Author: EchoAsiaNews

China: Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. has proposed a new share placement in Hong Kong worth HK$80 billion ($10.2 billion), the company said on Sunday, in what would be one of the largest equity offerings of its kind. Alibaba said the proposed placement would be the largest-ever primary follow-on offering by a Hong Kong-listed company and the biggest Regulation S equity offering on record. The transaction would also rank as the world’s third-largest primary follow-on share sale this year, behind offerings by Alphabet and Intel, according to the company. Alibaba said it plans to use 100% of the net proceeds from…

United Kingdom: Prince Harry and Meghan Markle have reaffirmed their campaign for online child safety as they prepare to return to the UK, where their children, Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet, are expected to begin school in September. The Duke and Duchess of Sussex are set to return to Britain after several years away, with reports raising questions about security arrangements for the family. Prince Harry has reportedly contacted the UK Home Office regarding risk assessments and security provisions during the visit. Amid preparations for their return, the couple has continued its advocacy work in the United States, focusing on…

Actor Andrew Garfield has revealed that he secretly uses Instagram despite not having a public account, saying he spends more time on the social media platform than he intends to. In an interview with Variety, Garfield said his phone screen-time reports were “horrific” because of the amount of time he spends on his device. The Spider-Man actor said he is regularly drawn into different content on Instagram, including ceramics and Japanese crafts. Garfield also acknowledged why people can feel overwhelmed by their phones and said keeping a device in another room can make it easier to avoid repeatedly checking it.…

Pakistan: Federal Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said Saturday that the government had fully complied with the Supreme Court’s directives regarding the medical examination of jailed Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) founder Imran Khan, while accusing his family and party supporters of contempt of court. Addressing a press conference in Islamabad, Tarar said health-related matters should not be politicised and maintained that Imran’s medical treatment had never been stopped. His remarks came a day after Imran was shifted to the Pakistan Institute of Medical Sciences (Pims) for a medical examination before being returned to Adiala Jail. The Supreme Court’s August 18 order had…

Iran: Stricter US sanctions planned against Iran threaten to put further pressure on its already strained economy, while oil traffic through the Strait of Hormuz remains severely restricted amid continuing tensions between Tehran and Washington. Iran on Saturday condemned Washington’s plans for new economic sanctions, saying the measures could also affect its major trading partners, including China. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent is scheduled to announce the new measures on Monday after warning of what he described as the “toughest sanctions in history” against Iran. Bessent has urged China to cooperate with Washington. China is the largest buyer of Iranian…

Canada: Canada will impose retaliatory tariffs on US imports from September 8 after negotiations between Ottawa and Washington collapsed without a trade agreement, deepening tensions between the two longtime trading partners. Prime Minister Mark Carney said Saturday that Canada would match the new US tariffs dollar for dollar, targeting US steel, dairy products, appliances, agricultural equipment, pulp and paper, electronics and other goods. The measures will cover about $20 billion worth of trade, according to Canadian officials. “Canada will match Washington’s new tariffs dollar for dollar in order to protect Canadian workers, farmers, families, and businesses,” Carney told reporters in…

Hong Kong’s High Court on Friday convicted Lee Cheuk-yan and Chow Hang-tung, former leaders of the now-disbanded Hong Kong Alliance in Support of Patriotic Democratic Movements of China, of inciting subversion of state power. The two were convicted under Hong Kong’s National Security Law, which was imposed in 2020 following months of pro-democracy protests. The offence carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison. The court said the defendants’ repeated use of the slogan “end one-party dictatorship”, rather than violent actions, constituted a breach of the security law. The three national security judges said their activities were intended to…

Australian authorities have charged a 27-year-old dual Russian-Australian citizen with foreign interference, alleging he attempted to provide Ukrainian military information to individuals he believed were connected to Russian intelligence. The Australian Federal Police said the man allegedly obtained the information after joining the Ukrainian armed forces in May 2025 and subsequently attempted to share it with suspected Russian intelligence-linked contacts. He is due to appear in court in Brisbane on Friday. Authorities allege the man travelled to Russia in October 2024 for military-style training before returning to Australia in December and later joining Ukrainian forces. Investigation Ongoing as Authorities Assess…

The United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy and Canada have jointly condemned Israel’s plan to advance construction of 1,234 settlement homes in the strategically sensitive E1 area of the occupied West Bank, calling the move “unacceptable” and urging Israel to withdraw the plans immediately. The Israeli housing ministry issued tenders on Wednesday for the first phase of a project covering approximately 12 sq km between East Jerusalem and the settlement of Maale Adumim. The wider project includes 3,401 housing units approved by the Israeli government last year. The five countries warned that the development would further undermine prospects for peace and…

Pakistan: Chief of Defence Forces and Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir on Friday vowed a decisive state response against foreign-backed elements seeking to destabilise Balochistan and obstruct its development. Speaking during an interaction with Balochistan’s political leadership and community notables, Field Marshal Munir said Fitna al-Khawarij and Fitna al-Hindustan were being used as foreign-sponsored proxies to undermine peace, disrupt development and create divisions between the state and the people. He said the hostile designs would be defeated through national unity and a resolute response, stressing that peace and stability were essential for unlocking Balochistan’s economic potential,…