Author: EchoAsiaNews

LONDON: Actor Tom Holland made his first public appearance wearing a wedding band following reports that he and actor Zendaya recently held a second private wedding celebration in England. Holland was photographed walking in London alongside Zendaya and the couple’s pet dog, marking the first time he has been seen publicly wearing a gold wedding ring. The appearance comes days after reports of an intimate gathering attended by close family and friends. First public appearance with wedding band For the outing, Holland wore casual attire while the gold band on his left ring finger drew attention. Zendaya was also seen…

MUZAFFARABAD: The Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Election Commission on Friday announced a revised schedule for the third phase of the Legislative Assembly elections, postponing polling in Poonch and Sudhanoti districts. Under the updated schedule, voting on August 10 will now be held only in Bagh and Haveli districts. The third phase had originally been planned across 11 constituencies in four districts of the Poonch Division. Polling schedule revised The Election Commission did not immediately provide further details on the reasons for postponing polling in Poonch and Sudhanoti. The first two phases of the electoral process were completed on July…

SANTA FE: A New Mexico state court has ordered Meta to pay $567 million into a teen mental health fund and implement sweeping safety measures for young users after finding the company responsible for harming children’s wellbeing through its social media platforms. Judge Bryan Biedscheid ruled that Meta had created a public nuisance under New Mexico law, siding with Attorney General Raul Torrez, who argued the company designed Facebook and Instagram in ways that encouraged excessive use by minors while failing to adequately protect them from online harms and sexual exploitation. Court orders safety reforms The court directed Meta to…

BANGKOK: A 14-year-old student killed eight people, including his grandparents, before dying by suicide after opening fire at a school outside Bangkok on Friday, marking Thailand’s deadliest mass shooting since 2022, police said. Authorities said the teenager first fatally shot his grandparents before travelling to Debsirin Nonthaburi School, where he opened fire on teachers and students. The attack left six people dead at the school and injured 15 others before the gunman turned the weapon on himself. Grandparents killed before school attack Police said the suspect used a firearm belonging to his grandfather and fired at least 26 rounds during…

LOS ANGELES: Frankie Grande publicly rejected a message from Big Brother contestant Kamu Kirk directed at his sister, pop star Ariana Grande, following Thursday’s live eviction episode of the reality television show. During the live broadcast, Kamu used his diary room appearance to ask Frankie to tell Ariana Grande to contact him, a remark that quickly gained attention on social media. Public response follows live broadcast Responding on X, Frankie Grande dismissed the request in a strongly worded post, making clear that he did not support the appeal. The exchange rapidly circulated online, attracting widespread attention from fans of both…

MEXICO CITY/BUENOS AIRES: Mexico and Argentina have publicly backed FIFA President Gianni Infantino, reinforcing his support among member associations as divisions widen over the governing body’s handling of a now-withdrawn proposal to sell part of the FIFA World Cup’s commercial rights. The Mexican Football Federation (FMF) endorsed Infantino’s leadership despite Concacaf’s call for a broader review of his presidency, while the Argentine Football Association (AFA) urged member associations to continue working within FIFA’s institutional framework ahead of the organisation’s presidential election in March 2027. Support remains divided The Confederation of African Football (CAF) unanimously endorsed Infantino following meetings in Rabat,…

Pakistan: Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Türkiye are expected to sign a trilateral defence agreement during a high-level summit in Saudi Arabia, according to media reports, as regional states seek closer security coordination amid ongoing instability in the Middle East. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) Field Marshal Asim Munir arrived in Saudi Arabia on Thursday for a three-day official visit, while Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan is expected to join the summit on Friday. The proposed agreement is aimed at strengthening defence cooperation and enhancing coordination on regional security matters. High-level engagement in Riyadh According to…

ISLAMABAD: Google has launched its Gemini Spark artificial intelligence (AI) agent in Pakistan as part of its broader rollout across the Asia-Pacific region, making the tool available to Google AI Ultra subscribers. The company said Gemini Spark is designed to automate routine digital tasks by operating in the background across connected devices while integrating with Google Workspace applications, including Gmail, Docs and Sheets. According to Google, the AI agent is powered by Gemini 3.6 Flash and will be expanded to Google AI Pro subscribers in the coming weeks. What Can Gemini Spark Do? Google said Gemini Spark can automate a…

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Medical and Dental Council (PMDC) has postponed the Medical and Dental College Admission Test (MDCAT) 2026, rescheduling the examination from August 16 to September 20. The decision was taken on the directive of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who instructed the relevant authorities to ensure a more transparent and well-organised examination process, the PMDC said on Thursday. The council clarified that only the examination date has changed and that all previously announced arrangements and terms will remain unchanged. Why Was the MDCAT Postponed? According to the PMDC, the exam was rescheduled following the prime minister’s directive to improve…

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Chief of Defence Forces (CDF) and Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir will undertake an official visit to Saudi Arabia from August 6 to 8 to discuss bilateral relations and regional developments, the Foreign Office said on Thursday. Foreign Office spokesperson Tahir Andrabi announced the visit during the ministry’s weekly press briefing, saying the prime minister will be accompanied by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar and other senior officials. The visit comes amid heightened tensions in the Middle East and is aimed at strengthening bilateral cooperation and consultations on…