KARACHI: It was set up perfectly for Pakistan. A decent crowd at the National Stadium here on a breezy Sunday night was in celebratory mood as the hosts sought to cement their number one spot in the ICC ODI Rankings in the fifth and final match of the One-day International series against New Zealand and close a memorable home season. …

Captain Babar Azam says the “dominant” one-day series win over New Zealand sets Pakistan up nicely for the World Cup, despite doubts over their participation. The hosts beat a depleted New Zealand 4-1 in the five-match series and on their way briefly reached the top of the one-day rankings for the first time.     Pakistan scored 337 in the second match — their second-highest …

Lionel Messi returned to training with Paris Saint-Germain on Monday six days after Argentina’s World Cup-winning captain was suspended for going on an unauthorised trip to Saudi Arabia. “Leo Messi returns to training Monday morning,” tweeted the club along with a photo of the 35-year-old in action.     His return makes it likely he will feature in PSG’s home match with …

Oil prices rose on Monday as fears of a recession in the US, which drove prices down for three straight weeks for the first time since November, started receding. Brent crude futures were up 43 cents, or 0.6 per cent, at $75.73 a barrel at 06:24 GMT. US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures were up 45 cents, also 0.6pc, …

For all the cliched takes of finance bros on markets as the best selector of outcomes, the reality is usually different. In fact, they are kind of bipolar, swinging between two opposites — too bullish and too bearish even though the ground realities are often in between. The two years right after Covid-19 were high on the optimism side. This …

In today’s world, the quintessential boosters of a country’s economy are the three Ts, namely, trade, travel and tourism. Intuitively, these three Ts are also the pillars for the sustenance of the aviation industry of a country. And interestingly, the relationship between the growth in aviation and the growth in the economy is bidirectional. If one grows, the other also …

Every morning, in the town of district Swabi, on the road surrounded by lush green outfields, Humza Siddiqui, 22, an engineering student, hurries to his campus building riding his electric bike. During his undergraduate degree, he developed this bike himself and considers it more fun, economical, and environment-friendly than petroleum-driven bikes. Humza is a final-year Electrical Engineering Student at Ghulam …

LONDON: Anti-monarchists on Sunday criticised the policing of the coronation of King Charles as heavy-handed, saying there was no longer a right to peaceful protest in Britain after dozens of protesters were arrested and detained into the night. Police arrested Graham Smith, leader of the Republic group, and 51 others in central London as thousands of royal fans gathered in the capital …

ISTANBUL: “Istanbul!” President Recep Tayyip Erdogan shouted to the sea of supporters he gathered for a show-of-force rally ahead of next Sunday’s election — the toughest of his two-decade rule. “If you say okay, we will win for sure!” The masses were packed shoulder-to-shoulder across the tarmac of Istanbul’s old Ataturk airport: a tidal wave of Turkish flags and banners …

TEHRAN: The head of Iran’s athletics federation resigned on Sunday over a sporting event featuring women without the mandatory headscarf, state media reported, as the Islamic republic toughens enforcement of hijab rules. “Hashem Siami resigned from his post due to the controversies that arose from the endurance (running) race organised in Shiraz” in Iran, official news agency IRNA said. According to images …