BEIJING: China suspended an export ban to the United States that had targeted gallium, germanium and antimony, metals crucial for modern technology, including semiconductors, Beijing&#39;s commerce ministry announced Sunday. The restrictions banned the export of so-called &quot;dual-use&quot; goods, materials that can have both civilian and military applications. Imposed in December 2024, the ban will now be suspended until November 27, 2026, Beijing&#39;s commerce ministry said in a statement. The announcement comes after leaders Xi Jinping and Donald Trump met on October 30 in South Korea and agreed to walk back some punitive measures imposed during their tit-for-tat tariff escalation. At one point, duties on both sides reached prohibitive triple-digit levels, hampering trade between the world&#39;s two largest economies and snarling global supply chains. Throughout the trade war, China has sought to leverage its chokehold over the critical minerals underpinning everything from smartphones to advanced military technology.

Americas

China

The announcement comes after leaders Xi Jinping and Donald Trump met on October 30 in South Korea and agreed to walk back some punitive measures imposed during their tit-for-tat tariff escalation.

China halts export ban to US of some 'dual use' materials: ministry

TEHRAN: Water levels at the dam reservoirs supplying Iran&#39;s northeastern city of Mashhad plunged below three percent, media reported Sunday, as the country suffers from severe water shortages.&nbsp;&quot;The water storage in Mashhad&#39;s dams has now fallen to less than three percent,&quot; Hossein Esmaeilian, the chief executive of the water company in Iran&#39;s second largest city by population, told ISNA news agency.&nbsp;He added that &quot;the current situation shows that managing water use is no longer merely a recommendation -- it has become a necessity.&quot;

Middle East

Water levels at the dam reservoirs supplying Iran's northeastern city of Mashhad plunged below three percent, media reported Sunday, as the country suffers from severe water shortages.

Dam reservoirs plunge below 3% in Iran's second city

Web Desk

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan marked Iqbal Day on Sunday, commemorating the birth anniversary of Allama Iqbal, whose ideas influenced the creation of Pakistan. The country&rsquo;s Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and President Asif Ali Zardari issued statements on the occasion, addressing Iqbal&rsquo;s legacy and its relevance to the country today. PM&rsquo;s message PM Sharif said Allama Iqbal played a key role in inspiring a sense of self-reliance and hope among Muslims during British colonial rule. He said Iqbal&rsquo;s message that faith, knowledge, and action were fundamental to a nation remains important. The PM said the government is focused on improving education with the goal of providing youth not only skills for employment but also character development. He mentioned specific initiatives, including the Uraan Pakistan program, aimed at equipping young people with modern education and job opportunities. He also referred to Iqbal&rsquo;s vision of unity within the Muslim world and the pursuit of peace. He said Pakistan seeks to carry forward this vision by promoting brotherhood, justice, and tolerance within the country and on the global stage. PM Sharif stated that Pakistan&rsquo;s policies and national priorities are inspired by Iqbal&rsquo;s ideals, which serve as a guide in addressing current challenges. President&rsquo;s message President Zardari focused on Iqbal&rsquo;s political role in awakening the Muslim community&rsquo;s demand for rights in British India. He recalled Iqbal&rsquo;s address to the 1930 All-India Muslim League session, which called for political representation and laid groundwork for Pakistan. Zardari said Iqbal&rsquo;s literary works remain influential in shaping Pakistan&rsquo;s identity, especially his exploration of spirituality, freedom, and self-awareness. The President called on Pakistanis to strengthen their dedication to the principles Iqbal advocated, including unity, peace, and progress. He expressed hope that Iqbal&rsquo;s vision would continue to guide future generations in building a stable and prosperous Pakistan. Messages from Iran and Russia on Iqbal Day Iranian Ambassador Reza Amiri Moghadam issued a statement acknowledging Iqbal&rsquo;s deep engagement with Persian literature and his role in fostering cultural relations between Iran and Pakistan. The ambassador said Iqbal&rsquo;s message of unity and justice remains relevant. The Russian Embassy congratulated Pakistan, noting shared values such as respect for religion and tradition. The statement highlighted the growing cooperation between Russia and Pakistan in international forums, including the United Nations and the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation. Russia commended Pakistan&rsquo;s balanced stance on global issues and its constructive role in multilateral efforts.

