Spanish MotoGP rider DANI PEDROSA "has extended his contract with the Repsol Honda factory team through '16." In addition, 31-year-old NINA PRINZ "will make her Moto2 debut this weekend." Prinz "will become the second German woman to compete for world championship points" after KATJA POENSGEN (KURIER, 7/9). ... Former Belgian National Olympic Committee Secretary General GUIDO DE BONDT "received the Olympic Order in a ceremony at IOC headquarters" on Tuesday (AROUND THE RINGS, 7/8). ... Prior to Wednesday's semifinal match between Argentina and the Netherlands, a minute of silence was held for former Real Madrid player ALFREDO DI STÉFANO, who died Monday at age 88. Players for both teams "also wore black armbands to honor the memory of Di Stéfano" (EFE, 7/9). ... British cyclist CHRIS FROOME's "attempt to win a second successive Tour de France ended in bitter disappointment" on Wednesday when he crashed out on stage five. On a "miserable wet day" in northern France, Froome "did not even make it to the notorious cobbled sections as his second fall of the day, following another painful spill on Tuesday, led to him quitting after less than a week of his attempted defence" (REUTERS, 7/9). ... South Korean national football team coach HONG MYUNG-BO "is expected to step down." Hong "had expressed his willingness to resign after South Korea's group-stage exit" from the World Cup, but the Korea FA "persuaded him to lead the team until the Asian Cup to be held in Australia in January" (KOREA TIMES, 9/7). ... Former NBA player YAO MING is working with top American and Chinese officials to "stamp out global trade in endangered species and their parts." Yao "focused much of his efforts against shark fin consumption and elephant ivory use." U.S. Secretary of State JOHN KERRY joined him in Beijing on Tuesday (AP, 7/9).
OLE JOURNALIST KILLED: Argentine newspaper Ole reporter JORGE LÓPEZ died following a car accident early Wednesday morning in Sao Paulo. He was riding in a taxi that "crashed into a vehicle driven by thieves who were trying to elude police." The driver of López's taxi "suffered a shoulder injury." The three "delinquents in the car that crashed into the taxi were detained by police." Just "a few hours earlier, López had been interviewing" Argentine Manager ALEJANDRO SABELLA (OLE, 7/9).
