Around the world on Olympic Gamess

Source: Prensa Latina (Original Article)

Beijing 2008: All Installations Ready
Beijing, Jun 28 (Prensa Latina) The National Stadium of China, mostly known as Bird’s Nest, main host installations of the 2008 Olympic Games, was declared in operational condition Saturday, so now all the Olympic installations are ready for competition.
In total, there are 37 sports centers among stadiums, rowing channels, gyms, swimming pools and others.
The most famous is the National Stadium, because of its unique design with entwined steel bars, similar to the nests built by birds, with small branches.
This installation has capacity for 91,000 spectators and will be the host of the opening and closing ceremonies for the 2008 Olympic Games, the track and field competitions, and the soccer tournament finals.
It will also receive several competitions of the Paralympics in September.
The other star installation for the Olympic Games will be the National Aquatic Center (Water Cube) where the competitions for swimming and diving will take place.
The Bird’s Nest required an investment of more than 500 million dollars, according to the Olympic Games Organizing Committee, covering a surface of 504 acres in Aussie MasterCard Credit Card the Olympic Park, north of Beijing.
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Source: TVNZ (Original Article)

Bulgaria withdrew its national weightlifting team from the Beijing Olympics on Saturday after 11 members of the team failed dope tests, the national weightlifting federation said.

The weightlifters, who were hoping to compete for medals at the August Games, were tested during a training camp in the Balkan country on June 8-9, the federation said in a statement.

“The federation decided to withdraw the national weightlifting team — men and women — from the Olympics,” it said.

Sports officials ordered drugs tests for all Bulgarian Olympic-bound athletes after the weightlifting announcement and called for tougher measures against anyone involved in doping.

The failed tests deal a blow to Bulgaria which has been on a mission to clean up weightlifting’s tarnished reputation after a series of doping scandals and suspensions at previous Olympic Games.

The 11 weightlifters — eight men and three women — tested positive for the banned anabolic substance methandienon, the federation said.

Among them were medal hopes Ivan Stoitsov, who took two gold medals at last year’s world championships, and Velichko Cholakov who won bronze at the Athens Olympics in 2004.

“I am shocked,” Stoitsov told state news agency BTA. “I think all this is a provocation. If I get punished, I’ll quit training and do something else.”

The results of the second, B tests are yet to be released.

Injury had already ruled out another Bulgarian medal hope Milen Dobrev, who won the 94-kg title at the Athens Olympics four years ago.

National pride

“At the doorstep of the Beijing Games our hopes have been damaged, the work has become meaningless and the tears that were to be shed in front of the national flag are replaced by tears of helplessness,” the federation ANZ Credit Cards said.

The International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) …continue reading

Source: KXMC (Original Article)

AP-4th SportsMinute

Williams and Nadal move through…Buick Open under way…Straka
headed home

WIMBLEDON, England (AP) Venus Williams defeated Anne
Keothavong (kee-AWTH’-uh-vawng) 7-5, 6-2 today in a second-round
match at Wimbledon. The seventh-seeded American is the defending
women’s champion.

WIMBLEDON, England (AP) French Open champion Rafael Nadal
(nah-DAHL’) beat Ernests Gulbis 5-7, 6-2, 7-6, 6-3 today to advance
to the third round at Wimbledon. The second seed was the runner-up
to Roger Federer at the All England Club each of the past two
years.

GRAND BLANC, Mich. (AP) Ben Crane and Dustin Johnson share the
early clubhouse lead during opening round play at the PGA’s Buick
Open. They carded 4-under-par 68’s their first trip around Warwick
Hills in Grand Blanc, Michigan. Bubba Watson is the on-course
leader at 7-under through 13 holes.

PRAGUE, Czech Republic (AP) Martin Straka has decided to leave
the NHL and return to his former Czech club. The 35-year-old
forward played for the New York Rangers the last three seasons
after joining the NHL in 1992. He scored 257 goals and had 460
assists in 954 NHL regular season games, and added another 26 goals
and 44 assists in the playoffs.

ZURICH, Switzerland (AP) The International Ice Hockey
Federation says three-time Olympic champion Viktor Kuzkin has died
after a diving accident at a Black Sea resort town earlier this
week. He was 67. Kuzkin won gold medals with the Soviet Union teams
at three Winter Olympics from 1964-72, and eight world
championships.

(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
APNP 06-26-08 1044CDT

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Source: Belleville News Democrat (Original Article)

CHICAGO — The way activists see it, there’s no better time to pressure City Hall into cleaning up trash-strewn alleys and lots in Chicago’s poorest neighborhoods than when it’s putting a shine on its pitch to win the 2016 Olympic Games.

