The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (Nasa) recently unlocked two stubborn fasteners that trapped invaluable material sampled from an asteroid after a months-long process. Nasa has already collected 2.5 grams of rocks and dust from its Origins, Spectral Interpretation, Resource Identification, and Security-Regolith Explorer (OSIRIS-REx) mission, which travelled nearly 4 billion miles to collect an unprecedented sample from the near-Earth …

Low vaccination rates against the latest versions of COVID-19 and influenza are putting pressure on healthcare systems this winter, leading public health officials told Reuters. In the United States, several European countries, and other parts of the world, there have been reports of rising hospitalizations linked to respiratory infections in recent weeks. Death rates have also ticked up among older …

AUCKLAND: Ben Shelton says he plans to have an “exciting two weeks” at the Australian Open after the Auckland Classic top seed suffered a shock semi-final exit Friday. Unseeded pair Taro Daniel and Alejandro Tabilo set up a final that will feature two players ranked outside the top 70 after upset straight-sets wins. Japan’s Daniel beat American powerhouse Shelton 7-5, …

LAHORE: As many as six teams will vie for the title of the National Women’s T20 Tournament, which starts in Islamabad and Rawalpindi from Jan. 15, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) announced on Friday. The tournament will feature sides from the Karachi, Lahore, Multan, Peshawar, Quetta and Rawalpindi regions. The 17-day tournament will see each team play 10 matches, before …

ABIDJAN: Morocco set new standards for African football just over 12 months ago at the Qatar World Cup but the pressure is now on to improve a dismal record in the Africa Cup of Nations, which kicks off on Saturday. Morocco became the first Arab and African country to reach a World Cup semi-final in their thrilling run that captivated …

RIYADH: Robert Lewandowski and Lamine Yamal scored second-half goals to give Barcelona an 2-0 win over Osasuna in a dour Spanish Super Cup semi-final in Saudi Arabia on Thursday. Barca set up a dream showpiece clash on Sunday with Real Madrid, who had beaten city rivals Atletico Madrid in a breathtaking 5-3 derby earlier in the week. It will be …

TURIN: Juventus booked a spot in their fifth consecutive Coppa Italia semi-finals after an Arkadiusz Milik hat-trick helped them earn a 4-0 win over promoted Serie A side Frosinone on Thursday. Juventus, who are the team that has reached the last four the most times in competition’s history — 36 in its 77 editions, will face Lazio in a two-legged …

KARACHI: The interim government of Anwaarul Haq Kakar has raised industrial gas tariff by an unprecedented 118 per cent since August 2023 from Rs1,100 to Rs2,400 per mmBtu. An additional rise of 40pc in RLNG cost has taken the gas tariff to a whopping and historically highest level of Rs3,200 per mmBtu, indicating an overall hike of 191pc. Karachi Chamber …

ISLAMABAD: The petrol price is estimated to decline by about Rs9-10 per litre on Jan 15 for the next fortnight due to a combination of lower international prices, exchange rate gains and a decline in premium. High-speed diesel (HSD) is also expected to be cheaper by around Rs2 per litre. Informed sources said the prices of all petroleum products had …