SEVILLE: Czech rider Pavel Bittner clinched his first Grand Tour victory with a narrow photo finish win over Wout van Aert at the end of stage five of the Vuelta a España on Wednesday. Van Aert, who had been poised to secure his second stage win of this year’s race, was narrowly defeated by the 21-year-old Bittner (DSM-Firmenich-PostNL) in a dramatic sprint to the line. “It’s unbelievable,” Bittner told Eurosport. “Just a few days ago, I got my first professional win, and now to win at my first Vuelta is surreal. To beat Wout van Aert, one of the best…
Author: Hasnain Abid Khanzada
BEIJING: Chinese swimmer Sun Yang is poised to return to the pool at a major domestic meet next week following the expiration of his four-year doping ban, according to state media. Sun, China’s first Olympic gold medallist in men’s swimming, will compete for his home province of Zhejiang at the National Summer Swimming Championships in Hefei, which start on Sunday. The 32-year-old will participate in the 400 meters freestyle, a distance he won at the 2012 London Olympics. The three-time Olympic champion was banned for four years and three months due to a 2018 doping violation where he and his…
MANCHESTER: Sri Lanka, despite a dramatic early collapse, managed to post a competitive total on the first day of the Test against England at Old Trafford. The visitors, who were reeling at 6-3 shortly after winning the toss, recovered to reach 236 all out. Dhananjaya de Silva and debutant Milan Rathnayake played pivotal roles in the recovery. De Silva top-scored with 74, while Rathnayake, in only his third first-class match, contributed 72. Their eighth-wicket partnership of 63 was crucial, as no other Sri Lankan batsman surpassed Kusal Mendis’s 24. England’s Chris Woakes was particularly effective, taking 3-32 in 11 overs,…
LAHORE: Fresh from his record-setting performance at the Paris Olympics, javelin thrower Arshad Nadeem is already aiming for gold at the World Athletics Championship. At a prize distribution ceremony held at Wapda’s Auditorium on Wednesday, Arshad expressed his gratitude and determination to continue his successful journey. Arshad, who set an Olympic record with a throw of 92.97 meters, spoke about the nationwide celebration of his achievement and his new goal of securing a World Championship gold. “The nation’s support and celebration of my Olympic success have been incredibly encouraging. Now, I am focused on achieving gold at the World Athletics…
ISLAMABAD: The Privatisation Commission Board has recommended a joint venture as the preferred transaction structure for the Roosevelt Hotel in New York, owned by Pakistan International Airlines (PIA), following its meeting on Wednesday. This recommendation aligns with the Transaction Structure Report provided by the financial adviser, Jones Lang LaSalle Americas, Inc. (JLL). JLL, appointed as the Financial Advisory Consortium (FAC) for the Roosevelt Hotel transaction in November last year, delivered a comprehensive report evaluating various options, including an outright sale, joint venture development, and long-term lease. JLL’s analysis and experience in the New York real estate market led to the…
KARACHI: Local gold prices continued their upward trend, reaching a record high of Rs261,000 per tola on Wednesday, following a Rs300 increase from the previous day. The 10-gram rate also hit an all-time high of Rs223,765, marking a rise of Rs257. The All Sindh Saraf and Jewellers Association (ASSJA) reported higher domestic gold rates despite stable global gold prices, which remained at $2,512 per ounce. Additionally, the rupee-dollar exchange rate showed minimal change. The escalating gold prices have made it unaffordable for many families, yet the precious metal remains a popular investment choice due to its increasing value since the…
KARACHI: Pakistani shares rallied on Wednesday, ending a three-day losing streak, despite ongoing uncertainty over the approval of a new IMF loan this month. The rally was fueled by the initiation of the privatisation process for three power companies, which drove the benchmark KSE 100 index above the 78,000 mark. Ahsan Mehanti of Arif Habib Corporation attributed the recovery to a strong earnings outlook and notable advancements in privatisation efforts. Reports indicate that the Privatisation Commission has invited technical and financial proposals for appointing advisers for the sale of the Islamabad Electric Supply Company, Gujranwala Electric Power Company, and Faisalabad…
ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has directed the Balochistan government to implement measures to curb the smuggling of diesel and petrol, which is causing substantial losses to the national treasury. During a meeting at the Prime Minister’s Secretariat, Mr. Sharif set a one-month deadline for the Balochistan chief secretary and inspector general of police to address the issue effectively. The meeting resulted in nearly ten decisions, with deadlines varying from 15 days to two months for different ministries to follow through on directives. Since taking office, Mr. Sharif has regularly reviewed smuggling issues, particularly focusing on Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.…
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) members of parliament, led by former National Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser, have submitted a privilege motion against several Punjab officials, including the Director General of Anti-Corruption Punjab, Inspector Generals of Police and Prisons, and District Police Officers of Gujrat and Mandi Bahauddin. The motion was filed due to their failure to produce MNA Haji Imtiaz Ahmad Chaudhry before the assembly, despite production orders issued by the NA speaker. The motion also names the principal secretary to the NA speaker and other relevant assembly officials who did not forward the orders from the chairman of the standing…
QUETTA: Balochistan Chief Minister Mir Sarfraz Bugti successfully defended his election win in a tribunal hearing on Wednesday, while Home Minister Mir Ziaullah Langove lost his position after the tribunal ordered re-polling in seven disputed polling stations. The Election Tribunal-1, led by Justice Abdullah Baloch of the Balochistan High Court (BHC), nullified Langove’s victory from the PB-36 Kalat constituency and suspended his appointment as the Minister for Home and Tribal Affairs. The tribunal directed the Election Commission to de-notify Langove and ordered re-polling at the seven contested polling stations with new election staff. This ruling was made in response to…