Culture

Pakistan observes Iqbal Day with focus on youth education, national unity

KUALA LUMPUR: At least one woman drowned and 10 people were rescued after a boat carrying around 90 undocumented migrants sank near the Malaysian-Thai border, Malaysian police said Sunday. &quot;A boat carrying 90 people is believed to have capsized,&quot; three days ago, Kedah police chief Adzli Abu Shah told local media, adding two other boats carrying a similar number of passengers have also been reported missing. Rescue operations were underway to locate survivors, he added. The incident is believed to have happened near Tarutao Island, just north of the popular Malaysian resort island of Langkawi, the country&#39;s maritime authority said. &quot;So far, 11 people including one body have been found,&quot; Romli Mustafa, Kedah state maritime director said. There was a possibility of more victims being found at sea, he added. Relatively affluent Malaysia is home to millions of migrants from poorer parts of Asia, many of them undocumented, working in industries including construction and agriculture. But the crossings, facilitated by human trafficking syndicates, are often hazardous leading to boats capsizing. In one of the worst months, in December 2021, more than 20 migrants drowned in several capsizing incidents off the Malaysian coastline.

Asia

The incident is believed to have happened near Tarutao Island, just north of the popular Malaysian resort island of Langkawi, the country's maritime authority said.

One dead, 10 rescued after boat with 90 migrants sinks: Malaysia police

ISLAMABAD: The first trailer for Michael, the upcoming biographical film about Michael Jackson, offers an early look at director Antoine Fuqua&rsquo;s portrayal of the singer&rsquo;s life and legacy. The film stars Jackson&rsquo;s nephew, Jaafar Jackson, in his feature debut. It is scheduled for release on April 24, 2026. Trailer highlights career milestones The teaser, released in November 2025, features Jaafar Jackson performing several of his uncle&rsquo;s signature routines, including the moonwalk and the &ldquo;Thriller&rdquo; choreography. The clip moves through the singer&rsquo;s career, from his early years with the Jackson 5 to his solo superstardom in the 1980s. Set to a mash-up of &ldquo;Beat It,&rdquo; &ldquo;Billie Jean,&rdquo; &ldquo;Don&rsquo;t Stop &rsquo;Til You Get Enough&rdquo; and &ldquo;Wanna Be Startin&rsquo; Somethin&rsquo;,&rdquo; the trailer focuses on Jackson&rsquo;s performances and studio work. It ends with a moment showing Jaafar&rsquo;s Jackson in a dimly lit studio, preparing to record and asking, &ldquo;Can you lower the lights for me, please?&rdquo; The trailer&rsquo;s tone centers on Jackson&rsquo;s artistry rather than controversy, highlighting his influence on music and popular culture. Large-scale concert recreations and period-accurate set design suggest the director&rsquo;s focus on performance and visual detail. Family connection leads casting The film&rsquo;s central role is portrayed by Jaafar Jackson, the 29-year-old son of Jermaine Jackson. Director Fuqua said he selected Jaafar after a global casting search and described his resemblance and mannerisms as &ldquo;a natural fit.&rdquo; The cast includes Colman Domingo as Joe Jackson, Nia Long as Katherine Jackson, Miles Teller as attorney John Branca, Laura Harrier as Suzanne de Passe, and Juliano Krue Valdi as young Michael. Supporting roles include portrayals of Diana Ross, Quincy Jones, Berry Gordy, and members of the Jackson 5. Production and creative team Michael is directed by Antoine Fuqua, known for The Equalizer trilogy and Emancipation. It is written by John Logan, whose credits include Gladiator and Skyfall. The film is produced by Graham King, John Branca, and John McClain, with cinematography by Dion Beebe. Filming began in January 2024 after delays caused by the 2023 SAG-AFTRA strike and wrapped that May. The production budget is estimated at $155 million, and Lionsgate said the movie will open in IMAX theaters. King, who also produced the Oscar-winning Bohemian Rhapsody, said the film aims to be comprehensive but balanced. He described it as an attempt to &ldquo;humanize but not sanitize&rdquo; Jackson&rsquo;s story.

