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SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 2009
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NEWS ABOUT: 2012 London Olympics

2012 London Olympics stories: 24 news summaries

1 - 20 of 24 Stories | 1 2 Next >>

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london calling

Spice Girls Will Help Kick Off 2012 Olympics


Nov 1, 09 3:22 PM CST
(Newser) - When the eyes of the world turn to London for the opening ceremonies of the 2012 Olympics, the land of Shakespeare and the Beatles will present ... the Spice Girls. "They stand for so much in British music history and I can’t think of a better time for them... More »

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entertainment • music • London • England • 2012 London Olympics • Victoria Beckham • Simon Fuller • Spice Girls • Beatles • Melanie Brown • William Shakespeare • Emma Bunton • Mel B • Melanie C • Melanie Chisolm • Geri Halliwell

piling on

 GOP Revels in US Setbacks 

1-2 punch of job stats, Olympic decision gets a third stage

Oct 2, 09 2:15 PM CDT
(Newser) - From worse-than-expected unemployment numbers to Chicago’s foiled Olympic bid, today was a lousy day for America, but Republicans reacted as if Christmas had come early. Soon after the jobs numbers hit, Glenn Thrush of Politico got a slew of GOP press releases. “Rep. Mike Pence literally hit the... More »

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Newt Gingrich • Republican • Mike Pence • Chicago • GOP • 2012 London Olympics • Republican Party • unemployment • Olympic Games • Chicago Olympics • International Olympic Committee • Olympics • IOC

(Newser) - A New Zealand athlete has opened a brothel to finance his Olympic aspirations, the BBC reports. Logan Campbell just wants to stop asking his parents for money—his Beijing efforts cost $150,000, and he hopes to start training again in 2011 with $300,000 from the “gentleman’s... More »

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prostitution • 2012 London Olympics • athlete • New Zealand • brothel • Olympics • taekwondo

(Newser) - A British model and recreational boxer has been barred from competition because she has breast implants, ABC News reports. The Amateur Boxing Association of England cited possible health risks, but Sarah Blewden says she should be able to use a breast protector, similar to groin cups for men. “If... More »

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2012 London Olympics • safety • breast implants • Britain • women's boxing • amateur • Sarah Blewden

Kellogg's Faces Pro-Phelps Backlash

Fans launch boycott, slam company with wave of complaints

Feb 10, 09 7:27 AM CST
(Newser) - Kellogg's decision to drop Michael Phelps’ sponsorship deal has created an angry wave of would-be cereal killers, the Baltimore Sun reports. A Facebook group urging consumers to boycott the company has hit 5,000 members and is growing fast. Pro-marijuana groups are also calling for a boycott, labeling the company's... More »

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Michael Phelps • 2012 London Olympics • Kellogg • marijuana • boycott • Bill Maher • USA Swimming • Bill Maher Grid

Phelps Not Sure If He'll Swim in 2012 Olympics

Swimmer struggling with fallout from 'stupid'
bong encounter

Feb 5, 09 7:09 AM CST
(Newser) - Michael Phelps is weighing whether to compete at the 2012 Olympics in the wake of fallout over his much-publicized encounter with a bong, he tells his hometown paper, the Baltimore Sun. Phelps still has goals to achieve in the sport and will talk his decision over with his family and... More »

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bongs • Michael Phelps • 2012 London Olympics • swimming • marijuana • Olympic athletes

Secret UK Report Says Olympics Benefits Overrated

2012 could be awkward

Dec 2, 08 12:54 PM CST
(Newser) - The UK made its grab for the 2012 Olympic Games in defiance of a secret, 205-page strategy report concluding that, apart from being a nice party, the games were essentially useless, the Times reports. Representing almost a year of research by experts, the 2002 document was signed off on... More »

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London • economics • 2012 London Olympics

OPINION

 Let's Go Back to 
 Beijing in 2012 

Economic crisis makes spending billions on 2012 London Games unjustifiable

Nov 26, 08 10:11 AM CST
(Newser) - With the economic crisis taking billions out of Britain’s coffers, spending billions more to get ready for the 2012 Olympics makes no sense, writes Alice Miles in the Times of London, who foresees a day when “the unemployed, the homeless, and the destitute will join the athletes parading... More »

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United Kingdom • Beijing • 2012 London Olympics • Britain • Olympics • financial crisis • IOC

OPINION

After Beijing Pageantry, London 2012 Tries ... a Bus

Brits less than thrilling
in Olympic preview

Aug 25, 08 2:24 PM CDT
(Newser) - The Beijing Olympics' closing ceremony was predictably stupendous, with thousands of acrobats and "more orthodontically screened children," writes Guardian columnist Marina Hyde. It certainly ran over the 8-minute tableau promoting the 2012 Games in London. While China spent years preparing its "deliciously understated 16-day world domination infomercial,... More »

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London • 2012 London Olympics • 2008 Beijing Olympics • David Beckham • buses • Boris Johnson

 China Wraps Up Olympic Idyll

A look back at a successful 2 weeks

Aug 24, 08 11:54 AM CDT
(Newser) - The 2008 Beijing Olympic Games wrapped up today with a star-studded fireworks-filled extravaganza worthy of its opening, Reuters reports. With 51 golds, China easily topped the medal rankings, capping a near-flawlessly-executed couple of weeks that saw smog lifting, transport worries evaporating, and Tibet protests dwindling. Still, arrests and suppression of... More »

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China • 2012 London Olympics • 2008 Beijing Olympics • ceremony • gold medal

