Author: EchoAsiaNews

A high-stakes diplomatic initiative led by Pakistan and Qatar to broker a ceasefire framework between the United States and Iran has reportedly exposed deep divisions between US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, as Washington balances diplomacy against the possibility of renewed military escalation in the Middle East. According to reports, the revised peace proposal, drafted through coordination involving Pakistan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Turkiye, and Egypt, was designed to bridge critical disagreements between Washington and Tehran over Iran’s nuclear programme, regional security guarantees, sanctions relief, and the gradual release of frozen Iranian financial assets. The diplomatic effort…

Pakistan: Pakistan launched a forceful diplomatic counteroffensive against India at the United Nations Security Council, accusing New Delhi of masking state aggression, sponsoring terrorism, persecuting minorities, and violating international law while attempting to portray itself as a victim before the international community. During the Security Council’s annual debate on the protection of civilians, Pakistan’s Counsellor Saima Saleem sharply rejected Indian allegations against Islamabad and declared that India had arrived at the Council “wearing the mask of a victim,” while the world could clearly see “the face behind that mask.” Her remarks represented one of Pakistan’s strongest diplomatic rebuttals in recent…

Pakistan: International Monetary Fund has once again acknowledged Pakistan’s improving economic trajectory, as its latest mission concluded talks in Islamabad with strong emphasis on fiscal discipline, structural reforms, and macroeconomic stability. The development comes at a time when many regional economies continue to struggle with inflationary shocks, external debt pressures, and geopolitical instability linked to the ongoing Middle East conflict. The IMF mission, led by advisor Iva Petrova, recognised that Pakistan’s policy execution under the Extended Fund Facility has produced “significant progress” in stabilising the economy and rebuilding investor confidence. The Fund particularly praised Islamabad’s commitment to maintaining a primary…

KINSHASA: The World Health Organization (WHO) has raised serious concern over the “scale and speed” of an Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), where at least 131 people have died and more than 500 suspected cases have been reported, officials said on Tuesday. The outbreak, centred in the conflict-hit northeastern province of Ituri Province, involves the rare Bundibugyo strain of Ebola, for which no approved vaccine or specific treatment currently exists. Congolese Health Minister Samuel Roger Kamba said on national television that authorities had recorded around 131 deaths and approximately 513 suspected cases, though he cautioned that…

ISLAMABAD: The federal government on Wednesday announced a three-day public holiday for Eid ul Adha, according to an official notification issued by the Cabinet Division of Pakistan. The notification stated that Prime Minister has approved holidays on May 26, 27 and 28, 2026 (Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday) in connection with Eid ul Adha celebrations across the country. The announcement comes as Pakistan prepares to observe Eid ul Adha on May 27, following the confirmation of the Zilhaj moon sighting by the Central Ruet-e-Hilal Committee earlier this month. The decision was made during a meeting held at the Pakistan Meteorological Department…

ISLAMABAD: Openers Fakhar Zaman and Saim Ayub have been ruled out of Pakistan’s upcoming three-match One-Day International (ODI) series against Australia due to injury concerns, the Pakistan Cricket Board confirmed on Wednesday. In a statement, the PCB said both players are currently undergoing rehabilitation under the supervision of the board’s medical panel and will not be available for selection for the series scheduled to begin on May 30. The board said the decision was taken as part of ongoing fitness management, adding that both cricketers are expected to continue recovery programmes before returning to competitive cricket. “Consequently, they have been…

ISLAMABAD: A local court in the federal capital on Wednesday sentenced convicted killer Umar Hayat to two years in prison in a separate arms-related case linked to the murder of social media influencer Sana Yousaf. The sentence was announced by Additional Sessions Judge Afzal Majoka under Section 13 of the Pakistan Arms Ordinance, along with a fine of Rs100,000. The court ruled that failure to pay the fine would result in an additional one-month imprisonment. With the latest verdict, Hayat’s cumulative punishment has increased further, adding to a series of sentences handed down in multiple charges connected to the high-profile…

SINGAPORE/WASHINGTON: Two Chinese oil tankers carrying crude successfully exited the Strait of Hormuz on Wednesday, according to shipping data, as diplomatic signals from Washington raised cautious expectations of a potential easing in the US-Israel-Iran conflict. The vessels, transporting millions of barrels of Iraqi crude, were among the latest supertankers to transit the strategic waterway despite ongoing regional instability that has disrupted global energy flows in recent weeks. Market data from LSEG and Kpler indicated that the tankers collectively carried around four million barrels of oil as they passed through the Strait, which remains a critical chokepoint for global energy trade.…

BEIJING: Severe flooding triggered by record-breaking rainfall across central and southern China has killed at least 22 people since the weekend, with 20 others still missing, according to state media reports on Wednesday. The widespread extreme weather has affected multiple provinces, including Hunan, Guangxi, Guizhou and Hubei, where heavy downpours have caused rivers to overflow, infrastructure damage and large-scale evacuations. In the central province of Hunan, five people were confirmed dead and 11 remain missing after torrential rains triggered flooding and landslides in several rural areas, state news agency Xinhua reported. Authorities said more than 61,500 residents in a single…

BRUSSELS: NATO’s top military commander said on Tuesday that the alliance is considering potential involvement in ensuring security in the Strait of Hormuz, but stressed that no formal planning has begun pending political approval. US General Alexus Grynkewich told journalists in Brussels that discussions were ongoing within the alliance about possible responses to instability affecting the key global energy route, but emphasised that operational planning would only begin after a political decision by member states. “Am I thinking about it? Absolutely. But there’s no planning yet until the political decision is taken,” Grynkewich said. The comments come amid heightened tensions…