ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has recorded two Covid-19-related deaths and 42 fresh Covid-19 cases during the last 24 hours, quoting the National Institute of Health (NIH). According to the statistics issued by NIH, a total of 5,019 Covid-19 diagnostic tests were conducted, of which 42 samples came back positive. The COVID Positivity Ratio was recorded at 0. 84 percent. COVID-19 STATISTICS 25 …

COLOMBO: Sri Lanka Friday named a 17-member squad, including two rookie players, for a two-match Test tour of New Zealand after more than four years. Dimuth Karunaratne’s team will feature Nishan Madushka, 23, and Milan Rathnayake, 26, making their national Test squad debuts, Sri Lanka Cricket said in a statement. The team will leave for New Zealand on Monday. Sri …

MANCHESTER: Erik ten Hag’s transformation of Manchester United now has a European scalp to get excited about as Barcelona were vanquished on a night the Red Devils rolled back the years at Old Trafford. Robert Lewandowski sent Barca ahead with a penalty but second-half goals from Fred and Antony secured a memorable United win as the La Liga leaders were …

MELBOURNE: Austra­lian cricket captain Pat Cummins on Friday pulled out of the third Test against India after flying home mid-tour to spend time with his seriously ill mother. Former captain Steve Smith will lead the side in Indore, where the match begins on Wednesday, with Australia scrambling to save face following two heavy losses in a nightmare start to the …

CAPE TOWN: Tazmin Brits and Ayabonga Khaka inspired a shock six-run victory for South Africa against England in their Women’s T20 World Cup semi-final at Newlands in Cape Town on Friday. Brits hit 68 in a South African total of 164 for four, then held four catches, two of them exceptional, as England were restricted to 158 for eight. South …

LAHORE: For now, the Pakistan Super League matches scheduled to be held in Lahore on Sunday and Monday will go ahead as planned. Beyond that, the fate of matches in Lahore and Rawalpindi remains undecided. But clarity on that matter is due on Saturday after Friday’s meeting between Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Najam Sethi and a delegation of the caretaker …

WASHINGTON: A robust trade relationship between the United States and Pakistan is more important than ever to bolster Pakistan’s economic stability, says the US State Department as the two allies look for new options to go beyond strategic engagement and defence ties. On Thursday, they concluded the 9th meeting of the council of the US-Pakistan Trade and Investment Framework Agreement …

KARACHI: The gap between rupee’s value in the interbank and open markets is rising again, creating a black market where the dollar is being traded at a much higher price. The development comes as the rupee has been gaining strength, jumping from a record low of 276.58 on Feb 3 to 259.99 on Friday in the interbank market. In the …

ISLAMABAD: Consumer prices rose significantly in the outgoing week on the back of onions, chicken, eggs, rice, cigarettes and fuel, official data showed on Friday, driving the weekly inflation to over 40 per cent for the first time in over five months. Though week-on-week inflation eased slightly, it still remained high as bananas, chicken, sugar, cooking oil, gas and cigarettes …

KARACHI: Stock prices dropped on Friday as investors worried about the lack of clarity on the revival of the loan programme of the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Arif Habib Ltd said the index of representative stocks opened in the green zone but bears soon took over in view of the rollover week in which futures contracts are either settled or …