Author: EchoAsiaNews

Argentina: The World Health Organization (WHO) has confirmed that eight passengers aboard the cruise ship MV Hondius have tested positive for the Andes virus, a rare and potentially severe strain of hantavirus that is capable of human-to-human transmission. In its latest update, the UN health agency said eight cases have been laboratory-confirmed, while two additional cases are classified as probable and one case remains inconclusive and is undergoing further testing. The outbreak has already resulted in fatalities, with three deaths reported among passengers since the ship departed Argentina on April 1 for a transatlantic cruise. According to the WHO, two…

New Delhi: A senior leader of India’s Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and a former Indian Army chief have called for the continuation of diplomatic and people-to-people engagement with Pakistan, triggering political criticism from opposition parties, particularly the Congress. RSS General Secretary Dattatreya Hosabale, regarded as the organisation’s second-most senior figure, told PTI that India should keep diplomatic channels with Pakistan open despite longstanding tensions. He stated that India should remain prepared for dialogue, noting that diplomatic relations, trade links, and visa arrangements already exist and should not be discontinued. Hosabale said maintaining engagement is necessary to preserve a “window for…

The United States has cleared around 10 Chinese companies to purchase Nvidia’s second-most powerful AI chip, the H200, but no shipments have been delivered so far, leaving the arrangement effectively stalled, according to multiple sources familiar with the matter. The development has created uncertainty around a major technology deal, even as Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang seeks to advance discussions during high-level US–China engagements in Beijing. Sources said Huang joined the Beijing trip after an invitation from US President Donald Trump, despite not being initially listed in the official White House delegation. One source stated Trump met Huang during a stopover…

US President Donald Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping held high-level talks in Beijing during a two-day summit focused on trade, geopolitical tensions, and regional security issues, including Iran and Taiwan. The meeting marked the first visit by a US president to China since Trump’s previous trip in 2017 and comes amid heightened global tensions linked to the ongoing Iran conflict and strained US domestic political conditions. At the opening of the summit held at Beijing’s Great Hall of the People, Xi Jinping stated that US–China trade negotiations were making progress, noting that recent economic discussions in South Korea had…

A civilian who was killed while stopping a suicide bomber near Kohat has been posthumously awarded the Sitara-e-Shujaat on the recommendation of the prime minister, with President Asif Ali Zardari approving the honour in recognition of his bravery. According to an official statement issued on Wednesday, the award was granted for Liaqat Shaheed’s “exceptional courage and sacrifice” during a militant incident in which he intercepted a suspected suicide attacker, preventing what authorities described as a potential mass-casualty attack. Officials said the incident occurred in the inter-provincial area between Punjab’s Jand tehsil and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s Khushal Garh Bridge, where the attacker…

A Karachi court has granted a three-day physical remand of alleged drug trafficker Anmol alias “Pinky” after police presented renewed grounds in a narcotics case registered by Karachi South Police. The suspect, previously sent to jail on judicial remand, was produced before the court following an earlier rejection of police’s request for physical custody. Investigators told the court that further custody was required to identify the source of cocaine supply, trace financial transactions, and complete a Criminal Record Office (CRO) verification. Police also informed the court that additional case histories linked to the suspect had been compiled. According to law…

India has increased import tariffs on gold and silver in an effort to stabilise the weakening rupee and protect foreign currency reserves under pressure from rising global energy costs linked to the conflict in the Middle East. According to official orders issued on Tuesday, the government has more than doubled import duties on gold and silver to around 15 percent from the previous 6 percent. The move comes as gold imports continue to place pressure on India’s dollar reserves, given that purchases are typically financed in foreign currency. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had earlier urged citizens to reduce gold consumption…

Russia and Ukraine have resumed military strikes following the expiry of a three-day ceasefire, with both sides reporting attacks and casualties on Tuesday. Ukrainian authorities said a drone strike on Kyiv and surrounding regions resulted in one death in the eastern Dnipropetrovsk region. Regional officials reported that a man was killed and a woman injured in the Synelnykove area, while at least three others were wounded in separate strikes across the region. Air raid alerts were issued in Kyiv as military officials warned of incoming drones and urged residents to take shelter. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said fighting continued throughout…

American actor Demi Moore has called on the global film industry to adapt to artificial intelligence rather than resist it, speaking ahead of the Cannes Film Festival’s opening ceremony on Tuesday. Moore said the rapid rise of AI made opposition impractical, arguing that filmmakers should instead focus on integrating the technology into creative processes. “AI is here. And so to fight it is to, in a sense, to fight something that is a battle that we will lose. So to find ways in which we can work with it is a more valuable path to take,” she said. Moore, who…

China has called on Pakistan to enhance its diplomatic mediation efforts between Iran and the United States, according to Chinese state media reports on Wednesday. The appeal was made by Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi during a telephone conversation with Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar on Tuesday, the official Xinhua News Agency reported. During the call, Wang urged Islamabad to “step up mediation efforts” and contribute to addressing issues related to the potential reopening and stability of the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global energy shipping route. According to Xinhua, Wang also stated that China would…