Author: EchoAsiaNews

Pakistan: British-Pakistani entrepreneur and educationist Prof Dr Sarwar Muhammad Khawaja has been conferred the Sitara-e-Imtiaz, one of Pakistan’s highest civilian honours, by President Asif Ali Zardari at an investiture ceremony held at the President House in Islamabad. The ceremony was attended by senior state officials including Chairman Senate Syed Yousaf Raza Gillani, Speaker National Assembly Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, members of federal and provincial cabinets, diplomats, and representatives from Pakistan’s business and social sectors. According to the official citation, the award recognises Khawaja’s contributions to education, technological advancement, entrepreneurship, and social development, as well as his efforts to strengthen Pakistan’s international…

France: French authorities have allowed asymptomatic passengers to disembark from the British cruise ship Ambition, following confirmation that a gastrointestinal virus caused a sickness outbreak onboard that initially prompted a full precautionary lockdown of more than 1,700 passengers and crew in the port of Bordeaux. The local government and regional health agency said tests confirmed the outbreak was a viral gastrointestinal infection, with no evidence linking it to the hantavirus cases reported on another cruise ship, the MV Hondius, which has been associated with multiple deaths and international concern. Authorities stated that no severe cases were detected on the Ambition.…

United Arab Emirates: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held a “secret” meeting with UAE President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan during the ongoing war with Iran, according to a statement issued by Netanyahu’s office on Wednesday. The statement said that during Operation “Lion’s Roar”, Netanyahu travelled secretly to the United Arab Emirates, where he met the UAE president. The visit, according to the Israeli prime minister’s office, marked what it described as a “historic breakthrough in relations” between Israel and the UAE. The disclosure came a day after US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee stated that Israel had deployed…

United States: Hollywood actor Tom Cruise is celebrating the 40th anniversary of the original Top Gun film, marking four decades since the release of the 1986 aviation blockbuster that became a defining role in his career. On May 13, Cruise posted a message on Instagram expressing excitement over the milestone, writing that he was “excited to celebrate 40 years of Top Gun” and highlighting the return of both Top Gun films to cinemas. He added that it was “so much fun to see these two films back on the big screen.” To mark the anniversary, both Top Gun (1986) and…

Scotland: Hearts head coach Derek McInnes has strongly criticised a controversial late penalty awarded to Celtic in the 99th minute, calling the decision “disgusting” and accusing officials of bias, as the Scottish Premiership title race heads into a final-day showdown on May 16, 2026. The incident occurred during a dramatic round of fixtures in which Hearts strengthened their position at the top of the table with a 3–0 win over Falkirk on May 13, 2026. Meanwhile, Celtic dropped points at Motherwell after conceding a late equaliser, leaving them three points behind Hearts ahead of the final matchday. Under the standings…

United States: FIFA has announced a major entertainment lineup for the 2026 World Cup Final Halftime Show, confirming global superstars BTS, Shakira, and Madonna as headlining performers for the event. The announcement was made via FIFA’s official Instagram account, with the lineup reportedly curated by Coldplay frontman Chris Martin, generating widespread global attention across both sports and entertainment audiences. According to FIFA, the halftime performance will take place during the World Cup Final on July 19, 2026, at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, United States. The show is expected to last approximately 11 minutes, making it one of the most…

United States: Supermodel Gigi Hadid has offered a subtle update on her relationship with actor Bradley Cooper through a recent social media post, signaling continued closeness between the pair after nearly three years together. According to Geo News Digital Desk, the 31-year-old model shared a photo on her Instagram Story showing her everyday jewellery, which included a custom gold chain featuring a diamond pendant engraved with the initials “G” and “B” separated by a heart symbol—widely interpreted as a reference to Hadid and Cooper. The post also included a yellow necklace alongside the personalised piece. Hadid credited jewellery designer Sheryll…

Balochistan, Pakistan: Security forces neutralised seven India-sponsored militants during a sanitisation operation in Barkhan district of Balochistan, while five security personnel, including an Army Major, were martyred, according to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR). ISPR said Pakistan Army and Frontier Corps Balochistan personnel launched a sanitisation operation in the Nosham area of Barkhan district in the morning hours as part of efforts to eliminate militants linked to what it described as India-backed “Fitna al-Hindustan.” During the operation, a group of militants was located and engaged, resulting in an exchange of fire in which seven militants were killed. Weapons, ammunition, and…

United States: The United States has repatriated more than 450 cultural artefacts to Pakistan during a formal ceremony held at the Islamabad Museum, marking a significant recovery of historically important objects that were illegally removed from Pakistan and later traced through international investigations. According to The News, the returned collection includes artefacts of major archaeological and cultural value that were smuggled out of Pakistan over several decades. The recovery was made possible through coordinated efforts between US law enforcement agencies and Pakistani authorities. The artefacts were recovered by the Antiquities Trafficking Unit (ATU) of the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office, which…

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…