MUCH WENLOCK, England, July 12 (Reuters) – A medieval town
in rural England is revelling in the Olympics as a
long-forgotten story about how this remote community inspired
the modern Games receives global recognition — and could
possibly put Much Wenlock on the tourist map.

Although Athens is usually cited as the birthplace of the
modern Games, that honour lies with Much Wenlock, a picture
perfect 700-year-old English town in the county of Shropshire
that boasts winding streets, traditional white-and-black timber
beamed houses, limestone cottages and even an Abbey ruin.

OXFORD, England (Reuters) – Quidditch players riding broomsticks tagged on to the Olympics on Monday, acknowledging the game adapted from the Harry Potter series was for nerds but arguing that it was a legitimate sport worthy of being in the Olympics.

Five teams of quidditch players from Britain, the United States, Canada, France and Australia, flew into England for the sport’s first major international tournament and to hold an exhibition match as the Olympic torch passed through Oxford, 95 kms north-west of London.

OXFORD, England, July 9 (Reuters) – Quidditch players riding
broomsticks tagged on to the Olympics on Monday, acknowledging
the game adapted from the Harry Potter series was for nerds but
arguing that it was a legitimate sport worthy of being in the
Olympics.

Five teams of quidditch players from Britain, the United
States, Canada, France and Australia, flew into England for the
sport’s first major international tournament and to hold an
exhibition match as the Olympic torch passed through Oxford, 95
kms north-west of London.

LONDON (Reuters) – Women boxers have claimed an early victory at the 2012 Olympics by knocking out the last all-male sport but the battle for sex equality at the Games rages on, and not just among women – male synchronized swimmers are also demanding equal rights.

London marks the first Olympics where women will compete in all 26 sports on offer, a major change from Stockholm 100 years ago when women could only participate in five of 110 events.

LONDON, July 5 (Reuters) – Women boxers have claimed an
early victory at the 2012 Olympics by knocking out the last
all-male sport but the battle for sex equality at the Games
rages on, and not just among women – male synchronized swimmers
are also demanding equal rights.

London marks the first Olympics where women will compete in
all 26 sports on offer, a major change from Stockholm 100 years
ago when women could only participate in five of 110 events.

LONDON (Reuters) – As top athletes gain followers ahead of the London Olympics, another elite group starring at the Games is also rising in popularity – Britain’s royal family – following a tradition for the Olympics to strengthen bonds between royalty and the people.

Queen Elizabeth, who is enjoying her highest level of public satisfaction in 20 years following her Diamond Jubilee celebrations this month, will open the Olympics on July 27 and her equestrian granddaughter, Zara Phillips, is competing.

LONDON, June 29 (Reuters) – As top athletes gain followers
ahead of the London Olympics, another elite group starring at
the Games is also rising in popularity – Britain’s royal family
- following a tradition for the Olympics to strengthen bonds
between royalty and the people.

Queen Elizabeth, who is enjoying her highest level of public
satisfaction in 20 years following her Diamond Jubilee
celebrations this month, will open the Olympics on July 27 and
her equestrian granddaughter, Zara Phillips, is competing.

LONDON (Reuters) – When Natasha Jonas took up boxing to lose weight seven years ago, she had no idea she was about to dramatically change her life and enter the history books as one of the first female Olympic boxers.

Within a month of pulling on gloves, Jonas had her first bout in the ring and it became clear she had talent.

LONDON, June 27 (Reuters) – When Natasha Jonas took up
boxing to lose weight seven years ago, she had no idea she was
about to dramatically change her life and enter the history
books as one of the first female Olympic boxers.

Within a month of pulling on gloves, Jonas had her first
bout in the ring and it became clear she had talent.

THIMPHU (Reuters) – Bhutan’s capital of Thimphu may be the only world capital without a traffic light, but the largest city in this remote Himalayan kingdom does boast some 5-star hotels, an increasing range of restaurants, and several nightclubs.

Bhutan, wedged between India and China, is known as the “Land of True Happiness” after adopting a happiness index to measure its success. The landlocked country was totally isolated until it opened to foreign visitors in 1974 – and then allowed television and the Internet in 1999.