AP-APTN-1830 North America Prime News -Final Saturday, 13 February 2010 North America Prime News ++Canada Oly Memorial 02:00 AP Clients Only NEW Memorial, held after death of Georgian luge member Iraq Violence 01:31 AP Clients Only REPLAY Security tight after more attacks on Shiite pilgrims Canada Oly Highlights 06:08 Olympic Restrix Apply - Pls Check Script REPLAY Highlights of opening ceremony, IOC and Georgia reax re luger's death Afghanistan Marjah 01:12 AP Clients Only REPLAY AP embed pix of NATO offensive against Taliban +Afghanistan UK Operation 03:17 AP clients Only WRAP NATO troops offensive against Taliban ADDS reax Afghanistan Presser 3 01:30 AP Clients Only REPLAY NATO spokesman on military offensive against Taliban Dom Rep Bus 00:53 AP Clients Only REPLAY 11 dead, 15 injured after bus tumbles into ocean US Samoa 00:24 AP Clients Only REPLAY Graphic shows eye of tropical cyclone hitting territory Germany Dresden 02:16 AP Clients Only REPLAY Scuffles as Neo-Nazis and opponents mark WW2 anniversary ++Canada Oly Reax 03:22 See Script NEW International Luge Federation comments on death of luge rider B-u-l-l-e-t-i-n begins at 1830 GMT. APEX 02-13-10 1357EST -----------End of rundown----------- AP-APTN-1830: ++Canada Oly Memorial Saturday, 13 February 2010 STORY:++Canada Oly Memorial- NEW Memorial, held after death of Georgian luge member LENGTH: 01:59 FIRST RUN: 1830 RESTRICTIONS: AP Clients Only TYPE: English/Natsound SOURCE: AP TELEVISION STORY NUMBER: 636990 DATELINE: Whistler - 13 Feb 2010 LENGTH: 01:59 AP TELEVISION - AP CLIENTS ONLY SHOTLIST : 1. Wide of people in front of Olympic symbol 2. People looking at makeshift memorial to Georgian luge team member Nodar Kumaritashvili, who was killed on Friday 3. Close up of card and candles in memorial 4. Close up of candle being lit 5. Mid of woman placing candle in memorial 6. Close up of candle burning 7. People looking at memorial ++NIGHT SHOTS++ 8. SOUNDBITE (English) David Egydy, Olympic Games spectator : "We just came to this place to take a picture and we saw people putting candles and we just decided to buy two candles in memory of this guy." 9. Wide of village 10. People performing in village 11. Canadian flag waving 12. Various of crowd gathered to celebrate Olympics 13. Children seated 14. SOUNDBITE (English) Ken Bailey, Olympic Games spectator : "I think the best part of the evening is just the camaraderie and all of the flags and, most importantly, all of the red (shows Canadian flag on his glove)." 15. Various of crowd celebrating Olympics STORYLINE : Fans laid flowers and lit candles on Friday at a makeshift memorial for Georgian luger Nodar Kumaritashvili at Vancouver's Whistler resort. The 21-year-old was killed on Friday during a training run at Whistler's Olympic sliding course. Entering the final straight of a training run, Kumaritashvili died after smashing into an unpadded steel girder. Olympic fan David Egydy said he and his girlfriend were passing by and decided to pay tribute to the Georgian athlete. Organisers of the Winter Games dedicated Friday's opening ceremony to Kumaritashvili. Officials have since made changes to the luge track modifying the ice in the 16th curve and erecting a wooden wall to cover the row of steel beams running alongside the finish area. On Friday evening crowds of people were gathered in Whistler to celebrate the Games and watch the entertainment provided. One spectator Ken Bailey said he was enjoying the evening and the spirit of friendship the Games brought to Whistler. Clients are reminded: (i) to check the terms of their licence agreements for use of content outside news programming and that further advice and assistance can be obtained from the AP Archive on: Tel +44 (0) 20 7482 7482 Email: infoaparchive.com (ii) they should check with the applicable collecting society in their Territory regarding the clearance of any sound recording or performance included within the AP Television News service (iii) they have editorial responsibility for the use of all and any content included within the AP Television News service and for libel, privacy, compliance and third party rights applicable to their Territory. APTN APEX 02-13-10 1417EST ------------------- END -- OF -- ITEM ------------------- AP-APTN-1830: Iraq Violence Saturday, 13 February 2010 STORY:Iraq Violence- REPLAY Security tight after more attacks on Shiite pilgrims LENGTH: 01:31 FIRST RUN: 1130 RESTRICTIONS: AP Clients Only TYPE: Arabic/Nat SOURCE: AP TELEVISION STORY NUMBER: 636948 DATELINE: Various - 12/13 Feb 2010 LENGTH: 01:31 AP TELEVISION - AP CLIENTS ONLY SHOTLIST Najaf - 13 February 2010 1. Wide exterior of Imam Ali holy shrine in Najaf 2. Mid of dome and minaret of shrine 3. Various of Shiite pilgrims walking 4. Wide of police checkpoint 5. Police searching female pilgrims 6. Exterior of al Sadr teaching hospital in Najaf 7. Sign reading (Arabic): al Sadr Teaching Hospital 8. Various of injured man on hospital bed 9. Wide of injured men on beds 10. Various of injured boy sitting on bed 11. Zoom in on another injured boy lying on bed Kufa - 12 February 2010 ++NIGHT SHOTS++ 12. Pan of scene of blast 13. Close up of scattered clothes at scene 14. SOUNDBITE (Arabic) Faraj Ali, Eyewitness: "The first ambulance was full of injured people. Later two trucks came, each one loaded with approximately 15 injured. The second blast was very loud and the third was louder and I saw two injured people falling to the ground." 