MEXICO CITY: Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador has withdrawn his nomination of former finance minister Arturo Herrera to head the central bank, Herrera announced. Lopez Obrador had proposed his then finance minister in June to be governor of the Bank of Mexico, subject to approval by the Senate. “The president informed me a week ago … Read more
RIYADH: Hotel operator Marriott International has signed an agreement with Saudi’s Sela Sport Company to develop two new luxury hotels in Saudi Arabia, Arab News reported. The St Regis Riyadh and The Jeddah Edition are expected to open in prime city locations in 2022. The former is to be located at the entrance of the Diplomatic Quarter … Read more
BEIJING: With his clean record and the austere air of a Chinese Communist Party cadre, nothing seemed to indicate Zhang Gaoli would, at the age of 75, find himself embroiled in a sex scandal with global repercussions. The former vice-premier (2013-18) has been accused by tennis champion Peng Shuai — in a message promptly censored … Read more
Former South Africa captain AB de Villiers, on his Twitter handle, announced his retirement from all formats of cricket, saying: “Now, at the age of 37, that flame no longer burns so brightly.” “It has been an incredible journey, but I have decided to retire from all cricket. ” Ever since the backyard matches with … Read more
LONDON: The cricketer who dubbed Cheteshwar Pujara ‘Steve’ while they played for Yorkshire has been reprimanded by current club Somerset after apologising to the India batsman in the fallout from the Azeem Rafiq case that has sent shockwaves through the English game. Pakistan-born Rafiq told a UK parliamentary committee on Tuesday how racist language was “constantly” … Read more
The International Cricket Council (ICC) announced Pakistan’s fast bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi’s opening spell against their opening match against arch-rivals India in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup as the “Play of the Tournament.” ICC shared the glimpse of the 21-year-old’s bowling during the first over in the epic clash and wrote: “The winner of … Read more
LONDON: Former Yorkshire cricketer Azeem Rafiq fought back tears as he told British lawmakers on Tuesday he had lost his career to racism, detailing widespread discrimination within the English game in a compelling testimony. An independent report found the Pakistan-born player was a victim of “racial harassment and bullying” while playing for the county club but said … Read more
LONDON: Yorkshire Country Cricket Club have suspended first-team coach Andrew Gale pending a disciplinary hearing into a historic tweet, accused of being anti-semitic. The club is reeling from a racism scandal that saw chairman Roger Hutton resign last week after sponsors pulled their backing and the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) stripped Headingley of the right … Read more
SHARJAH: Jos Buttler hit the first century of the Twenty20 World Cup as England effectively booked their semi-final spot with a 26-run victory over Sri Lanka on Monday. Buttler’s unbeaten 101 – his maiden century in 86 T20 internationals – steered England to 163 for four after being invited to bat first in Sharjah. England … Read more
KHARTOUM: Furious Sudanese protests against a military coup entered a third day Wednesday, with the prime minister returned home under guard after intense international condemnation of the army’s power grab. But the return to his residence of Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok – who was detained Monday along with his ministers and civilian members of Sudan’s ruling … Read more
BEIJING: China insisted Wednesday that Taiwan had no right to join the United Nations, after the United States ratcheted up tensions with a call for the democratic island to have greater involvement in the world body. In a statement marking 50 years since the UN General Assembly voted to seat Beijing and boot out Taipei, … Read more
DUBAI: Standing at an imposing 6ft 6ins (1.98m), Shaheen Shah Afridi, the first-strike destroyer of India at the T20 World Cup, is the latest high-end product of Pakistan’s fast bowling factory — left-arm division. From Wasim Akram to Mohammad Amir, with passing hat tips in recent years to the likes of Wahab Riaz and the … Read more
As Babar Azam and his men get ready to take on arch-rivals India, in a rare sight politicians from across the spectrum wished the Pakistan team good luck against Virat Kohli and co. Pakistan and India will kick off their T20 World Cup campaign tonight at the Dubai International Stadium. Since 2013 both teams have … Read more
NEW DELHI: Nearly 200 people have died in floods and landslides in India and Nepal, officials said Thursday, with whole families buried in their homes and two young girls swept away as forecasters warned of yet more heavy rain. Experts say that they were victims of the ever-more unpredictable and extreme weather that has hit … Read more
