ISLAMABAD: Confirming economic slowdown due to stabilisation programme, the government on Thursday said the operations of local refineries had slowed down because of high production of residual fuel oil (RFO) and the international ban on its use for bunkering with effect from Dec 31, 2019. In a statement, the petroleum division said that because of new regulations issued by the …

JOHANNESBURG: England captain Joe Root won the toss and chose to bat first in the fourth and final Test against South Africa at the Wanderers on Friday. Rain delayed the start of play by three hours and 20 minutes reducing the possible overs for the day to 65. England captain Joe Root, winning the toss for the fourth time in …

MOSCOW: The Olympics are six months away, but Russia’s top track and field athlete has no idea if she’ll be there. Mariya Lasitskene is a three-time world champion in high jump and a scathing critic of Russian sports officials, but even that’s not helping her case. A double whammy of doping-related cases means that Russia’s track and field athletes are …

MELBOURNE: Rafael Nadal and Nick Kyrgios reached the Australian Open third round on Thursday after the weather-disrupted tournament faced a new challenge: dirty rain which left courts muddy and unplayable. After a day of clean-up operations and delays, Australia’s Kyrgios fought his way past French­man Gilles Simon in four sets and Wimbledon champion Simona Halep stamped her class with a …

JOHANNESBURG: England captain Joe Root on Thursday was looking forward to the prospect of two of the world’s fastest bowlers operating on a pace-friendly pitch in the fourth and final Test against South Africa, starting at the Wanderers on Friday. Root said Jofra Archer had bowled with ‘good pace’ in practice on Wednesday after recovering from an elbow injury which …

LAHORE: If Pakistan are to hold on to top spot in the world Twenty20 rankings, they cannot afford any slip-ups against Bangladesh in the three-match series which gets underway here at the Gaddafi Stadium from Friday. Only a clean sweep of the visitors in the latest series that will show that the country is safe to host international cricket will …

Down to what sure felt like her last chance, Serena Williams came through with a cross-court forehand winner to close a 24-stroke point, then raised her arms, held that celebratory pose and looked over toward her guest box. Finally, on her sixth try, after one hour of action, she had managed to convert a break point against 27th-seeded Wang Qiang …

Pakistan on Friday won the first Twenty20 International against Bangladesh by five wickets in Lahore, courtesy of a superb half-century by veteran all-rounder Shoaib Malik. The hosts, who were chasing a target of 142 runs set by Bangladesh, reached their goal with three balls to spare in the first contest of a three-match series. Player of the match Malik (58 …

WUHAN: China locked down some 20 million people at the epicentre of a deadly virus outbreak on Thursday, banning planes and trains from leaving in an unprecedented move aimed at containing the disease which has already spread to other countries. The respiratory virus has claimed 17 lives since emerging from a seafood and animal market in the central city of …

NEW YORK: Oil prices fell more than two per cent on Thursday on concern that the spread of a respiratory virus from China could lower fuel demand if it stunts economic growth, but losses were limited by a drawdown in US crude inventories. Brent crude futures lost $1.46, or 2.3pc, to $61.75 a barrel by 11:12 a.m. EST (1612 GMT), …