England win toss, opt to bat against India in 1st Test

England win toss, opt to bat against India in 1st Test

England skipper Ben Stokes won the toss and elected to bat first against India in the opening Test of a five-match series on Thursday. The tourists named their XI on the eve of the match in Hyderabad and handed left-arm spinner Tom Hartley his first Test cap. England have brought in three specialist spinners as well as Joe Root, a veteran batsman who also bowls. Mark Wood remains […]

January 25, 2024

Sport

Starc puts Australia in control against West Indies

Mitchell Starc took three wickets to put Australia in control of the second Test against the West Indies as the visitors slumped to 64-5 at the dinner break on the first day in Brisbane on Thursday. Starc bowled with pace and aggression in the first session as he claimed his 350th Test wicket, but he was helped by some poor shots from the West Indies batsmen, most of whom […]

January 25, 2024 3

Sport

Liverpool survive Fulham scare to book League Cup final date with Chelsea

Liverpool will face Chelsea in the League Cup final after surviving a scare in their 1-1 draw against Fulham in the semi-final second leg on Wednesday. Holding a 2-1 advantage from the first leg, Liverpool took the lead through Luis Diaz early in the first half at Craven Cottage. That should have been the signal for a comfortable evening for Jurgen Klopp's side. But they missed several chances to […]

January 25, 2024 5

Science & Technology

Japan craft made successful pin-point landing, space agency says

Japan's "Moon Sniper" craft landed around 55 metres (180 feet) from its target, the country's space agency said Thursday as it released the first images from the mission. The unmanned Smart Lander for Investigating Moon (SLIM), dubbed the "Moon Sniper" for its pin-point technology, had the goal of touching down within 100 metres (330 feet) of a specific landing spot. That is much more precise than the usual landing zone […]

January 25, 2024 34

Sport

Breaking Ice Barriers − Nigeria’s curling team play starring role at Gangwon 2024

https://youtu.be/iMmQG_lq-zE Nigeria's curling team might not have managed a win in the round robin section of the Mixed Team event at the Winter Youth Olympic Games (YOG) Gangwon 2024 but they have won the hearts of fellow competitors and fans alike. The ‘Broomzillas’, as they are affectionately known, stepped onto the ice for only the second time ever when they arrived at the Gangneung Curling Centre. The first time was […]

January 25, 2024 51

World

Biden wobbles under weight of multiple open fronts around the world

Long gone is the Joe Biden of February 2023, strolling confidently through the streets of Kyiv, basking in the role as champion of the Ukrainian cause in the fight against Vladimir Putin's Russia. Nearly one year after that triumphant appearance, the US president is instead facing the harsh realities of running for re-election while bogged down in one stagnant war and navigating the volatility of another, as the conflict in […]

January 25, 2024 7

Africa

Blinken sees growing partner in Angola on Africa democracy tour

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Thursday will explore greater coordination with emerging regional partner Angola, capping a tour of Africa to champion US-friendly democracies as global crises mount. After years of estrangement with Washington during the Cold War, Angola has seen growing common ground with the United States including by working together to address violence in the Democratic Republic of Congo. Blinken arrived late Wednesday in the oil-rich […]

January 25, 2024 7

World

Qatar ‘appalled’ at alleged criticism by Netanyahu

Qatar said Wednesday it was "appalled" by remarks attributed to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who was allegedly caught on tape calling the emirate's role as mediator in the Gaza war "problematic". At a meeting this week with the families of hostages held in Gaza, Netanyahu blamed Qatar for financing Hamas and said he was upset at a US decision to extend the presence of a military base in the […]

January 25, 2024 8

World

US support for Taiwan ‘firm’ lawmakers tell president-elect Lai

Two US lawmakers met with Taiwanese president-elect Lai Ching-te on Thursday to reaffirm Washington's support for the self-ruled island, which China claims as part of its territory. Despite warnings from Beijing that Lai would bring "war and decline" to Taiwan, he won the January 13 poll, securing a third term for the Democratic Progressive Party -- which rejects China's claim to the island. Democrat Ami Bera of California and Florida […]

January 25, 2024 8