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A father and son sled near the US Capitol building in Washington, DC, after a winter storm swept across a large swath of the US. Reuters…
Pakistan cricket chief Mohsin Naqvi said Monday a final decision on the team's participation in next month's Twenty20 World Cup will be delayed by up to a week, keeping open a possible boycott over Bangladesh's withdrawal.Naqvi met Pakistan's Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif on Monday to take his advice on the situation, after which a call was expected to be made, but the cricket board boss posted on X that ‘the final decision will be taken either on Friday or next Monday’.Describing a ‘productive meeting’ with the premier, he said Sharif ‘directed that we resolve it while keeping all options on the table’.Naqvi threw the national cricket team's participation into doubt on Saturday, saying Pakistan could pull out after the International Cricket Council (ICC) replaced Bangladesh in the tournament.Local media also reported that Pakistan could also boycott a February 15 match against arch-rivals India over political tension.Pakistan's reaction comes after the ICC rejected Bangladesh's demands to relocate their World Cup matches from India to Sri Lanka over security fears.On Saturday, the ICC replaced Bangladesh with Scotland as per the Twenty20 international rankings.Pakistan backed Bangladesh's stance in Wednesday's ICC Board virtual meeting, saying there was a precedence of relocating India's matches on security fears from Pakistan in last year's Champions Trophy.Then India, who have not toured Pakistan since 2008, played all their matches in Dubai.The same option was given to Pakistan who will not tour India and play their Twenty20 World Cup matches in Sri Lanka under an agreement signed last year saying the two countries will play on neutral venues whenever one of them hosts an ICC event.Pakistan and Bangladesh revived their sour relations after the ousting of prime minister Sheikh Hasina in a student-inspired uprising in Bangladesh.In contrast, Dhaka and New Delhi fell out over demands India hand over the fugitive former premier.Earlier this month, the Board of Control for Cricket in India told Indian Premier League franchise Kolkata Knight Riders to drop Bangladesh cricketer Mustafizur Rahman due to political tensions.Bangladesh then refused to play in India and demanded their matches be relocated to co-hosts Sri Lanka, but the ICC rejected the appeal. Source link
Tuesday’s solemn commemoration marks the day 81 years ago that the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration and extermination camp – where over a million people were murdered – was…
Gold prices marched to record levels above $5,100 yesterday, as investors sought a safe haven amid international political tension, and silver and platinum also scaled all-time highs. Spot gold was up 1.9% at $5,076.43 an ounce by 11:37am ET after hitting a record $5,110.50. US gold futures for February delivery gained 1.9% to $5,074.10. “Gold prices continue to be supported by elevated geopolitical and economic uncertainty. Central banks remain strong buyers as they diversify foreign exchange reserves and reduce reliance on the US dollar,” said Ryan McIntyre, president at Sprott Inc. “In addition, investor inflows into physically backed exchange-traded funds have resumed, with holdings up approximately 20% year over year,” McIntyre added. Adrian Ash, head of research at online marketplace BullionVault said: “A wave of new first-time investing is driving this move in precious metals. It’s led by private investors across Asia and Europe, rushing to build their personal holdings of gold and silver.” Analysts at Societe Generale anticipate gold will reach $6,000/oz by year-end, though they caution this may be a conservative estimate with scope for further gains. Meanwhile, Morgan Stanley said the rally could continue, highlighting a bull-case target of $5,700. Spot silver scaled a new record high of $113.61 an ounce. Prices broke the $100 mark on Friday as retail investor and momentum-driven buying added to tightness in physical markets for the precious and industrial metal. “Momentum is strong, with Chinese silver prices at a notable premium to London prices, indicating further gains in the short term are possible. However, such high prices should reduce industrial demand,” said UBS analyst Giovanni Staunovo.Spot platinum rose by 3% to $2,849.60 an ounce after touching a record $2,918.80 while spot palladium climbed by 6.2% to $2,135.22, the highest levels since 2022. Source link
A boat carrying French tourists capsized off the shore of Oman on Tuesday, police said, killing three people and injuring two others. The boat overturned 2.5 nautical miles (4.6 kilometres) from Sultan Qaboos Port in the capital Muscat “carrying a group of 25 French tourists including the tour guide and boat captain, resulting in the death of three tourists and injuries to two others,” Omani police said in a statement on X. “Investigations are ongoing to determine the circumstances of the incident,” they added. Oman is increasingly attracting attention from international travellers, especially nature lovers drawn to its mountains and coastline. The country welcomed nearly four million visitors in 2024, with the government aiming to triple that figure by 2040 by focusing on sustainable tourism Source link
The Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) announced the appointment of several Qatari professionals to senior leadership positions within its organizational structure, in a move that reflects the professional competence and administrative expertise of national cadres and supports the advancement of Olympic work across Asia. The new appointments include Sheikh Faisal bin Ahmed al-Thani as Head of the President’s Office and Director of International Relations, Mubarak Mohammed al-Buainain as Director of Media, Saeed Ali al-Awami as Director of Protocol for the President’s Office, and Khalid Hamdan al-Zamat as Secretary of the President’s Office. These appointments, bringing diverse expertise, are expected to contribute to the implementation of the Council’s strategic objectives and enhance institutional efficiency, serving the development of the Olympic sports movement across the continent. Source link
In Lampedusa, Italy, three deaths have been confirmed following a search and rescue operation involving a boat that departed from Sfax, Tunisia. Survivors from the same…
The Spanish government intends to adopt a plan to regularize the status of undocumented migrants, which could benefit up to 500,000 people, the Spanish government spokesperson and Minister of Social Security Elma Saiz said on Tuesday.She explained that the measure aims to boost the Spanish economy, as it would allow around half a million people who have resided in Spain for at least five months and arrived before Dec. 31, 2025, to obtain legal status and work in any sector and anywhere in the country. Spain, like other European countries bordering the Mediterranean Sea, is facing an influx of irregular migrants, most of whom come from Africa. Source link
Tthe remains of the last hostage held in Gaza, Ran Gvili, had been identified and were being repatriated to Israel for burial.The announcement put an end to a lengthy process to locate and return the last of the 251 hostages taken by Hamas in October 2023. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Monday hailed the return of all those held captive “down to the very last”. The latest set of hostage handovers were part of the first phase of the US-backed ceasefire deal, which began on October 10 and aimed to stop the fighting in the Palestinian territory. Hamas said the return of Gvili’s body showed their “commitment” to the ceasefire, which entered its second phase earlier this month. Source link
Jannik Sinner sent an Australian Open statement in rolling into the quarter-finals but fellow champion Madison Keys was dethroned as Melbourne braced for forecast 45C heat. Fifth seed Lorenzo Musetti battled stifling conditions to set up a last-eight showdown with Novak Djokovic and six-time major champion Iga Swiatek progressed in rampant fashion. Two-time defending champion Sinner raced to a 6-1, 6-3, 7-6 (7/2) victory over fellow Italian and close friend Luciano Darderi. The second seed plays the United States’ all-action eighth seed Ben Shelton after he beat Norway’s 12th-seeded Casper Ruud in four sets. Djokovic and Sinner are on course for a blockbuster last-four showdown. Sinner told Margaret Court Arena, where temperatures hovered around 30C in the early evening: “It was difficult to put the match away, happy I closed it in three sets.” Sinner sent down a bumper 19 aces in the match, and said his hard work had paid off. “Still room to improve but happy how I have come back in the new season,” he added. In another clash between compatriots and friends, Jessica Pegula defeated title-holder Keys, 6-3, 6-4. The Americans host a tennis podcast together, “The Player’s Box”, and had even been planning to record an episode on the eve of their match. All that was put aside as a clinical Pegula dominated to set up a last-eight encounter with another American in fourth seed Amanda Anisimova. Anisimova, beaten finalist at last year’s US Open and Wimbledon, cooled herself off with bags of ice before taming China’s Wang Xinyu 7-6 (7/4), 6-4. Pegula, the sixth seed, is chasing an elusive Grand Slam title aged 31, her best performance to date reaching the US Open final in 2024. An erratic Keys made 27 unforced errors to Pegula’s 17 and fired down six double faults as her title defence folded. The forfeit, as a part of a jokey bet with Pegula, will be a slice of apple pie with melted cheddar cheese on top. “A bet is a bet, so I’ll do it. I hope it’s less gross than I think it’s going to be, but we will find out,” said Keys, who described herself as proud despite defeat. Fifth seed Elena Rybakina dismantled 21st seed Elise Mertens of Belgium 6-1, 6-3 and will play second seed Swiatek. The Pole demolished home qualifier Maddison Inglis 6-0, 6-3 as she closes on a first Australian crown, having won all three of the other majors. Inglis, ranked 168, was in the biggest match of her life after two-time Melbourne champion Naomi Osaka pulled out injured from their third-round meeting. Just being in the fourth round earned Inglis a life-changing Aus$480,000 (US$330,000) – she plans to buy a toaster and a kettle with the windfall. After brutal weather caused the suspension of matches on Saturday, temperatures rose sharply again. Longer matches Monday had 10-minute breaks in certain circumstances as part of measures to protect player health. Temperatures are forecast to hit a blistering 45C Tuesday, meaning matches are likely to be played under roofs on the three courts that have them. In the last match of the day on Rod Laver Arena, Shelton defeated father-to-be Ruud 3-6, 6-4, 6-3, 6-4, letting out an almighty roar in victory. Melbourne Park king Djokovic was supposed to face the 20-year-old Jakub Mensik in the night match. But the Czech player pulled out injured on Sunday, sending 10-time champion Djokovic into the last eight without hitting a ball. The 38-year-old Serb will play Musetti after the Italian defeated American ninth seed Taylor Fritz 6-2, 7-5, 6-4. Djokovic has won nine of their 10 previous meetings, but Musetti said: “I feel ready to try to push him to his maximum.” Related Story Source link