How soccer can survive the pandemic

Nathan O’Hagan After presumably discussing the matter in boardrooms thick with cigar smoke, last week Liverpool and Manchester United put forward plans for a proposed restructuring of English football. Going under the appropriately grandiose moniker of Project Big Picture, the fairly radical plans included reducing the Premier League from twenty to eighteen clubs and scrapping […]

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“Friendsgiving” can’t quite capture the holiday’s highs

Joey Magidson Zany holidays have long been a staple of cinematic comedies. That being said, it’s almost always Christmas that gets the attention, leaving Thanksgiving largely in the dust. It’s a missed opportunity, too, as Thanksgiving dinners are notoriously full of awkward conversations, unfortunate political debates with a crazy relative, and the like. So, it […]

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Japan Writers Conference and revival of Monkey magazine make for a literary October

Nagoya: Translations of Japanese literature and English-language writing on Japan have arguably never been more popular.In the American publishing industry, literature in translation sells better per book than non-translated works. Translations of Japanese literature have increased tenfold since 1980, and a relentless U.S. and U.K. publisher hunt for the “next Haruki Murakami” has resulted in […]

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Up to Afghans to decide their future: Ambassador Stefano Pontecorvo

Newswire Kabul: Ambassador Stefano Pontecorvo, NATO’s senior civilian representative in Afghanistan believes it is up to Afghans to decide their future.“Afghans will be secure if they are responsible for their security. NATO through the Resolute Support will continue supporting Afghanistan including providing financial assistants until 2024,” he said at a webinar of the Institute of […]

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Ambassador Andreas Ferrarese promises to ease documents’ verification process for Pakistanis

Newswire Islamabad: Italy’s Ambassador to Pakistan Andreas Ferrarese has promised to ease the documents’ verification process for Pakistanis who wish to travel to Italy.In a meeting with Special Assistant to the Prime Minister (SAPM) on Overseas Pakistanis and Human Resource Development Sayed Zulfikar Abbas Bukhari in Islamabad, the envoy said he wanted to promote Pakistan-Italy […]

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Rehman Malik warns govt against exposing Zardari to COVID-19

Newswire Islamabad: Senior Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) leader Senator Rehman Malik has warned the government against exposing expose former President Asif Ali Zardari to COVID-19.Senator Malik, the Chairman Senate Standing Committee on Interior, expressed his concerns over the issuance of arrest warrants for former president Asif Ali Zardari He said the National Accountability Bureau shall […]

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Violence will ruin Afghan peace process: Ambassador Stefano Pontecorvo

Newswire Kabul: NATO Senior Civilian Representative in Afghanistan Ambassador Stefano Pontecorvo has warned that violence will ruin the peace process.The envoy raised his grave concerns about the fresh wave of violence in Afghanistan, particularly the attack in Helmand.“The continuation of these attacks will impact the Doha peace process,” he said. The NATO envoy said that […]

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President confers Nishan-e-Imtiaz (military) on Naval Chief

Islamabad: President Dr Arif Alvi has conferred Nishan-e-Imtiaz (military) award on Chief of the Naval Staff Admiral Muhammad Amjad Khan Niazi.The President decorated the naval chief with the award in recognition of his meritorious services, at a special investiture ceremony held here at the Aiwan-e-Sadr. The ceremony was attended by federal ministers and senior military […]

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A crippled democratic system in the country: Gilani

Newswire Multan: Former Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani has said that protesting within and outside the parliament in constitutional limits is a political right.“Today a crippled democracy exists in the country,” talking to media here, Gilani said. “We have struggled for restoration of constitution in its genuine shape,” the former prime minister added.“The people have […]

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90,100 Scottish pensioners to benefit from winter bill discount

London: More than 90,000 vulnerable pensioners in Scotland will receive a winter windfall of £140 off their fuel bills thanks to UK Government efforts working with energy firms to cut their costs.Eligible Pension Credit customers who qualify for the discount were identified after the Department for Work and Pensions cross-checked its records with energy suppliers. […]

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Commentary: How openness and cooperation turned Shenzhen from a tiny backwater into a global metropolis

Wang Lei As China’s Shenzhen Special Economic Zone embraces its 40th birthday this year amid a raging coronavirus pandemic, a bleeding global economy and profound global transformations rarely seen in a century, decoding the secret formula of the rapid rise of a small Chinese fishing village bears a special global significance.In just four decades, Shenzhen […]

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Motorbike production and sales in Pakistan up by 70%

Khurshid Ahmed Karachi: Motorcycles production and sales in Pakistan increased by over 70 percent in the first quarter of the current fiscal year, the highest ever quarterly output recorded in Pakistan, manufacturers and analysts said.“Motorcycle production and sales during the July-September 2020 period of the current financial year FY21 were recorded at 8,05,408 units, which […]

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Pakistan, TikTok resolve to continue engagement to arrive at ‘mutually acceptable mechanism’

Islamabad: Representatives of TikTok have held a virtual meeting with officials at the Pakistan Telecommunications Authority and resolved to arrive at a “mutually acceptable mechanism” to provide a safe internet experience for Pakistani users and pave the way for the app to be unbanned in Pakistan.Pakistan’s telecom regulator blocked TikTok last week for what it […]

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For Pakistan, no exit from watchdog’s grey list in sight

Dr Zafar Nawaz Jaspal Islamabad has been struggling to get off the Financial Action Task Force’s (FATF) grey list since 2018. However, internal and external environments have not been conducive.Opposition parties censured and attempted to obstruct or at least delay the government’s legislative process to promulgate laws– an FATF precondition. Besides, Pakistan’s archrival India has […]

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Ranikot Fort, Great Wall of Sindh

Abdullah Sarohi Hyderabad: Ranikot, one of the largest forts of the world, has the potential to become a beautiful and scenic site for the local as well as international if developed in proper direction with availability of required facilities.Ranikot, popularly known as the Great Wall of Sindh, had been declared as a world heritage site […]

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