MONTREAL: Andrey Rublev defeated a world number one for the second time in his career as he stopped Jannik Sinner 6-3, 1-6, 6-2 on Saturday to reach the semi-finals of the ATP Montreal Masters. The fifth seed caught the Italian at a down moment, with Sinner appearing low on energy in the final set and frequently flexing his right hip. It was the second match of the day for both Sinner and Rublev as organisers made up for a rained-off Friday. The Italian top seed played this week for the first time since Wimbledon, where he fell ill and exited…
Author: Hasnain Abid Khanzada
A dangerous political vacuum seems to be enveloping Bangladesh, casting uncertainty over its democratic and economic future. This instability could have broader regional implications. Whether the Dr Muhammad Yunus-led interim government can steer the country away from deeper crises remains to be seen. Technocrats typically struggle with navigating complex political landscapes, but Dr Yunus is no ordinary expert. A Nobel Laureate, Dr Yunus returned to Bangladesh from the US in 1972 as a 31-year-old economist eager to contribute to nation-building after independence. He founded Grameen Bank, revolutionising the banking sector by proving the creditworthiness of the poor, boasting default rates lower than commercial…
LAHORE: Privatisation Minister Abdul Aleem Khan on Sunday termed the national flag carrier “a white elephant”, claiming it had caused a loss of Rs830 billion to the national exchequer, so far. Speaking at a footwear exhibition in Lahore, he said that Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) was a burden on the government, but was quick to point out that the process of its privatisation was progressing smoothly. “Private firms are taking interest in the privatisation of PIA,” he said. In reply to a question, Mr Khan said that six Pakistani companies interested in PIA have joint ventures with international firms from Malaysia, Turkiye and…
ISLAMABAD: The government is considering a mechanism to impose a price equalisation levy, or surcharge, on wellhead gas to cross-subsidise protected residential consumers and industrial sectors, with an aim to relieve a Rs10-15 billion burden from the federal budget on account of annual subsidies enjoyed by the sector. The initiative is part of petroleum sector reforms under the Integrated Energy Plan, driven by the Prime Minister’s Office in collaboration with international lending agencies, to transform the country’s inefficient gas companies to self-sustaining and profitable entities, ultimately paving the way for their privatisation. The development comes as the country’s energy challenges…
Asian markets mostly rose Monday as investors tried to move on from last week’s upheaval fuelled by US recession worries, with the focus shifting to the release of key inflation and retail data. After a painful collapse fuelled by a big miss on US jobs creation, equities managed to bounce back over the following days and ended Friday on a healthy note. The gains were helped by a report showing fewer people than expected claimed unemployment benefits, soothing fears that the world’s top economy was contracting. However, analysts warned that while some calm has returned to trading floors, traders remained on edge…
ISLAMABAD: The government has decided in principle to limit the powers of the Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (Drap) and form a new, independent body specifically tasked with overseeing the pricing of life-saving drugs. The Pakistan Pharmaceutical Manufacturers’ Association (PPMA) has expressed optimism that the proposed regulatory body will expedite the resolution of pending drug pricing cases and ensure that future pricing decisions are handled efficiently, preventing medicine shortages. A senior official of the health ministry said that in many countries, drug pricing is managed separately from drug registration authorities. This separation, if implemented in Pakistan, could help address the recurring…
SYDNEY: Australia’s spy chief on Sunday accused some friendly nations of running foreign interference operations in the country, saying their identities would surprise people if revealed. Canberra last year named Iran as having engaged in foreign interference, adding that Australian intelligence had disrupted “individuals” conducting a surveillance operation on an Iranian-Australian’s home. Other countries are also secretly attempting to interfere in Australia’s political system and in its diaspora communities, said Mike Burgess, director-general of the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation (ASIO). “I can think of at least three or four that we’ve actually actively found involved in foreign interference in Australian…
TEHRAN: Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian presented his 19-member cabinet to parliament on Sunday, notably including a woman and a Western-friendly diplomat as the country’s foreign minister. Parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf announced the names of the cabinet members during an assembly session broadcast live on state television. For the post of foreign minister, President Pezeshkian has named Abbas Araghchi, a 61-year-old career diplomat who has led nuclear negotiations since 2013. Known for his openness to the West, he played a pivotal role in the 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and world powers that the US torpedoed three years later by unilaterally withdrawing from it.…
DHAKA: Bangladesh’s new chief justice has been sworn into office after his predecessor, viewed as a loyalist of toppled premier Sheikh Hasina, quit following protester demands, a presidential official said on Sunday. It is the latest in a string of fresh appointments to replace an old guard viewed as linked to the previous regime, ousted by the student-led uprising. Syed Refaat Ahmed, the senior-most high court judge, was sworn into office by President Mohammed Shahabuddin, the president’s press secretary Shiplu Zaman said. “He became the 25th chief justice of Bangladesh,” Zaman said. Ahmed studied at the University of Dhaka, Oxford and Tufts…
LAS VEGAS: US Vice President Kamala Harris told supporters in Nevada on Saturday she supported eliminating taxes on tips, taking a similar position to her rival Donald Trump in an effort to win over service workers, an important constituency in the state. Harris and her Democratic running mate, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, wrapped up a multi-day tour of battleground states on Saturday with their stop in Nevada, a western state that could play a pivotal role in the November 5 presidential election. “It is my promise to everyone here when I am president we will continue to fight for working families, including…
