LAHORE: Pakistan’s veteran Aleem Dar stepped down on Thursday from the ICC Elite Panel of Umpires after officiating in a record number of international cricket matches during his distinguished career. The 58-year-old stood in 144 Tests and 222 ODIs — both world records — in addition to 69 T20 Internationals. “The veteran umpire [Aleem] Dar has stepped down after 19 …

MADRID: Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti said his team were full of confidence after reaching the Champions League quarter-finals on Wednesday. The record 14-time champions of Europe beat Liverpool 1-0 at the Santiago Bernabeu, 6-2 on aggregate, to progress to the last eight. Real are aiming to win the Champions League for the sixth time in 10 seasons and Ancelotti …

Oil prices rebounded by about one per cent on Friday after a meeting between Saudi Arabia and Russia calmed markets amid strong China demand expectations, after a banking crisis sparked a sell-off in global financial and oil markets this week. Brent crude futures rose by 81 cents to $75.51 a barrel by 0400 GMT, having snapped three days of losses …

WELLINGTON: Around 50,000 teachers in New Zealand went on strike on Thursday, after union talks with the Ministry of Education aimed at improving salaries and conditions stalled. Teachers demanding better pay waved placards declaring “can’t afford the dentist” and “too poor to print good signs” as the one-day strike forced kindergartens as well as primary and secondary schools to close …

ISLAMABAD: The premier and the finance minister asserted on Thursday that there would be “no compromise” on the country’s nuclear and missile programme and they are “jealously guarded by the state”. The statements from the top came amid concerns raised by some quarters after the visit of the International Atomic Energy Agency’s (IAEA) head to Pakistan last month and the …

ISLAMABAD: Comm­erce Minister Syed Naveed Qamar on Thursday appreciated the plans of a Chinese group for setting up an industrial park in Pakistan. A Chinese delegation headed by Shandong Xinxu Group Corporation chairman Hou Jianxin during a meeting with the commerce minister discussed its investment plans. Mr Jianxin said he came up with the vision to establish an industrial park …

ISLAMABAD: The five-member National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra) and various consumer representatives on Thursday stood unanimous in strongly criticising the government for an unprecedented and continuing hike in electricity prices without addressing the structural problems in the power distribution companies as the regulator appeared set to allow an electricity surcharge of up to Rs3.23 per unit for next fiscal …

RAWALPINDI: The global air transport body has warned of an ‘aviation crisis’ in Pakistan as airlines are struggling to recover $290 million due to a severe financial crisis, the Financial Times reported on Thursday. Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority (PCAA) has said it was trying to pay the airlines on time and has been in contact with relevant authorities over the issue. The Financial …

WASHINGTON: The United States on Thursday released a video it said shows an “unsafe” and “unprofessional” intercept by Russian military jets when one struck an American drone, damaging its propeller. Russia has denied responsibility for the incident, which the United States says left its drone uncontrollable and required it to be brought down in the Black Sea. The declassified 42-second …

WASHINGTON: More than 500 Pakistani physicians in the US have signed a letter for US lawmakers, sharing their concerns about threats to the safety of former prime minister Imran Khan. “These are not just PTI supporters. These are physicians from different social and political backgrounds,” claimed Atif Khan, adviser to the PTI chairman on overseas affairs. “There’s only one common …