Pakistan’s defence minister says shops to shut down by 8:30pm and restaurants by 10pm under new energy-saving plan.Pakistan’s government has ordered measures to conserve energy, including closing all malls and markets by 8:30pm (15:30 GMT), as the country grapples with a crippling power and economic crisis. The cabinet-approved measures are expected to save the country about 62 billion Pakistani rupees ($273m), Defence Minister Khawaja Asif told journalists on Tuesday. Pakistan finds itself strapped for cash as money expected to come in under an International Monetary Fund (IMF) programme has been delayed. Its foreign exchange reserves now barely cover a month…
Author: National Tone
Outpouring tributes continue for the iconic Brazilian footballer, who will be laid to rest near his Santos Football Club.More than 150,000 people, including President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, paid their respects to the Brazilian football great Pele in the coastal city of Santos, filing past the late legend’s open casket at the Vila Belmiro stadium to bid a final farewell. A 24-hour memorial service for Pele, who died last week at the age of 82 after battling colon cancer for a year, started on Monday as Brazil prepared to lay its football star to rest on Tuesday. “Pele represents…
Fresh from their momentous home win over Liverpool, Brentford are closing in on a first January signing – the young Freiburg forward Kevin Schade.After beating yet another top-six club on Monday Night Football, Brentford have agreed a deal to sign Schade on an initial loan until the end of the season. There is also an obligation to buy Schade if certain performance-related add-ons are met and, should they, Brentford are committed to spending a fee in the region of £20m to sign him.The Germany U21 international is flying into London now to undergo a medical.Schade has been a long-term target…
Like he did twice before, Donald Trump is yet again campaigning to be “elected” United States president despite having little interest in actually “serving” as president. And this time, his presidential ambitions may well make it impossible for the Republican Party to secure the highest office of the land in the foreseeable future. In 2016, Trump launched a presidential campaign largely to upset his critics and advertise his many business ventures, and surprised everyone – perhaps even himself – when he fully captured the Republican Party and declared victory. In 2020, he ran again because he needed the legal protection…
Newcastle United are interested in signing right-back Ivan Fresneda from LaLiga side Real Valladolid.Magpies officials have watched the 18-year-old several times, including against his former team Real Madrid on Friday. Spaniard Fresneda is not the only right-back Newcastle are looking at but fits the profile of player they want to sign.Fresnada – who has made seven appearances for Valladolid and is under contract until 2025 – is also being monitored by European giants Juventus and Borussia Dortmund.Newcastle visit Premier League leaders Arsenal live on Sky Sports on Tuesday (7.45pm kick-off with build-up from 7pm on Sky Sports Main Event and…
The suspensions of Zhao Xintong, who won the UK Championship in 2021, and Zhang Jiankang take the number of players suspended from the World Snooker Tour during the investigation into alleged match-fixing to 10 Last Updated: 03/01/23 12:50pm Zhao Xintong has been suspended during ongoing investigation into alleged match-fixing Former UK champion Zhao Xintong and Zhang Jiankang have joined the list of players suspended from the World Snooker Tour during an investigation into alleged match-fixing. Zhao, who beat Luca Brecel to win the 2021 UK Championship title, and Zhang, the world No 82, have been banned from attending or competing…
London, United Kingdom – The last days of Al-Saqi Books were some of its busiest. A closing-down sale ensured a steady stream of customers flitting in and out, most expressing confusion and disappointment at the news that the iconic London bookshop, located in the Bayswater area, would close its doors for the final time on December 31. “It’s such a sad trend,” muttered one older man in a Syrian dialect as he stood by the cashier. “People don’t want to read books any more; they prefer their tablets and laptops.” Established in 1978 as the first Arabic bookstore in London,…
Leeds have signed Austria defender Max Wober from Red Bull Salzburg for a fee in the region of £11m, subject to a work permit.The 24-year-old, who can operate at both centre-back and left-back, is Leeds’ first signing in the January transfer window after agreeing a four-and-a-half-year deal. Leeds said in a statement: “He now links up once again with head coach Jesse Marsch (at Elland Road) along with his former Salzburg team-mates Brenden Aaronson and Rasmus Kristensen.”Wober will wear the number 39 shirt during his time at Leeds and could feature for the first time in Sunday’s FA Cup third-round…
European Union nations will try to build a coordinated approach to incoming airline passengers from China as the world’s most populous country is hit by a wave of COVID-19 infections and as several EU member nations announced individual efforts over the past week. China’s abrupt U-turn on COVID controls in early December and the accuracy of its official COVID data have come under scrutiny at home and overseas, prompting a number of countries to impose travel curbs on travellers from China out of fear of introducing new variants. Some international health experts have predicted that more than one million deaths…
WATCH: Pelé’s hearse greeted with fireworks before wakeThousands of mourners queued through the night to pay respects to Brazil legend Pele who is lying in state at the ground of his former club Santos. Pele’s coffin was placed in the centre of the pitch at the Urbano Caldeira stadium in Sao Paulo, with fans lining the streets to get inside the ground.The three-time World Cup winner died at the age of 82 on 29 December.There will be a procession through the streets of Santos to a private family burial on Tuesday at 12:00 GMT.”We’re going to ask every country in…