WORLD

Saudi Arabia is preparing to open its first alcohol store in the capital Riyadh which will serve exclusively non-Muslim diplomats, a source familiar with the plans and a document showed on Wednesday.

Customers will have to register via a mobile app, get a clearance code from the foreign ministry, and respect monthly quotas with their purchases, the document said.

The move is a milestone in the kingdom's efforts, led by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, to open the ultra-conservative Muslim country for tourism and business as drinking alcohol is forbidden in Islam.

The battle to clinch victory in the Granite State was intense as both candidates were at a crossroads, basis early trends. With Donald Trump's voting percentage shooting up again after an early lag against Nikki Haley. The former president was at least 8 to 10 points short of the Diplomat turned politician.

However, as the voting count went up, Trump maintained an above 50 per cent support from Republicans in New Hampshire and had been declared as a projected winner by CNN, NBC and Associated Press. While, Haley on the other end bagged almost 46 per cent votes at around 8:10 pm, GMT-6 when overall 17 per cent votes were counted.

US and British forces carried out a fresh round of strikes on Monday in Yemen, targeting a Houthi underground storage site as well as missile and surveillance capabilities used by the Iran-aligned group against Red Sea shipping, the Pentagon said.

The Houthis, who control the most populous parts of Yemen, have said their attacks are in solidarity with Palestinians as Israel strikes Gaza.

Over 1,100 enthusiastic riders participated in a grand car rally, showcasing their support for the grand consecration ceremony of the Ram temple in Ayodhya. The rally was organized by six dedicated Hindu volunteers from the Bay Area, California, and saw participants carrying saffron banners adorned with the image of the Ram temple.

The rally began in Sunnyvale and covered almost 100 miles, culminating at the Warm Spring BART station, Golden Gate. To ensure the safety of the participants, the rally was escorted by two police cars. A remarkable event highlight was a spectacular Tesla car light show, held on Saturday evening, featuring over 300 dazzling cars.

Microsoft on Friday said that the Russian state-sponsored actor attacked its corporate systems on January 12 and stole emails and documents from ion accounts of some the employees, including senior people at the organisaton. In a blog post, the tech company said it has identified the threat actor as Midnight Blizzard, which is a Russian state-sponsored group also called Nobelium. "As part of our ongoing commitment to responsible transparency as recently affirmed in our Secure Future Initiative (SFI), we are sharing this update," Microsoft said in an official statement.