US-born teen Gu wins freestyle gold for China at Beijing Olympics on February 8, 2022Beijing: Californian-born Eileen Gu won a spectacular gold for China at the Beijing Olympics on Tuesday as she triumphed in the inaugural women’s freeski Big Air at the Winter Games. After a strong opening jump, the 18-year-old saved her best for her last leap when she managed four rotations before grabbing the outside of her […]
Spinal cord implant helps paralysed patients walk again on February 8, 2022Tokyo: In 2017, Michel Roccati was in a motorbike accident that left his lower body completely paralyzed. In 2020, he walked again, thanks to a breakthrough new spinal cord implant. The implant sends electrical pulses to his muscles, mimicking the action of the brain, and could one day help people with severe spinal injuries stand, […]
US Congress to vote on averting government shutdown on February 8, 2022Washington: Democrats introduced a short-term bill on Monday to fund the US government ahead of a potential shutdown next week when federal agencies run out of previously allocated money. Shutdowns typically lead to hundreds of thousands of government workers being sent home, while parks, museums, and other federal properties and services are closed. With funding […]
Top US govt science adviser resigns over bullying accusations on February 8, 2022Washington: Top US government science advisor Eric Lander, who helped map the human genome, resigned on Monday after being found to have bullied his staff, behavior President Joe Biden vowed he would not tolerate when he took office. “I am devastated that I caused hurt to past and present colleagues by the way in which […]
Hong Kongers picnic to avoid Covid-tracing app on February 8, 2022Hong Kong: When Hong Kong made a Covid check-in app mandatory at restaurants, friends Birdy and Bu — wary of government tracking — decided to avoid eateries entirely and go for picnics instead. The idea caught fire: their private social media picnic group has swelled from 50 in December to more than 6,000 members, as […]
Dutch arrest three over stolen homing pigeons on February 8, 2022The Hague: Dutch police on Monday said they had arrested three people suspected of having stolen or received 26 homing pigeons stolen from a Belgian pigeon-fancier. Officers pulled the three over as they were driving on a road in the south of the country and found the pigeons in a basket, said a police statement. […]
Putin says ‘possible’ to move forward on some of Macron’s proposals on February 8, 2022Moscow: Russian President Vladimir Putin said several proposals put forward by his French counterpart Emmanuel Macron at talks on Monday could form a basis for moving forward on the crisis over Ukraine. “A number of his ideas, proposals… are possible as a basis for further steps,” Putin said after more than five hours of talks […]
Three alive, seven missing after Nigeria oil vessel fire on February 7, 2022Lagos: Three crew members on board a Nigerian oil vessel that exploded and sank last week have been found alive while seven were still missing, the ship operator said. The Nigerian FPSO Trinity Spirit — a floating production, storage and offloading vessel — caught fire following an explosion on Wednesday, but the blaze was extinguished […]
Swiss call for ‘calm and creativity’ to fix EU ties on February 7, 2022Geneva: Swiss President Ignazio Cassis called Sunday for “calm and creativity” to fix Switzerland’s thorny relations with the European Union. Ties between Brussels and Bern have been strained since non-EU member Switzerland suddenly decided in May 2021 to end years of discussion towards a broad cooperation agreement with the bloc. Cassis said that in sorting […]
Mexico breaks up migrant camp near US border on February 7, 2022Tijuana, Mexico: Authorities on Sunday broke up a camp of about 380 migrants, mostly from Mexico and Central America, in Tijuana, near the US border. Mexican migration officials announced that they were trying to relocate the people in the area just south of San Diego, California. Migrants were told they would be allowed to bring […]