Author: EchoAsiaNews

Germany: Germany’s Social Democratic Party (SPD) has named Alexander Schweitzer, head of the party’s parliamentary group in the western state of Rhineland-Palatinate, as the country’s new federal labour minister, a party spokesperson told Reuters on Monday. Schweitzer will succeed Baerbel Bas, who announced her decision to leave the cabinet post and step down as co-leader of the centre-left SPD. Bas Steps Down Following Family Bereavement Bas said she would leave her positions to mourn the death of her stepdaughter. She also cited intensified public attacks against her as a factor in her decision to step aside. Her departure creates a…

UK: Prime Minister Andy Burnham is expected to tell Parliament on Monday that rejecting a closer relationship with the European Union would be a “dereliction of duty” if an agreement beneficial to Britain can be negotiated with Brussels. In a statement to the House of Commons, Burnham is expected to argue that Brexit has caused more harm than good and that maintaining the current arrangements is insufficient to address the country’s economic and immigration challenges. He will say a new agreement with the EU could help strengthen economic growth and improve cooperation on illegal immigration, adding that the public would…

Sudan: A drone strike attributed to the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) has killed 41 people at a camp for displaced civilians in Sudan’s Blue Nile region near the Ethiopian border, according to the rights group Emergency Lawyers. The attack reportedly struck a displacement camp in the Abu Shandi area on Friday, amid continued fighting between Sudan’s military and the RSF. The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said it was “appalled by horrifying reports” of the incident. Initial reports indicated that most of those killed or affected were women and children, OCHA said, highlighting the…

UK: Heathrow Airport said on Monday that its proposed third runway has secured backing from trade unions, airlines, regional airports and investors as Parliament examines plans to expand the country’s busiest airport. Heathrow Chief Executive Thomas Woldbye is scheduled to appear before Parliament’s Transport Select Committee on October 14 as lawmakers scrutinise the draft Heathrow Expansion National Policy Statement. The airport said a survey of more than 9,000 residents across nine local boroughs found that 68% supported the expansion, citing potential employment and economic opportunities. Woldbye said the project could generate more than 100,000 jobs and attract £33 billion ($43.74…

Brazil: British singer Zayn Malik has thanked Brazilian fans for their generosity and warm reception during his solo concert in São Paulo, describing the country as his “second home” following a performance on October 10. The former One Direction member shared photographs of handmade gifts, fan cards and other presents on his Instagram Stories after performing at Nubank Parque, also known as Allianz Parque, as part of his The Konnakol Tour. In his message, Malik expressed surprise at the effort fans had put into preparing the gifts and acknowledged the financial difficulties many people face. “I can’t believe the amount…

Pakistan: The Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI) has urged the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra) to reject Rs268 billion in disputed prior-year adjustment claims submitted by power distribution companies, warning that their approval could increase the financial burden on electricity consumers. In a representation to the regulator, the country’s leading business body said several claims submitted by 10 distribution companies (Discos) were retrospective, inadequately documented, disputed by third parties or had previously been disallowed by Nepra. The objections follow tariff petitions seeking adjustments to multiyear tariffs for 2025–30 and other consumer-end tariff changes for calendar…

Thailand: Artificial intelligence investment is helping keep global economic growth at around 3% in 2026 despite an energy supply shock, while the technology could significantly reshape labour markets, International Monetary Fund (IMF) Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva said on Monday. Speaking at the IMF and World Bank annual meetings in Bangkok, Georgieva said the AI investment boom was generating strong demand for infrastructure and hardware, benefiting several Asian economies, including Thailand. The IMF estimates that AI-related investment could raise growth in advanced Asian economies by 0.5 to 1 percentage point and in emerging Asian economies by 0.2 to 0.8 percentage point.…

At least 34 flights from Pakistani airports to Riyadh have been cancelled as Saudi Arabia’s King Khalid International Airport remains closed following reported attacks, disrupting air travel between Pakistan and the Saudi capital. According to flight schedules cited by Geo News, six flights from Karachi to Riyadh were cancelled, along with 14 from Islamabad, 12 from Lahore and two from Peshawar. Four additional flights from Karachi to Madinah and Dammam were also cancelled, while three flights from Lahore to Dammam were called off amid wider disruptions to Saudi Arabia’s aviation network. Riyadh Airport Closure Disrupts Regional Air Travel The cancellations…

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan plans to privatise five to six state-owned entities during the current fiscal year, aiming to raise more than $1 billion, Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb told Reuters on Monday, while projecting economic growth of more than 4 per cent despite elevated oil prices and regional instability. Speaking on the sidelines of the annual meetings of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank in Bangkok, Aurangzeb said the government had around a dozen entities in its privatisation pipeline, including state-owned power distribution companies and airport operations. The minister said the government expected several transactions to be completed during the…

NEW DELHI: Authorities in India’s capital closed six metro stations and imposed traffic restrictions on Monday as opposition parties prepared to march to the Supreme Court over a controversial revision of voter lists that has triggered protests and allegations of electoral irregularities. The Congress party announced plans to submit a memorandum to the Chief Justice of India, demanding the resignation of Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar and an end to what it describes as “vote theft.” The planned demonstration comes amid growing opposition criticism of the electoral verification exercise, which has resulted in the deletion of millions of names from…