World

76th Berlinale film festival opens, several Chinese films set to screen

BERLIN, Feb. 12 (Xinhua) -- The 76th Berlin International Film Festival opened on Thursday, with several Chinese films slated to be showcased during the 10-day event, one of the world's premier cinema gatherings.

World

NATO states pledge hundreds of millions for Ukraine weapons push, Rutte says

BRUSSELS, Feb ⁠12 (Reuters) - NATO states ⁠have announced hundreds of ‌millions of dollars of support for the Prioritised Ukraine ​Requirements List (PURL) initiative ⁠to supply ⁠Ukraine with U.S. weapons, NATO ⁠chief ‌Mark Rutte said on ⁠Thursday. 

Other Sports

Olympics-Biathlon-Bakken's mother congratulates Botn after emotional Norway gold

ANTERSELVA, Italy, ⁠Feb 12 (Reuters) - When Norway's Johan-Olav Botn crossed the line to ⁠win Olympic gold in the men's 20km individual race ‌on Tuesday, he did so with an emotional cry of "Sivert, we did it!" in honour of Sivert Guttorm Bakken, the friend and former teammate he found dead in ​their hotel weeks before the Games. 

World

Türkiye, Serbia pledge to strengthen economic ties

ANKARA, Feb. 12 (Xinhua) -- Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his Serbian counterpart Aleksandar Vucic on Thursday pledged to strengthen economic ties between the two countries, following talks in Ankara.

Other Sports

Olympics-Skeleton-Ukraine's Heraskevych appeals Games ban with CAS, wants supervised run

MILAN, Feb ⁠12 (Reuters) - Disqualified Ukrainian skeleton racer Vladyslav Heraskevych has appealed his Winter ⁠Olympics competition ban over a helmet depicting dead Ukrainian athletes ‌with the Court of Arbitration for Sport, CAS said on Thursday.

World

Interview: Ghana-China ties continue to strengthen, says senior Ghanaian diplomat

by Justice Lee Adoboe

World

Egypt announces discovery of 10,000-year-old rock shelter in Sinai

CAIRO, Feb. 12 (Xinhua) -- The Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities announced on Thursday the discovery of a prehistoric rock shelter on Jabal Umm Arak in South Sinai province, dating back up to 10,000 years.

Other Sports

Olympics-Luge-Germans win team relay for fourth Games in a row

CORTINA D'AMPEZZO, ⁠Italy, Feb ⁠12 (Reuters) - Germany maintained their ‌grip on the Olympic luge team relay ​on Thursday when ⁠they took ⁠gold for the fourth ⁠Games in ‌a row since ⁠it was introduced in ​2014.

Hockey

Olympics-Ice hockey-Canada shut out Czech team in master class men's opener

MILAN, Feb 12 (Reuters) - Tournament favourites Canada marked their territory with a 5-0 win over Czech ⁠Republic to open their men's Olympic ice hockey campaign on Thursday, as goalie Jordan ‌Binnington turned away all 26 shots he faced in a dominant display.

Other Sports

Olympics-Figure skating-Malinin making history with skating's first Olympic backflip in decades

MILAN, Feb 12 (Reuters) - When Ilia ⁠Malinin launched himself into a backflip at the Milano Cortina Olympics, it detonated through the crowd like a ⁠firecracker and even brought tennis great Novak Djokovic to his feet with his hands on his head ‌in disbelief.

World

Interview: Inclusive multilateral cooperation needs focus on well-being of people, planet: UN expert

by Xinhua writers Wang Lu, Ma Ruxuan, Liu Yaxian

World

South Africa will deploy army to step up fight against organised crime

CAPE TOWN, Feb ⁠12 (Reuters) - South African President Cyril ⁠Ramaphosa said on Thursday that he ‌would deploy the army to help the police fight organised crime, saying it would be one ​of the main areas ⁠the country's coalition ⁠government would focus on this year.

World

Egypt announces new gas, oil discoveries in Western Desert

CAIRO, Feb. 12 (Xinhua) -- Egypt's Petroleum Ministry on Thursday announced new gas and oil discoveries in the Western Desert, with an expected daily output of about 34 million standard cubic feet, alongside over 5,200 barrels of crude oil and condensates.

World

High winds cause injuries, transport disruption in northeast Spain

MADRID, Feb. 12 (Xinhua) -- Winds gusting at over 100 kilometers per hour have caused injuries, structural damage and transport disruptions in the northeastern Spanish region of Catalonia.

Hockey

Olympics-Ice hockey-Canada women cruise to shutout win over Finland to seal group runners-up spot

MILAN, Feb ⁠12 (Reuters) - Defending champions Canada cruised to a 5-0 win over Finland to secure second spot ⁠in Group A of the women's Olympic ice hockey tournament on Thursday, as they coped ‌again without injured captain Marie-Philip Poulin in their final group game.

World

Infant dies after fire in high-rise building in Berlin

BERLIN, Feb. 12 (Xinhua) -- A nine-month-old infant died after a fire broke out in a high-rise residential building in Berlin on Wednesday evening, German police said Thursday.

Hockey

Olympics-Ice hockey-Canada uncertain over Poulin's return for quarter-finals

MILAN, Feb 12 (Reuters) - Canada played their last two group games ⁠without injured captain Marie-Philip Poulin and uncertainty surrounds the return ‌of the five-times Olympian heading into the quarter-finals of the women's Olympic ice hockey tournament.

Cricket

Cricket-India thump Namibia ahead of Pakistan clash

NEW DELHI, Feb 12 (Reuters) - ⁠Defending champions India continued their march towards the Super Eight stage of the Twenty20 World Cup ⁠with a 93-run plastering of Namibia in a group A contest at Arun Jaitley Stadium ‌on Thursday.

Motorsport

Motor racing-Alpine to leave World Endurance Championship at end of 2026 to focus on F1

Feb 12 (Reuters) - Renault-owned ⁠Alpine will withdraw from the World Endurance Championship (WEC) ⁠at the end of the season to ‌focus on Formula One, the sportscar maker said on Thursday.

Other Sports

Olympics-Speed skating-Italy's Lollobrigida seizes 5,000m title for second gold at Milano Cortina

MILAN, Feb 12 (Reuters) - Francesca ⁠Lollobrigida delivered another spectacular performance on home ice, blasting to victory in the women's 5,000 metres on Thursday ⁠to secure her second gold medal of the Milano Cortina Olympics.