World Echo

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...

The past weeks have not been reassuring for those who thought Europe could navigate its tricky relationship with United States President Donald Trump. Trump this week lashed out at German Chancellor Friedrich Merz over his criticism of the Iran war, calling him "totally ineffective", and ​threatened to cut the 36,400 US troops based in Germany. He has aimed at British Prime Minister Keir Starmer in strikingly personal terms, saying that he is "not Winston Churchill" and ‌threatening to impose a "big tariff" on imports from the United Kingdom. More worrying for Europe, Trump's Defence Department has floated punishing NATO allies that it believes are not supporting US operations in the war with Iran, including suspending Spain as a member and reviewing US recognition of the Falkland Islands as a UK possession. "It's unnerving to say the least," said one European diplomat. "We are braced for anything, anytime." T...

The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) said on Friday that most parts of South Asia were likely to receive below-normal rainfall during the 2026 southwest monsoon season, while temperatures were expected to remain higher than average. El Niño is a climatic phase in the Pacific Ocean marked by unusually warm sea surface temperatures, while its counterpart, La Niña, brings cooler-than-average waters. Together, they form the El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) system, a key driver of global weather patterns. The outlook was finalised at the 34th session of the South Asian Climate Outlook Forum (SASCOF-34), held in Malé, Maldives, with participation from experts representing national meteorological and hydrological services of nine countries, alongside international climate organisations. According to an official statement from the PMD, the forum noted that “below normal rainfall is most likely during the 2026 southwest monsoon season (Ju...

British police charged a 45-year-old man with two counts of attempted murder on Friday following an attack during which two Jewish men were stabbed in Golders Green, north London, in what officers have called a suspected terrorist incident. Following the attack, officials raised the national terrorism threat to its second-highest level, meaning a terrorist attack is highly likely within the next six months. The stabbings followed a spate of incidents targeting Jewish premises in the same area of north London, home to a large Jewish population, prompting British Prime Minister Keir Starmer to vow stronger action to protect Jewish people. Read: Explosion damages Jewish school in Amsterdam Pro-Palestinian marches due to take place in the future could now face new restrictions amid widespread calls for more protection for Britain's small community of about 290,000 Jews. Attempted murder charges Police said Essa Suleiman was charged with two counts of attempted murder and one...