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A false start, a hobble and the face of China's athletics walked away from the Bird's Nest, shattering billions of people's dream.

The look that brought tears to billions of eyes. Liu Xiang squirms in pain as he prepares for the men's 110-m hurdles heats at the Bird's Nest in Beijing yesterday. The ace hurdler pulled out of the race with an Achilles tendon injury, shattering China's only real gold medal dream in athletics. AP

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Since Aug 1, Beijing authorities have received 77 applications from people wishing to stage demonstrations, a spokesperson for the municipal public security bureau said yesterday.

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From 1988 to 2008, three generations of Chinese "diving queens" - Gao Min, Fu Mingxia and Guo Jingjing - dominated the women's springboard.

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• Games Results

Xie Deming does not have a ticket to any event of the 2008 Olympic Games, but he has found his own way of joining in the Olympic fervor in Beijing. And it costs him just 1 yuan (15 cents).

On August 12, a plan for reconstructing the areas struck by the May 12 earthquake in Wenchuan was released for public review. As the drafters of the plan put it, they welcome comments and suggestions from people in and out of the country.

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On Sunday, the third day of the Beijing Olympics, Japan's Hinomaru flag was hoisted on the central flagpole as the "Kimigayo" national anthem was played at the judo venue. Masato Uchishiba had just won gold for the men's 66-kilogram judo division and was standing on the podium's top spot to receive his medal.

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• From our archives

Han Li's cover is about to be blown!

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If you ask a Beijinger to recommend a cycling route that will take you by storied landmarks of history and culture, most will mention the celebrated bike paths winding through the famous Shichahai neighborhood. This area features picturesque Hehua Chi, or Lotus Lake, and allows cyclists a chance to disembark briefly for a boating trip on Houhai Lake or a bite at one of the many lakeside restaurants and bars.

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• Day-planner

"On the map of northeastern Asia regional economic cooperation, Heilongjiang province will play its roles as a great passageway, a labor reservoir and a prime tourism and investment destination," said Heilongjiang Governor Li Zhanshu.

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China is making great progress in reaching its goal of increasing its national grain output, aided by the accelerating development of agricultural technologies and innovations, experts said.

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Facing the threat of impeachment, Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf announced his resignation yesterday, ending almost a decade at the nation's helm.

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LONDON: Chelsea roared into the new English Premiership season in style on Sunday, thrashing Portsmouth 4-0 to open the Luiz Felipe Scolari era with a bang while titleholder Manchester United could only draw 1-1 at home to Newcastle.

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QINGDAO: Australian sailors Nathan Wilmot and Malcolm Page found Olympic redemption yesterday, winning a gold medal in the men's 470-class to make up for a medal wipeout at the 2004 Athens Games.

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