2 Chinese 'Songbirds' May Close Games Together

Dual-billing with counterpart Lin Maioke expected

Aug 22, 08 11:50 AM CDT
(Newser) - Yang Peiyi, the 7-year-old songstress whom Chinese officials deemed better heard than seen during the Olympic opening ceremonies, may appear alongside her lip-syncing counterpart during Sunday’s closing ceremonies, the Hong Kong Standard reports. Organizers who claimed that the decision to replace Yang with a cuter girl was “in... More »

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2012 London Olympics • 2008 Beijing Olympics • David Beckham • Opening Ceremony • lip sync

 Olympic Collectors Go for Gold 

Medals, torches, and sweaty uniforms fetch top dollar

Aug 8, 08 4:50 PM CDT
(Newser) - The 2008 Olympics have barely begun and collectors are already jockeying for possession of Beijing memorabilia. But serious shoppers are bypassing the hundreds of official knickknacks, hoping instead to score big-ticket items such as medals and sweaty uniforms, Portfolio reports. It's serious business: A gold medal from the 1904... More »

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China • eBay • 2012 London Olympics • 2008 Beijing Olympics • collecting • sports collectibles • collectible

 Chess Too Wimpy for Olympics? 

IOC says the game, along with bridge, isn't physical enough

Aug 6, 08 6:25 PM CDT
(Newser) - Chess players and bridge players will be spectators when the Olympics begin this week, but both are making a strong push to be official sports at the 2012 Games, Time reports. First, they'll have to convince a skeptical International Olympic Committee that they belong, despite their decided lack of physical... More »

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Beijing • 2012 London Olympics • bridge • chess • Olympic Games • International Olympic Committee • International Chess Federation • World Mind Games

Pistorius Misses Last
Shot at Beijing

Amputee not selected for relay team

Jul 18, 08 9:22 AM CDT
(AP) - Double-amputee sprinter Oscar Pistorius was not chosen today to be on South Africa's Olympic team for Beijing. After failing to qualify for the 400 meters earlier, Pistorius was left off the 1,600-meter relay team, the AP reports. Four other South Africans had faster times, and two others were chosen... More »

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2012 London Olympics • South Africa • 2008 Beijing Olympics • Oscar Pistorius • amputees • sprinters

India's Growing Riches Buoy Olympic Hopes

Billionaire bankrolls effort to increase
medal haul in 2012

Jul 9, 08 7:59 PM CDT
(Newser) - India is not a nation known for its Olympic prowess—it's never even won more than two medals in one Games—but Indian billionaire Lakshmi Mittal wants to change all that, the Christian Science Monitor reports. The Mittal Champions Trust is spending millions to train and prepare India's elite—often... More »

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sports • India • 2012 London Olympics • athlete • Lakshmi Mittal

For Sale: Stadium Seating,
Lightly Used

London Olympic planners eye passing along parts of arena

May 27, 08 10:45 AM CDT
(Newser) - If Chicago wins its bid to host the 2016 Olympic Games, it might follow more closely in London 2012's footsteps than expected. The cities have begun discussing the possible sale of large parts of London's new stadium to Chicago, the Guardian reports. The deal could result in 55,000 seats... More »

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recycling • 2012 London Olympics • stadium • Chicago Olympics • stadium financing

Bladerunner Sets Sights on 2012 Olympics

Training delayed, Pistorius thinks London more realistic than '08

May 20, 08 7:13 AM CDT
(Newser) - Double-amputee sprinter Oscar Pistorius finally got the go-ahead to compete in the Olympics, but it took so long the 21-year-old Paralympic world record holder who runs on carbon fiber blades says he may not be able to make the cut for Beijing, and the London Olympics now appear more realistic.... More »

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2012 London Olympics • 2008 Beijing Olympics • Oscar Pistorius • Paralympics • bladerunner

Brits 'Duped' Over Olympic Pricetag

Government slammed after projected
costs soar $10B

Apr 22, 08 3:00 AM CDT
(Newser) - The projected pricetag of the 2012 Olympic games in London has more than doubled to $18 billion since the city was picked as host three years ago—and the British  government is being accused of deliberately low-balling estimates to sell the event to the public, the Guardian reports. A public... More »

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London • United Kingdom • British Parliament • 2012 London Olympics • Ken Livingstone

British PM Won't Attend Olympic Opening

Brown insists he's not boycotting, will go to closing ceremony

Apr 9, 08 3:36 PM CDT
(Newser) - British PM Gordon Brown will not attend the Beijing Olympics’ opening ceremony, the BBC reports, though his office made clear it was not a boycott. Brown said he never intended to go to the opening and emphasized that that he will be present at the closing ceremony for the torch... More »

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United Kingdom • Gordon Brown • 2012 London Olympics • 2008 Beijing Olympics • Britain • Olympic boycotts

Tibet Protests Could Snuff Olympic Torch's UK Visit

April 6 stop in London will test police readiness, set tone for rest of tour

Mar 21, 08 2:38 PM CDT
(Newser) - The Olympic torch will pass through London on April 6, meeting major protests over China's human-rights abuses in Tibet and other causes. The visit will test how disruptive political forces could be on the Summer Games—and how well British security forces are preparing for the 2012 London Olympics, the... More »

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Darfur • London • human rights • 2012 London Olympics • 2008 Beijing Olympics • Tibet • Burma • Olympic torch • political demonstrations • activists

1 - 20 of 24 Stories | 1 2 Next >>


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