15. Ambulance driving through streets STORYLINE Security was tight in the holy city of Najaf on Saturday after a string of attacks on Shiite pilgrims travelling to the Iraqi city. Police checkpoints were set up on the roads into the southern city as the pilgrims arrived. On Friday six Shiite pilgrims were killed and at least 40 people wounded after three bombs exploded near the city of Kufa, according to the director of the Najaf medical centre. He said the bombs exploded on the road to Kufa, 100 miles (160 kilometres) south of Baghdad, one of the main routes to Najaf. The director said those killed were pilgrims walking to Najaf. Some of the injured, including children, were taken to the al-Sadr Teaching Hospital in Najaf. An eyewitness to the bomb blasts, Faraj Ali, said he saw emergency vehicles taking many injured people away from the scene. Clients are reminded: (i) to check the terms of their licence agreements for use of content outside news programming and that further advice and assistance can be obtained from the AP Archive on: Tel +44 (0) 20 7482 7482 Email: infoaparchive.com (ii) they should check with the applicable collecting society in their Territory regarding the clearance of any sound recording or performance included within the AP Television News service (iii) they have editorial responsibility for the use of all and any content included within the AP Television News service and for libel, privacy, compliance and third party rights applicable to their Territory. APTN APEX 02-13-10 1346EST ------------------- END -- OF -- ITEM ------------------- AP-APTN-1830: Canada Oly Highlights Saturday, 13 February 2010 STORY:Canada Oly Highlights- REPLAY Highlights of opening ceremony, IOC and Georgia reax re luger's death LENGTH: 06:08 FIRST RUN: 1030 RESTRICTIONS: Olympic Restrix Apply - Pls Check Script TYPE: English/French/Nat SOURCE: OLYMPIC MATERIAL STORY NUMBER: 636917 DATELINE: Vancouver - 12 Feb 2010 LENGTH: 06:08 SOURCE: IOC. RESTRICTIONS: Olympic Material is subject to full IOC copyright. All use of Olympic Material is strictly subject to the following restrictions: 1. Olympic Material may be used only as a part of regularly scheduled daily news programmes of which the actual news element constitutes the main feature "programmes". Programmes shall not be positioned or promoted as Olympic programmes. 2. 3 x 2 x 3 Non-Rights Holding Broadcast Organisations may use a total of six minutes of Olympic Material per day subject to the following provisions: a) Olympic Material may appear in no more than three programmes per day. b) No more than two minutes of Olympic Material may be used in any one programme. c) These programmes must be separated by a period of at least three hours. d) No more than one third of any individual event may be used in any one programme with a maximum broadcast time of 30 seconds for any individual event. 3. 6 x 1 x 2 In the case of an all-news network, the network may use Olympic Material during multiple news programmes, as long as a) the Olympic Material is used in accordance with Clause 2 (3 x 2 x 3). or b) in no more than six news programmes per day and does not exceed a total of one minute in any one programme. These bulletins must be separated by a period of at least two hours. The other provisions of clause 2 above continue to apply. 4. Should any fair dealing or similar provisions contained in any applicable national law permit the use by Non-Rights Holding Broadcast Organisations of any footage of previous Olympic Games, then such footage will be included in the total of six minutes per day. 5. Olympic Material may only be used for a period of 48 hours from the earliest time at which broadcast of such Olympic Material by the Non-Rights Holding Broadcast Organisations may begin. After such period, Non-Rights Holding Broadcast Organisations may only transmit archive Olympic Material with the express prior written agreement of the IOC. 6. Non-Rights Holding Broadcast Organisations may broadcast Olympic Material in accordance with the other conditions contained in these News Access Rules, as follows: a) The later of (i) immediately following the broadcast of an Olympic event by the local Rights Holding Broadcaster on free to air television in that territory, or (ii) such longer period of time after such broadcast that the Rights Holding Broadcaster may wish to impose in accordance with applicable national law. b) At the end of the broadcast day (i.e. 24:00 hours local time) if not broadcast by the local Rights Holding Broadcaster on free to air television in that territory on the day (local time) during which the Olympic event concluded. c) At such time as may be agreed by the Rights Holding Broadcaster for its particular territory and that particular Olympic event. d) Non-Rights Holding Broadcast Organisations can only transmit Olympic Material prior to these times with the specific written agreement with the local Rights Holder Broadcaster. 7. Non-Rights Holding Broadcast Organisations shall respect the following provisions: a) They shall not make available or provide Olympic Material to any third party. b) They shall ensure that no advertising, promotion, publicity or other message appears at the same time (be it superimposed or on a split screen or otherwise) as Olympic Material and/or at the same time as any other coverage of the Olympic Games which contains any Olympic imagery or Olympic marks. c) They shall ensure that no advertising or other message is placed before, during or after the broadcast of Olympic Material, in such a manner as to imply an association or connection between any third party, or third party's product or service, and Olympic Material or the Olympic Games. d) They must give an on screen credit to the Rights Holding Broadcaster in their particular territory during each broadcast of Olympic Material. The