Barcelona Mayor Xavier Trias believes that Munich declining to bid to host the 2022 Winter Olympics will "open doors" for Barcelona bidding to host the event in '26. Trias: "If Beijing hosts the 2022 Olympics, it will be good for us to bid to host in '26" (EL PERIODICO, 11/12). ... Authorities in Sochi "are embroiled in a battle with an unexpected vice: the theft of manhole covers by metal scavengers." Some 800 manhole covers "were stolen in the last couple of weeks, city officials said, most of them sold as scrap metal to any one of 20 recycling companies." Each day, 30 to 50 manhole covers "are stolen, forcing the city to spend money on new ones" (MOSCOW NEWS, 11/12). ... U.S. Ambassador to Georgia Richard Norland said that Georgia "seeks to take constructive steps in its relations with Russia." Norland said that the issue of Georgia's participation at the 2014 Sochi Olympics ''will be resolved later." Norland: "When coming to the issue of Georgia's participation at the Sochi Olympics, the decision about this will be made later, nearer to holding the games. Georgia's feelings are clear. However, in terms of regional security interests, the country seeks to take constructive steps" (TREND, 11/12).
