Author: EchoAsiaNews

Dubai has announced plans to build a new metro line worth $9.25 billion, with authorities targeting completion by September 2032, according to official details. The project, known as the “Golden Line,” was unveiled by Dubai’s ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum as part of efforts to expand the emirate’s transport infrastructure and meet growing urban demand. The fully underground line will run up to 40 metres below ground and connect 15 key areas across the city. It is expected to serve around 1.5 million people and link 55 major real estate developments currently under construction. The new line will…

No fixed timeline has been announced for the extension of a ceasefire between the United States and Iran, a source familiar with the matter said, as uncertainty continues to surround a possible second round of talks. US President Donald Trump has extended the truce but confirmed that Washington will maintain its naval blockade, a move Tehran considers an act of war. Iran has said it will only return to negotiations once the blockade is lifted. A second round of talks could take place as early as Friday in Islamabad, according to a report by the New York Post, which cited…

Oil prices rose sharply on Thursday after Iran said it would not reopen the Strait of Hormuz while a US naval blockade remains in place, despite an extended ceasefire. At around 8:25 a.m., US benchmark West Texas Intermediate (WTI) gained 4.06% to $96.73 per barrel. Global benchmark Brent crude rose 3.62% to $105.63 before easing slightly. Oil has surged since the United States and Israel launched strikes on Iran on February 28, with prices remaining elevated amid uncertainty over a potential resumption of fighting. US President Donald Trump said Tuesday he would extend the ceasefire to allow more time for…

Pakistan women’s football team head coach Adeel Rizki has stressed the urgent need for regular training camps and consistent international fixtures, saying they are essential for the team’s long-term development following their third-place finish in the FIFA Series in Ivory Coast. Speaking after the tournament, Rizki said sustained progress cannot be achieved without continuity in preparation and match exposure. He noted that limited international activity remains the biggest obstacle to improvement. “The most important thing is continuity, regular camps and international matches,” he said. “Without that, progress becomes very difficult.” His remarks were echoed by forwards Nadia Khan and Aqsa…

Attock Refinery Limited (ARL), the only oil refinery operating in northern Pakistan, has shut down its main crude processing unit due to severe disruption in oil tanker movements caused by security-related road closures ahead of expected foreign delegations in Islamabad. In a mandatory filing submitted to the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) and the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP), the refinery confirmed the suspension of its main crude distillation unit with a capacity of 32,400 barrels per stream day. ARL stated that the restrictions have halted both crude oil deliveries and product dispatches, leading to a sharp rise in…

NASA has unveiled a new space observatory designed to explore some of the deepest questions about the universe, including the search for planets beyond the solar system and the nature of dark matter and dark energy. The mission, known as the NASA Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope, was presented at the Goddard Space Flight Center in Maryland. NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman described it as a tool that will help create “a new atlas of the universe,” mapping the cosmos on an unprecedented scale. The telescope is scheduled to be launched no earlier than September aboard a SpaceX rocket from Florida.…

A cargo ship departing from Iran came under fire and was forced to stop at sea, according to the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO), as tensions continue amid a US naval blockade of Iranian ports. UKMTO said the vessel’s master reported being fired upon while sailing outbound. The crew were confirmed safe and accounted for, and no damage to the ship was reported. “The master of an outbound cargo ship reports having been fired upon and is now stopped in the water. Crew are safe and accounted for. There is no reported damage to the vessel,” UKMTO stated. The…

Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar and British High Commissioner Jane Marriott held a meeting in which they discussed the evolving regional situation and broader diplomatic developments, according to the Foreign Office. The FO said Dar underscored Pakistan’s ongoing efforts to facilitate engagement among relevant stakeholders and stressed the importance of dialogue and diplomacy for the peaceful resolution of disputes. In a separate statement, the British envoy also appreciated Pakistan’s diplomatic outreach and “ceaseless drive” to help address global challenges, particularly its facilitative role in encouraging engagement between the United States and Iran at the negotiating table.

Iran’s leadership is showing internal unity in its approach to negotiations with the United States, according to a senior Pakistani security analyst. Maria Sultan, director general of the South Asian Strategic Stability Institute and adviser to Pakistan’s Defence Ministry, told Al Jazeera that the common portrayal of a divided Iranian leadership is inaccurate. “I would beg to differ with the characterisation that it is fractured,” she said, adding that there is “unanimity of thought within the Iranian leadership” on key objectives and the direction of talks. Sultan said decision-making in Tehran has become “more consensus-based, more communicative, and more inclusive.”…

UK inflation rose to 3.3 per cent in March, up from 3.0 per cent in February, according to official data released by the Office for National Statistics (ONS), marking the first visible impact of the Iran conflict on domestic prices. The increase was largely driven by higher fuel costs, with factory gate prices also rising more than expected. The data has raised concerns at the Bank of England about the potential return of persistently elevated inflation if energy price pressures continue. Despite the uptick, economists said the rise is unlikely to prompt the Bank of England’s Monetary Policy Committee to…