SINGAPORE: Bitcoin stormed above $45,000 on Tuesday for the first time since April 2022 as the world’s biggest cryptocurrency started the New Year with a bang, buoyed by optimism around the possible approval of exchange-traded spot bitcoin funds. Bitcoin touched a 21-month peak of $45,532, having gained 156% last year in its strongest yearly performance since 2020. It was last …

Hospitals in at least four US states have reinstated mask mandates amid a rise in cases of COVID, seasonal flu and other respiratory illness. Healthcare facilities in New York, California, Illinois and Massachusetts have made masks mandatory among patients and providers. New York City Health Commissioner Dr. Ashwin Vasan told WABC TV on Wednesday that mask mandates had resumed at …

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has decided to conduct COVID testing of passengers coming from abroad. According to the National Command and Operation Center (NCOC), the decision has been taken as a precautionary measure to save people from the possible outbreak of the new Covid variant. The NCOC meeting discussed the situation in the country about the new variant of Covid JN-1. The …

BRISBANE: Karolina Pliskova gave Naomi Osaka a reality check on her return to tournament tennis by rallying for a 3-6, 7-6(4), 6-4 victory in a high quality second-round clash here at the Brisbane International on Wednesday. Aryna Sabalenka also reached the last 16, ramping up preparations for her Australian Open title defence with a 6-3, 6-0 win over Lucia Bronzetti. …

PERTH: Novak Djokovic suffered a frustrating fitness saga as a wrist problem led to the Serb’s upset 6-4, 6-4 loss to Australia’s Alex de Minaur in the quarter-finals of the United Cup in Perth on Wednesday. Djokovic, who received multiple massages on court on his troublesome right wrist — hurt in training 24 hours earlier — fell victim to an …

WELLINGTON: Kane Willia­mson was named on Wednesday to return from injury and lead New Zealand in their T20 International home series against Pakistan. World-class batter Willi­a­mson missed last month’s ODI and T20 series against Bangladesh while he rehabilitated a knee injury sustained nine months ago. The 33-year-old recovered to play in the 50-over World Cup and a two-Test series in …

Pakistan captured the key wickets of Australia openers David Warner and Usman Khawaja before rain washed out the second day’s play in the third Test in Sydney on Thursday. Marnus Labuschagne was on 23 and Steve Smith six in their team’s 116 for two before play was ended by bad light and rain before tea. The hosts trailed by 197 …

ISLAMABAD: The National Electric Power Regulatory Authority (Nepra) on Wednesday approved a second increase in power tariff within a week for the consumers of K-Electric. The regulator, on a request by the Karachi-based power utility, gave the approval of Rs2.87 per unit hike, which comes as part of a quarterly tariff adjustment (QTA) from January to March 2023. The decision …

KARACHI: An index on Pakistan’s dollar bonds gained 93 per cent in 2023, the best performance in emerging markets after El Salvador, reported Bloomberg on Wednesday. The agency reported that investors believe Pakistan’s dollar bonds will rally for a second year as the government is expected to secure another bailout from the International Monetary Fund (IMF). The government has recently …