committee to conduct preliminary reviews of US investment projects as it seeks to speed up the implementation of a $350 billion investment package pledged under a trade deal with Washington, officials said on Tuesday. The move comes a day after parliament formed a panel to fast-track a bill enabling the investment fund by the end of February, following US President Donald Trump's threat to hike tariffs on South Korea, citing a delay in implementing the deal. "Even if the special bill is passed, it will take an additional three months for implementation after preparations such as the enactment of subordinate laws," Finance Minister Koo Yun-cheol told a policy meeting. To bridge the gap, the government will establish a system to enable a preliminary review of potential projects until the enactment and implementation of the bill, Koo said, adding that any misunderstandings with Washington were undesirable. Koo, who is also deputy prime minister for ...

Australian leaders on Tuesday urged calm and called on protesters to remain peaceful after clashes between police and demonstrators opposing Israeli President Isaac Herzog's visit to Australia erupted in Sydney. Police said 27 people were arrested, including 10 for allegedly assaulting officers, after violence broke out on Monday evening when police moved in to clear thousands of protesters who had gathered near Sydney's town hall. Protesters, including an opposition lawmaker, said on Tuesday they had been assaulted by officers. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said he was "devastated" by the violence and urged protesters to express their views peacefully. "Australians want two things. They don't want conflict brought here. They want killing to stop, whether it's Israelis or Palestinians, but they do not want conflict brought here," Albanese told radio station Triple M. "The causes are not advanced by these sorts of scenes - they are undermined...