MOSCOW， June 17 (Xinhua) -- The Russian Sports Ministry said Friday that it was disappointed at the decision of the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) to retain suspension of the membership of All-Russia Athletic Federation (ARAF).

The ministry said it is "extremely disappointed" at this decision， which means the country's track and field athletes will be unable to participate in this summer's Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.

Russian Sports Minister Vitaly Mutko was quoted by the TASS news agency as saying that the move came as no surprise， and Russia will "come up with a response promptly."

Earlier in the day， the IAAF decided to keep in force its decision made in November last year to suspend ARAF's membership following the widespread rule-breaking scandal in the country's track and anti-doping programs. Enditem

WASHINGTON， Dec. 30 (Xinhua) -- Twenty U.S. states and the District of Columbia will raise their minimum wages at the start of 2017， boosting pay for about 4.4 million low-wage workers across the country， local media reported Friday.

The District of Columbia will raise its minimum wage by one U.S. dollar to 12.5 dollars an hour， the highest level in the country， while the state of California will increase the minimum wage by 50 cents to 10.5 dollars an hour， a move that affects about 1.7 million workers， the Wall Street Journal reported.

In the state of Arizona， the minimum wage will go up 1.95 dollars to 10 dollars an hour， the biggest jump among the 20 states and one of the largest one-time increases ever enacted， the report said.

As U.S. labor market inches closer to full employment， low-income workers around the country continue to push states and businesses for an increased minimum wage.

In all， about 4.4 million U.S. low-wage workers are slated to receive a raise in 2017 because they earn less than the new minimum in their respective states， the report said， citing research from the Economic Policy Institute.

U.S. President Barack Obama has proposed raising the federal minimum wage to 10.10 dollars per hour from the current rate of 7.25 dollars for several years， but Republican lawmakers have so far blocked those efforts， saying it will add to the operating costs of business owners.

However， economists at the Peterson Institute for International Economics argued that raising the pay of the lowest-paid U.S. private-sector workers "would not only reduce income inequality but also boost overall productivity growth， with likely minimum effect on employment in the current financial context."

It's unclear whether the minimum wage increase across the country will help push up U.S. inflation to rise to the Federal Reserve's target of 2 percent， which could prompt the central bank to raise interest rates at a faster pace next year.

Fed officials earlier this month predicted that there would be three rate hikes next year， up from two rate hikes estimated in September.

LONDON Nike Air VaporMax 2.0 Mens , Sept. 7 (Xinhua) -- A Chinese couple embarked on a sightseeing tour of Britain on Sunday after having completed an epic 20,000 km journey from Shanghai.

Yaoguo Chen and Jie Wu decided to make the journey as a pilgrimage to spiritual home in England of their Shanghai-built Maxus V80 van.

The couple, both aged 48, set off from Shanghai on July 1 and arrived in Birmingham on August 26.

It took the couple two years to plan their trip Nike VaporMax CS Mens , which took them on a route through Mongolia, Russia, Finland, Sweden Nike Air VaporMax 97 Mens , Norway, Denmark, Germany, Holland and France Nike VaporMax Utility Mens , and then to their destination in Great Britain's second biggest city, Birmingham.

Jie Wu said: "We quit our jobs to do this. I worked for an American company called Abbott and Yaoguo Chen was a press photographer for Shanghai Money Weekly.

"Our friends and family think we are crazy but we are very happy to have done it."

The Chinese-built vehicle has a direct link with Birmingham, based on the Maxus model line which at one time was produced at the LDV production plant in England's West Midlands.

In 2008, after a troubled period for the Birmingham-based van-maker's Russian owner Cheap Nike VaporMax Plus Mens , GAZ Group finally pulled the plug on LDV.

The LDV name and the firm's intellectual property rights were acquired in 2010 by the SAIC Motor Corporation Ltd. Since then, SAIC's Maxus V80 van, based on LDV's Maxus and the G10 seven-seat MPV, has been built in Shanghai.

Jie Wu added: "Owning a Maxus is the big reason we wanted to come to Birmingham. The vehicle is from Birmingham Nike VaporMax Plus Mens Sale , it was designed by LDV and it has come home."

Sadly for the couple, the former LDV site now lies derelict, bought as part of plans to build the proposed HS2 (High Speed 2) rail link between Birmingham and London.

But both said they were delighted to have made it to the city where the Maxus model started its life.

"We really wanted to come to Birmingham but are also keen to see other parts of England," added Jie Wu.

After SAIC acquired the LDV name Nike VaporMax Plus Mens , the first Maxus product, the V80 van, was unveiled at the Auto Shanghai motor show in April 2011.

DUSSELDORF, Germany Nike VaporMax Hyper Punch Mens , June 2 (Xinhua) -- Miu Hirano became Japan's first singles medal winner in 48 years at the World Table Tennis Championships here on Friday.

The 17-year-old beat Feng Tianwei 4-1 to move into the women's singles semifinals and guaranteed a bronze medal.

The last time Japan won a singles medal was back in 1969 when Toshiko Kowada won gold in Munich, Germany.

"I am so so happy to win," the Asian champion said. "I did not know that it has been so long that Japan has won a medal, I am a bit surprised. I am happy to have this record Nike VaporMax Moc Mens , and that this will be in the history books."

Hirano defeated three Chinese players, including world No. 1 Ding Ning, en route to the Asian champio. Wholesale Cheap Jerseys   Wholesale Jerseys From China   Wholesale Jerseys China Online   Wholesale Custom Baseball Jerseys   Wholesale Adidas NHL Jerseys   Wholesale New NBA Jerseys   Wholesale MLB Baseball Jerseys   Cheap Jerseys China   Cheap College Football Jerseys   Cheap Football Jerseys