credit shall be in the form of leaving on the Rights Holding Broadcaster watermark, or, should the Olympic Material not be sourced through the Rights Holding Broadcaster, a super video credit of at least five seconds to read as follows: "Courtesy of (Name of Rights Holding Broadcaster)" 8. Any dispute, controversy or claim arising from or in connection with the execution or interpretation of these News Access Rules or breach thereof not resolved after exhaustion of the legal remedies established by the IOC and which cannot be settled amicably, shall be submitted exclusively to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) for final and binding arbitration in accordance with the Statute and Regulations of the CAS. The decisions of the CAS shall be final, binding and cannot be appealed. SHOTLIST: Vancouver 1. Various aerial shots of Vancouver and the BC Place Stadium. 2. Start of the 2010 Olympic Games opening ceremony Whistler 3. Various of snowboarder and people on mountain Vancouver 4. Snowboarder coming through Olympic Logo and welcoming world to Vancouver 2010 Winter Games 5. SOUNDBITE: (English) Jacques Rogge, IOC President "I now have the honour to ask the Right Honourable Michaelle Jean, Governor-General of Canada, to open the 21st Winter Olympic Games. Thank you." 6. Michaelle Jean, Governor-General of Canada, on stage 7. SOUNDBITE: (French/English) Michaelle Jean, Governor-General of Canada "I declare open the Games of Vancouver - celebrating the 21st Olympic Winter Games." 8. Various of the torch ceremony to light the Olympic Flame 9. SOUNDBITE: (English) Jacques Rogge, IOC President "This is a very sad day. The IOC is in deep mourning. Here you have a young athlete who lost his life in pursuing his passion. He had a dream to participate in the Olympic Games, he trained hard and he had this fatal accident. I have no words to say what we feel." 10. Mid of news conference Whistler 11. Nodar Kumaritashvili of Georgia at the start during the first training day for the men's singles luge Vancouver 12. SOUNDBITE: (English) John Furlong, Chief Executive of the Vancouver Organising Committee (VANOC): (++PART OVERLAID OVER PREVIOUS SHOT++) "Nodar Kumaritashvili came to Canada with hopes and dreams that this would be a magnificent occasion in his life. I'm told by members of his federation that he was an incredibly spirited young person. He came here to be able to feel what it is like to be able to call yourself an Olympian." Whistler 13. Various of Kumaritashvili completing his fifth practice run Vancouver 14. SOUNDBITE: (English) John Furlong, Chief Executive of the Vancouver Organising Committee (VANOC): (++SOUNDBITE STARTS OVER PREVIOUS SEQUENCE++) "We are heartbroken beyond words. To be sitting here, I am so sorry to be in this position, to be reporting this to you. It's not something I had prepared for, or ever thought I would need to be prepared for. My team has been devastated by this and our thoughts and prayers are now with Nodar's family, his friends and the athletes from Georgia and we turn now to do everything we can to assist then, to support them, to help them in the most Canadian way that we can." 15. SOUNDBITE: (English) Nikolos Rurua, Georgian Minister for Culture and Sport "As to the questions of the Georgian team's participation in the Olympics, you know, during the Summer Olympics in 2008 in Beijing, Georgia was invaded by Russia and our team, despite of that fact, persevered and stayed and competed and won several medals in Beijing. So, our sportsmen and our athletes decided to be loyal to the spirit of the Olympic games and they will compete and dedicate their performance to their fallen comrade." Whistler 16. STILL: Nodar Kumaritashvili (fades to black) STORYLINE: The opening ceremony of the XXI Olympic Winter Games took place on Friday after a spectacular show in Vancouver - but the first day of the Winter Games didn't turn out as the organisers hoped, or planned. With just hours to go before the opening ceremony, Nodar Kumaritashvili, a 21-year-old luger from Georgia, was killed after he lost control of his sled on the infamously fast track at Whistler and crashed into a steel pole. Tributes followed from an emotional Jacques Rogge, the IOC President, John Furlong, the Chief Executive of the Vancouver Organising Committee (VANOC). Nikolos Rurua, Georgian Minister for Culture and Sport said that the Georgian Olympic team would remain at the Games and will "dedicate their performance to their fallen comrade." It had been billed as a spectacular opening ceremony, but by the time the pyrotechnics and stage show began, the nation was already in mourning following Kumaritashvili's death. As an estimated global audience of more than a (b) billion watched the event, with the theme a "landscape of a dream," the audience was transported across Canada, from the Prairies to the peaks of mountain tops, the depths of the ocean, and through its varied seasons as the BC Place Stadium was transformed into many different landscapes. The night's celebrations had started with a daring jump by snowboarder Johnny Lyall through a giant set of Olympic Rings - after the live audience had been engaged in the dramatic countdown to the start of the ceremony. Then more than 2,600 athletes from 82 National Olympic Committees entered the stadium, led by their country's flagbearer. Out of respect for Kumaritashvili, flags were lowered to half-mast during the opening ceremony and the Georgian National Olympic Committee and its athletes wore black armbands and a black mark was placed on the Georgian flag to symbolise their mourning. Rogge, on behalf of the IOC, International