JERUSALEM, Oct. 2 (Xinhua) -- Israel's flag carrier El Al said in a statement on Friday that it had canceled two planned rescue flights to Dubai intended to bring home Israelis stranded in the city and elsewhere in Asia.The cancellation came after Israeli authorities informed the airline that landing approval for Israeli carriers in Dubai had been revoked, El Al's statement said.We are ready to operate the special flights to Dubai and return Israelis home as soon as possible, subject to approval from the relevant authorities, the statement said.El Al announced the rescue flight operation on Thursday after Emirati airline Flydubai suspended flights pending an investigation into an incident aboard flight FZ 1073 on Wednesday.On Thursday evening, Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich said he had ordered funding for the rescue flights, and the Transport Ministry said they would begin on Friday, with possible delays due to preparations.The flight FZ 1073 from Dubai to Tel Aviv made an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia on Wednesday after an altercation between the pilots, Israel's state-owned Kan TV News reported, citing Israeli officials.The incident occurred when the co-pilot allegedly stabbed the captain inside the cockpit during the flight, causing the aircraft to plunge suddenly. Other crew members and passengers overpowered the attacker, allowing the crew to regain control.

SANAA, Oct. 2 (Xinhua) -- In Yemen, coffee is more than a crop. It is part of the country's history and identity, and growers and businesses are seeking to revive the industry amid years of conflict.The effort was on display Thursday in Sanaa, where farmers, traders and coffee enthusiasts gathered to mark International Coffee Day.Coffee is a treasure for Yemen, coffee farmer Sheikh Abed Rajeh told Xinhua at the event. Expanding the sector, he said, could raise incomes for rural communities and give a boost to Yemen's economy.Mohammed Al-Qasimi, head of the Coffee Unit at Sanaa's agricultural authorities, said around 15 million coffee trees had been planted across the country over the past five years.Yemen's coffee production has risen from around 17,000 tons to between 42,000 and 45,000 tons in 2025, while output is expected to reach about 50,000 tons in 2026 as cultivation continues to expand, Al-Qasimi said.An initiative is underway to plant 100 million coffee trees over 10 years, at a planned rate of 10 million trees a year, across Yemen's mountains, slopes and agricultural terraces, he added.For Yemen, the effort is about more than increasing production. It is also an attempt to reclaim a centuries-old place in global coffee history.Coffee grown in Yemen's highlands was once shipped through the Red Sea port of Mocha to overseas markets, eventually giving the port's name to one of the world's most familiar coffee terms.Al-Qasimi estimated that around 250,000 people work across the coffee sector, including farmers, intermediaries and traders, while more than 276 companies, projects and entrepreneurs have entered the industry in recent years.Yemeni coffee is now sold in Gulf countries, the United States, Europe and Asia, with producers looking to expand into more international markets.We are trying to bring Yemeni coffee back to local and international markets, said Ghaleb Al-Emadi, owner of the Haraz Coffee Center. The center has worked since 2016 to promote t...

NAGOYA, Japan, Oct. 1 (Xinhua) -- Chen Benhai scored a hat-trick as China defeated Bangladesh 7-1 in an Asian Games men's hockey classification match on Thursday, setting up a fifth-place playoff against Japan.Zhang Jialiang added two goals for China, which scored in every quarter at Gifu Prefectural Green Stadium. Japan beat Thailand 9-1 in the other classification match, with the two winners set to meet on Oct. 3 at the same venue.China took control early, with Zhang opening the scoring from open play in the second minute and Zhao Yulai doubling the lead two minutes later.Chen made it 3-0 in the 24th minute before Bangladesh pulled a goal back in the 30th, leaving China 3-1 ahead at halftime.Penalty corners helped China extend its advantage in the third quarter. Gao Jiesheng scored in the 32nd minute, and Zhang added his second in the 44th to make it 5-1. Chen completed his hat-trick with goals in the 56th and 59th minutes.Chen welcomed the win but felt he still had room to improve despite scoring three times.I'm very happy that the team won and I scored three goals. But honestly, I wasn't at my best today, he said. I still had problems controlling the tempo and distributing the ball consistently, and I missed some chances.Looking ahead to Japan, Chen said China would study its opponent's tactics and work on its own coordination.We'll take it one match at a time and aim to produce a better performance for this tough contest, he said.China finished third in Pool B with three wins and two losses for nine points. Only the top two teams in each pool advance to the semifinals, while the third- and fourth-placed sides enter the classification matches for fifth to eighth place.Although medals are no longer at stake, classification matches also count toward the International Hockey Federation's world rankings. Points are adjusted after each match according to the result, the teams' pre-match rating difference and the competition's weighting.