Entertainment

The film stars Jackson’s nephew, Jaafar Jackson, in his feature debut.

Trailer offers first look at Michael Jackson biopic ‘Michael’

ISLAMABAD: Lady Gaga and Kendrick Lamar lead the 2026 Grammy Awards nominations, dominating the top categories with critically acclaimed projects. Gaga earned multiple nominations across pop, dance and general fields, while Lamar continued his run as one of hip-hop&rsquo;s most respected and experimental voices. Both artists are frontrunners as the Recording Academy prepares to celebrate music&rsquo;s biggest night. Grammy Awards set for February The 2026 Grammy Awards will take place in February 2026 at <a data-fr-linked="true" href="//Crypto.com" style="font-size: 18px;">Crypto.com</a> Arena in Los Angeles, United States. The ceremony will recognize recordings released between October 2024 and September 2025. The Recording Academy announced its full list of nominees in November 2025, spanning more than 95 categories across pop, rap, R&amp;B, country, classical, and global music. Pop dominates major fields Lady Gaga&rsquo;s resurgence has made her one of this year&rsquo;s most-nominated artists. She received recognition for Record of the Year (&ldquo;Abracadabra&rdquo;), Song of the Year (&ldquo;Abracadabra&rdquo;), Album of the Year (&ldquo;MAYHEM&rdquo;), Best Pop Vocal Album, Best Dance Pop Recording, and Best Remixed Recording (for Gesaffelstein&rsquo;s remix of &ldquo;Abracadabra&rdquo;). Kendrick Lamar stands shoulder-to-shoulder with Gaga in the top fields. His album &ldquo;GNX&rdquo; and single &ldquo;luther,&rdquo; featuring SZA, earned him major nominations including Record of the Year and Album of the Year. The works showcase Lamar&rsquo;s signature blend of self-examination, political commentary and genre innovation. Other major nominees include Bad Bunny, who continues his global dominance with &ldquo;DeB&Iacute; TiRAR M&aacute;S FOToS&rdquo;; Sabrina Carpenter, whose &ldquo;Man&rsquo;s Best Friend&rdquo; and hit single &ldquo;Manchild&rdquo; earned nods in several categories; and Lisa, who expanded K-pop&rsquo;s global footprint with a string of hit releases. The architect of modern pop Behind many of the year&rsquo;s most celebrated recordings stands Jack Antonoff, one of the most prolific producers of his generation. The Grammy-winning songwriter and producer appears throughout this year&rsquo;s nomination list, credited on Sabrina Carpenter&rsquo;s &ldquo;Manchild&rdquo; and &ldquo;Man&rsquo;s Best Friend&rdquo; as well as Kendrick Lamar&rsquo;s &ldquo;GNX&rdquo; and &ldquo;luther.&rdquo; Antonoff&rsquo;s production style has defined much of 2020s pop music. His ability to shape personal narratives into chart-topping anthems has made him an indispensable collaborator for a wide range of artists. Over the past decade, Antonoff has worked with Taylor Swift (including hits &ldquo;Cruel Summer,&rdquo; &ldquo;Anti-Hero&rdquo; and &ldquo;The 1&rdquo;), Lana Del Rey, The 1975 and Lorde, helping to redefine the emotional scope of mainstream pop. Other standouts across categories Several other artists earned multiple nominations across different genres and categories. 1. &nbsp; &nbsp;Leon Thomas was recognized for his R&amp;B album &ldquo;MUTT,&rdquo; live performance &ldquo;MUTT &mdash; Live From NPR&rsquo;s Tiny Desk,&rdquo; and the song &ldquo;YES IT IS.&rdquo; 2. &nbsp; &nbsp;Producers Sounwave and Cirkut (Henry Walter) &mdash; frequent collaborators with Lamar and Gaga, respectively &mdash; were among the most frequently credited names on this year&rsquo;s ballots. 3. &nbsp; &nbsp;In classical categories, Gustavo Dudamel and Gabriela Ortiz each received multiple nominations A year of crossovers Cross-genre collabs and international partnerships defined the 2026 Grammy nominations. Tracks such as Billie Eilish&rsquo;s &ldquo;Wildflower,&rdquo; Bruno Mars and ROS&Eacute;&rsquo;s &ldquo;APT.&rdquo; and SZA and Kendrick Lamar&rsquo;s &ldquo;30 for 30&rdquo; saw pop, R&amp;B and hip-hop intersect. Lisa&rsquo;s work in the global categories, Bad Bunny&rsquo;s Latin-trap releases, and Jungkook&rsquo;s cross-market singles with Western producers also point to a mainstream industry increasingly shaped by international voices. Several major categories include collaborations that bridge multiple genres and audiences. Doja Cat&rsquo;s duet with Post Malone, The Weeknd&rsquo;s partnership with Giorgio Moroder, and Tate McRae&rsquo;s soundtrack single co-produced by Ryan Tedder all appear on this year&rsquo;s ballots. Across R&amp;B and electronic categories, acts like Leon Thomas, KAYTRANADA and Fred again.. brought dance-floor energy to traditionally vocal-driven formats.

