Author: EchoAsiaNews

A leading Muslim civil rights organisation has said that a surge in Islamophobia in the United States is partly linked to policies introduced by Donald Trump targeting immigration and pro-Palestinian protests. The Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) reported a record 8,683 complaints of anti-Muslim and anti-Arab discrimination in 2025, the highest since the group began documenting such incidents in 1996. The figure slightly exceeded the 8,658 complaints recorded in 2024, according to the organisation’s latest report. CAIR said the increase was driven in part by government actions against pro-Palestinian demonstrations and stricter immigration enforcement under the Trump administration. The group…

Authorities in Dubai have introduced a new law aimed at strengthening building safety standards across the emirate, with penalties of up to AED2 million for violations. The legislation was issued by Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, who also serves as Vice President and Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates. The measure seeks to enhance safety in residential and commercial buildings and reduce risks to residents and property. Under the new rules, building owners must conduct regular inspections and maintenance checks to ensure structures meet required technical and safety standards. A Quality and Safety Certificate must be obtained following a…

Bangladesh has secured additional diesel supplies from international suppliers, including China and India, as the government moves to stabilise fuel availability amid major energy disruptions linked to the ongoing Middle East conflict. Officials said the country currently has sufficient diesel stocks to meet about one month of national demand, while arrangements are underway to secure additional shipments to cover the following month. Bangladesh relies heavily on imports for its energy needs, with around 95% of its fuel supply coming from abroad, making it particularly vulnerable to global supply shocks. According to energy officials, the Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation (BPC) has already…

The government of Sindh has announced a set of austerity measures aimed at reducing fuel consumption and government spending as Pakistan faces rising energy costs linked to the ongoing US–Israel–Iran conflict. The measures were approved during a provincial cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah. Speaking after the meeting, Senior Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon said the government had decided to implement strict conservation steps to manage resources amid global fuel supply disruptions and rising petroleum prices. Under the new policy, fuel consumption of government vehicles will be reduced by 50% for the next two months, while 60% of…

Veteran Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, a longtime hawk on U.S. foreign policy, has drawn international scrutiny for comments suggesting that the ongoing U.S.–Israel military campaign against Iran could yield significant economic gains for the United States. Speaking on Fox News on Sunday, Graham said that once the Iranian regime is toppled, the United States would reshape the Middle East and “make a tonne of money,” comments interpreted by critics as signalling economic motives tied to oil and regional influence. Graham linked the conflict to control over global energy resources, noting that Iran and Venezuela together hold about 31 percent of the…

Volunteers, doctors and former patients have begun restoring Al‑Tijani Al‑Mahi Hospital for Psychiatric and Neurological Diseases, one of Sudan’s oldest mental health facilities, more than two years after it was severely damaged and looted during the country’s civil war. The initiative comes as Sudan’s already fragile healthcare system continues to collapse under persistent conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), which has driven millions into displacement and left many medical facilities in ruins.  The hospital, founded in 1971 and long regarded as a regional centre for psychiatric care, was stripped of equipment, furniture and infrastructure…

Bangladesh has announced the early closure of all public and private universities as part of emergency measures to conserve electricity and fuel amid a deepening energy crisis, authorities said. The government said that universities will begin the Eid al‑Fitr holidays early, starting Monday, in an effort to reduce strain on the country’s fragile power system, which is facing mounting uncertainty due to disruptions in global energy markets linked to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. Officials said university campuses consume large amounts of electricity for residential halls, classrooms, laboratories and air conditioning, and that shutting them early is expected to…

New York City police have confirmed that a device thrown during protests outside Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s official residence, Gracie Mansion, on Saturday was an improvised explosive device (IED) capable of causing serious injury or death. The NYPD Bomb Squad’s preliminary analysis found the device — described as a jar wrapped in black tape and packed with nuts, bolts, and screws with a fuse — was not a hoax or simple smoke device. A second similar device recovered at the scene is still being examined. The explosions did not detonate; the first device extinguished itself, and there were no reported injuries…

At least 42 people have been killed and widespread damage reported after days of heavy rainfall triggered severe flooding across Kenya, authorities said on Monday. The national death toll, nearly double earlier estimates, reflects the toll of flash floods that inundated low‑lying neighbourhoods, swept away vehicles and disrupted daily life in Nairobi and other regions. Intense rains that began on Friday overwhelmed drainage systems in the capital and other counties, leading to widespread inundation of homes and roads and forcing emergency responders to carry out search and rescue missions. In Nairobi alone, 26 deaths were recorded, many from drowning after…

Azerbaijan has reopened its border crossings with Iran to cargo traffic after temporarily suspending them following a cross-border drone incident earlier this week, Russian state news agency TASS reported on Monday. The border points, which form one of the shortest land routes connecting Iran to its ally Russia, were closed after what Azerbaijani officials described as an Iranian drone strike in the Nakhchivan Autonomous Republic. The temporary closure had halted the movement of cargo vehicles, affecting bilateral trade and regional transit. The crossings were restored early on March 9, according to Azerbaijani government sources, signaling a partial return to economic…