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

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

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. 

Other Sports

Olympics-Snowboard-Riders campaign to save parallel giant slalom from Olympic axe

LIVIGNO, Italy Feb 7 (Reuters) - With ‌the Olympic snowboard parallel giant slalom competitions approaching on Sunday, riders are wondering whether they will be racing ‌in the discipline's last appearance at a Winter Games as a review by the International Olympic ‌Committee looms.

Other Sports

Hooded protesters throw flares at police at end of demonstration in Olympic host city Milan

MILAN, ‌Feb 7 (Reuters) - ‌A group of ‌around 100 hooded protesters threw ‍flares and ‍fireworks at ‌police after breaking ‍away from ​the ⁠main body of a demonstration ‌in the Olympic ⁠host ‍city of Milan ‍on Saturday, a ‌Reuters reporter said.

Cricket

Cricket–Suryakumar leads from front as India down US in T20 World Cup

MUMBAI, Feb 7 (Reuters) - India captain Suryakumar Yadav ‌led by example as the tournament co-hosts began their Twenty20 World Cup title defence with a ‌scratchy 29-run victory over the United States in a group A contest on Saturday.

World

Greenland, Denmark FMs signal "not where we want to be" in U.S. talks

NUUK, Greenland, Feb. 7 (Xinhua) -- Greenlandic Foreign Minister Vivian Motzfeldt and Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen said Saturday that ongoing negotiations with the United States are "still not where we want to be," signaling that a final agreement remains distant.

Football

Soccer-Barcelona ease past Mallorca to extend LaLiga lead

BARCELONA, Feb 7 (Reuters) - Barcelona outclassed Mallorca ‌3-0 at home on Saturday to increase their lead at the top of the ‌LaLiga standings.

Other Sports

Olympics-Curling-Czech mixed doubles pair learn lessons in defeat

CORTINA D'AMPEZZO, Italy, Feb 7 (Reuters) - ‌The Czech Republic's Julie Zelingrova and Vit Chabicovsky have had a tough time of it ‌at the Milano Cortina Winter Olympics so far, but the curlers believe the experience will serve ‌them in good stead in the future.

Other Sports

Olympics-Figure Skating-Liu ready to show her true self on Olympic return

MILAN, Feb 7 (Reuters) - After ‌quitting figure skating shortly after making her Olympic debut at the 2022 Beijing Games as ‌a 16-year-old, Alysa Liu has returned to winter sports' biggest stage with a message ‌to deliver.

Other Sports

Olympics-Luge-Langenhan off to a flier with first-run track record

CORTINA ‌D'AMPEZZO, Italy, Feb 7 (Reuters) - Germany's Max ‌Langenhan got the Olympic luge competition off ‌to a spectacular start on Saturday when he scorched to a track record with the first run ‍of the men's singles, then ‍watched his 24 ‌rivals try and fail to match him.

Football

Soccer-Gyokeres double as Arsenal outclass Sunderland to extend lead

LONDON, Feb 7 (Reuters) - Viktor Gyokeres struck twice as ‌Arsenal sealed a comfortable 3-0 win over Sunderland to extend their advantage at the top of the Premier League ‌table to nine points on Saturday, turning up the pressure on Manchester City ahead of their trip to ‌Liverpool.

Football

Soccer-Dortmund's late winner keeps up pressure on leaders Bayern

WOLFSBURG, Germany, Feb 7 (Reuters) - Striker ‌Serhou Guirassy snatched the winner three minutes from time to earn second-placed ‌Borussia Dortmund a 2-1 victory at VfL Wolfsburg on Saturday that ‌cut Bayern Munich's Bundesliga lead to three points.

World

Greenland foreign minister says US talks are positive but the outcome remains uncertain

COPENHAGEN, Feb ‌7 (Reuters) - Greenland's Foreign ‌Minister Vivian Motzfeldt said ‌on Saturday that while it is positive that talks with ‍the U.S. are ‍ongoing, they are ‌not yet where Greenland wants ‍them ​to be, and it is ⁠too early to predict where ‌they will lead.

Other Sports

Olympics-Speed skating-Italy's Lollobrigida wins women's 3,000m gold at Milano Cortina

MILAN, Feb 7 (Reuters) - ‌Francesca Lollobrigida blasted to victory ‍in the ‍women's ‌3,000 metres speed skating ‍on ​Saturday, ⁠bringing Italy its first gold ‌medal of ⁠the ‍the Milano Cortina ‍Winter Games.

World

Russian officials voice hope for greater cooperation as Chinese New Year comes

MOSCOW, Feb. 7 (Xinhua) -- During the Spring Festival reception for Russian friends held in the Chinese Embassy in Russia on Friday, Russian officials voiced their hope for more cooperation with China while delivering Chinese New Year greetings.

World

Arab publishers bring new titles back to Syrian readers at Damascus book fair

DAMASCUS, Feb. 7 (Xinhua) -- The ongoing International Book Fair in Damascus has reopened a vital channel for new books, reconnecting Syrian readers with global culture after years of war and isolation, Arab publishers said.

World

1 dead, 13 injured as joyride collapses in north India

NEW DELHI, Feb. 7 (Xinhua) -- A police officer of inspector rank died and about 13 persons were injured when a joyride collapsed at an annual fair in India's northern state of Haryana on Saturday, according to the local police.

Other Sports

Olympics-Crosscountry-Diggins' final Games off to rocky start after early skiathlon crash

TESERO, Italy, Feb 7 (Reuters) - U.S. cross-country skier Jessie Diggins crashed ‌early during the women's skiathlon on Saturday, dashing hopes for ‌a podium in the first race of her fourth and final Olympics.