Other Sports

Olympics-Snowboard-Japan's Kimura wins gold in Big Air

LIVIGNO, ‌Italy Feb 7 (Reuters) - Japan's Kira Kimura ‍won the ‍gold ‌medal in the men's ‍Big ​Air ⁠snowboarding event at the Milano ‌Cortina Olympics on ⁠Saturday. 

Other Sports

Olympics-Ski Jumping-Norway's Stroem soars to gold ahead of Prevc in thriller

PREDAZZO, Italy, ‌Feb 7 (Reuters) - Norway's Anna Odine Stroem struck gold in the women's normal hill ski jumping ‌event at the Milano Cortina Olympics on Saturday, edging Slovenia's Nika Prevc with spectators holding their ‌breath until the final scores were announced.

World

Feature: No title to defend, just snow to ride for American skier Alex Hall

by sportswriter He Leijing

World

Roundup: Flower festival brings color back to Sudan's capital after years of war

KHARTOUM, Feb. 7 (Xinhua) -- Khartoum this week hosted its first Flower Festival in nearly three years, a rare sign of recovery in a city scarred by war. The weeklong event is the largest horticulture and landscaping exhibition held in the capital since fighting erupted in April 2023.

Football

Soccer-Napoli win 3-2 at Genoa with last-gasp penalty to close gap on leaders

GENOA, Italy, Feb 7 (Reuters) - Napoli's Rasmus ‌Hojlund netted a stoppage-time penalty to snatch a 3-2 victory at Genoa on ‌Saturday as they finished with 10 men but closed the gap on the ‌top two in Serie A.

World

Italy's Lollobrigida breaks women's 3,000m speed skating Olympic record to win maiden Olympic gold (updated)

MILAN, Feb. 7 (Xinhua) -- Italian veteran Francesca Lollobrigida broke the Olympic record in the women's 3,000m speed skating event to win her first Olympic gold medal at the Milan-Cortina Games on Saturday.

Other Sports

Olympics-Skeleton-CAS upholds ban of British skeleton helmets

MILAN, ‌Feb 7 (Reuters) - British skeleton athletes will not be able ‌to use their specially-designed helmets at the Milano ‌Cortina Olympics after the Court of Arbitration for Sport rejected an appeal by the British Bobsleigh and Skeleton Association (BBSA) on Saturday.

Rugby

Rugby-Ford shines as England overwhelm dismal Wales

LONDON, Feb 7 (Reuters) - England demolished Wales ‌48-7 at Twickenham on Saturday to extend their winning run to 12 games and launch their Six Nations title ‌bid in style, thanks to a commanding performance that included a hat-trick from winger Henry Arundell.

World

Carnival held in Zimbabwe to celebrate Chinese New Year

HARARE, Feb. 7 (Xinhua) -- Zimbabweans on Saturday were treated to Chinese cuisine and traditional performances at a carnival held in Harare, Zimbabwe's capital, to celebrate the upcoming Chinese New Year.

Hockey

Olympics-Ice hockey-Italian fans keep party going despite heavy defeat by Sweden

MILAN, Feb 7 (Reuters) - The ‌party around Italian ice hockey showed no sign of slowing on Saturday, even after the ‌hosts suffered a heavy 6-1 defeat to Group B leaders Sweden, as over 10,000 ‌fans at Santagiulia Arena roared their support throughout the game.

Hockey

Olympics-Ice hockey-Canada start title defence with win, Knight ties US record

MILAN, Feb ‌7 (Reuters) - Canada made a winning start to their Olympic title defence with a 4-0 win ‌over Switzerland on Saturday as Hilary Knight tied the all-time U.S. women's goals record ‌in the United States' 5-0 win over Finland.

Other Sports

Olympics-Alpine skiing-U.S. gold medal hope Shiffrin speaks up for diversity and inclusion

CORTINA D'AMPEZZO, Italy, Feb 7 (Reuters) - U.S. ‌Alpine skier and hot gold medal favourite Mikaela Shiffrin spoke up for diversity and inclusion on Saturday and said ‌she hoped to promote her values at the Milano Cortina Olympics.

World

8 injured in building collapse in India's Rajasthan

NEW DELHI, Feb. 7 (Xinhua) -- At least eight people were injured after a building collapsed in Kota in India's state of Rajasthan late Saturday, a local police officer confirmed over phone.

Football

Soccer-Arsenal go nine points clear, Man Utd win again under Carrick

Feb 7 (Reuters) - Arsenal marched nine points clear in the ‌Premier League title race as Viktor Gyokeres hit two goals in a 3-0 victory over Sunderland on Saturday as Manchester United made it four wins out of ‌four for coach Michael Carrick in their top-four push.

Other Sports

Olympics-Alpine skiing-Ireland will be buzzing, says Comerford after finishing last in downhill

BORMIO, Italy, Feb 7 (Reuters) - ‌Ireland's Cormac Comerford finished Saturday's Olympic downhill in last position of skiers who ‌finished the race but he was still happy with his Games debut ‌on one of the world's toughest downhill slopes and is certain that his country will be too. 

World

Former French minister Lang resigns from Arab World Institute over Epstein ties

PARIS, Feb 7 (Reuters) - Jack Lang, a ‌former French culture minister, has resigned as president of the Arab World Institute, ‌the French Foreign Affairs Ministry said on Saturday, after revelations of his past ‌contacts with Jeffrey Epstein and the launch of a financial investigation.

World

1st LD-Writethru: Death toll rises to 7 in north China factory explosion

TAIYUAN, Feb. 8 (Xinhua) -- The death toll from Saturday's biotech factory blast in north China's Shanxi Province has risen to seven, with one person still missing, local authorities said early Sunday.

World

Swiss alpine skier Von Allmen wins first gold of Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics (updated)

BORMIO, Italy, Feb. 7 (Xinhua) -- Swiss alpine skier Franjo von Allmen won the first gold medal of the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics here on Saturday, capturing the men's downhill title on the daunting Stelvio course in one minute and 51.61 seconds.

World

Italy's Lollobrigida breaks women's 3,000m speed skating Olympic record to win maiden Olympic gold

MILAN, Feb. 7 (Xinhua) -- Italian veteran Francesca Lollobrigida broke the Olympic record in the women's 3,000m speed skating event to win her first Olympic gold medal at the Milan-Cortina Games on Saturday.

Rugby

Rugby-Townsend defends Scotland players following 18-15 loss in Italy

ROME, Feb 7 (Reuters) - Scotland coach Gregor ‌Townsend is braced for criticism for his side's disappointing 18-15 Six Nations loss to ‌Italy in torrential rain in Rome on Saturday, but says he cannot fault the ‌players' effort in difficult conditions.