Foreign News Evacuations in Guam as super typhoon Bavi approaches Published 3 hours agoon 2026/07/5 Rain falls in Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands, ahead of super typhoon Bavi's arrival [ Emergency evacuations are taking place in Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands as a super…
Foreign News Evacuations in Guam as super typhoon Bavi approaches
Published 3 hours agoon 2026/07/5
Rain falls in Saipan, Northern Mariana Islands, ahead of super typhoon Bavi's arrival [ Emergency evacuations are taking place in Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands as a super typhoon bears down on the US Pacific territories. Bavi is forecast to make landfall early on Monday morning, with winds of up to 257km/h (160mph), according to the US National Weather Service (NWS). It warned the “very dangerous” storm could cause “catastrophic” damage, with “significant flooding from torrential rains” possible and waves potentially nearly 11m (35ft) high on Monday. The western Pacific region is particularly prone to tropical cyclones. While storms of this strength are unusual for the US islands, scientists say climate change is making powerful typhoons more common. Bavi is expected to pass directly over Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands by Monday afternoon, but the NWS warned that destructive conditions could be expected for eight to 10 hours prior to or after the arrival of the storm’s centre. “The window is rapidly closing to evacuate if directed to do so by local officials, or if your home is vulnerable to high winds or flooding,” the agency said, adding that winds “will pose a deadly threat to those venturing outside”. Guam, usually a sun-soaked tourist destination with a population of about 170,000, has opened five evacuation centres in its schools. These sites have a maximum capacity of around 1,700 and are primarily intended for vulnerable people. The island’s civil defence office said at 13:00 local time (03:00 GMT) on Sunday that one of the evacuation sites had already reached maximum capacity and that people were being redirected to another site.
Bavi is currently hurtling towards the US Pacific territories and is due to make landfall early on Monday [BBC] Bavi has been classified as a super typhoon by the Joint Typhoon Warning Center (JTWC), a part of the US Navy responsible for monitoring tropical storms in the western Pacific. A super typhoon has winds in excess of 130 knots (150mph). JTWC predicts that Bavi will have winds of 150 knots (173mph) when it arrives over the islands, with gusts reaching as high as 180 knots (207mph). The NWS considers super typhoons to have the equivalent destructive potential as a category four or five hurricane. Pinky Cubacub, 55, told news agency AFP that she had been boarding up the windows of her eatery in Guam with $500 (£373) worth of plywood. “I cannot afford to lose so many days. It hurts,” she said. “Because I just started, whatever we’re making right now is just for rent, utilities, and my people, and supplies. I don’t even pay myself yet.”
Restaurant workers boarding up a restaurant in Guam over the weekend [BBC] Japanese tourist Miku Sakurai, 25, told AFP that her return flight to Tokyo on Sunday had been cancelled. “We will stay in the hotel when the storm comes. I am scared,” she said. Bavi will be the 11th category four or five tropical cyclone to hit US territory in the past decade – one more than the total recorded in the prior 57 years. A strong El Niño event – a periodic warming of an area of surface water in the Pacific that contributes to weather patterns – is expected to push more tropical storms into these higher intensities. Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands have already experienced one super typhoon this year – Sinlaku in April, which killed 17 people and caused about $1.5bn (£1.1bn) in damage. Warmer sea surface temperatures drive more moisture into the atmosphere, supercharging storms. [BBC]
Latest News India A win series after Gurnoor Brar demolishes Sri Lanka A
Published 3 hours agoon 2026/07/5
Gurnoor Brar finished with a match bag of ten wickets [SLC] Gurnoor Brar did his burgeoning reputation a lot of good as he ran through Sri Lanka A to set up a simple 33-run chase for India A, who completed the formalities without fuss to win the two-match series of unofficial Test matches 1-0 in Galle. Brar picked up six wickets – to go with four in the first innings – as Sri Lanka A, starting their second innings on Sunday morning 177 in arrears, folded for 209. The 10 for 145 was by far Brar’s best in his short first-class career. The day began with India A at 541 for 8 in their first innings after B Sai Sudarshan’s 168 and half-centuries from Devdutt Padikkal, Dhruv Jurel and Saransh Jain, who was in the middle alongside Yash Thakur. The innings ended soon after when Thakur became left-arm spinner Keshara Nuwantha’s fifth victim – Ruturaj Gaikwad didn’t come back out to bat after retiring hurt on the third day.