Federations (IF) and VANOC, then asked Michaelle Jean, Governor General of Canada to officially declare the XXI Olympic Winter Games open. Next came the symbolic lighting of the Olympic Flame. Rick Hansen, Canada's 'Man in Motion', passed off the flame to Catriona LeMay Doan (multiple Olympic gold medallist in speed skating) who, along with Steve Nash (Olympian and National Basketball Association MVP), Nancy Greene Raine (Olympic gold medallist in alpine skiing) and Wayne Gretzky (one of the most celebrated ice hockey players) lit a contemporary cauldron that emerged from the field of play. Despite the fact that one of four pillars supporting the Olympic cauldron, due to be lit by LeMay Doan, failed to rise to the occasion and emerge from the floor's trap-door, Gretzky started the ignition of the 9.7-metre (32-foot) structure and the flame spread as planned. To ensure the Olympic Flame burns for the full 17 days of the Games, an external cauldron was also lit by Gretzky who carried the flame from BC Place to the Vancouver waterfront. Then Rogge's thoughts turned to back to the late Kumaritashvili, and he described the IOC as being in "deep mourning". Georgia has seven other athletes entered in the games; including three freestyle skiers and another men's luger, Levran Guereshidze. The 2010 Olympic Winter Games run in Vancouver and Whistler from February 12th to 28th, 2010. The same locations will then host the Paralympic Winter Games which run from from March 12th to 21st, 2010. Clients are reminded: (i) to check the terms of their licence agreements for use of content outside news programming and that further advice and assistance can be obtained from the AP Archive on: Tel +44 (0) 20 7482 7482 Email: infoaparchive.com (ii) they should check with the applicable collecting society in their Territory regarding the clearance of any sound recording or performance included within the AP Television News service (iii) they have editorial responsibility for the use of all and any content included within the AP Television News service and for libel, privacy, compliance and third party rights applicable to their Territory. APTN APEX 02-13-10 1348EST ------------------- END -- OF -- ITEM ------------------- AP-APTN-1830: Afghanistan Marjah Saturday, 13 February 2010 STORY:Afghanistan Marjah- REPLAY AP embed pix of NATO offensive against Taliban LENGTH: 01:12 FIRST RUN: 1430 RESTRICTIONS: AP Clients Only TYPE: English/Natsound SOURCE: AP TELEVISION STORY NUMBER: 636977 DATELINE: Marjah - 13 Feb 2010 LENGTH: 01:12 PLEASE IGNORE SCRIPT SENT EARLIER AND REPLACE WITH FOLLOWING, WHICH UPDATES STORYLINE WITH DEATHS OF NATO TROOPS AP TELEVISION - AP CLIENTS ONLY ++PLEASE NOTE THIS FOOTAGE WAS SHOT BY A CAMERAMAN EMBEDDED WITH THE US MILITARY AND SUBJECT TO US MILITARY RESTRICTIONS++ SHOTLIST 1. Wide of US soldiers moving in file across outskirts of town 2. Wide of heavily-armed US soldiers moving into town 3. Close-up of US soldier carrying rifle, standing still in town 4. Wide of US soldier with rifle outside mud-built home in town 5. Close-up of US soldier smoking whilst looking through rifle sights 6. Wide of US soldier on guard, sheltering against rock formation 7. SOUNDBITE (English) Lieutenant Ryan Engle, US army "It was an early day today but 3-6 Lima Company, we came into the north west area of Marjah and took this intersection of the canals. It was limited resistance. No real resistance - much less than was expected. We did find several IEDs and bombs and things like that." 8. UPSOUND (English) Corporal John Beatley, US army talking to local via interpreter "Tell the Taliban that they are not welcome in this area anymore. Tell him that we are here now and we want to help them get their freedom back." 9. SOUNDBITE (English) Corporal John Beatley, US army "We are here in Marjah, Afghanistan. It's the first time American forces have been over here in a while. We are here to get rid of the Taliban and give the people of Marjah their freedom back." 10. Wide of US soldiers resting by low wall, one of them appearing to be unwell 11. Close-up of US soldier being unwell STORYLINE Thousands of US marines and Afghan soldiers stormed the Taliban stronghold of Marjah by air and ground on Saturday, meeting only scattered resistance but facing a daunting thicket of bombs and booby traps that slowed the allied advance through the town. Thousands of British, US and Canadian troops also swept into Taliban areas to the north of Marjah, seeking to clear a wide swath of villages that had been under militant control for several years. The massive offensive was aimed at establishing Afghan government authority over the biggest southern town under militant control and breaking the Taliban grip over a wide area of their southern heartland. The NATO commander of forces in southern Afghanistan said coalition and Afghan troops, aided by 60 helicopters, made a "successful insertion" into Marjah in southern Helmand province and added the operation was going "without a hitch". Lieutenant Ryan Engle of the US army's 3-6 Lima Company was among the troops who entered Marjah. He said his men encountered "no real resistance" but "did find several IEDs and bombs and things like that". Two NATO troops have been killed in the coalition offensive. A NATO statement said one service member died in an IED strike, while another died from small-arms fire. It gave no further details on their nationalities. They are the first reported coalition casualties from the offensive At least 20 insurgents were reported killed in the Helmand operation, according to the commander of Afghan forces in the region, who added that troops recovered