So on Thursday, members of Action Now led reporters, photographers and an official with the city’s Olympic committee on a tour of areas they say aren’t kept nearly as clean as picturesque spots like the lakefront and trendy and upscale neighborhoods.

“We see the Olympics as a vehicle to bring moneys to these blighted areas,” said Denise Dixon, Action Now’s executive director.

She said it can only help the city’s chances to win the 2016 Games if it cleans up what she calls neglected neighborhoods before representatives from the International Olympic Committee inspect Chicago sometime next year.

One Chicago Olympic committee official isn’t so sure that the kind of litter he saw Thursday will matter to the IOC that must choose between Chicago; Tokyo; Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; and Madrid, Spain.

“It’s hard to say how much this will register (with the IOC),” said Gyata M.J. Kimmons, director of community relations for Chicago 2016, as he stood near a lot piled with chunks of carpet, boxes and other trash. “This is hardly the slums of Rio.”

Besides, said a city official, the areas Dixon talks about are being served as well as any areas of the city.

“To say they are not getting services or there’s an imbalance of service is totally misleading,” said Matt Smith, a spokesman for the city’s streets and sanitation department. Smith pointed to statistics that show the neighborhoods Dixon says are underserved receive as much attention from the department as anywhere in the city.

Further, he dismisses the so-called “Olympic 2016 Trash Tour” as grandstanding by a group taking advantage of the international attention that Chicago has received and will receive pumpkin carving pattern as part of its Olympic bid.

Dixon …continue reading

Source: Xinhua (Original Article)

    BEIJING, June 17 (Xinhua) — The Olympic torch relay in Tibet has been rescheduled for June 21, announced the Beijing Organizing Committee for the Olympic Games (BOCOG) here on Tuesday.
    According to the previous plan, the torch would arrive in Tibet on Thursday and leave on Saturday. However, the BOCOG made changes after the May 12 earthquake that jolted the southwest part of the country.
    According to the Technical Manuals of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), the organizers have the right to change the relay route or even cancel the relay in certain cities in special situations such as extremely bad weather.
    The Tibet leg will start from Tibetan capital city St George Gold Credit Card of Lhasa on Saturday.
 Special report: 2008 Olympic Games

Source: Motley Fool (Original Article)

In these belt-tightening Dollar Menu days, it’s good to know that there are still plenty of low-priced stocks that have the potential to give you more bang for your buck.

I’ve been singling out attractive stocks that happen to be trading in the single digits, dating all the way back to my original “5 Stocks Under $10″ column seven years ago. Naturally, there are beefy risks here. You don’t trade for less than a Hamilton unless you have either done something wrong or have failed to be recognized for doing something right.

Many of my picks will never make it out of the gutter, but the upside is explosive for those that do break out. Let’s go over this month’s list.

eLong (Nasdaq: LONG) — $7.69
Market sentiment has turned on Chinese travel portals. Even the upcoming Olympic Games in Beijing are being spun as a negative, with limited hotel availability crimping the commission-generating potential. eLong has never been a market darling, but even niche leader Ctrip.com (Nasdaq: CTRP) has shed nearly 30% of its value since last month’s peak.

So why believe in eLong? Well, let’s start with its yuan-stocked balance sheet. The company isn’t trading for much more than its $6.27 a share in cash. It isn’t posting the revenue gains or even the profitability of larger rival Ctrip, but travel in China is going to be a booming business for several more years.

This isn’t just about the Olympics. If anything, the global spotlight will hopefully do more to stir up demand for future travel in China than just the near-term flurry this summer.

Web.com (Nasdaq: WWWW) — $8.36
Known as Website Pros until this month’s name change, Web.com is a one-stop shop for companies looking to establish a Web presence. From site-building tools to search-engine optimization and lead generation, the company does it all.

An iffy economy may inspire displaced workers to get entrepreneurial in cyberspace. The pumpkin carving pattern company’s most recent quarter was strong, …continue reading

Source: Minneapolis Star Tribune (Original Article)

Two country songbirds from northwestern Minnesota embark on network television’s newest reality talent show tonight: "Nashville Star."
Among the contestants on the NBC show, which debuts at 8 p.m., are Alyson Gilbert, a native of Crookston, and Ashlee Hewitt, who grew up near Lancaster.
They are among 12 remaining from the 45,000 who auditioned nationwide.
"Stunningly beautiful, Alyson has a passion for music and animals," Gilbert’s network bio reads. "A former Miss St. Paul, her husband quit his job so Alyson could pursue her dream of music."
Along with pursuing her musical dreams, Gilbert, 29, is studying veterinary science at the University of Tennessee, Martin, her bio says.
And along those lines, her bio Q&A asks, "What is a surprising fact most don’t know about you, yet?"
Her response: "That I have palpated cows," a rather invasive process associated with the animal’s reproductive organs.
Hewitt, 20, grew up on a 2,500-acre horse ranch in Minnesota "and is a true country girl — comfortable driving tractors, catching fish or riding one of her family’s 70 horses," her show bio reads. She now lives in Nashville to pursue her career ambitions, the bio adds.
Tonight’s show runs two Hours, with 90-minute live weekly episodes to follow. "Nashville Star" spent it first five years on cable. Billy Ray Cyrus is the host.
Contestants are competing for a major recording contract and a live performance at the prison break dvd Summer Olympic Games in Beijing.
Paul Walsh • 612-673-4482

