Hockey

Olympics-Ice hockey-Sweden sail into quarters with 4-0 win over France

MILAN, Feb 8 (Reuters) - Sweden secured their place ‌in the Olympic women's ice hockey quarter-finals with ‌a 4-0 win over France in Group B at Milano Rho arena on Sunday, condemning the French to their third defeat in as ‍many games.

Other Sports

Olympics-Curling-Electronic handles are a hit at Milano Cortina Games

CORTINA D'AMPEZZO, Italy, Feb 8 (Reuters) - Curlers ‌have welcomed the introduction of electronic handles on the stones at the Winter Olympics which can automatically detect and flag ‌hog line violations, saying the technology makes the genteel sport fairer than ever.

World

Venezuelan politician Juan Pablo Guanipa freed in prisoner release

Feb ‌8 (Reuters) - Venezuelan politician ‌Juan Pablo Guanipa ‌has been freed in a prisoner release, ‍according to family ‍statement ‌published on Sunday, the ‍latest high ​profile liberation ⁠as families continue to anxiously ‌await an unknown number ⁠of ‍releases promised by the government ‍and hailed by ‌the United States.

World

Feature: New Year vibes spark China-Zambia connections at Lusaka temple fair

LUSAKA, Feb. 8 (Xinhua) -- Hundreds of people in Zambia's capital on Sunday got a front-row taste of Chinese New Year traditions as a Spring Festival temple fair brought vibrant performances and rich aromas to Lusaka, an event organizers said helps deepen people-to-people ties under the China-Africa Year of People-to-People Exchanges.

World

1st LD Writethru: At least 5 killed as residential building collapses in N. Lebanon

BEIRUT, Feb. 8 (Xinhua) -- At least five people were killed when a residential building collapsed on Sunday in northern Lebanon's city of Tripoli, local TV channel Al-Jadeed reported.

Other Sports

Olympics-Snowboard-New-born Vittoria is only victory that matters, Italy's Bormolini says

LIVIGNO, Italy, ‌Feb 8 (Reuters) - Despite missing the parallel giant slalom (PGS) podium ‌at the Winter Olympics on Sunday, Italian snowboarder Maurizio ‌Bormolini said he had already won, earlier this week and away from the slopes, with the birth of his daughter Vittoria -- 'victory' in Italian.

World

Norway's Eitrem breaks Olympic record in men's 5,000m speed skating win at Milan-Cortina Games

MILAN, Feb. 8 (Xinhua) -- Norwegian world record holder Sander Eitrem broke the Olympic mark here on Sunday to claim the gold medal of the men's 5,000 meters speed skating event at the Milan-Cortina Games.

Football

Soccer-Palace snap nine-game winless run by beating Brighton

BRIGHTON, England, ‌Feb 8 (Reuters) - Crystal Palace ended ‌a nine-game winless run in ‌the Premier League in the best manner possible as they beat rivals Brighton and ‍Hove Albion 1-0 away ‍on Sunday.

World

U.S. skier Johnson wins women's downhill as Vonn crashes at Milan-Cortina Games

CORTINA D'AMPEZZO, Italy, Feb. 8 (Xinhua) -- American alpine skier Breezy Johnson won the women's downhill in a tightly contested race overshadowed by a serious crash involving her star teammate Lindsey Vonn at the Milan-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics here on Sunday.

Other Sports

Olympics-Biathlon-Homecoming queen Wierer helps Italy to mixed relay silver

ANTERSELVA, Italy, Feb 8 (Reuters) - ‌Hometown hero Dorotea Wierer did her part in delivering a silver medal in ‌Sunday's mixed relay that lifted the hearts of biathlon fans in northern Italy, ‌heralding her second place as if she had won gold. 

World

Temple fair in Uganda celebrates people-to-people exchanges ahead of Chinese New Year

KAMPALA, Feb. 8 (Xinhua) -- Uganda launched the China-Uganda Year of People-to-People Exchange on Sunday in the capital, Kampala, during a temple fair held to celebrate the upcoming Chinese New Year, also known as the Spring Festival.

Other Sports

Trump blasts Olympic skier over comments about representing US

Feb 8 (Reuters) - ‌U.S. President Donald Trump criticized American Olympic skier Hunter Hess ‌on Sunday, days after the athlete expressed mixed feelings about ‌representing the U.S. at the Winter Olympics in northern Italy.

Other Sports

Olympics-Speed skating-Norway's Eitrem wins men's 5,000m gold at Milano Cortina

MILAN, Feb 8 (Reuters) - ‌Norwegian Sander Eitrem captured the ‍men's 5,000 ‍metres speed ‌skating title in ‍Olympic-record time ​at ⁠the Milano Cortina Winter Olympics ‌on Sunday, stopping ⁠the ‍clock at six ‍minutes 03.95 seconds.

World

China's Wang Chuqin retains singles title at table tennis Asian Cup (updated)

HAIKOU, Feb. 8 (Xinhua) -- Top-ranked Wang Chuqin of China beat Japan's Tomokazu Harimoto 4-2 in the men's singles final to defend his title at the Asian Cup table tennis tournament here on Sunday.

Other Sports

Olympic-Biathlon-Simon's mental strength delivers glorious French relay gold

ANTERSELVA, Italy, Feb 8 (Reuters) - ‌Favourites France delivered an expected gold medal in the first biathlon event of ‌the Milano Cortina Games, leaning on the instincts of anchorwoman Julia Simon whose imperious ‌final leg secured them a perfect start to the competition. 

World

Italian PM Meloni slams 'illiberal drift' after comedian quits TV show

ROME, Feb 8 (Reuters) - Italian Prime ‌Minister Giorgia Meloni accused centre-left opponents of trying to silence their critics in the entertainment world ‌after a self-declared right-wing comedian pulled out of a hugely popular show.

World

Thailand's PM Anutin staked his election on nationalism — and won

BANGKOK, Feb 8 (Reuters) - Anutin Charnvirakul stood at a ‌rally in Thailand's capital Bangkok last month and declared that his Bhumjaithai Party should be the automatic choice for any patriotic Thai in Sunday's general election.

Other Sports

Olympics-Crosscountry-Rivals wave off controversy as Desloges takes skiathlon silver

TESERO, ‌Italy, Feb 8 (Reuters) - Rivals of French silver medallist Mathis Desloges played down an early ‌course infringement during the men's skiathlon at the Milano Cortina Olympics on Sunday, saying ‌the incident had little impact on the final outcome.

Other Sports

Olympics-Snowboard-Austrian Riegler, 52, races against age at Milano Cortina Olympics

LIVIGNO, Italy, Feb 8 (Reuters) - ‌Age is never on Claudia Riegler's mind, the 52-year-old athlete said on Sunday, as ‌she bowed out of the women's parallel giant slalom race at the Milano ‌Cortina Winter Olympics.

World

Residential building collapses in Lebanon's Tripoli, trapping people, sources say

BEIRUT, ‌Feb 8 (Reuters) - ‌A five-storey residential ‌building collapsed in the northern Lebanese ‍city of Tripoli ‍on ‌Sunday, trapping an unknown ‍number ​of people ⁠under the rubble, security sources ‌said.