Then the Brar show began, though there was help for him up top with Aaqib Nabi and Thakur picking up a wicket each to Brar’s two, as Sri Lanka A were 49 for 4 at the start of the 11th over, captain Sahan Arachchige, their century-maker from the first innings, among the wickets to fall. The fightback for Sri Lanka A was a solo effort, courtesy Ashen Bandara, a white-ball international between 2021 and 2023, as he smashed the bowlers around for 87 in 86 balls, with 11 fours and two sixes. His partnership with the other Bandara, Anjala, was worth 70 runs, with Anjala contributing 17 of those. The resistance ended when Brar returned to send back Anjala Bandara and followed it up with the wicket of Ashen Bandara to leave Sri Lanka A at 141 for 6, still well behind. Contributions from lower-order batters Nuwantha (26), Dilum Sudeera (21) and Asanka Manoj (12 not out) did help Sri Lanka A wipe out the deficit and get a lead, but only just. Brar completed his five-for when he sent back Sudeera, and then the six-for when he finished the innings with Dulaj Samuditha’s wicket. Jain, meanwhile, picked up two wickets. Sai Sudharsan and Aman Mokhade knocked off the required runs in just 6.2 overs to complete the win, India A adding to their win in the 50-overs tri-series, with Afghanistan A the third team, earlier on the tour. Scores: India A 543 for 9 decl in 143.3 overs (B Sai Sudharsan 168, Devdutt Padikkal 94, Dhruv Jurel 53, Saransh Jain 70*; Keshara Nuwantha 5-159, Dilum Sudeera 3-102) and 36 for no loss in 6.2 overs (B Sai Sudharsan 25*, Aman Mokhade 11*) beat Sri Lanka A 366 in 110 overs (Sahan Arachchige 127; Gurnoor Brar 4-77, Saransh Jain 4-92) and 209 in 48.3 overs (Ashen Bandara 87; Gurnoor Brar 6-68, Saransh Jain 2-66) by ten wickets [Cricinfo]
Latest News China and Russia to hold annual joint naval drills
Published 3 hours agoon 2026/07/5
China and Russia have held Joint Sea exercises for more than a decade [Aljazeera] The Chinese and Russian navies will hold joint exercises in the waters and airspace off China’s eastern coast this coming week. In a statement on Sunday, the Chinese Ministry of Defence said the annual drills off the major port of Qingdao would be followed by joint maritime patrols in unspecified areas of the Pacific Ocean. Separately, Russian state media reported that a cruiser, a corvette, a diesel-electric submarine and a rescue vessel from Russia’s Pacific Fleet had arrived in Qingdao for the drills that are set to run from Monday to July 13. China’s Northern Theatre Command said its participating forces include two destroyers, a frigate, a submarine, a supply ship and a rescue vessel. The two navies are expected to conduct reconnaissance, air and missile defence, and surface-strike exercises. The manoeuvres come roughly two months after Russian President Vladimir Putin’s trip to China, during which he described bilateral relations as having reached an “unprecedentedly high level”. For his part, Chinese President Xi Jinping called the two countries’ partnership “unyielding”. The two major diplomatic and economic partners have held Joint Sea exercises since 2012. Last year’s edition took place near the Russian port of Vladivostok and was also followed by joint patrols in the Pacific. China has never denounced Russia’s full-scale invasion of neighbouring Ukraine. It insists it is a neutral party and has been regularly calling for peace talks. [Aljazeera]