The Recording Academy announced its full list of nominees in November 2025, spanning more than 95 categories across pop, rap, R&B, country, classical, and global music.

Lady Gaga, Kendrick Lamar lead 2026 Grammy nominations

MIAMI:&nbsp;Lionel Messi scored two goals and assisted on two by Tadeo Allende to spark Inter Miami in a 4-0 rout of Nashville on Saturday to advance in the MLS Cup playoffs.&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;Argentine icon Messi opened the scoring in the 10th minute, added another goal in the 39th and set up compatriot Allende&#39;s goals in the 73rd and 76th that sealed Miami&#39;s triumph.&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&quot;I want to congratulate Leo for the game he played,&quot; Miami coach Javier Mascherano said. &quot;He was the first one who guided us in high pressure. To see him press like that at 38 years old is crazy. We all know about Leo with the ball, but what happened with Leo without the ball today was impressive.&quot;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;Inter Miami won the best-of-three Eastern Conference first round series 2-1 to book a second round match against FC Cincinnati, who defeated Columbus 2-1 in another series-deciding encounter.&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&quot;The team played an almost perfect game,&quot; Mascherano said. &quot;There are always things to improve, but we were at a very high level in all lines, very intense from the first minute, very organized and very good in high pressure.&quot;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;Eight-time Ballon d&#39;Or winner Messi ensured Miami would avoid a third first-round exit in four seasons after having fallen to Atlanta last year and New York City in 2022.&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&quot;It would have been very unfair to be eliminated at this stage,&quot; Mascherano said. &quot;What happened last year it had remained a bit in the atmosphere and you could feel that fear that it could happen again. And now there is nothing better than looking forward.&quot;&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;In the night&#39;s other match, 10-man Minnesota United rallied to eliminate Seattle 7-6 on penalty kicks after playing to a 3-3 draw in a Western Conference thriller, booking a second round match against Sunday&#39;s winner between Portland and San Diego.&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;Miami striker Luis Suarez was absent, suspended one game by MLS for violent conduct in last week&#39;s loss at Nashville.&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;MLS season goal-scoring leader Messi took a deflected ball, ran to the top of the box and fired a left-footed shot into the lower right corner.&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;Messi doubled the margin when he fired home a left-footed shot from just outside the box off a pass from Argentine teen rookie Mateo Silvetti.&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;Allende&#39;s first goal was from point blank range off passes from Messi and Jordi Alba. He then took a long pass from Messi and chipped a high ball into the net.&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;At Cincinnati,&nbsp;Canadian Jacen Russell-Rowe gave Columbus a 1-0 lead in the 61st minute&nbsp;but Brazilian striker Brenner Souza answered in the 67th and 86th to send Cincinnati into a second-round home match against Miami.&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;&quot;It&#39;s going to be a very tough conference semifinal,&quot; Mascherano said. &quot;We were below in the regular season but in the second leg we played here I was left with very good feelings.&quot; Minnesota moves on At Minnesota, the series was not decided until the 10th round of penalties when Seattle goalkeeper Andrew Thomas, injured making a save in the opening round after being inserted for the shootout, clanged the ball off the crossbar.&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;Seattle equalized at 3-3 on&nbsp;a goal by Jordan Morris in the 88th minute but when the penalty shootout arrived, the Sounders replaced keeper Stefan Frei for backup Thomas.&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;Minnesota&#39;s Joaquin Pereyra missed the first penalty kick wide right and Thomas hurt a hand diving for the ball but stayed in the match.&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;Morris hit the crossbar in the second round and in sudden-death rounds Thomas made two saves but Seattle missed both chances to win, Obed Vargas hitting the left post and Osaze De Rosario&#39;s shot being saved by Minnesota&#39;s Dayne St. Clair.&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;MLS Goalkeeper of the Year St. Clair scored in the 10th round and Thomas missed to give the Loons the victory.

