Tag Archives: summer

Disgraced Chambers has Bolt in his sights

Controversial British sprinter Dwain Chambers has set his sights on a world championships showdown against Usain Bolt in Berlin later this summer. Chambers tested positive for the anabolic steroid Tetrahydrogestrinone (THG) in 2003 as part of the BALCO scandal in the United States, but has re-launched his track and field career after serving a two-year ban. By winning the European 60 meters indoor title earlier this year in the second fastest time in history, Chambers showed he is in prime form before heading for a warm weather training camp in California

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The Scene: ‘Trek’ actors dive onto Vulcan

Acclaimed filmmaker J.J. Abrams was presented with a specific challenge when he agreed to direct this summer’s highly anticipated prequel to the phenomenally successful sci-fi franchise, "Star Trek." He had to figure out a way to include action that would please a modern audience and utilize current movie-making techniques — while still having everything ring true with characters that fans know extremely well. He answers this call throughout his film

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A War No Longer on Autopilot: What if Iraq Unravels?

The signature shift in President Barack Obama’s handling of the wars he inherited from the Bush Administration has been to reverse their order of priority. The campaign against the Taliban and al-Qaeda in Afghanistan and Pakistan has eclipsed the stabilization of Iraq in Washington’s focus, which is hardly surprising given the trend lines in the two wars

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Boxing Champ Manny Pacquiao

Millions danced in the streets and a national holiday was announced by Philippines President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo to mark the latest victory of the island nation’s great 21st century hero: boxing great Manny Pacquiao. The fighter also known as “Pac-Man” won in a knockout, beating British boxer Ricky “the Hitman” Hatton on May 2 and becoming the International Boxing Organization and Ring Magazine World Light Welterweight champion. It was a world record–tying sixth division title and fourth consecutive win in a different weight class

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U.N. wary of second wave of swine flu

A shutdown of public venues in Mexico City is likely to be lifted by Wednesday, despite caution by U.N. health officials that a second wave of the swine flu virus could "strike with a vengeance." By early Monday, the number of cases worldwide stood at 985, with 26 deaths. Twenty-five deaths were reported in Mexico — the epicenter of the outbreak with 590 cases.

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Confirmed cases of H1N1 virus approach 900

The World Health Organization cautioned that the swine flu outbreak could gain momentum in the months ahead, despite claims by the health secretary of Mexico — the epicenter of the outbreak — that the virus "is in its declining phase." The outbreak is only about 10 days old, and even if the illness is declining, it could return, said Gregory Hartl, the WHO spokesman for epidemic and pandemic diseases, at a briefing Sunday. “I …

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Box Office Weekend: Hugh Is Huge

The first frame of the 2009 summer blockbuster season saw nice guys finish first, and second. On Thursday night Hugh Jackman was on The Daily Show, Matthew McConaughey on The Tonight Show, both playing the adoring dad with anecdotes about how cute and flirtatious their young sons are. On Friday moviegoers started clogging the plexes to see these courtly musclemen in their signature roles: Jackman as a lupine superhero, McConaughey as a stud in need of fixing

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Wall Street Stock Research: Soon, Less Independent

The last time we realized the financial system had sold us out—this was way back in 2001/2002—one of the results was a half-a-billion-dollar settlement with Wall Street’s stock analysts. As you might recall, investment banks had a bad habit of issuing overly rosy opinions of companies, particularly the ones the banks were courting for other sorts of business. Twelve companies, including Merrill Lynch, Bear Stearns, Citigroup, Goldman Sachs, Lehman Brothers, J.P

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