Author: EchoAsiaNews

BELGRADE: Serbian President Aleksandar Vučić has acknowledged his party’s defeat in snap parliamentary elections, marking a major political setback for his long-dominant Serbian Progressive Party (SNS) after months of student-led demonstrations against his government. Speaking at his party’s headquarters in Belgrade late Sunday, Vučić said preliminary results showed that the ruling party had lost, although the final election figures were still pending. “We still do not have final results… it is clear that we have lost these elections,” he said. The announcement prompted celebrations in Belgrade, Novi Sad and other parts of Serbia, where supporters of the student-led opposition gathered…

LAHORE: Shadab Khan scored his maiden One Day International (ODI) century and shared an unbeaten 89-run partnership with Haris Rauf to help Pakistan secure a thrilling one-wicket victory over England in the ODI tri-series at Gaddafi Stadium on Sunday. Chasing a target of 242 runs, Pakistan reached 245-9 in 47.1 overs, with Shadab remaining unbeaten on 113 off 96 deliveries, including 13 fours and five sixes. Pakistan were struggling at 154-9 before Shadab and Rauf combined to keep the hosts in contention and complete the chase. Rauf scored seven not out off 19 balls, while Shadab led the recovery with…

WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump has compared Democratic Senate candidate Abdul El-Sayed to the hijackers involved in the September 11, 2001, attacks, intensifying his criticism of the Michigan candidate ahead of the November 3 midterm elections. Speaking at a campaign rally in Port Huron, Michigan, on Sunday, Trump described El-Sayed as an extremist and alleged that he was affiliated with the Muslim Brotherhood, without presenting evidence to support the claim. “I’m here to keep an extremist, Muslim Brotherhood member from becoming a United States senator,” Trump told supporters. El-Sayed, who could become the first Muslim elected to the US Senate…

WONSAN: Satellite images analysed by the BBC show an 80-metre luxury vessel featuring a 50-metre swimming pool and waterslides operating near a coastal retreat associated with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and his family. The vessel was repeatedly spotted off the Kalma Peninsula, near the eastern coastal city of Wonsan, between July and mid-October 2026. The area is close to a villa used by Kim and his family. The BBC’s analysis identified four large vessels measuring approximately 50, 55, 60 and 80 metres that repeatedly appeared in waters around Wonsan this year. Their movements were tracked using satellite imagery…

TOKYO: Japan is preparing to launch a Mars exploration mission on October 20 to collect samples from Phobos, one of the Red Planet’s two moons, and return them to Earth in 2031, in a major step towards understanding the origin of Mars’ moons. The Mars Moons Exploration (MMX) mission, led by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA), will study Phobos and Deimos before attempting to collect around 10 grams of surface material from Phobos. Scientists will analyse the samples to determine how the two Martian moons formed and whether they originated from a massive impact on Mars or from asteroids…

PARIS: French President Emmanuel Macron has pledged tougher security measures following widespread riots, looting and violent clashes across France, after nearly 2,400 people were arrested and almost 1,000 police officers and gendarmes were injured, according to the French Interior Ministry. Fresh riots erupted in Paris, Lyon and other French cities on Sunday, a day after demonstrations over the cost of living, rising fuel prices and economic concerns turned violent. French police deployed tear gas and stun grenades to disperse crowds as protesters clashed with officers and several shops and public buildings were damaged. In a televised address on Sunday, Macron…

LONDON: King Charles III chaired a Privy Council meeting at Buckingham Palace attended by senior United Kingdom government ministers and officials, with Ruth Charteris formally sworn in as a new member of the King’s Most Honourable Privy Council, according to the official Court Circular. The British monarch held the meeting at 4:15pm on Wednesday, October 14, as part of his constitutional duties. The meeting was attended by Sir Alan Campbell, Lord President of the Privy Council, Yvette Cooper, Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, and Alex Norris, Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice. Baroness Smith of…

KARACHI: Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has urged Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman to play a role in combating terrorism in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and resolving the political situation surrounding the provincial emergency and governor’s rule. Addressing an event in Karachi on Sunday to mark the anniversary of the Karsaz tragedy, Bilawal invited opposition parties to hold talks with the government, saying political cooperation was necessary to tackle terrorism and address the security challenges facing the country. He also urged Maulana Fazl to openly condemn terrorist activities, noting that members of his party had also…

ISLAMABAD: Iran has warned US President Donald Trump against renewed military action, while an oil tanker reportedly caught fire after striking a naval mine in the Strait of Hormuz, as tensions continued to rise across the Middle East. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi accused Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of trying to draw Washington into another war to avoid prison. Separately, a Houthi projectile injured six people in Saudi Arabia’s Najran city, while Pakistan and Egypt condemned attacks against the kingdom. The developments came as Russia prepared for talks with Iranian officials in Tehran and regional governments continued diplomatic contacts…

USA: The San Francisco 49ers and Minnesota Vikings improved to 5-0 in the NFL season after securing victories in Week Five, while the Washington Commanders and New York Giants played out a 27-27 tie in a dramatic overtime finish. The week also featured wins for the Green Bay Packers, New England Patriots and Detroit Lions, while the Los Angeles Chargers, Tennessee Titans and Miami Dolphins remained winless. San Francisco defeated the defending Super Bowl champions, the Seattle Seahawks, 32-29 in a game marked by seven turnovers. The 49ers capitalised on Seattle’s mistakes to score three touchdowns from turnovers, while wide…