Football

Argentine icon Messi opened the scoring in the 10th minute, added another goal in the 39th and set up compatriot Allende's goals in the 73rd and 76th that sealed Miami's triumph.

Messi leads Miami into MLS playoff matchup with Cincinnati

WASHINGTON: Syria&#39;s President Ahmed al-Sharaa arrived in the United States on Saturday for a landmark official visit, his country&#39;s state news agency reported, a day after Washington removed him from a terrorism blacklist.&nbsp;Sharaa, whose rebel forces ousted longtime ruler Bashar al-Assad late last year, is due to meet US President Donald Trump at the White House on Monday.&nbsp;It&#39;s the first such visit by a Syrian president since the country&#39;s independence in 1946, according to analysts.&nbsp;The interim leader met Trump for the first time in Riyadh during the US president&#39;s regional tour in May.&nbsp;US envoy to Syria Tom Barrack said earlier this month that Sharaa would &quot;hopefully&quot; sign an agreement to join the international US-led alliance against the Islamic State (IS).&nbsp;The United States plans to establish a military base near Damascus &quot;to coordinate humanitarian aid and observe developments between Syria and Israel,&quot; a diplomatic source in Syria told AFP.&nbsp;The State Department&#39;s decision Friday to remove Sharaa from the blacklist was widely expected.&nbsp;State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott said Sharaa&#39;s government had been meeting US demands including on working to find missing Americans and on eliminating any remaining chemical weapons.&nbsp;&quot;These actions are being taken in recognition of the progress demonstrated by the Syrian leadership after the departure of Bashar al-Assad and more than 50 years of repression under the Assad regime,&quot; Pigott said.&nbsp;The spokesman added that the US delisting would promote &quot;regional security and stability as well as an inclusive, Syrian-led and Syrian-owned political process.&quot;&nbsp;Transformation Sharaa&#39;s Washington trip comes after his landmark visit to the United Nations in September &mdash; his first time on US soil &mdash; where the ex-jihadist became the first Syrian president in decades to address the UN General Assembly in New York.&nbsp;On Thursday, Washington led a vote by the Security Council to remove UN sanctions against him.&nbsp;Formerly affiliated with Al-Qaeda, Sharaa&#39;s group, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), was delisted as a terrorist group by Washington as recently as July.&nbsp;Since taking power, Syria&#39;s new leaders have sought to break from their violent past and present a moderate image more tolerable to ordinary Syrians and foreign powers.&nbsp;The White House visit &quot;is further testament to the US commitment to the new Syria and a hugely symbolic moment for the country&#39;s new leader, who thus marks another step in his astonishing transformation from militant leader to global statesman,&quot; International Crisis Group US program director Michael Hanna said.&nbsp;Sharaa is expected to seek funds for Syria, which faces significant challenges in rebuilding after 13 years of brutal civil war.&nbsp;In October, the World Bank put a &quot;conservative best estimate&quot; of the cost of rebuilding Syria at $216 billion.