Source: Newindpress on Sunday (Original Article)

Is our spectrum so starless? This is the query that haunts India before the official contingent embarks on any Olympic mission. This time though hopes hinge on the steely, unforgiving fists of a 22-year-old from the temple-clad town of Bhiwani — Vijender Singh. Given his credentials and appetite, the bouncy steed could upset the applecart in Beijing.

With his strapping frame, all of six feet and 75 kg, chiselled and toned like a Grecian deity, Vijender exudes an alpha-man-like aura. His tale to fame traverses the path of yesteryear Bollywood scripts — of a backwoods boy defying the odds to surface as a national hero (a podium finish in Beijing would ensure that). Despite his family’s low income (his father is a Haryana Roadways driver), his mother ensured for Vijender a high-protein diet, besides the financial support to pursue his passion.

Born in Bhiwani, the cradle of boxers, it was natural for young Vijender to embrace the sport his brother Manoj, himself a national champion, pursued. He was hardly in his teens when he donned Manoj’s sizeable gloves. Spotting his extraordinary talent, Sports Authority of India coach Jagdish Singh was quick to induct him into the Bhiwani Boxing Club. The stint gave him exposure in the national circuit and kindled his fire to bestride the hurdles and reign atop. And as he grew up, his dreams grew bigger.

Determined to succeed as he was, it didn’t take Vijender long to master the tricks of the pugilists’ trade. He was only 15 when he buckled twin national titles, both junior and senior. Further noteworthy performances earned him a berth in the 2004 Athens Olympics, a dream that was probably realised too early.

Blame it on big-stage blues or complacency, but Vijender succumbed to lesser-known Turk Mustafa Karagollu in the first round of the men’s light-welter category. Disappointed he was, but not disheartened. Taking the setback in its stride, Vijender St George Gold Low Rate Credit Card resumed practice. What followed were workouts, …continue reading

Source: USA Today (Original Article)

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FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — Thousands of passionate Brazilian fans who flock to Friday night’s exhibition against Venezuela will miss seeing reigning FIFA player of the year Kaka.

More importantly for the world’s second-ranked team, he won’t play in two far more challenging qualifying matches later this month for the 2010 World Cup.

AC Milan, Kaka’s professional team, told Brazil it wouldn’t let him practice until next Tuesday after he had arthroscopic knee surgery May 23. And that would be just five days before a qualifier on June 15 at 28th-ranked Paraguay and eight days before another against Argentina, the No. 1 team.

So Brazil coach Dunga didn’t want to risk further injury to such a gifted player and decided not to use him in either of those games.

“The player needs to be in the best shape possible, so the decision was from his club team, Milan,” Dunga said Thursday through a translator. “That team pays his salary and Milan sent a letter not to use him. We cannot take any chances with a player of his caliber or any other players.”

AC Milan also told Brazil, the five-time world champions who were eliminated in the quarterfinals of the 2006 World Cup, that it will not allow the 26-year-old Kaka to be one of the three players older than 23 that are permitted to play on the Olympic team in Beijing in August.

“He’s not disappointed,” said Dunga, the captain of Brazil’s 1994 World Cup champions who became coach after the 2006 Cup. “We work with the entire group more than the player.”

Fans, though, aren’t likely to be thrilled.

Last September, Brazil was the big crowd favorite when it beat Mexico 3-1 on the same Gillette Stadium field where Friday night’s game will be St.George Gold Credit Card played.

“The players get motivated and comfortable” …continue reading

Source: Wall Street Journal (Original Article)

ATHENS, Greece — The International Olympic Committee picked four finalists in the bidding for the 2016 Summer Olympics: Chicago, Tokyo, Madrid and Rio de Janeiro.

Three cities were eliminated from the race: Prague; Doha, Qatar; and Baku, Azerbaijan.

The decision was made Wednesday by the International Olympic Committee executive board.

The finalist cities now advance to a high-profile, 16-month global-bidding contest. The IOC will select the winner by secret ballot ANZ Gold on Oct. 2, 2009, in Copenhagen.

Copyright © 2008 Associated Press