Author: EchoAsiaNews

BEIJING: China’s eastern coast was placed on its highest typhoon alert Sunday as Typhoon Dolphin approached, prompting mass evacuations, flight cancellations and the suspension of ferry, rail and offshore operations. Nearly 1,400 flights at Shanghai’s two main passenger airports were cancelled on Sunday, while another 270 inbound and outbound flights were cancelled at Hangzhou airport in neighbouring Zhejiang province, state broadcaster CCTV reported. The typhoon, which brought heavy rain and strong winds to Japan’s Okinawa in recent days, was expected to make landfall late Sunday or early Monday in Zhejiang or neighbouring Fujian province. How Is China Preparing for the…

TORONTO: World No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka was eliminated from the Canadian Open in Toronto on Saturday after Russian 16th seed Ekaterina Alexandrova defeated her 7-6 (7/3), 4-6, 6-4 in the fourth round. The match lasted two hours and 29 minutes, with Alexandrova securing a place in the quarter-finals after a closely contested three-set battle. The defeat leaves Sabalenka with a 3-4 career record against Alexandrova across their seven meetings. How Did Alexandrova Beat Sabalenka? Sabalenka made a strong start, breaking Alexandrova for a 2-0 lead in the opening set. The Russian responded by winning four consecutive games before Sabalenka levelled…

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan won one gold and two silver medals at the third International Nuclear Science Olympiad (INSO-2026), held in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, from August 2 to 8. Muhammad Ali of Government College University (GCU), Lahore, won the gold medal, while Muhammad Usman and Seerat Fatima Bhatti secured silver medals for Pakistan. Syed Shuja Haider also represented the country at the competition. Backed by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the Olympiad brought together around 120 students and experts from 19 countries, including China, Japan, Russia, Türkiye, Malaysia, Indonesia and Saudi Arabia. How Did Pakistan’s Students Qualify? The Pakistani participants were…

TEHRAN: Iran has set several conditions for restoring transit through the Strait of Hormuz, including compensation for wartime damage, complicating efforts to reach an agreement over reopening the strategic waterway. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said negotiations with Oman on transit and management arrangements for the strait were approaching their final stages, but stressed that reopening Hormuz would depend on additional conditions and compensation for what Tehran described as violations of a June agreement. Iran has maintained an effective blockade of the Strait of Hormuz since the United States and Israel launched strikes against Iran in late February. The disruption…

LONDON: Britain’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has provisionally proposed extending existing supermarket land agreement rules to discount retailers Aldi and Lidl, a move aimed at increasing competition and expanding consumer choice. The regulator said the proposal would prevent Aldi and Lidl from using restrictive covenants and exclusivity agreements to stop competing supermarkets from opening nearby stores, bringing the two retailers under the same framework that already applies to major supermarket chains. Competition rules under review The CMA said the proposed changes would align Aldi and Lidl with other leading UK grocers, including Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Asda, Morrisons, Co-op and Waitrose,…

WASHINGTON: A Republican-led US Senate committee voted to hold former National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Director Dr Anthony Fauci in contempt of Congress after he repeatedly invoked his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination during a recent hearing. Committee Chairman Senator Rand Paul accused Fauci of obstructing the investigation into US pandemic policies, while Fauci argued that answering questions could undermine legal protections provided by a presidential pardon. The contempt referral, if pursued, would be forwarded to the US Department of Justice for consideration. Contempt vote deepens political divide The hearing has renewed partisan disputes over the US government’s…

LONDON: Russia has designated the New York-based Human Rights Foundation (HRF), chaired by Yulia Navalnaya, as an “undesirable organisation”, effectively banning its activities in the country and exposing anyone who cooperates with the group to potential criminal prosecution. The Russian Prosecutor General’s Office said the organisation posed a threat to the state, accusing it of discrediting the Russian armed forces, supporting sanctions against Russia and promoting the activities of organisations already banned under Russian law. Organisation banned under Russian law Under Russia’s “undesirable organisations” legislation, individuals and entities that cooperate with or distribute material from designated organisations can face legal…

PARIS: Airbus delivered 67 commercial aircraft in July, matching its performance in the same month last year, as the European planemaker reaffirmed its target of delivering around 870 jets in 2026. The July deliveries brought Airbus’ total for the year to 418 aircraft, leaving the company needing to average about 90 deliveries per month for the remainder of the year to meet its annual goal. Deliveries remain on target Airbus reported 204 new aircraft orders during July, increasing its gross order total for 2026 to 1,024. After adjustments, including previously announced order cancellations, the company’s net order book stood at…

RAWALPINDI: Pakistan’s security forces killed 10 militants during two separate intelligence-based operations in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the military’s media wing, Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), said on Friday. According to the ISPR, the first operation took place in the Azam Warsak area of South Waziristan, where militants attempted to attack security forces’ checkposts. The military said eight militants were killed during the ensuing exchange of fire. Operations conducted in two districts In a separate operation in Dir district, security forces killed two more militants, bringing the total number of fatalities to 10, the ISPR said. The military added that weapons and ammunition…

WASHINGTON: A US federal judge has temporarily paused an order requiring President Donald Trump to provide financial records in a defamation lawsuit brought against the BBC, pending a decision on a request to narrow the scope of the case. US District Judge Roy Altman issued the stay while considering Trump’s motion to revise aspects of the multi-billion-dollar libel lawsuit, including claims that a BBC documentary damaged his business interests and personal brand. Court pauses disclosure order The BBC had sought access to Trump’s tax returns, financial statements and ownership records linked to hundreds of business entities, arguing the documents were…