Author: EchoAsiaNews

Dozens of Palestinian journalists jailed by Israel since October 2023 have reported severe abuse, including torture, sexual assault, starvation, and threats against family members, according to a report by the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) released Thursday. The report is based on interviews with 59 Palestinian journalists, nearly all of whom reported experiencing “torture, abuse or other forms of violence” while in Israeli detention. The abuses included baton beatings, electrocution, extreme stress positions, sexual assault, sleep deprivation, and medical neglect, CPJ said. Two journalists reported being raped. Journalist Sami al-Sai described being stripped and assaulted with objects in a small…

Satellite imagery shows that Iran has recently constructed a large concrete shield over a new facility at a sensitive military complex, amid continuing acute tensions with the United States and Israel, experts say. The images, analyzed by independent specialists and released this week, reveal that the newly built structure at the Parchin military complex, southeast of Tehran, is now covered with concrete and soil, obscuring the site from above. Analysts say the measure likely aims to protect key installations from potential airstrikes or other attacks. Parchin has long been a focus of Western intelligence, which has linked parts of the…

Pakistan’s Higher Education Commission (HEC) has issued a directive requiring all public and private universities to include Artificial Intelligence (AI) as a compulsory subject in every undergraduate and postgraduate degree program, officials said on Thursday. Under the new policy, universities must offer a three‑credit‑hour course on AI covering foundational concepts, ethical implications, data privacy and its societal impact. The directive allows institutions to structure the subject as an elective, an interdisciplinary module, or a supporting course within existing degree frameworks, giving colleges flexibility in implementation. The requirement is set to take effect from the Fall 2026 academic session, with institutions urged…

Como boss Cesc Fabregas apologized on Thursday following a controversial touchline incident in his side’s 1‑1 Serie A draw with AC Milan at San Siro, in which Milan manager Massimiliano Allegri was sent off. The match ended level as Argentina midfielder Nico Paz put Como ahead in the 32nd minute, only for Portugal winger Rafael Leão to equalize shortly after halftime. Milan remains unbeaten in the league but fell seven points behind leaders Inter Milan. The controversy arose late in the second half when Milan attempted a counterattack. Alexis Sailmakers slowed play near the Como technical area, and Milan alleged that…

The United States has renewed threats of military action against Iran following a second round of nuclear negotiations, as Tehran and Moscow announced joint naval exercises in the Sea of Oman. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt stated on Wednesday that “Iran would be very wise to make a deal” with President Donald Trump, after indirect talks in Geneva ended without a major breakthrough. Leavitt added that while some progress was made, the two sides remain far apart on key issues. President Trump, who has deployed two aircraft carriers and thousands of troops to the Gulf region, warned that the…

Microsoft co‑founder Bill Gates has pulled out of delivering the keynote address at India’s AI Impact Summit, dealing another blow to an event already beset by organisational problems and high‑profile no‑shows, Reuters reports. The Gates Foundation said Gates would not deliver his scheduled keynote address “to ensure the focus remains on the AI Summit’s key priorities.” No further explanation was provided in the statement. Gates’ withdrawal came hours before his appearance, compounding difficulties at the flagship summit in New Delhi that has faced complaints from delegates about traffic chaos, logistical lapses and other disruptions. The absence of other tech leaders,…

According to the Dawn News, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar on Thursday dismissed media reports suggesting a “deal” between the government and jailed Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan, calling such claims “entirely false and misleading.” “There is neither any deal nor any leniency for Imran Khan,” Tarar said in a statement shared on X, emphasizing that the former prime minister, convicted in multiple corruption cases, would face no special treatment. Imran Khan, imprisoned since August 2023 at Rawalpindi’s Adiala Jail, is serving a 14-year sentence in a £190 million corruption case and has other convictions relating to state gifts. He…

The Pakistan Airport Authority (PAA) has announced that the country’s airspace will remain closed to all Indian civil and military aircraft until March 23, according to a notice to airmen (Notam) issued today. Pakistan’s airspace is divided into two flight information regions (FIRs), Karachi (OPKR) and Lahore (OPLR), and the new Notam applies to both, according to a 2022 document from the Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority (PCAA). The restrictions follow escalating tensions between the two nuclear-armed neighbors after an April 2025 attack in occupied Kashmir’s Pahalgam that claimed 26 lives. India, without providing evidence, accused Pakistan of supporting the assault,…

Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif arrived in Washington, D.C., today to participate in the first formal gathering of U.S. President Donald Trump’s Board of Peace, an international body tasked with overseeing post-ceasefire reconstruction in Gaza and establishing long-term stability in the war-torn Palestinian enclave. The meeting, hosted by President Trump at the Donald J. Trump United States Institute of Peace, brings together delegations from more than two dozen member countries—including Pakistan, Israel, Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar, Turkey, Indonesia, and others—to discuss humanitarian aid, rebuilding efforts, and the deployment of an International Stabilization Force (ISF). Trump, who chairs the…

Meta Platforms CEO Mark Zuckerberg is being questioned in a U.S. court on Wednesday about his company’s role in allegedly addicting children to social media, marking a pivotal moment in a landmark trial that could reshape legal accountability for tech giants. Zuckerberg, the billionaire founder of Facebook and Instagram, is appearing before a jury in Los Angeles County Superior Court for the first time to answer claims that Meta’s platforms were intentionally designed to harm young users’ mental health. The case, part of a wave of litigation targeting major social media companies, centers on allegations that features such as infinite…