Author: EchoAsiaNews

LOS ANGELES: The knockout stage of the 2026 FIFA World Cup begins on Sunday with South Africa facing Canada in the opening Round of 32 fixture, as the tournament enters its elimination phase following the conclusion of the group stage. The first knockout match will be played at Los Angeles Stadium in California, with kick-off scheduled for 19:00 GMT. Canada enter the contest as favourites, having been given a 67.8 percent chance of advancing to the Round of 16 by Opta’s pre-match simulations. South Africa, however, will be looking to repeat their only previous victory over Canada, a 2-0 friendly…

DUBAI: Iran launched missile and drone attacks on Bahrain and Kuwait on Sunday after the United States carried out strikes on five Iranian military targets, marking a sharp escalation in regional tensions and placing a fragile US-Iran ceasefire under renewed strain. The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said it targeted the US Ali Al Salem Air Base in Kuwait and the US Fifth Fleet headquarters at Port Salman in Bahrain with ballistic missiles and drones in retaliation for American strikes. Bahrain condemned the attacks, describing them as a violation of its sovereignty that undermined efforts aimed at regional de-escalation and…

BOSTON: The World Affairs Council of Boston hosted a private luncheon on June 22, bringing together New York Governor Kathy Hochul, Democratic Party leaders, diplomats, business executives and civic leaders for discussions on regional cooperation, economic development and global affairs. The off-the-record roundtable focused on strengthening collaboration across the Northeastern United States, with participants discussing cross-state economic partnerships, national security challenges and civic engagement. The event was hosted by Shahid Ahmed Khan, Director of the World Affairs Council of Boston. Among the attendees were former United States Ambassador to Spain and Andorra Alan Solomont, Lieutenant General Chris Gabrielli, WorldBoston President…

DALLAS: Argentina head coach Lionel Scaloni praised Lionel Messi after the captain became the first player to score in seven consecutive FIFA World Cup matches during Argentina’s 3-1 victory over Jordan in their final Group J fixture on Saturday. Messi, who came on as a second-half substitute at Dallas Stadium, scored from a free kick in the 80th minute to extend his remarkable scoring streak, surpassing the previous record jointly held by France’s Just Fontaine and Brazil’s Jairzinho. Speaking after the match, Scaloni said he was running out of words to describe Messi’s achievements. “It’s a little uncomfortable when people…

KARACHI: Three Pakistan Rangers (Sindh) personnel embraced martyrdom and four others were injured after militants belonging to the India-backed group Jamaat ul Ahrar carried out a coordinated attack on a Rangers camp in Karachi, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said on Sunday. According to a statement issued by the military’s media wing, the attackers detonated an explosive device at the main gate of the camp before attempting to breach the perimeter. Rangers personnel responded swiftly, foiling the assault by killing three militants and capturing another attacker, identified as an Afghan national, in an injured condition. The ISPR identified the assailants…

KARACHI: Intense firing accompanied by an explosion was reported near Gulistan-e-Jauhar Block 6 on Saturday, prompting a large-scale response from law enforcement agencies. Police said personnel from multiple law enforcement units were immediately dispatched to the site after reports of the incident surfaced. Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah has sought a detailed report from the Sindh Inspector General of Police (IGP) and Karachi Additional IGP, according to a spokesperson. Following the incident, authorities sealed key roads in the surrounding area, including routes from Mosmiyat Chowrangi towards Gulistan-e-Jauhar Block 6 and Kamran Chowrangi. Police also confirmed that the road linking…

DOHA/WASHINGTON: Uruguay coach Marcelo Bielsa has taken full responsibility for his team’s early elimination from the FIFA World Cup 2026, saying he leaves “nothing good” behind for Uruguayan football after a winless campaign. Uruguay were knocked out after a 1-0 defeat to group winners Spain, following earlier draws against Saudi Arabia and Cape Verde. The result meant the South American side finished the group stage without a single victory. Despite being the highest-ranked team eliminated so far at 19th in the FIFA rankings, Uruguay failed to progress from Group H, in which debutants Cape Verde secured an unexpected place in…

JERUSALEM: Upcoming elections in Israel are expected to be a defining moment for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is facing mounting political pressure over his handling of regional conflicts and ongoing corruption charges, according to reports and political analysts. The general election, scheduled for October, could determine the future of Netanyahu’s nearly four-decade-long political career and his legacy as Israel’s longest-serving prime minister. Netanyahu, widely regarded as a dominant figure in Israeli politics, is under increasing scrutiny amid criticism of his leadership during multiple military conflicts in the region, including wars involving Iran, Lebanon and Gaza. Tensions in the region…

WASHINGTON/BENGALURU: The Trump administration is close to allowing Anthropic to restore public access to its Fable 5 artificial intelligence model, according to a report by Axios on Saturday, citing a source familiar with the matter. Reuters said it could not immediately verify the report. Anthropic and the White House also did not respond to requests for comment. The development comes after Anthropic abruptly disabled access to its most advanced AI systems, Mythos 5 and Fable 5, following a US government export control order issued on June 12 over national security concerns. According to the Axios report, restrictions on Fable 5…

NEW YORK: Ares Management has once again limited investor withdrawals from its flagship private credit fund after a sharp increase in redemption requests in the second quarter of 2026, highlighting continued pressure across the private credit sector. The firm’s $22.6 billion Ares Strategic Income Fund (ASIF) received requests to withdraw about 14.4% of its shares during the quarter, up from 11.6% in the previous quarter, according to company filings. However, Ares maintained its standard restriction, capping redemptions at 5% of shares outstanding, meaning only a fraction of requested withdrawals will be fulfilled. The surge in redemption requests reflects growing investor…