Author: EchoAsiaNews

RIYADH/WASHINGTON: The Middle East conflict widened on Tuesday as Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthis launched missile and drone attacks on four cities in southern Saudi Arabia, while US forces struck Iranian oil tankers and Iran claimed a ballistic missile attack on a US base in Jordan. Saudi authorities said 73 people were wounded in the attacks, with fires reported at oil-related facilities. The Houthis said their strikes targeted a Saudi airbase in Khamis Mushait and oil facilities in Abha, Najran and Jazan. Saudi authorities reported fires at several locations and said women and children were among those injured. Satellite imagery showed smoke…

LONDON: Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari has challenged Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi to bring his criticism of Pakistan’s political and governance system to parliament, saying the country’s future cannot be decided by a handful of businessmen. Speaking to the media in London, Bilawal said that if Naqvi believed the system had failed, the issue should be debated in the National Assembly to determine the reasons behind its weaknesses and discuss measures to address them. Why does Bilawal want the issue debated in parliament? Bilawal said political and governance issues should be discussed by elected representatives rather than at…

MUMBAI: Indian banks have left a significant portion of their future foreign-exchange exposure on interest payments from overseas deposits unhedged, potentially increasing demand for US dollars if the rupee comes under renewed depreciation pressure, bankers said. Indian lenders have raised more than $127 billion through overseas foreign-currency deposits introduced by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) as part of measures to strengthen the country’s balance of payments amid higher oil prices. The RBI’s special swap facility protects banks against foreign-exchange risk on the principal amount of the deposits, but lenders remain responsible for managing the currency exposure associated with future…

BRUSSELS: European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Tuesday criticised the large turnout at the funeral of former Bosnian Serb wartime general Ratko Mladic, saying the public and official presence could affect Serbia’s path towards European Union membership. Mladic, who was convicted of war crimes, was buried in Belgrade on Monday following a funeral attended by a large number of mourners. What did von der Leyen say about the funeral? Von der Leyen described images from the funeral as “shocking” and criticised what she said was official support and the participation of senior Serbian officials. She said the display…

WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump has said Canadian aircraft manufacturer Bombardier will not be allowed to sell its products in the United States unless the company expands manufacturing operations in the country, escalating trade tensions between Washington and Ottawa. Trump made the statement Monday in a post on Truth Social, saying Bombardier would need to manufacture aircraft in the United States if it wanted continued access to the American market. The White House has not provided details on how the proposed restriction would be implemented or what regulatory or trade measures could be used to enforce it. What did Trump…

PARIS: The Eiffel Tower was temporarily closed on Monday after employees held a meeting to protest an alleged incident involving female staff during a private visit by a Hindu religious delegation. The protest followed a weekend visit by about 100 members of the Bochasanwasi Akshar Purushottam Swaminarayan Sanstha (BAPS), a Hindu organisation, according to a union representative. What triggered the staff protest? Diane Davoine, a union representative, told Reuters that female employees were allegedly asked to leave their workstations while members of the delegation passed through the site, allowing male employees to take their places. Davoine said the incident led…

NUWAKOT/KATHMANDU: Two workers have been rescued after spending nine days trapped inside a tunnel at Nepal’s Upper Trishuli 3A Hydropower Station following a major flood and landslide in the Trishuli valley. Kabir Maharjan and mechanical foreman Sanjay Sah were found alive inside an air pocket in the tunnel after rescue teams cleared layers of mud and debris blocking the facility. The men were among hundreds of hydropower workers believed to have been trapped after a glacier collapse on August 26 triggered a large landslide and flood in the Trishuli valley. How were the workers rescued? Rescue teams faced extensive debris,…

Subscribers who used YouTube TV or DirecTV Stream during the eligible period have until September 8, 2026 to submit claims for a share of a $50 million class-action settlement involving The Walt Disney Company. The settlement stems from an antitrust lawsuit alleging that Disney engaged in practices that contributed to higher prices for streaming live pay-TV services. Disney has denied wrongdoing but agreed to the partial settlement. Who is eligible for the settlement? The settlement covers people who purchased a YouTube TV subscription or a DirecTV streaming live pay-TV subscription between April 1, 2019, and March 31, 2026. DirecTV Stream,…

TEHRAN: Iran has threatened to establish a maritime exclusion zone in the Persian Gulf and introduce a new shipping corridor through the Strait of Hormuz in response to the US blockade and economic sanctions. Iranian officials said details of the proposed restricted zone and shipping route would be announced in the coming days, although no specific timeline was immediately provided. What is Iran proposing in the Gulf? Mohsen Rezaei, secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, said the proposed maritime exclusion zone would begin near the area covered by the US blockade of Iran and extend into parts of the…

MOSCOW: Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has backed the possible inclusion of Iran in a broader regional security framework linked to the Makkah Joint Defence Pact, saying Tehran’s participation could contribute to stability in the Gulf region. Speaking at the Moscow State Institute of International Relations (MGIMO), Lavrov said Russia had proposed a Gulf security framework more than two decades ago involving Arab states and Iran. He said Moscow’s approach was based on bringing regional countries together to address disputes, build confidence and develop a common security framework. Why does Russia support Iran’s inclusion? Lavrov said the inclusion of Iran…