Author: EchoAsiaNews

LONDON: British outsourcing company Capita said on Thursday that failures in delivering its flagship UK Civil Service Pension Scheme contract will reduce its annual adjusted operating profit by between £25 million and £40 million. The company said the financial impact stems from operational shortcomings linked to the government contract. Why Did the UK Government Withhold Payments? Earlier this week, the UK government withheld £9.9 million in payments to Capita after the company failed to meet contractual deadlines. Officials also said Capita had not delivered promised AI-driven technology improvements under the pension scheme contract. The announcement triggered a sharp decline in…

SEOUL: South Korea’s Supreme Court on Thursday upheld a seven-year prison sentence for former President Yoon Suk Yeol, rejecting his appeal over charges linked to obstructing authorities attempting to arrest him following his 2024 martial law declaration. The ruling affirms an earlier decision by the Seoul High Court, which increased Yoon’s sentence from five years to seven years in April after convicting him on additional charges. Why Was Yoon Suk Yeol Convicted? The Supreme Court ruled that there were no legal errors in the lower court’s judgment. It upheld findings that Yoon obstructed law enforcement efforts, fabricated official documents, failed…

BOSTON: Morocco will be without star midfielder Ismael Saibari for Thursday’s FIFA World Cup quarterfinal against France after he failed to recover from a hamstring injury. Head coach Mohamed Ouahbi confirmed on Wednesday that the 24-year-old was the only player unavailable for the crucial last-eight clash. “Everyone is 100 percent fit except Saibari. This game comes too soon for him, but I hope he is not out for the rest of the competition,” Ouahbi said. How Did Saibari Sustain the Injury? Saibari suffered the injury during Morocco’s 3-0 victory over Canada in the Round of 16 after being forced off…

NEW JERSEY: Canadian pop star Justin Bieber has been added to the lineup for the first-ever FIFA World Cup final halftime show, organisers confirmed on Wednesday. Bieber will perform alongside Madonna, Shakira and K-pop group BTS during the show at MetLife Stadium on July 19. How Long Will the Halftime Show Last? Organisers said the musical performance will last 11 minutes, easing speculation that the show could extend to 25 minutes. However, the performance has renewed debate over football’s halftime regulations, which limit the interval to 15 minutes, raising questions about whether additional time will be required for stage setup…

BENGALURU: India’s retail inflation is expected to have risen above the Reserve Bank of India’s (RBI) medium-term target of 4% in June for the first time in 16 months, according to a Reuters poll of economists. Consumer inflation is forecast to increase to 4.3% in June from 3.93% in May, driven by higher food and fuel prices, the impact of the US-Iran conflict and concerns over a weaker monsoon. Official inflation data is scheduled to be released on July 13. What Factors Are Driving Inflation? Economists said rising food and fuel costs were the main contributors to the increase in…

ANKARA: Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni on Wednesday defended her decision to build close political ties with US President Donald Trump, saying she had no regrets despite growing public disagreements between the two leaders. Speaking after the NATO summit in Türkiye, Meloni said her approach was based on strengthening Western unity rather than personal political calculations. “No, I absolutely don’t regret anything I’ve done,” she said. Why Have Relations Between Meloni and Trump Become Strained? Once regarded as one of Trump’s closest European allies, Meloni has recently faced public criticism from the US president through media interviews and social media…

KARACHI: The Pakistan Navy and the Pakistan Maritime Security Agency (PMSA) on Wednesday located the wreckage of the missing cargo aircraft approximately 53 nautical miles south of the Ormara coast, more than 12 hours after an extensive search operation began. The Pakistan Airports Authority (PAA) confirmed that the wreckage was discovered in the Arabian Sea after the aircraft disappeared from radar late Tuesday night. What Is the Latest on the Rescue Operation? According to the PAA, Pakistan Navy and PMSA naval vessels and aircraft remain engaged in search, rescue and recovery operations at the crash site. Teams are continuing efforts…

JUBA: South Sudan marked the 15th anniversary of its independence on Wednesday, with the world’s youngest nation facing continuing insecurity, economic hardship and a stalled peace process despite the end of its civil war. After gaining independence from Sudan in 2011, the country descended into a civil war between 2013 and 2018, leaving hundreds of thousands dead and millions displaced. What Challenges Does South Sudan Continue to Face? Despite the 2018 Revitalised Agreement on the Resolution of the Conflict in South Sudan (R-ARCSS), analysts say implementation of the peace deal has been slow, leaving many citizens without access to essential…

GENEVA: A United Nations inquiry commission has called on Israel to immediately and unconditionally release Palestinian doctor Dr Hussam Abu Safia, who has been held without charge for more than 18 months, citing credible reports of severe abuse in detention. The UN Independent International Commission of Inquiry on the Occupied Palestinian Territory said the 52-year-old director of Kamal Adwan Hospital in northern Gaza has allegedly faced “continued and severe abuse” while in Israeli custody. What Concerns Have Been Raised About His Health? Dr Abu Safia’s lawyer, Nasser Odeh, said his client’s health is in grave danger due to alleged daily…

ANKARA: US President Donald Trump announced on Wednesday that his administration will remove Syria from the United States’ list of State Sponsors of Terrorism, marking a significant shift in Washington’s policy toward Damascus. Trump made the announcement after meeting Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa on the sidelines of the NATO summit in Türkiye. When Will the Decision Take Effect? According to Trump, the decision will become official in 45 days, unless it is blocked by the US Congress. The move begins the formal process of removing Syria from the terrorism designation, which carries broad economic and diplomatic sanctions. Why Is the…