President Joe Biden on Friday seized on feeble US employment data to argue the world’s largest economy needs his $1.9 trillion pandemic relief package, which cleared a key Senate hurdle without support from the Republican opposition. The closely-watched jobs data showed the unemployment rate dropped to 6.3 percent in January, but the economy added only 49,000 jobs, the Labor Department …

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has recorded 28 more coronavirus-related deaths in past 24 hours, surging the overall death toll to 11,914 According to the latest statistics of the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC), the COVID-19 has claimed 28 more lives and 1,286 fresh infections were reported. In the past 24 hours, as many as 1,198 patients have recovered from the virus …

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has granted approval to Russian vaccine for Covid-19, for emergency use, quoting sources. The Drug Regulatory Authority of Pakistan (DRAP) has approved Sputnik V vaccine for emergency use, sources said. The registration board of DRAP has granted permission of use under section VII of the Drug Act 1976, according to sources. The Russian made vaccine has been third Covid …

BEIJING: Sinovac Biotech said on Saturday that its unit’s COVID-19 vaccine has been approved for use by the general public by China’s medical products regulator. It marks the second COVID-19 vaccine approved for public use in China, after a shot developed by a Beijing institute affiliated to state-owned China National Pharmaceutical Group (Sinopharm) was approved in December Both vaccines have …

LAHORE: The district judges of Lahore have been barred from using social media platforms to communicate court-related information. In a notification issued after approval of Chief Justice of the Lahore High Court, Justice Muhammad Qasim Khan, the use of social media for the spread of content related to the judiciary has been restrained by terming it against the code of …

MELBOURNE: Serena Williams withdrew from an Australian Open tune-up tournament citing a right shoulder injury on Friday within hours of setting up a semi-final match against top-ranked Ash Barty. The 23-time Grand Slam champion usually doesn’t play in a tournament in the week before a Grand Slam event, but made an exception before last year’s US Open and for this …

CHENNAI: Joe Root scored a century in his 100th Test match to lead England to 263-3 at stumps on the first day of the series opener against India here at the M.A. Chidambaram Stadium on Friday. After reaching his 20th Test ton, Root went on to 128 not out in 197 deliveries. He struck 14 fours and a six. Dom …

RAWALPINDI: Second Test, second day, second ball. That’s was the focal point South Africa when hit the jackpot at the Pindi Cricket Stadium on Friday by removing their biggest stumbling block, Pakistan captain Babar Azam, right at the start of day with fast bowler Anrich Nortje leading the way with a richly deserved five-wicket haul. However, by the time the …

Joe Root hit a majestic six to become the first player to hit a double century in his 100th Test as England reached 454 for four at tea on day two of the opening Test against India on Saturday. Root, who resumed on his overnight 128, was on 209 with Ollie Pope on 24 at the break in Chennai. Root, who expertly …