World Echo

British intelligence and military officials have voiced concerns that a Chinese-owned luxury hotel in the Greek Cypriot Administration could potentially be used to monitor activity at the nearby RAF Akrotiri military base, according to a report published Friday. The 16-story City of Dreams Mediterranean resort near Limassol overlooks parts of one of Britain’s most important overseas military installations, the Telegraph reported, citing several intelligence and military sources. The resort, which opened in 2023, borders the UK’s Sovereign Base Areas on two sides and is significantly taller than surrounding buildings. Sources said an observer with binoculars and a suitable vantage point could monitor aircraft taking off and landing, as well as the movements of troops and officials around the base. Access to the hotel’s top floor, which provides the clearest view of the area, is restricted to guests staying in its two presidential suites, according to the newspa...

The Indian Army has signed an agreement with the United States to purchase Javelin anti-tank missile systems, the US Embassy in India said on Friday, without disclosing the value of the deal. The medium-range guided missile system, jointly produced by Lockheed Martin and RTX, is designed for use against a range of targets, including armoured vehicles, the embassy said. The missile system is already in service with the US Army and Marine Corps, as well as several international customers, the embassy added. The agreement creates new opportunities for the defence industries of both countries to work together, US Ambassador Sergio Gor said. Read: US says interim trade deal with India 'almost complete' "We see tremendous potential for future cooperation that strengthens the defence industrial bases of both countries," he said. New Delhi was not immediately available for comment on the agreement. India is the world's fifth-largest military...

A huge piece of ice that fell thousands of metres from a glacier into a river below may have unleashed the disaster in Nepal and Tibet that killed at least 180 people. Here is what experts believe happened so far: Glacier collapse A glacier collapse in Nepal's mountains near Tibet appears to have triggered the disaster. "A large chunk of glacier fell from about 5,200 metres (about 17,600 feet)... into a valley," said Simon Cox, principal scientist at New Zealand's GNS Science. It "transformed into this raging mass of debris... where it picks up rocks and sediment and trees and anything in the way and fires it on down through the canyon," he told AFP. The wall of water first impacted a border post, as documented in terrifying CCTV footage showing mud and debris engulfing the area as people fled before it. It then travelled downstream into Nepal, flooding villages and bringing down bridges and buildings. Seismic activity The glacier collapse was l...

Russian Foreign Intelligence Service (SVR) Director Sergey Naryshkin on Thursday confirmed that he met with CIA Director John Ratcliffe, who arrived in Moscow earlier this week. In remarks to journalists in the Russian capital, Naryshkin described the meeting with Ratcliffe as “nothing unusual,” saying their talks were “part of our working format.” “During the meeting, we discussed several issues that fall within the purview of intelligence services. And intelligence services' purview is a rather delicate and specific matter,” the SVR chief added. The Kremlin confirmed Wednesday that Ratcliffe visited Moscow on Tuesday, the first visit by a CIA chief since 2021, saying it involved contacts between security services and describing such contacts as a "positive phenomenon, a positive process." Read: Pak urges Russia, Ukraine to restart peace talks According to Flightradar24, a US Air Force C-17A Globemaster III flew from the ...

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said Thursday that Muslim states should not allow their territories to be used to launch attacks against other Muslim nations. “Defending Iran does not mean hostility toward Muslim nations or neighbouring countries,” Pezeshkian said in an address broadcast on Iranian state television during the 40th International Islamic Unity Conference in Tehran. “No Islamic country should allow its territory to be used as a launchpad for aggression against another Islamic country. No Islamic country should seek its own security through the insecurity of its neighbours,” he said. Referring to the conflict with the US, Pezeshkian said large-scale US and Israeli military attacks against Iran began while diplomatic efforts between Tehran and Washington to resolve their differences were still underway. He said Iran-US negotiations had resumed that same month in an effort to find a diplomatic solution when the attacks began, killing Irani...

Iranian missile and drone attacks have caused "unprecedented damage" to US intelligence facilities and surveillance equipment across the Middle East, NBC News reported on Tuesday. Citing four people with knowledge of the matter, the report said the attacks damaged buildings and intelligence-gathering equipment used by the CIA and other US spy agencies. The damage is expected to require billions of dollars to repair or replace, said the report. The scale of the destruction is described as greater than any damage previously sustained by US intelligence agencies, the sources said. Read More: US cannot achieve its goals through economic pressure: Iranian president Tensions in the Middle East have heightened since the US and Israel launched joint strikes on Iran in February. In response, Tehran retaliated with strikes in regional countries hosting US assets. Iran and the US signed a memorandum of understanding in mid-June under Pakistani mediation aimed at ending their ...