Kalashnikov rifles, heavy machine guns and grenades from 11 insurgents captured so far. A Taliban spokesman on Saturday dismissed the NATO accounts of the offensive as "propaganda" and insisted the insurgents were still resisting the allied assault and that Marjah remained under their control. Speaking to The Associated Press by telephone, the spokesman declined to say how many Taliban fighters remained in the town. The few civilians who ventured out to talk to the coalition forces in Marjah said Taliban fighters were falling back deeper into the town, perhaps to try to regroup and mount harassment attacks to prevent the government from rushing in aid and public services - a key step in the operation. The long-awaited assault on Marjah is the biggest offensive since the 2001 US-led invasion of Afghanistan and is a major test of a new NATO strategy focused on protecting civilians. The attack is also the first major combat operation since President Barack Obama ordered 30-thousand US reinforcements in December to try to turn the tide of the war. Clients are reminded: (i) to check the terms of their licence agreements for use of content outside news programming and that further advice and assistance can be obtained from the AP Archive on: Tel +44 (0) 20 7482 7482 Email: infoaparchive.com (ii) they should check with the applicable collecting society in their Territory regarding the clearance of any sound recording or performance included within the AP Television News service (iii) they have editorial responsibility for the use of all and any content included within the AP Television News service and for libel, privacy, compliance and third party rights applicable to their Territory. APTN APEX 02-13-10 1356EST ------------------- END -- OF -- ITEM ------------------- AP-APTN-1830: +Afghanistan UK Operation Saturday, 13 February 2010 STORY:+Afghanistan UK Operation- WRAP NATO troops offensive against Taliban ADDS reax LENGTH: 03:17 FIRST RUN: 1630 RESTRICTIONS: AP clients Only TYPE: English/Nat SOURCE: MoD STORY NUMBER: 636987 DATELINE: Marjah/London - 13 Feb 2010 LENGTH: 03:17 UK MINISTRY OF DEFENCE - AP CLIENTS ONLY (FIRST RUN 0630 ASIA PRIME NEWS - 13 FEBRUARY 2010) UK MINISTRY OF DEFENCE - AP CLIENTS ONLY Near Marjah, Afghanistan - 13 February 2010 ++NIGHT SHOTS++ 1. Night vision of helicopters flying overhead, during launch of "Operation Moshtarak" 2. Various night vision shots of joint forces launching the assault ++NEW (FIRST RUN 1630 EUROPE PRIME NEWS - 13 FEBRUARY 2010) UK MINISTRY OF DEFENCE - AP CLIENTS ONLY London, UK - 13 February 2010 3. SOUNDBITE: (English) Major General Gordon Messenger, British Army Officer: "We've certainly dislocated the Taliban in those areas but no one is suggesting they've been defeated, that they have permanently put down their weapons. They remain a threat and the guys in the ground will be very alert to that in the days ahead." Question: So what's been achieved? "Well so far we have successfully secured the areas militarily. What's important now is what happens next. We don't conduct military operations for the sake of military operations, and it's not just about us versus the Taliban. So what happens next is engaging with the locals, providing some immediate support to the locals and following it up with more substantial projects that essentially mean that the Afghan people there start to look to the Afghan government for their support and succour." (FIRST RUN 0930 AMERICAS PRIME NEWS - 13 FEBRUARY 2010) UK MINISTRY OF DEFENCE - AP CLIENTS ONLY Near Marjah, Afghanistan - 13 February 2010 4. Various of soldiers walking 5. Helicopter flying 6. Soldiers seen in darkness 7. Lights of helicopter seen flying over 8. Various of soldiers seen walking in darkness 9. Head of Task Force in Helmand Brigadier James Cowan addressing troops 10. SOUNDBITE: (English) Brigadier James Cowan, Head of Task Force in Helmand; "It's about numbers and those numbers come from a number of different sources. First of all British government has increased the size of our force, as you know, before Christmas, secondly, the McChrystal reinforcements approved by President Obama, and third and perhaps most importantly, the numbers of Afghan soldiers now being recruited, and here in Helmand the opening of the Helmand police training centre. We're training 500 new policemen every eight weeks. So this is about numbers. I think some people worry that numbers, more soldiers equals more casualties. Actually it's the other way around. The more you have the more you can suppress the enemy and the fewer the casualties you take." 11. Various of crowds of troops listening STORYLINE More than 1,000 U.K. troops participating in a NATO offensive against the Taliban in southern Afghanistan have secured their objectives amid scattered resistance, a British military spokesman said on Saturday. Major General Gordon Messenger told reporters at Britain's Ministry of Defence that the British forces "have successfully secured the area militarily" with only sporadic resistance from Taliban forces. He said "low numbers" of rebels had been killed during the attacks - but that efforts by British troops in the area of Chah-e-Anjir had been successful. But he added that the Taliban were still a threat. "No one is suggesting they've been defeated, that they have permanently put down their weapons. They remain a threat and the guys in the ground will be very alert to that in the days ahead." British troops are among the thousands of NATO and Afghan soldiers who stormed the Taliban stronghold of Marjah by air and ground Saturday. The massive offensive is aimed at establishing Afghan government authority