Valverde set to miss Tour after Italy ban

ROME: Spanish cyclist Alejandro Valverde, the world's top-ranked rider last year, is poised to miss July's Tour de France after he was banned from racing in Italy for two years by an Italian anti-doping tribunal on Monday.

IN BRIEF (Page 24)

Icons and images

A year after the devastating earthquake that left nearly 90,000 people dead or missing, China Daily reporters check out how the quake victims are doing today - and chronicle the lives of those whose names became synonymous with courage and determination

Jiang Yuhang Repaying the favor

Jiang Yuhang vividly recalls spotting the firefighters last year, glimpses of their orange uniform flashing through the cracks of debris that separated him from salvation.

Fueled by saving others

Zhou Qingyang was not surprised to find the man he had saved from last year's quake working side by side with him.

Beichuan county

Lin hao Hero's starring role

At first glance, he seems like any other 10-year-old boy who's fallen asleep on an airport-bound bus. Nudged from his dreams, he yawns, almost starts to pout - until fellow passengers produce cellphones and begin snapping pictures. He quickly rouses himself and responds with big, friendly smiles.

School tries to move on

Each time Tan Guoqiang raises his eyes to the picture hanging on the wall of his office, the principal sees the beaming faces of his 437 pupils and teachers.

Yingxiu township

Xue xiao 'Cola boy' Full of fizz

After being trapped for 80 hours underneath the rubble of a school building, Xue Xiao uttered two sentences that he has been reminded of every day since the Sichuan earthquake.

A man for all disasters

Chen Yan has had a lot to handle during the recent run-up to the first anniversary of the earthquake in Wenchuan.

Hanwang township