DUBAI: Rashid Khan insists his mind is occupied by the World Cup and not wedding bells as the leg-spin wizard looks to inspire Afghanistan at the Twenty20 global showpiece. Still only 23, Rashid is key to his nation’s hopes of a first world title and a potential triumph which would deliver a rare bout of … Read more
PARIS: The aviation sector is facing a great dilemma: How can it fulfil its ambition of doubling passenger numbers while meeting its goal of reducing its massive greenhouse gas emissions? Slashing pollution from the industry is among the major challenges facing the world as leaders meet later this month for a key climate summit in … Read more
BAGHDAD: Iraq’s October 10 elections reinforced the parliamentary strength of mercurial preacher Moqtada Sadr and saw a sharp decline in that of his adversaries, the pro-Iran Hashed al-Shaabi alliance, according to preliminary results. A final tally from the ballot, organised to appease youth-led anti-government protests that began in 2019, is expected in the next few … Read more
SEOUL: North Korea fired a ballistic missile into the sea on Tuesday, South Korea’s military said, its latest in a series of tests with analysts saying it could have been a submarine-launched weapon. The “unidentified ballistic missile” was fired from Sinpo into the sea east of the peninsula, Seoul’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said in … Read more
COLOMBO: Sri Lanka’s first Test captain, who was hit with a 25-year ban for leading a rebel cricket team to South Africa in breach of an international boycott, died Monday, his colleagues said. Bandula Warnapura, 68, died of a heart attack after undergoing a leg amputation for complications arising from diabetes, people close to him told AFP. … Read more
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, India: At least 25 people have died in landslides and floods triggered by heavy rains in southwestern India, officials said Sunday, as rescuers scoured for survivors in muddy debris and the military flew in emergency supplies. Residents were cut off in parts of the coastal state of Kerala as the rains, which started to … Read more
LAHORE: The three-day 66th National Track Cycling Championship will get underway here tomorrow (Monday) and the country’s top-notch riders will be seen in action. This was stated by Pakistan Cycling Federation (PCF) President Syed Azhar Ali Shah at a press conference at the cycling velodrome on Sunday. Other PCF officials present on the occasion were … Read more
MOSCOW: Russian President Vladimir Putin said hundreds of fighters loyal to the Islamic State militant group were massing in northern Afghanistan, as Moscow prepares to host international talks on the country next week. The United States, China and Pakistan will join talks on the Taliban takeover on Tuesday, the Kremlin’s envoy to Afghanistan said on … Read more
MUSCAT: It’s a far cry from Lord’s, the MCG and Eden Gardens, but the modest Al Amerat Ground, 15km to the south-east of the Omani capital of Muscat, will on Sunday briefly become the beating heart of international cricket as the T20 World Cup gets underway. “How often does an Associate nation get to host … Read more
LONDON: Britain’s Prince William has launched an attack on space tourism, urging more attention on problems closer to home ahead of the COP26 climate summit. The comments by Queen Elizabeth II’s grandson were airing in a BBC interview later Thursday, a day after “Star Trek” star William Shatner became a real space traveller on Blue … Read more
KANDAHAR, Afghanistan: Afghanistan’s festive pomegranate season has begun, but this year thousands of tonnes of the juicy red fruit risk rotting on trucks blocked at Pakistan’s frequently shuttered border – leaving thousands of farmworkers unemployed. With its tart and crunchy, ruby-red seeds locked inside a leathery red rind, the pomegranate is renowned for its health … Read more
KARACHI: Shahid Afridi, the box office trailblazer of Pakistan white-ball cricket, believes his “unpredictable” nation can summon the spirit of 2009 and win a second T20 World Cup. Afridi was man of the match in a nail-biting seven-run semi-final win over South Africa in the tournament 12 years ago where he made 51. He then starred … Read more
KONGSBERG, Norway: A man armed with a bow and arrows killed five people and wounded two others in southeastern Norway on Wednesday, police said, adding that they had arrested the suspect. The motive for the attack, which took place in several locations in the town centre of Kongsberg, was unknown but police said terrorism could … Read more
ST. JOHN’S: Chris Gayle, the self-styled ‘Universe Boss’, heads to the T20 World Cup determined to prove that he remains a headline act rather than an ageing crowd-puller living off his reputation. Now 42, the physically imposing Gayle boasts career figures and performances that rivals can only envy. He is the only man to have … Read more
