US Senator Joe Biden Calls for Full Withdrawal of Turkish Troops from
Northern Cyprus

Nicosia, Sep 4 - US Senator Joe Biden, running mate of Democratic
presidential candidate Barack Obama and an experienced diplomat, has called
for the "full withdrawal" of Turkish troops from northern Cyprus in an
interview posted on ''Kathimerini'' on- line edition.

Mr. Biden, chairman of the Senate's Foreign Relations Committee - who has
referred to the Cyprus occupation as an "anomaly" - told Kathimerini that
Washington's relations with Ankara "will be influenced by how the Cyprus
problem is solved, namely by the full withdrawal of Turkey, and from how
Greek and Turkish differences in the Aegean are settled."

Nicholas Paphitis, THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
ATHENS, Greece - A priceless gold wreath has been unearthed in an
ancient city in northern Greece, buried with human bones in a large
copper vase that workers initially took for a landmine.

Rest of story:
http://technology.sympatico.msn.ca/Ancient+gold+treasure+found+in+northern+Greece...

CYPRIOT FOOTBALL TEAMS - CHAMPIONS LEAGUE

Cypriot football clubs, Omonia and APOEL of Nicosia, qualified to UEFA
Cup`s first round after knocking out Greek AEK and Serbia`s Crvena
Zvezda Belgrade (Red Star), sparking a continued round of celebrations,
after Anorthosis Famagusta FC triumph to become the first Cypriot club
to compete in the Champions League group stage.

Omonia and APOEL will participate in today`s first round draw in
Monaco, comprising 80 teams who will play two legs to form the 40 clubs
that make up the group stage.

ANORTHOSIS - CHAMPIONS LEAGUE

Cypriot football champion Anorthosis Famagusta FC has become the first
Cypriot team to qualify for the UEFA Champions League group stage.

Anorthosis, a refugee club from Famagusta under Turkish occupation
since 1974, lost Wednesday night 0 - 1 to Olympiakos Piraeus, during
the second leg against the Greek champion, but succeeded in qualifying
for the Champions League groups after beating 3-0 the Greek team in the
first leg.

Fernando Belluschi scored the only goal at 54` in the packed Georgios
Karaiskaki Stadium in Athens.

Anorthosis held firm and celebrated in the end an unprecedented success
for Cypriot football.

The Cypriot team returned home the same night to a hero`s welcome as
thousands of jubilant supporters cheered their team at Larnaca
airport.

The chartered flight landed at the airport in the early hours of
Thursday.

"choro" tvco.net> wrote in message
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IOC wants proof of gymnasts ages

BEIJING, Aug. 22 (UPI) -- The International Olympic Committee has requested
an investigation into reports that China used underage gymnasts during the
Games, The New York Times reported.

To compete in the Olympics, a gymnast must have become 16 years old during
the year in which the Games are held. The Times said it had unearthed online
records indicating that half the Chinese women's team -- He Kexin, Yang
Yilin and Jiang Yuyuan -- were underage.

The newspaper said the IOC had asked the international governing body for
the sport of gymnastics to make inquiries of Chinese officials and make a
report before the end of the Olympics. The closing ceremonies will be held
Sunday.

China won the women's team gymnastics gold medal and He won gold in the
uneven bars. Yang won bronze medals in the all-around and the uneven bars.

Chinese officials previously produced passports indicating the gymnasts are
of a proper age.

"We had been given some more information and thought that this information
was concerning enough to go to the Chinese gymnastic federation have a
thorough discussion about it," said IOC spokeswoman Emmanuelle Moreau.

OVERSEAS CYPRIOTS - CYPRUS QUESTION - RESOLUTION

The overseas Cypriots have reiterated their determination to intensify
their efforts until the final solution of the Cyprus problem.

This was stated in a resolution adopted here by the overseas Cypriots,
in the framework of the22nd Conference of the Central Council of the
World Federation for Overseas Cypriots (POMAK) and the International
Coordinating Committee Justice for Cyprus (PSEKA), and the 4th
Conference of the World Organisation for Young Overseas Cypriots
(NEPOMAK).

By the resolution, the overseas Cypriots expressed unreserved support
to the struggle carried out by the people of Cyprus for national and
physical survival of Cyprus``. They also welcomed the agreements
achieved by the leaders of the two communities in Cyprus, and
especially, the 25 July 2008 agreement for the beginning of
full-fledged negotiations on September 3``, with the aim to reach a
mutually accepted solution to the Cyprus problem.

China Olympic ceremony star mimed
By Michael Bristow
BBC News, Beijing

A pretty girl who won national fame after singing at the opening ceremony of
the Olympic Games was only miming.

Wearing a red dress and pigtails, Lin Miaoke charmed a worldwide audience
with a rendition of "Ode to the Motherland".

But the singer was Yang Peiyi, who was not allowed to appear because she is
not as "flawless" as nine-year-old Lin.

The show's musical director said Lin was used because it was in the best
interests of the country.

The revelation follows news that a fireworks display used during the opening
ceremony was apparently faked.

'Smiling angel'

Speaking on Beijing Radio station, musical director Chen Qigang said the
organisers needed a girl with both a good image and a good voice.

They faced a dilemma because although Lin was prettier, seven-year-old Yang
had the better voice, Mr Chen said.

Olympics Opening Ceremony Fireworks 'Faked' on TV

By Brian X. Chen August 11, 2008 | 2:01:56 PM

http://blog.wired.com/gadgets/2008/08/olympics-openin.html

As incredible as the Olympics opening ceremony fireworks looked on our
television screens, it's disheartening to learn that some of what we saw was
a computer-generated illusion.

The Telegraph picked up a story in the Chinese newspaper the Beijing Times
which explained that filming the 29 firework "footprints" from the air would
have been impossible. So visual effects artists spent a year creating a
computer-graphic simulation -- inserted precisely at the same time the real
fireworks went off -- to bedazzle home viewers as if they were at the actual
ceremony. The fireworks themselves were real enough, but if you were
watching on TV, what you saw was a CG simulation of that reality, happening
in real-time. Confused yet?

According to the report, the only real fireworks TV viewers got to see were
those filmed from inside the Bird's Nest. Kind of a downer, isn't it? It's
OK, Cai Guo-Qiang. We still think you're cool. You just need better
videographers.

Bikers mark 1996 Cyprus killings

Famagusta Gazette 11.AUG.08

Police turned out in force on Sunday as bikers from across Cyprus descended
on Dherinya to remember Tassos Issac and Solomos Solomou, who were murdered
in the buffer zone twelve years ago.

Scores of riders, wearing t-shirts displaying the faces of Isaac and
Solomou, made their way past Dherinya police station to the dusty outcrop
where the killings occurred.

Officers on foot, bikes and in cars patrolled the area in case of any
violence.

Sunday's gathering marked one of the darkest periods in recent Cyprus
history.

Tassos Isaac lost his life on August 11 1996 during an anti-occupation
protest in Dherinya.

Isaac was trying to escape a Turkish mob, including members of the Turkish
occupation authorities when he became entangled in barbed wire and was
clubbed and stoned to death by his assailants, some of them from the
notorious Grey Wolves movement.