Pre-Olympics Eclipse May Give Chinese Jitters

An unfortunate 2008 has some talking of a 'curse of the Olympic mascots'

(NEWSER) - Superstitious beliefs the Communists once tried to stamp out have been making a comeback in China, the Christian Science Monitor reports, especially in this troubled Olympic year. The Games are set to begin on August 8, as 8 sounds like fortune in Mandarin, making 8/8/8 an especially lucky date, but the country has been anything but lucky in recent months. More»

Gymnast Dong Fangxiao was just 14 at the time

(AP) - China was stripped of a bronze medal from the 2000 Sydney Olympics today for fielding an underage female gymnast, with the women's team medal now going to the US. The International Olympic Committee acted after investigations by the sport's governing body determined that Dong Fangxiao was only 14 at the 2000 Games. Gymnasts must turn 16 during the Olympic year to be eligible. More»

Omens abound in countdown to Game 5

(NEWSER) - With the Yankees sitting on a 3-1 lead heading into tonight's World Series Game 5, there's already plenty of credit and blame to go around. Should New York defeat the Phillies, give a cheer for actress and Alex Rodriguez galpal Kate Hudson, David Wells writes for the New York Post. "Kate is just a good-luck charm for Alex," writes Wells—yes, the former Yankee ace. "She's got a lot of hits in her, and that's a compliment, because of the fact she's a high-profile individual." More»

Researchers analyzing 40 minutes of film during July solar eclipse

(NEWSER) - Chinese scientists have reported filming a UFO for 40 minutes during the solar eclipse in July, reports the Telegraph. Researchers from the Purple Mountain Observatory in Nanjing said they will study the footage for a full year before they issue any conclusions. Scientists "discovered near the sun an unidentified object," said the director of the observatory. "Its physical nature remains to be further studied." More»

(NEWSER) - Wednesday’s total solar eclipse is eliciting fear and speculation across the Indian subcontinent, AFP reports. A New Delhi gynecologist says caesarian sections scheduled for the day of the eclipse have been canceled. “This is a belief deeply rooted in Indian society,” he said. “Couples are willing to do anything to ensure that the baby is not born on that day.” More»