over the biggest southern town under militant control and breaking the Taliban grip over a wide area of their southern heartland. Messenger said the assault had so far had gone well as it could have done but added that everyone understood the hard part came next in reassuring the public. "What happens next is engaging with the locals, providing some immediate support to the locals and following it up with more substantial projects that essentially mean that the Afghan people there start to look to the Afghan government for their support and succour," he said. He was unable to say whether British forces suffered any casualties in the advance. In a separate incident one British soldier from the 1st Battalion Grenadier Guards was killed by an explosion while on vehicle patrol in Nad-e-Ali District of Helmand province, the Ministry of Defence said. Clients are reminded: (i) to check the terms of their licence agreements for use of content outside news programming and that further advice and assistance can be obtained from the AP Archive on: Tel +44 (0) 20 7482 7482 Email: infoaparchive.com (ii) they should check with the applicable collecting society in their Territory regarding the clearance of any sound recording or performance included within the AP Television News service (iii) they have editorial responsibility for the use of all and any content included within the AP Television News service and for libel, privacy, compliance and third party rights applicable to their Territory. APTN APEX 02-13-10 1343EST ------------------- END -- OF -- ITEM ------------------- AP-APTN-1830: Afghanistan Presser 3 Saturday, 13 February 2010 STORY:Afghanistan Presser 3- REPLAY NATO spokesman on military offensive against Taliban LENGTH: 01:30 FIRST RUN: 1430 RESTRICTIONS: AP Clients Only TYPE: English/Nat SOURCE: AP TELEVISION STORY NUMBER: 636978 DATELINE: Kabul - 13 Feb 2010 LENGTH: 01:30 PLEASE IGNORE SCRIPT SENT EARLIER AND REPLACE WITH FOLLOWING, WHICH UPDATES STORYLINE WITH DEATHS OF NATO TROOPS AP TELEVISION - AP CLIENTS ONLY SHOTLIST 1. Wide of start of news conference 2. Mid of reporters and officials 3. Mid of Mark Sedwill, NATO spokesman and Afghan military official 4. SOUNDBITE: (English) Mark Sedwill, NATO spokesman: "The military phase of the operation, as you know, began today and so far the news from the ground appears to be positive, but we are only in the first day, and as these gentleman around me, with much more experience of military operations, will know one should never predict an outcome too early in an operation." 5. Close up of hand writing 6. SOUNDBITE: (English) Mark Sedwill, NATO spokesman: "I can't yet say how long it will take for this military phase to get to the point when we can bring in the civilian support from the Afghan government - we hope that will happen quickly - and that civilian support, the district development teams, is ready to go and is ready to come in on to the ground with the district governor under the leadership of the provincial government, meshing together the provincial and the national services on the ground as soon as the security situation there permits it and we hope that will be very shortly, but it would be wrong for me to predict an exact timeline at this stage." 7. Close up of miniature NATO flag on desk 8. Wide of news conference STORYLINE NATO officials were cautiously optimistic on Saturday following the start of a massive offensive aimed at establishing Afghan government authority over the biggest southern town under militant control and breaking the Taliban grip over a wide area of their southern heartland. Spokesman Mark Sedwill said that "so far the news from the ground appears to be positive" but added that "one should never predict an outcome too early in an operation." Earlier thousands of US Marines and Afghan soldiers stormed the Taliban stronghold of Marjah by air and ground, meeting only scattered resistance but facing a daunting thicket of bombs and booby traps that slowed the allied advance through the town. Thousands of British, U.S. and Canadian troops also swept into Taliban areas to the north of Marjah, seeking to clear a wide swath of villages that had been under Taliban control for several years. The massive offensive was aimed at establishing Afghan government authority over the biggest southern town under militant control and breaking the Taliban grip over a wide area of their southern heartland. Two NATO troops have been killed in the coalition offensive. A NATO statement said one service member died in an IED strike, while another died from small-arms fire. It gave no further details on their nationalities. They are the first reported coalition casualties from the offensive At least 20 militants have been reported killed in the Helmand operation, said General Sher Mohammad Zazai, the commander of Afghan forces in the region. The few civilians who ventured out to talk to the Marines said teams of Taliban fighters were falling back deeper into the town, perhaps to try to regroup and mount harassment attacks to prevent the government from rushing in aid and public services - a key step in the operation. Sedwill said on Saturday that it was not clear when the civilian part of the operation could begin. "Civilian support, the district development teams, is ready to go and is ready to come in on to the ground with the district governor under the leadership of the provincial government ... and we hope that will be very shortly." The long-awaited assault on Marjah is the biggest offensive since the 2001 U.S.