Sharaa, whose rebel forces ousted longtime ruler Bashar al-Assad late last year, is due to meet US President Donald Trump at the White House on Monday.

Syrian president arrives in US for landmark visit

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan&rsquo;s Qudrat Ullah stormed into the semi-finals of the men&rsquo;s 55kg boxing event at the 6th Islamic Solidarity Games in Riyadh on Saturday, guaranteeing at least a bronze medal for the country.&nbsp;&ldquo;Our boxer Qudrat Ullah delivered a stunning victory over his Sudani opponent Yousif Hassa Abdulaziz Mohamed Othman and secured his place in the semifinals guaranteeing a medal for Pakistan,&rdquo; Pakistan Olympic Association said in a post on X (formerly Twitter.)&nbsp;<div class="fr-embed"><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display: flex; max-width: 550px; width: 100%; margin-top: 10px; margin-bottom: 10px; line-height: 2;"><iframe id="twitter-widget-0" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="true" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&embedId=twitter-widget-0&features=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%3D%3D&frame=false&hideCard=false&hideThread=false&id=1987124501524717650&lang=en&origin=https%3A%2F%2Fmain.d1wrm1qseko1cp.amplifyapp.com%2Flogin%2F&sessionId=7366d25c38e7644ea8e09f6d51978168c92c7894&theme=light&widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&width=550px" style="position: static; visibility: visible; width: 550px; height: 849px; display: block; flex-grow: 1;"></iframe></div></div>&nbsp;Competing at The Promenade&ndash;Art Tower, the 20-year-old boxer from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa dominated Sudan&rsquo;s Mohamed Othman 10-0 in a one-sided quarter-final, winning unanimously on points. Qudrat will next face Egypt&rsquo;s Amir Mohamed Farag Ahmed Kelany in Sunday&rsquo;s semi-final bout. Earlier, Pakistan&rsquo;s Fatima Zahra made history by securing the country&rsquo;s first-ever women&rsquo;s boxing medal at the Games. The 19-year-old from Sargodha defeated Algeria&rsquo;s Hamda Melissa 5-0 in the 60kg quarter-final to book her place in the semi-final, where she will also meet an Egyptian opponent. In swimming events at the Olympic Complex Swimming Hall, Jehanara Nabi advanced to the semi-finals of the women&rsquo;s 50m butterfly after clocking 30.77 seconds in her heat but narrowly missed out on a place in the final. Teammate Mishael Aisha Hayat Yousaf finished fifth in her heat with a time of 31.42 seconds. In the men&rsquo;s 50m butterfly, Ali Mohammad Mitha recorded 26.31 seconds to finish seventh in his heat, while Syed Mohammad Sodik Malik Hatim placed seventh in another with 26.13 seconds. Turkey&rsquo;s Berk Ozkul led all qualifiers with a time of 24.45 seconds. In the freestyle category, Hussein Shawky finished fifth in the men&rsquo;s 50m heat with a time of 24.75 seconds, followed by Syed Mohammad Danish Khan, who clocked 25.68 for sixth. Pakistan&rsquo;s mixed 4x100m freestyle relay team came third in their heat with 3:55.82, trailing Azerbaijan (3:47.31) but finishing ahead of Kyrgyzstan.

Beats Sudani opponent Yousif Hassa Abdulaziz Mohamed Othman in 55kg boxing event.

