Author: EchoAsiaNews

DHAKA: Pakistan pacer Mohammad Abbas struck three times in the morning session to put Bangladesh under pressure, but veteran batter Mushfiqur Rahim held firm as the hosts reached 380-7 at lunch on the second day of the opening Test in Dhaka on Saturday. Resuming their innings at 301-4 at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium, Bangladesh lost key wickets early after Abbas produced a disciplined spell with the ball. Litton Das was dismissed for 33 before Abbas removed Mehidy Hasan Miraz for 10 and Taijul Islam for 17 to reduce the hosts to 380-7 by the lunch interval. Mushfiqur Rahim anchored…

DENVER: A Frontier Airlines flight bound for Los Angeles aborted takeoff at Denver International Airport late Friday after the aircraft struck a pedestrian on the runway, triggering an engine fire and an emergency evacuation, authorities said. Denver International Airport said Frontier Flight 4345 reported hitting a person during takeoff at approximately 11:19pm local time. Airport officials confirmed that a brief engine fire broke out following the incident but was quickly extinguished by the Denver Fire Department. According to air traffic control audio, the pilot informed controllers that the aircraft had “hit somebody” and reported an engine fire while stopping on…

DHAKA: Pakistan and Bangladesh on Saturday signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) aimed at strengthening bilateral cooperation against drug trafficking, narcotics abuse, and transnational crime during a high-level meeting between the interior ministers of the two countries in Dhaka. Pakistan’s Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi met Bangladeshi Interior Minister Salahuddin Ahmed, where both sides agreed to establish a secretary-level joint working group between their interior ministries to coordinate efforts against the illegal movement, sale, and supply of narcotics. Under the agreement, Islamabad and Dhaka will enhance intelligence-sharing mechanisms to curb drug smuggling networks and jointly develop strategies to dismantle narcotics supply…

COLOMBO: Sri Lankan authorities on Saturday arrested a senior Buddhist monk over allegations of sexually abusing an underage girl, in what officials describe as the country’s highest-profile case involving a member of the clergy. Police said 71-year-old Pallegama Hemarathana was taken into custody at a private hospital in Colombo, where he had reportedly sought medical treatment while investigators pursued allegations linked to the abuse of an 11-year-old girl in 2022. According to authorities, the alleged incident took place at a prominent Buddhist temple in Anuradhapura, nearly 200 kilometres north of the capital, where Hemarathana serves as chief priest. “We will…

WASHINGTON: A classified CIA assessment has concluded that Iran could withstand a US-led naval blockade for up to four months, despite escalating military pressure and renewed clashes in the Gulf region, according to international media reports. The report surfaced as tensions between Washington and Tehran intensified following fresh confrontations in and around the Strait of Hormuz, a vital global oil transit route. US and Iranian forces reportedly exchanged fire on Friday, while the United States imposed additional sanctions targeting entities allegedly linked to Iran’s drone and missile programmes. According to the intelligence assessment, Iran retains significant military and economic resilience…

LAHORE: The Punjab government is considering announcing early summer vacations for schools across the province due to intensifying heatwave conditions and forecasts of above-normal temperatures in the coming weeks. Punjab Minister for School and Higher Education Rana Sikandar Hayat said authorities are reviewing a proposal to close educational institutions from May 22 until August 2. He added that a final decision regarding the revised academic schedule will be taken by May 11. According to officials, the move is being considered in response to severe weather conditions and increasing concerns over student safety during the ongoing heat spell. Authorities are also…

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on Friday said Pakistan was working closely with Singapore, Iran and US authorities to secure the welfare and repatriation of Pakistani and Iranian nationals aboard vessels seized by the United States near Singaporean waters. In a statement posted on X, Dar said he had spoken with Singaporean Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan and requested support in facilitating the safe return of 11 Pakistani and 20 Iranian nationals currently aboard the seized vessels. Dar said he also held talks with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi as both countries remained in close coordination on the…

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) on Thursday warned that cyberattacks powered by advanced artificial intelligence could pose serious risks to global financial stability, urging stronger international cooperation to counter emerging threats. In a new report, the IMF said large-scale cyber incidents could create funding pressures, raise solvency concerns and disrupt broader financial markets due to the highly interconnected nature of the global financial system. The report warned that advanced AI models are significantly reducing the time and cost required to identify and exploit cybersecurity vulnerabilities, increasing the risk of sophisticated attacks on financial institutions and critical infrastructure. The IMF’s warning…

The United States and Iran exchanged fire on Thursday in the most serious confrontation since their month-long ceasefire began on April 7, raising concerns over renewed instability in the Strait of Hormuz and the broader Middle East region. Iran’s military accused the United States of violating the ceasefire by targeting two ships entering the Strait of Hormuz and carrying out strikes on Iranian territory, including civilian areas on Qeshm Island and coastal regions near Bandar Khamir and Sirik. Tehran said it responded by attacking US naval vessels east of the Strait of Hormuz and south of the port of Chabahar.…

Pakistan won the toss and elected to bowl first against Bangladesh in the opening Test of the two-match series at the Sher-e-Bangla National Cricket Stadium in Dhaka on Friday. The match marks the beginning of both teams’ campaign in the ICC World Test Championship (WTC) 2025–27 cycle. Pakistan currently sit fifth in the WTC standings with 12 points from two matches, while Bangladesh are placed eighth after registering one draw and one defeat. Pakistan handed Test debuts to youngsters Abdullah Fazal and Azan Awais, while former captain Babar Azam was ruled out of the match due to a left knee…