-led invasion of Afghanistan and is a major test of a new NATO strategy focused on protecting civilians. The attack is also the first major combat operation since US President Barack Obama ordered 30,000 U.S. reinforcements in December to try to turn the tide of the war. Clients are reminded: (i) to check the terms of their licence agreements for use of content outside news programming and that further advice and assistance can be obtained from the AP Archive on: Tel +44 (0) 20 7482 7482 Email: infoaparchive.com (ii) they should check with the applicable collecting society in their Territory regarding the clearance of any sound recording or performance included within the AP Television News service (iii) they have editorial responsibility for the use of all and any content included within the AP Television News service and for libel, privacy, compliance and third party rights applicable to their Territory. APTN APEX 02-13-10 1345EST ------------------- END -- OF -- ITEM ------------------- AP-APTN-1830: Dom Rep Bus Saturday, 13 February 2010 STORY:Dom Rep Bus- REPLAY 11 dead, 15 injured after bus tumbles into ocean LENGTH: 00:53 FIRST RUN: 1730 RESTRICTIONS: AP Clients Only TYPE: Natsound SOURCE: AP TELEVISION STORY NUMBER: 636997 DATELINE: Santo Domingo - 13 Feb 2010 LENGTH: 00:53 ++AP Television - AP Clients Only++ SHOTLIST: ++NIGHT SHOTS++ 1. Various of bodies laid out on rocks near ladders being used as bridges 2. Various of crowd of rescuers at water's edge 3. People being pulled out of water 4. Close up of exhausted woman being pulled to shore 5. Wide of divers in water 6. Divers on shore 7. Wide of crowd on shore 8. Wide of person being pulled out of water STORYLINE: Eleven people died after a bus plunged into the ocean in the Dominican Republic late on Friday night, authorities said. At least eight women are among the dead, including one who was pregnant, a Civil Defence spokesman said. Fifteen people were seriously injured, he added. Authorities say the bus tumbled off Las Americas highway, which links the capital Santo Domingo with the island country's eastern region. Rescuers at the scene of the crash used ladders to create bridges across rocks allowing them to bring the bodies to shore. The rescue operation was conducted at night with flashlights and spotlights directed into the sea to assist rescuers. Divers pulled crying victims out of the water, while a crowd of onlookers watched from the shore. Authorities say the bus driver's assistant believes a broken steering rod may have caused the crash. Clients are reminded: (i) to check the terms of their licence agreements for use of content outside news programming and that further advice and assistance can be obtained from the AP Archive on: Tel +44 (0) 20 7482 7482 Email: infoaparchive.com (ii) they should check with the applicable collecting society in their Territory regarding the clearance of any sound recording or performance included within the AP Television News service (iii) they have editorial responsibility for the use of all and any content included within the AP Television News service and for libel, privacy, compliance and third party rights applicable to their Territory. APTN APEX 02-13-10 1354EST ------------------- END -- OF -- ITEM ------------------- AP-APTN-1830: US Samoa Saturday, 13 February 2010 STORY:US Samoa- REPLAY Graphic shows eye of tropical cyclone hitting territory LENGTH: 00:24 FIRST RUN: 1130 RESTRICTIONS: AP Clients Only TYPE: Mute SOURCE: NOAA STORY NUMBER: 636946 DATELINE: American Samoa - 13 Feb 2010 LENGTH: 00:24 NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION - AP CLIENTS ONLY SHOTLIST 1. Graphic showing eye of tropical cyclone hitting territory between approximately 0500-0800 GMT STORYLINE A Pacific storm with hurricane-force winds churned across sparsely populated islands of American Samoa on Saturday and took aim for the capital region of the US territory, still recovering from a deadly autumn tsunami. Tropical Cyclone Rene hit the Manu'a islands on Friday, before growing in strength with winds reaching 86 miles per hour (138 kph) and gusts to 103 miles per hour (166 kph) by late evening. Several Manu'a residents reached by phone by The Associated Press said the winds had been extremely strong but had not heard of any reports of injury. However, telephone links have been intermittent across the islands. Emergency officials in the capital reported that high winds had downed some trees and electrical lines. They said one death was indirectly caused by Rene - a 50-year-old man died on Friday after falling from a two-storey building while boarding it up to protect it from the storm. By 2300 local time Friday (1000 GMT Saturday), the storm was centred about 100 miles (161 kilometres) northeast of Pago Pago. The National Weather Service forecaster in Pago Pago said Rene swirled for a time around the Manu'a islands before it settled north, adding the capital region should begin feeling some of the storm's force before dawn on Saturday. Cyclone Heta, the last major cyclone to smash through the region, hit Samoa and American Samoa in January 2004, damaging more than 46-hundred homes in American Samoa, the American Red Cross said at the time. It also devastated up to 90 percent of the crops on Samoa. Clients are reminded: (i) to check the terms of their licence agreements for use of content outside news programming and that further advice and assistance can be obtained from the AP Archive on: Tel +44 (0) 20 7482 7482 Email: infoaparchive.com (ii) they should check with the applicable collecting society in their Territory regarding the clearance of any sound recording or performance included within the AP Television News service (iii) they have editorial responsibility for the use of