Pakistan’s Qudrat Ullah secures boxing medal at Islamic Solidarity Games

LONDON: Chelsea quelled criticism of Enzo Maresca&#39;s rotation policy with a 3-0 win against Wolves featuring the first goal of Malo Gusto&#39;s career on Saturday.&nbsp;Former Manchester United star Wayne Rooney said Chelsea&#39;s senior players should &quot;question&quot; Maresca&#39;s selections after the Italian made seven changes for a 2-2 draw against Azerbaijani minnows Qarabag in the Champions League on Wednesday.&nbsp;Having defended himself from Rooney&#39;s jibe by insisting the physical demands on players are greater than ever, Maresca made eight changes at Stamford Bridge.&nbsp;It was the sixth consecutive match that Maresca had made seven or more alterations and the move paid off with a strong second half performance that lifted Chelsea into second place in the Premier League.&nbsp;French defender Gusto, who arrived from Lyon in 2023, put Chelsea ahead after the interval with his maiden professional goal.&nbsp;Joao Pedro doubled the lead and Pedro Neto wrapped up Chelsea&#39;s fourth win in their last five league games as they closed within six points of leaders Arsenal.&nbsp;Although they will drop out of second place after Manchester City face Liverpool on Sunday, Maresca will be relieved to silence his critics heading into the international break.&nbsp;&quot;It&#39;s more noise from outside. Inside, we are convinced that as a club as a team we are going in the right direction and doing good things,&quot; Maresca said.&nbsp;&quot;We played well. I think the only difference between the first half and second half is that in the second half we scored the goals that we didn&#39;t in the first half.&quot;&nbsp;On the rotation controversy, he added: &quot;It&#39;s part of my job, it&#39;s part of the game.&nbsp;&quot;At the end this is a business that when you don&#39;t win there are problems but when you win everything is good.&quot;&nbsp;Bottom-of-the-table Wolves, led by academy coaches James Collins and Richard Walker after Vitor Pereira&#39;s sacking last weekend, are eight points from safety following their ninth defeat in 11 league games.&nbsp;Middlesbrough have granted their manager Rob Edwards permission to speak to Wolves over the job after agreeing a compensation deal on Saturday.&nbsp;Chelsea only arrived home in London at six o&#39;clock on Thursday morning after their long flight back from Baku and, despite Maresca&#39;s switches; they looked jet-lagged in the first half.&nbsp;Chelsea hit their strideAlejandro Garnacho had rescued Chelsea with an equaliser against Qarabag and the Argentine winger should have opened the scoring in the early stages in west London.&nbsp;Enzo Fernandez&#39;s pass sent Garnacho through but his low drive was well saved by Sam Johnstone.&nbsp;Johnstone came to Wolves rescue again, tipping over Fernandez&#39;s blast from the edge of the area.&nbsp;After making two fine stops, Johnstone was guilty of a mistake when he allowed Fernandez&#39;s corner to loop over him towards the goal, with Toti Gomes making an agile clearance off the line.&nbsp;Despite Chelsea&#39;s territorial dominance, their fans began to grow frustrated at their ponderous passing and failure to put Wolves to the sword.&nbsp;Joao Pedro squandered a golden opportunity to ease Chelsea&#39;s angst on the stroke of half-time when he shot wide from an unmarked position on the edge of the area.&nbsp;Chelsea were booed off at the interval, but their frustrated fans were finally able to cheer in the 51st minute.&nbsp;Garnacho was the catalyst with a driving run and cross into the six-yard box, where Gusto headed home with aplomb.&nbsp;Maresca sent on emerging star Estevao Willian and the teenage Brazilian took just 67 seconds to make immediate impact as he set up Chelsea&#39;s second goal in the 65th minute.&nbsp;Estevao&#39;s dynamic burst ended with a perfectly-weighted cross for Joao Pedro, who drilled a fierce strike past Johnstone from 12 yards.&nbsp;The Blues had hit their stride and Neto put the seal on the victory in the 73rd minute, the former Wolves winger tapping in Garnacho&#39;s tempting cross.

It is the sixth consecutive match that Maresca made seven or more alterations and the move paid off with a strong second half performance that lifted Chelsea into second place in the Premier League.

China halts export ban to US of some 'dual use' materials: ministry

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Trailer offers first look at Michael Jackson biopic ‘Michael’