Author: EchoAsiaNews

LAUSANNE: The International Olympic Committee on Tuesday provisionally lifted the suspension of the Russian Olympic Committee, paving the way for Russia’s gradual reintegration into the Olympic movement ahead of the 2028 Summer Olympics. The suspension, imposed in October 2023, followed the ROC’s recognition of regional Olympic councils in the Ukrainian regions of Luhansk, Donetsk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia, a move the IOC said violated the Olympic Charter and the territorial integrity of Ukraine’s National Olympic Committee. What Conditions Accompanied the Decision? The IOC said its Executive Board lifted the suspension after the Russian Olympic Committee confirmed it no longer conducts, and…

ANKARA: US President Donald Trump struck a more conciliatory tone towards Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni on Tuesday, appearing to ease weeks of diplomatic tensions as he arrived in Ankara for a key NATO summit. Speaking alongside Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Trump described Meloni as “a nice person” despite acknowledging that relations between the two leaders had recently deteriorated. What Triggered the Diplomatic Dispute? The diplomatic row began last month after Trump claimed during an interview with an Italian television channel that Meloni had “begged” him for a photograph during the G7 Summit and that he agreed only because…

NAJAF: Thousands of mourners gathered in the Iraqi holy cities of Najaf and Karbala on Wednesday as the coffin of Iran’s late Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, was carried through the cities as part of six days of public funeral ceremonies following his assassination. The processions, organised as a dedicated day of mourning in Iraq, followed ceremonies in Iran and came ahead of Khamenei’s scheduled burial on Thursday in his hometown of Mashhad. Iraqi authorities declared Wednesday a public holiday to facilitate the funeral events, while security forces were deployed across the procession routes. How Did the Funeral Processions Unfold? Khamenei’s…

BEIJING: Rescue teams continued searching for survivors across flood-hit regions of China on Wednesday after severe storms, widespread flooding and a landslide killed at least 38 people, while authorities warned that heavy rainfall would persist in several provinces. The latest official figures showed that 17 people died in flood-related incidents, while a separate landslide in northwestern Gansu province claimed 21 lives. Authorities have mobilised emergency response teams as rivers overflowed, a reservoir dam burst, and thousands of residents were displaced. What Is the Situation in Guangxi? Southern Guangxi was among the worst-affected regions, where six people were killed and at…

VANCOUVER: Switzerland advanced to the FIFA World Cup quarter-finals for the first time since 1954 after defeating Colombia 4-3 in a penalty shootout following a goalless 120-minute contest on Tuesday. The decisive moment came when Swiss midfielder Ruben Vargas calmly converted the winning penalty after goalkeeper Gregor Kobel saved Cucho Hernandez’s spot-kick. Colombia defender Davinson Sanchez had earlier struck the crossbar, while Switzerland’s Manuel Akanji also missed by firing over the bar. The victory sends Switzerland into the last eight, where they will face defending champions Argentina. What Happened During the Match? Both teams created scoring opportunities but failed to…

KARACHI: A Pakistani cargo aircraft carrying five crew members went missing on Tuesday night after losing contact with air traffic control approximately 155 nautical miles west of Karachi, prompting a large-scale search and rescue operation involving the Pakistan Navy, Pakistan Air Force, and civilian maritime resources. The Pakistan Airports Authority (PAA) confirmed that the aircraft disappeared from radar after reporting a malfunction in its navigation system while en route from Sharjah to Karachi. Authorities said the Rescue Coordination Centre was activated immediately after contact was lost. How Did the Aircraft Disappear? According to aviation officials, the 27-year-old Boeing 737 cargo…

WASHINGTON/TEHRAN: The United States launched a fresh wave of military strikes against Iran on Tuesday, targeting more than 80 sites, including over 60 vessels belonging to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), after three commercial tankers were reportedly hit by projectiles in the Strait of Hormuz. The attacks have placed renewed pressure on the fragile US-Iran ceasefire reached last month. US Central Command (CENTCOM) said the operation targeted Iranian air defence systems, coastal surveillance facilities, anti-ship cruise missiles, surface-to-air missile systems and drone launch sites. According to CENTCOM, the strikes were aimed at imposing “heavy costs” on Iran following attacks…

KHARTOUM: Intensifying fighting around the strategic Sudanese city of el-Obeid has displaced more than 11,000 people, including over 5,500 children, in the past two weeks, according to Save the Children, as the United Nations warns that up to 500,000 civilians could be at risk if violence escalates. The renewed fighting marks a significant shift in Sudan’s three-year conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), with military operations increasingly concentrated in the Kordofan region. Why Is El-Obeid Strategically Important? El-Obeid, the capital of North Kordofan State, serves as a critical transport and logistics hub linking…

GAZA CITY: Gaza marked 1,000 days since the start of the Israel-Hamas war, as the Gaza Ministry of Health reported the cumulative death toll had risen to 73,098 since October 2023. According to the ministry, 1,072 Palestinians have been killed since the collapse of the October ceasefire, while Gaza’s Government Media Office said more than 90 percent of the territory has been destroyed during the conflict. Were There New Casualties This Week? Hostilities continued throughout the week, with local authorities reporting multiple fatalities in Israeli strikes across the enclave. Health officials and local reports said several Palestinians, including children, were…

BEIJING: A Chinese court has sentenced former senior official Yang Youlin to death after convicting him of accepting more than 2.2 billion yuan ($324 million) in bribes over three decades, in one of the country’s largest corruption cases in recent years. The Changzhou Intermediate People’s Court in eastern Jiangsu Province announced the verdict on Monday, saying Yang accepted money and property while serving in various government positions between 1993 and 2023. What Crimes Was Yang Youlin Convicted Of? According to the court, Yang accepted bribes in exchange for providing assistance with government projects, business operations, land allocations and financing arrangements.…