Author: EchoAsiaNews

Global financial markets moved in mixed but broadly positive territory on Thursday as oil prices declined and equities rose amid cautious optimism over potential progress in US–Iran negotiations, even as both sides maintained firm positions on key issues including Iran’s uranium stockpile and control over the Strait of Hormuz. A senior Iranian source told Reuters that no agreement has been reached with the United States, but gaps in negotiations have narrowed. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said there were “some good signs” in talks, though he stressed that any toll system in the Strait of Hormuz would be unacceptable.…

ISLAMABAD, May 22: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will undertake an official visit to China from May 23 to 26 at the invitation of the Government of the People’s Republic of China, the Foreign Office said on Friday. Foreign Office spokesperson Tahir Hussain Andrabi said during a weekly briefing that the prime minister will hold key meetings with Chinese President Xi Jinping and Premier Li Qiang during the visit. The premier is also scheduled to chair a Pakistan–China Business-to-Business Conference in Beijing and attend an official reception. According to the spokesperson, the visit will focus on strengthening the Pakistan-China “all-weather strategic…

Blackstone-backed Spanish gambling operator Cirsa reported an approximately 8% rise in first-quarter core earnings, supported by strong performance across most business segments, despite a decline in its online betting division due to higher taxes in Peru. The company posted EBITDA of €193.9 million ($225.3 million), compared with €178.8 million in the same period last year. Growth was driven mainly by its casino, slot machine, and land-based gaming operations across Spain, Latin America, Italy, Morocco, and Portugal. However, online betting profits fell 12% after increased gaming taxes in Peru, reflecting regulatory pressure affecting digital gambling operations in certain markets. Despite the…

North Korea’s Naegohyang Women’s FC defeated South Korea’s Suwon FC Women 2–1 in a tightly contested Asian Women’s Champions League semi-final at Suwon Sports Complex on Wednesday, advancing to the final where they will face Japan’s Tokyo Verdy Beleza. The match marked a rare sporting encounter between North and South Korea, with Naegohyang becoming the first North Korean sports team to visit the South in eight years. Despite heavy rain and difficult pitch conditions, the game was played in a competitive but fair atmosphere, with no major incidents reported. Suwon FC took the lead in the 49th minute through Japanese…

Aston Villa ended their 30-year trophy drought with a dominant 3–0 win over SC Freiburg in the UEFA Europa League final at Beşiktaş Park in Istanbul, securing their first major European title in 44 years. The breakthrough came in the 41st minute when Youri Tielemans scored with a powerful volley from a well-executed corner routine, giving Villa a deserved lead after sustained pressure. Just before half-time, Emiliano Buendía doubled the advantage with a brilliant curling strike into the far corner, effectively putting the match beyond Freiburg’s reach. The result was completed in the 58th minute when Morgan Rogers converted Buendía’s…

Pakistan: The Punjab government has imposed a 30-day ban on several activities in and around airports and Pakistan Air Force (PAF) installations across the province, citing serious risks to aviation safety. According to a notification issued by the Home Department on May 19, authorities acted under Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure after receiving reports that certain practices could endanger flight operations and aviation assets. The restriction applies to areas within a 13-kilometre radius of the funnel zones of all commercial airports and PAF bases in the province. The banned activities include pigeon homing, the use of laser…

South Korea: A shareholder group of Samsung Electronics has declared that a tentative pay agreement between the company’s management and its labour union is illegal and has warned it may seek a court injunction if the deal is approved by union members, according to Yonhap News Agency reports cited on Thursday. The objection relates to a recently negotiated wage and bonus framework between Samsung Electronics and its South Korean labour union, which is currently pending approval through a union vote. The shareholder group argues that the terms of the agreement violate legal or governance standards, though specific legal grounds were…

Pakistan: The Foreign Office (FO) on Thursday strongly condemned Israel’s interception of the Global Sumud Flotilla in international waters, as well as the detention and reported mistreatment of humanitarian workers onboard. In an official statement, the FO described the action as an “unlawful interception” by Israeli forces and termed the subsequent detention of activists as arbitrary, calling for their immediate release. It also expressed concern over reported mistreatment of those detained during the operation. The statement specifically noted that among those detained was humanitarian activist Saad Edhi, son of social worker Faisal Edhi and grandson of renowned philanthropist Abdul Sattar…

Middle East: Iran’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs is reviewing the United States’ response to Tehran’s latest proposal aimed at ending the ongoing conflict, which was delivered through Pakistani mediation, according to Iranian state media reports on Thursday. The ISNA news agency reported that Pakistan’s Chief of Army Staff, General Asim Munir, is expected to travel to Tehran later in the day as part of continued mediation efforts between Tehran and Washington. The diplomatic channel is understood to involve message exchanges facilitated by Pakistan in an attempt to narrow differences over a ceasefire framework. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said that “all…

Switzerland: The World Health Organization (WHO) is convening in Geneva this week for the 79th World Health Assembly, where mental health has emerged as a key agenda item among more than 75 topics under discussion. According to the WHO, more than one billion people worldwide—approximately one in eight of the global population—are currently living with a mental health condition, a figure that continues to rise. The organisation has warned that young people are disproportionately affected, while men face higher suicide rates and women experience higher levels of anxiety and depression. Despite the scale of the crisis, global funding for mental…