Author: EchoAsiaNews

SEOUL: South Korean President Lee Jae Myung will attend the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) summit in Ankara, Türkiye, on July 7-8 before undertaking a three-day state visit to Mongolia aimed at strengthening defence cooperation and regional partnerships, Seoul’s presidential office announced on Friday. National Security Adviser Wi Sung-lac said President Lee will meet NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte and participate in a summit involving leaders from Indo-Pacific partner countries, including Japan, Australia and New Zealand. He is also scheduled to attend the NATO Defence Industry Forum and deliver a speech on defence cooperation. The visit comes as NATO members…

NEW YORK: Singer and actress Selena Gomez has come under criticism on social media after promoting a product from her Rare Beauty cosmetics brand while travelling to pre-wedding celebrations for her longtime friend, Taylor Swift. The backlash followed a series of social media posts in which Gomez shared a video of herself applying Rare Beauty lipstick while en route to Swift’s rehearsal dinner, followed by a close-up image highlighting the product. Some social media users criticised the promotional posts, arguing that using content related to the highly anticipated wedding celebrations to market a commercial product was inappropriate. Others defended Gomez,…

LONDON: Oil prices edged higher on Friday as investors weighed cautious optimism over renewed United States-Iran peace efforts ahead of the long US Independence Day holiday weekend, although gains remained limited amid expectations of ample global crude supplies. Market sentiment was supported by hopes that diplomatic engagement between Washington and Tehran could help ease geopolitical tensions in the Middle East. However, traders remained cautious as uncertainty over the outcome of the negotiations continued to limit stronger price gains. The US holiday weekend also contributed to subdued trading activity, with many investors avoiding major positions ahead of lower market participation. What…

TORONTO: Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo described his side’s dramatic FIFA World Cup Round of 16 qualification as a poignant tribute to former teammate Diogo Jota, saying it was an “unbelievable coincidence” that the victory came almost exactly one year after the Liverpool forward’s death. Portugal defeated Croatia 2-1 on Thursday with a stoppage-time winner from Goncalo Ramos to advance to the knockout stage. Following the match, Ronaldo and his teammates held up Jota’s number 21 jersey in tribute to the late forward. Speaking after the victory, Ronaldo said the squad had discussed the significance of the date before kick-off. “The…

WASHINGTON/UNITED NATIONS: The United States has reaffirmed its support for Pakistan’s right to defend itself against terrorist attacks, following Pakistan’s recent action against terrorist infrastructure along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border. According to the US State Department, “the Pakistani people have suffered greatly at the hands of terrorists,” adding that Washington supports Pakistan’s right to defend itself against terrorist attacks. The statement comes after Pakistan launched operations on Sunday night against what it described as terrorist infrastructure along the Afghan border in response to the attack on a Pakistan Rangers Sindh headquarters in Karachi’s Gulistan-i-Jauhar area. The US has previously expressed similar…

ENGLAND: England advanced to the Women’s T20 World Cup final with a commanding 40-run victory over South Africa on Thursday, powered by captain Nat Sciver-Brunt’s match-winning 75 on her return from injury. After being sent in to bat at the Oval, England recovered from a shaky start of 23-3 to post a competitive 169-5. Sciver-Brunt and former captain Heather Knight steadied the innings with a crucial 133-run partnership for the fourth wicket, with Knight contributing 58. In reply, South Africa failed to build momentum and were restricted to 129-8, handing England a comfortable victory and a place in Sunday’s final…

PORTUGAL: Portugal booked their place in the FIFA World Cup Round of 16 with a dramatic 2-1 victory over Croatia on Thursday, as substitute Goncalo Ramos scored a stoppage-time winner in a closely contested match. Ramos headed home from Rafael Leao’s cross in the fourth minute of added time to seal Portugal’s progression after Croatia had created the majority of the game’s clear-cut chances. Croatia thought they had rescued an equaliser in the closing moments, but Josko Gvardiol’s effort was ruled out for offside following a review, confirming Portugal’s place in the knockout stage. What role did Ronaldo play? Cristiano…

ISLAMABAD: The Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) of the Cabinet on Thursday approved the supply of 175,000 tonnes of 100 per cent fresh indigenous wheat to the Pakistan Army for the 2026–27 crop year, replacing the previous practice of supplying a mix of imported and locally produced wheat. According to an official statement, the Ministry of Defence requested the allocation, arguing that wheat flour is the primary staple food for military personnel and plays an important role in sustaining troops deployed in challenging operational environments, including glacial and desert regions. For the past four years, the Pakistan Agricultural Storage and Services…

LONDON: British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has directed the home secretary to review the case of Shabir Ahmed, the convicted ringleader of the Rochdale grooming gang, amid growing political calls for changes to immigration law that could allow his deportation. Ahmed, 73, was released from prison on Thursday after serving 14 years of a 19-year sentence imposed in 2012 for multiple rape and sexual offences against young girls. He has reportedly been released on licence and is subject to strict conditions, including electronic GPS monitoring, residence at a supervised bail hostel and exclusion zones preventing him from entering parts of…

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has announced it will boycott the Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) Legislative Assembly elections scheduled for July 27, saying it will not participate in the electoral process under the prevailing political circumstances. In a statement, the party said the decision was not intended to achieve any political gain or loss but was taken in solidarity with the people of Kashmir and in support of democratic values. PTI said it would stay away from the electoral process until an independent, just and peaceful political environment is established in AJK. The party’s parliamentary board has also suspended all…