House Speaker John Boehner is rejecting the suggestion that the United States boycott the Winter Olympics in Sochi if Russia grants asylum to National Security Agency leaker Edward Snowden.
Tag Archives: Winter Olympics
Boston Marathon blasts put world's cities on alert
With more than 30 marathons being held this weekend alone and big events on the horizon, officials around the world are boosting security efforts in the wake of the fatal bomb blasts that shook Boston’s race.
Britain was it was making last-minute efforts to tighten measures for former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher‘s funeral on Wednesday at St. Paul’s Cathedral, which is to be attended by hundreds of diplomats and dignitaries, including Queen Elizabeth II and Price Harry.
Russian sports officials said Tuesday they will beef up security in preparation for the Winter Olympics and other events.
Police in some major U.S. cities were monitoring landmarks, government buildings, transit hubs and sporting events. Law enforcement agencies also urged the public via Twitter and Facebook to report suspicious activity to the police.
“No matter how many days, months or years pass without a major terrorist attack, it only takes one such attack to bring us back to the cruel reality,” Interpol chief Ron Noble told The Associated Press early Tuesday, saying police would be on high alert.
Although security has been increased at some U.S. and European landmarks, overall terror threat levels have remained unchanged — in contrast to other recent bombings and thwarted attacks in which terror threat levels were raised and travel advisories put in place.
“The (Boston) attacks mean that we will be assessing our security protocols,” said a British security official who spoke on condition of anonymity because he is not authorized to be publicly named. “There is some initial information coming out … but it is too early to draw any conclusions. There doesn’t appear at this point, however, to be a wider threat.”
Security was particularly tight for the big events in Britain, which has been at the heart of several terror attacks in the past decade, including suicide bombings in 2005 that killed 52 people. Several international terror plots have also been traced back to suspects in Britain.
Workers are inspecting some of the country’s 4.3 million CCTV cameras in high-traffic areas around London to ensure views are unobstructed and equipment is functioning. Workers in an underground bunker monitor the footage around the clock.
Boosting security may also include adding manpower, increasing air visibility and securing public transport routes. Police and counter-terrorism officials are also aggressively monitoring
From: http://feeds.foxnews.com/~r/foxnews/world/~3/y8zprTEMfnU/
Olympics: Illegal dump tarnishes 'green' Sochi Games
Away from the construction bustle of Sochi’s Olympic Park, where Russia will host the Winter Olympics next February, residents of a small community north of central Sochi have seen only the filthy side of preparations. …read more
Source: FULL ARTICLE at Phys.org
Kopitars lead Slovenia to first Olympic berth
For the first time in the country’s history, Slovenia will be playing in the Winter Olympics men’s hockey tournament.
The Slovenians clinched an Olympic berth on Friday with a shocking 2-1 win over host country Denmark, giving the Slovenians a… …read more
Source: FULL ARTICLE at NHL
Crime War Brews in City Hosting Winter Olympics
By Neal Colgrass A subtropical city already seems like an odd choice for the Winter Olympics. Now fears of an all-out mafia war are rising in Russia‘s host city for the 2014 games, the Guardian reports. The assassination of top mobster Aslan Usoyan in January left a power vacuum in Sochi, a pretty…
Source: FULL ARTICLE at Newser – Great Finds