Author: News Desk

Beijing : China has won its first gold of the Beijing Games, emerging victorious in the mixed team relay at short track speedskating in the event’s Olympic debut. Wu Dajing edged Italy’s Pietro Sighel by .016 seconds. That’s half a skate blade. Hungary earned bronze Saturday night. Qu Chunyu, Fan Kexin and Ren Ziwei joined Wu for the historic victory. The small number of Chinese fans at Capital Indoor Arena cheered and waved tiny flags. The results were delayed while the referee reviewed the race. Canada was penalized for pushing from behind and causing contact with Hungary. China was the…

SALT LAKE CITY :  In 2016, Donald Trump overtook the Republican National Committee through a shock and awe campaign that stunned party leaders. In 2020, the party was obligated to support him as the sitting Republican president. Heading into 2024, however, the Republican Party has a choice. The RNC, which controls the party’s rules and infrastructure, is under no obligation to support Trump again. In fact, the GOP’s bylaws specifically require neutrality should more than one candidate seek the party’s presidential nomination. But as Republican officials from across the country gathered in Utah this week for the RNC’s winter meeting,…

New York : Amazon reported Thursday that its profits nearly doubled in the final three months of last year, even as it contended with surging costs tied to a snarled supply chain and labor shortages. The Seattle-based online behemoth also said it is raising its annual prime membership fee in the U.S. to $139 per year from $119. It’s the first price hike for the Prime membership since 2018. Shares of Amazon jumped nearly 15% in after-market trading. “As expected over the holidays, we saw higher costs driven by labor supply shortages and inflationary pressures, and these issues persisted into…

Aadhar is not a proof of citizenship, Law Minister Kiren Rijiju informed the Lok Sabha on Friday. Mr. Rijiju informed the House that it was difficult to cap or regulate the “exorbitant” fees charged by some lawyers in the country. “It’s difficult for the government to regulate or put a cap on the fees of the advocates. It is true that some of the lawyers’ fees are so exorbitant that common people can’t hire them,” he said. Responding to another question on judicial vacancies and the appointment process for them, the Law Minister said that the government follows a prescribed…

Washington :  The U.S. economy created far more jobs than expected in January despite the disruption to consumer-facing businesses from a surge in COVID-19 cases, pointing to underlying strength that should sustain the expansion as the Federal Reserve starts to raise interest rates. The Labor Department’s closely watched employment report on Friday also showed job growth in December and November was stronger than initially estimated. The upbeat report ended days of anxiety among economists and White House officials who had frantically tried to prepare the nation for a disappointing payrolls number. “It confirms that each successive wave of the virus…

Bahrain :  His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, the Supreme Commander, today received a cable of congratulations from the Defence Affairs Minister, Lieutenant-General, Abdulla bin Hassan Al-Nuaimi, on the 54th anniversary of the establishment of BDF. The minister expressed deep pride in the honourable level reached by the BDF, thanks to the directives of HM the King, the Supreme Commander, wishing HM the King abundant health and happiness. HM the King, the Supreme Commander, sent a reply cable of thanks to the Defence Affairs Minister, expressing pride in the BDF and its brave servicemen for the key role they…

Bahrain : His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, the Crown Prince, Deputy Supreme Commander and Prime Minister, today received a cable of congratulations from the Deputy Prime Minister, His Highness Shaikh Ali bin Khalifa Al Khalifa, on the 54th anniversary of the Bahrain Defence Force (BDF). HH Shaikh Ali bin Khalifa expressed his deep pride in the advanced level reached by the BDF and its dedicated personnel, becoming the kingdom’s protective shield. HH the Deputy Prime Minister wished the BDF further progress, under the leadership of HM the King, the Supreme Commander. HH Shaikh Ali bin Khalifa…

LONDON :  Queen Elizabeth marks 70 years on the British throne on Sunday, a milestone never reached by any of her predecessors over the last 1,000 years, and one which only a few monarchs across the globe have ever achieved. The woman who became Queen Elizabeth II will mark 70 years on the throne Sunday, an unprecedented reign that has made her a symbol of stability as the United Kingdom navigated an age of uncertainty. From her early days as a glamorous young royal in glittering tiaras to her more recent incarnation as the nation’s grandmother, the queen has witnessed…

BEIJING:  Chinese President Xi Jinping opened a Beijing Winter Olympics on Friday that not only bear the mark of the global coronavirus pandemic but are also mixing sport and global politics as few others have since the era of the Cold War. The scintillating opening ceremony ended with a member of China’s Uyghur minority – whose treatment is the focus of international human rights criticism – helping to light the Olympic cauldron, hours after Xi announced a new strategic alliance with visiting Russian President Vladimir Putin. Three thousand performers took to a stage comprising 11,600 sq meters of high-definition LED…

French Defence Minister Florence Parly said the UAE has been a victim of terrorist attacks. Ms Parly said her country would provide military support to the Emirates and assist it in protecting its airspace against any intrusion. France and the UAE are linked by a strategic partnership, with defence co-operation a part of the agreement, she said. Ms Parly said her country’s Rafale fighter planes are based in Abu Dhabi and would help the UAE Armed Forces in carrying out surveillance, detection and interception missions, if necessary. There have been three attacks on the UAE by Yemen’s Houthi rebels in…