Author: EchoAsiaNews

Pakistan: The National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (NEPRA) has approved the Integrated System Plan (ISP) 2025-35, outlining $47.13 billion in planned electricity generation and transmission investments through 2035. The plan, submitted by the Independent System and Market Operator (ISMO), projects peak electricity demand to increase from 26,950 megawatts in 2025 to 35,521MW by 2035. It envisages 26,045MW of new generation capacity, including 17,485MW of committed capacity and 8,560MW identified through optimisation, while 2,577MW of existing capacity is expected to be retired. Transmission upgrades under the plan are estimated to cost an additional $10.65 billion. What did NEPRA approve and reject?…

Pakistan: Ambassador Shafqat Ali Khan has presented his credentials to Armenian President Vahagn Khachaturyan, becoming Pakistan’s first ambassadorial-level envoy to Armenia following the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries in 2025. Khan presented his Letters of Credence during a ceremony at the presidential palace in Yerevan on September 11, the Pakistan Embassy in the UAE said. Khan concurrently serves as Pakistan’s ambassador to the UAE and non-resident ambassador to Armenia. What did Pakistan and Armenia discuss? President Khachaturyan congratulated Khan on his appointment and expressed support for efforts to strengthen bilateral relations and expand cooperation in areas of…

Pakistan: Chief Justice of Pakistan Yahya Afridi on Saturday said the entire judiciary was standing with judges to ensure they remained free from external pressure. Addressing a conference in Islamabad, CJP Afridi said changes had been introduced to the judicial code of conduct to protect judges from external pressure and strengthen public confidence in the judiciary. What did CJP Afridi say about judicial independence? CJP Afridi described district courts as the backbone of the justice system and said empowering district judges and strengthening public trust remained key priorities. He said judicial officers were performing their duties despite difficulties and urged…

France: A passenger train travelling between Rouen and Caen derailed near Cléon in Normandy on Friday evening, injuring 44 people, including an 18-year-old woman who was airlifted to hospital in critical condition, French authorities said. The train was carrying about 180 passengers when it went off the rails at around 7:30pm local time, according to French officials and railway operator SNCF. What caused the train to derail? The cause of the accident had not immediately been established. A French police spokesperson said the train appeared to have derailed after hitting an unidentified object. SNCF and police launched an investigation into…

Somalia: Somali pirates have released the M/V Sward and its 17-member crew after holding the vessel since April, according to security sources in Puntland. The pirates had used the vessel as a mothership to hijack other boats off the Somali coast, the sources told AFP. What happened to the hijacked vessel? The M/V Sward was seized on April 26 by armed men off the Somali coast. Its crew included 15 Syrian nationals and two Indian nationals. Puntland security sources said the vessel was released near Garacad, a port in northeastern Somalia. The crew remained on board while the pirates left…

Pakistan: Former Pakistan captain Wasim Akram has called for the revival of club cricket and greater consistency in team selection following the national team’s defeats against England in the ongoing Test series. Speaking to the media in Lahore on Friday, Akram urged the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to continue its newly introduced domestic cricket system for at least three to four years. What did Wasim Akram say about Pakistan’s domestic cricket? Akram said talent needed to be developed through the domestic and club cricket structure, urging the PCB to strengthen grassroots cricket. “Talent has to come from club cricket,” he…

China: Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived in New Delhi on Saturday to attend the BRICS summit, where leaders are expected to discuss regional conflicts, trade, energy security and other international issues. Xi’s visit is his first to India since 2019 and comes as Beijing and New Delhi seek to improve relations following a deadly military clash along their disputed Himalayan border in 2020. What is Xi expected to discuss with Modi? Xi is scheduled to hold face-to-face talks with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday, according to India’s foreign ministry. China said it was ready to strengthen communication and…

Pakistan: Pakistan on Saturday strongly condemned drone attacks on Saudi Arabia’s East-West oil pipeline, reaffirming its support for the kingdom’s sovereignty, territorial integrity and security. What did Pakistan say about the attacks? In a statement, the Foreign Office described the attacks and targeting of civilian infrastructure as a violation of international law and Saudi Arabia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. The FO said the attacks posed a serious threat to regional peace, security and stability. Pakistan also reiterated its solidarity with the Saudi leadership, government and people, saying it would continue efforts to promote lasting peace and stability in the region.…

BERLIN: More than a third of the additional debt Germany incurred in 2025 under a constitutional exemption for defence and security spending was effectively used for other purposes, according to an analysis by the Ifo Institute published Thursday. Government spending covered by the sectoral exemption rose from €54.6 billion in 2024 to €72.2 billion in 2025, an increase of €17.6 billion. However, additional borrowing under the exemption amounted to €28.6 billion in 2025. Ifo calculated that around €11 billion of this additional debt did not result in additional defence and security spending, equivalent to a 38.5% misappropriation rate. Ifo researcher…

WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump’s six-month military campaign against Iran is increasingly drawing comparisons with the prolonged wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, raising concerns that Washington could become trapped in another open-ended Middle East conflict. Trump entered his second term promising to act as a “president of peace” and avoid foreign wars. But his campaign against Iran has developed into a prolonged conflict marked by repeated attacks, economic pressure and growing regional instability. US officials argue that the Iran campaign is fundamentally different from the post-9/11 wars because Washington has relied primarily on air and naval power rather than large…