Oil prices surged, gold hit a more than six-year high and most equities tumbled Monday after the US assassination last week of a top Iranian general fanned fears of a major conflict in the Middle East. Donald Trump warned of a “major retaliation” against Tehran after it threatened revenge for the killing Friday of commander Qasem Soleimani, which shocked world markets and sparked a …

Ross Taylor became New Zealand’s highest run-scorer in the longest form of the game on Monday when he hit three runs through mid-on after tea on the fourth day of the third test against Australia. The 35-year-old, playing in his 99th test, overhauled the tally of 7,172 Stephen Fleming managed in 111 matches between 1994 and 2008. Any joy the …

In a bid to raise funds for bushfire victims of Australia, legspin legend Shane Warne has decided to auction off his coveted baggy green cap  which he sported during  his Test career. The bowling great took to Instagram to announce his decision, adding that he had worn the cap throughout his 145-match Test career. The item, which is accompanied by …

BRISBANE: Daniil Medvedev beat John Isner 6-3, 6-1 to give Russia two wins from two starts at the ATP Cup, leaving the US as the only winless team so far in Group ‘D’. Russia followed their 3-0 opening win over Italy with another comfortable victory in Perth on Sunday, clinching the match against the Americans before the US pairing of …

CRICKET is a game for geeks. Nerds and anoraks are in love with statistics and data. Cricket is also a game for aesthetes, people who look beyond the numbers to art and beauty. When a match, a moment, or a player satisfies both personalities the full magic of cricket is unleashed. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, of …

CAPE TOWN: Opener Dominic Sibley struck a career-best unbeaten 85 as England seized control of the second Test against South Africa at the close of the third day at Newlands on Sunday, grinding down their hosts ahead of a fourth innings victory charge. The tourists reached 218 for four at stumps, a lead of 264 that already looks substantial on …

Nathan Lyon captured five for 50 and 10 match wickets as Australia crushed New Zealand by 279 runs on Monday, capping a golden domestic summer as they swept the three-Test series. The off-spinner led the powerful Australian bowling attack to dismiss the Kiwis for 136 and seal another heavy win over the Black Caps after similar victories in Perth and …

Teen sensation Coco Gauff started the new year in dominant form at the WTA Auckland Classic on Monday while veteran Serena Williams’ path became a little easier before she even stepped on court. Gauff was unflustered by two double faults as she negotiated a blustery wind in her opening service game against last year’s semi-finalist Viktoria Kuzmova. She recovered to …

PESHAWAR: Holding of local government polls in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa seems impossible in the next couple of months as so far the government has not taken the required steps for the purpose, according to sources. They said that the government so far did not frame delimitation rules for holding the polls. The government could not hold elections within the stipulated 120 …

ISLAMABAD: In order to ensure ease of doing business, Prime Minis­ter Imran Khan on Sunday directed the cabinet division to devise separate mechanisms or standard operating procedures (SOPs) for regulatory authorities to ensure easy and time-bound issuance of licences, permissions or no objection certificates (NOCs) to the applicants. The prime minister asked the cabinet division to take necessary action in …