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8:08 AM

My cycle is over, Brazil coach Tite confirms exit after loss to Croatia in FIFA WC QFs

Following his side's loss to Croatia in the quarterfinals of the ongoing FIFA World Cup, Brazil head coach Tite confirmed that he is leaving his position as the head coach of the five-time champions.

 

Croatia trounced Brazil 4-2 to keep their clean sheet in penalty shootouts at the World Cup and qualified for the semifinals in a nail-biting encounter at the Education City Stadium on Friday.

 

"As I said, my cycle is over. I said it over a year and a half ago. I keep to my word. We should not make a drama out of it as I said this one and half years ago. There are other great professionals that can replace me. There could be elements to analyse but the cycle is over," said Tite as quoted by Sky Sports.

8:08 AM

State Bank of Pakistan's foreign exchange reserves fall to four-year low of $6.72 billion

The foreign exchange reserves of the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) reduced by $784 million and reached a nearly four-year low of $6.72 billion during the week that ended on December 2, Dawn reported citing the central bank.

 

The central bank data noted that the State Bank of Pakistan's reserves were recorded below this level during the week that ended on January 18, 2019, as it stood at around $6.64 billion. Net foreign reserves held by commercial banks have now reached $5.867 billion, which implies that Pakistan's total liquid foreign reserves stand at $12.58 billion, as per the Dawn report.

 

Ever since PML-N came into power in April, bolstering the foreign exchange reserves has remained the top agenda of the Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif-led government. However, SBP's reserves have reduced by over $4 billion from around $10.9 billion, according to the news report.

8:07 AM

Putin says Russia could adopt US preemptive strike concept

Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Friday that Moscow could adopt what he described as a US concept of using preemptive military strikes, noting it has the weapons to do the job, in a blunt statement amid rising Russia-NATO tensions over Ukraine.

 

"We are just thinking about it. They weren't shy to openly talk about it during the past years, Putin said, referring to the US policy, as he attended a summit in Kyrgyzstan of a Moscow-dominated economic alliance of ex-Soviet nations.

 

For years, the Kremlin has expressed concern about US efforts to develop the so-called Conventional Prompt Global Strike capability that envisions hitting an adversary's strategic targets with precision-guided conventional weapons anywhere in the world within one hour.

 

8:06 AM

UN chief calls for donations to emergency response fund

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has called for donations to the world body's Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF).

 

CERF is a United Nations success story, and it prioritises those most likely to be marginalised and left behind, including people with disabilities, older people, women and girls, Guterres told a high-level pledging event for CERF for 2023 on Friday.

 

In the past 16 years, 140 member states, regional local authorities, observers, nongovernmental organisations and private donors have donated generously to CERF. But during those 16 years, the number of people in need has risen tenfold, he noted.

 

8:06 AM

Ex-cop who kneeled on George Floyd's back gets 3.5-year term

The former Minneapolis police officer who kneeled on George Floyd's back while another officer kneeled on the Black man's neck was sentenced Friday to 3 1/2 years in prison.

 

J. Alexander Kueng pleaded guilty in October to a state count of aiding and abetting second-degree manslaughter. In exchange, a charge of aiding and abetting murder was dropped. Kueng is already serving a federal sentence for violating Floyd's civil rights, and the state and federal sentence will be served at the same time.

 

Kueng, who is already serving a federal sentence for violating Floyd's civil rights, appeared at his sentencing hearing via video from a federal prison in Ohio. When given the chance to address the court, he declined.