Author: EchoAsiaNews

Türkiye’s foreign minister has stated that foreign airstrikes would not lead to the collapse of the Iranian government, and urged that diplomatic engagement, not military action, is the way forward amid escalating tensions involving Tehran, Washington and other regional actors. In a televised interview, Hakan Fidan said that while external military pressure might weaken Iran’s institutions, it would not successfully overthrow the government. He described the notion that an air campaign could topple Tehran as unrealistic and warned of broader regional destabilisation if military options were pursued. Fidan’s remarks come as U.S.–Iran negotiations over nuclear and security issues have been…

Pakistan’s army has concluded a 60-hour joint military exercise involving troops from 19 countries, including Saudi Arabia and the United States, the military’s media wing said on Monday. According to a statement issued by the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the 9th International Pakistan Army Team Spirit (PATS) Competition was held from February 5 to 9 in the semi-mountainous terrain of Kharian district in Punjab province. The exercise focused on long-duration patrolling operations aimed at enhancing tactical skills and interoperability among participating forces. The ISPR said the exercise was designed to promote the exchange of professional military expertise, operational concepts, and…

The Indian rupee is poised to open with a muted response to the recent slide in the U.S. dollar and strengthening Chinese yuan, as local market flows continue to outweigh global currency trends, analysts say. Despite the U.S. dollar weakening broadly, with the U.S. dollar index falling and the offshore Chinese yuan rising to multi-year highs, the rupee has shown limited movement. Traders note that corporate dollar demand and technical factors dominated trading, preventing the rupee from fully benefiting from the weaker dollar backdrop. On Monday, the rupee closed slightly weaker at around 90.76 against the U.S. dollar, remaining within…

Defence Minister Khawaja Asif on Monday called for national unity in the fight against terrorism as the National Assembly unanimously passed a resolution condemning the deadly suicide attack on an imambargah in Islamabad. Addressing the lower house, Asif said that while political اختلافات are a natural part of democracy, issues such as national sovereignty, territorial integrity and state security must rise above partisan politics. His remarks followed the suicide bombing at an imambargah in Islamabad’s Tarlai area during Friday prayers, which claimed at least 33 lives and left dozens injured. According to officials, the attacker first opened fire before detonating…

Pakistani rapper Talha Anjum has confirmed his engagement to London-based content creator Zoiea Karim following widespread social media speculation. Speculation began earlier this week after video clips and photos of what appeared to be an engagement ceremony circulated online. In the clips, Anjum and Karim were seen together, and moments from the gathering appeared to show a ring exchange and celebratory rituals. On Monday, Anjum shared a carousel of engagement photos on his official Instagram account, confirming the reports and posting a message dedicated to Karim that described the occasion as a new chapter in their lives. Fans and followers…

Pakistan’s government has directed its national men’s cricket team to play the scheduled ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 match against India on Feb. 15 in Colombo, ending uncertainty over the high-profile fixture. The decision came after discussions involving the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), the International Cricket Council (ICC) and the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB), officials said. Friendly countries, including Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and the United Arab Emirates, had formally requested Pakistan reconsider an earlier stance that had signalled a possible boycott of the match. Pakistan had been under pressure after announcing its intent not to play the India fixture…

Australian leaders called for calm on Tuesday after clashes broke out between police and demonstrators in central Sydney during the visit of Isaac Herzog, authorities said. Police said confrontations occurred near Sydney’s Town Hall on Monday evening as protesters gathered to oppose Herzog’s visit. New South Wales police used pepper spray to disperse the crowd after demonstrators attempted to breach police lines. At least 27 people were arrested, including 10 charged with assaulting police officers, according to police statements. The protests coincided with Herzog’s official visit to Australia, which includes events marking the victims of a deadly attack at a…

China is increasing its political, economic and defence engagement with Bangladesh as relations between Dhaka and New Delhi have weakened ahead of Bangladesh’s national election scheduled for Feb. 12, 2026. The shift follows the removal from power of former prime minister Sheikh Hasina, who maintained close ties with India during her tenure. Hasina was ousted in 2024 and is currently living in New Delhi. Bangladesh’s interim authorities have requested her extradition after she was convicted at home, but India has not acted on the request. Her Awami League party is not contesting the upcoming election, leaving two major parties with…

Pakistani authorities said on Monday that more than 44.3 million children were vaccinated during the first nationwide anti-polio campaign of the year, marking a major step in the country’s ongoing effort to eradicate the paralyzing virus. The week-long campaign, which ran from Feb. 2 to Feb. 8, targeted children under the age of five across Pakistan and was overseen by the National Emergency Operations Center (NEOC). Officials said over 400,000 trained polio workers visited households door-to-door to administer oral polio vaccine drops. “More than 44.3 million children were administered polio vaccine drops during the campaign,” the NEOC said in an…

Chinese President Xi Jinping has extended condolences to Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari after a deadly bombing and shooting attack at a Shi’ite mosque in Islamabad, state media reported Monday, as world leaders condemned the violence and pledged support for Pakistan. Xi “strongly condemned violence and terrorist acts against innocent civilians” and reaffirmed China’s support for Pakistan’s efforts to fight terrorism, the state-run Xinhua news agency said. The message was conveyed in a letter of sympathy addressed to Zardari. The comments followed a suicide bombing and gun attack at the Khadija Al-Kubra Shi’ite mosque in the Tarlai Kalan area of…