all and any content included within the AP Television News service and for libel, privacy, compliance and third party rights applicable to their Territory. APTN APEX 02-13-10 1352EST ------------------- END -- OF -- ITEM ------------------- AP-APTN-1830: Germany Dresden Saturday, 13 February 2010 STORY:Germany Dresden- REPLAY Scuffles as Neo-Nazis and opponents mark WW2 anniversary LENGTH: 02:16 FIRST RUN: 1430 RESTRICTIONS: AP Clients Only TYPE: Natsound SOURCE: AP TELEVISION STORY NUMBER: 636975 DATELINE: Dresden - 13 Feb 2010 LENGTH: 02:16 AP TELEVISION - AP CLIENTS ONLY SHOTLIST ++SHOTS 1 TO 6 ARE ONE CONTINUOUS SHOT++ 1. Tracking shot of left wing protesters attacking what they think is the bus carrying right wing protesters, 2. Protesters hitting bus with sticks and signs 3. Police in riot gear arriving, spraying protesters 4. Camera wobble and shot of ground as cameraman is sprayed 5. Close up of police 6. Police van arriving with siren on 7. Various of overturned car with shattered windows 8. Police in street 9. Various of police arresting left wing protesters 10. Rubbish burning in street 11. Left-wing protesters walking past rubbish 12. Close up of rubbish, pull out to police in riot gear 13. Firefighter with hose putting out fire 14. Protesters in street 15. Various of police in street 16. Wide of scene STORYLINE Thousands of neo-Nazis and their left-wing opponents protested on Saturday in the eastern German city of Dresden on the 65th anniversary of the deadly Allied bombing at the end of World War II. Heavy security was in place to prevent clashes between the two groups, with five police helicopters flying overhead to monitor the crowds. Though some stones and snowballs were thrown, police said, the two sides were largely kept separate. Far-right organisers have characterised the event as a "mourning march" and the left-wing protesters made up of mainstream political parties and civic groups were equally determined to protest far-right attempts to exploit the city's painful history. Police braced for up to 7,000 far-right supporters from Germany and other European countries but only some 1,300 had arrived, police said. About 2,000 left-wing counter-demonstrators gathered a few hundred yards (metres) away, with many trying to block roads to prevent far-right supporters from reaching their assembly point. Leaders of Germany's far-right fringe have caused outrage in the past by comparing the bombing of Dresden to the Holocaust. The far right is marginal in Germany and has no seats in the national parliament. However, Saxony, where Dresden is located, is one of two eastern German states where the far-right National Democratic Party has seats in the regional legislature. On February 13 -14, 1945 three successive waves of British and US bombers set off firestorms and destroyed Dresden's centuries-old baroque city centre. The total number of people killed in the Dresden bombing has long been uncertain. In 2008, a panel commissioned by state officials found that the firebombing killed no more than 25,000 people, far fewer than scholars' previous estimates that ran as high as 135,000. Dresden has been rebuilt painstakingly over the years. Its landmark domed 'Frauenkirche', or Church of Our Lady, for decades no more than a mound of rubble, reopened in 2005. Clients are reminded: (i) to check the terms of their licence agreements for use of content outside news programming and that further advice and assistance can be obtained from the AP Archive on: Tel +44 (0) 20 7482 7482 Email: infoaparchive.com (ii) they should check with the applicable collecting society in their Territory regarding the clearance of any sound recording or performance included within the AP Television News service (iii) they have editorial responsibility for the use of all and any content included within the AP Television News service and for libel, privacy, compliance and third party rights applicable to their Territory. APTN APEX 02-13-10 1351EST ------------------- END -- OF -- ITEM ------------------- AP-APTN-1830: ++Canada Oly Reax Saturday, 13 February 2010 STORY:++Canada Oly Reax- NEW Olympic luge course designers says walls may have to be raised LENGTH: 03:22 FIRST RUN: 1830 RESTRICTIONS: AP Clients Only TYPE: English/German/Natsound SOURCE: AP TELEVISION STORY NUMBER: 637006 DATELINE: Whistler - 13 Feb 2010 LENGTH: 03:22 AP TELEVISION - AP CLIENTS ONLY SHOTLIST 1. Wide shot, news conference 2. Mid shot, media at news conference 3. SOUNDBITE: (English) Svein Romstad, Secretary-General, International Luge Federation: "The run of Nodar (Kumaritashvili) appeared to be routine until curve 15 . At that time ,he came out late of the exit of the curve. This resulted in a late entrance into curve 16 - the finish curve. Although he attempted to correct the situation, he shot up into the roof of curve 16. The angle in which he did so resulted in him experiencing a G-force that literally collapsed his body, rendering it difficult to control the sled, which in this case he was not able to do. Once this happened he was literally at the mercy of the path of the sled. At the exit of curve 16 he hit the wall. This resulted in Nodar being catapulted onto the top of the wall resulting in the fatal crash." 4. Wide news conference 5. SOUNDBITE: (English) Svein Romstad, Secretary-General, International Luge Federation: "As for moving forward, the jury has made a decision to lower the men's competition start to the current women's start. The track crew has also overnight raised the wall where the accident happened, in addition to some ice profile changes that was made at the site as well. 6. Person wearing 'Vancouver 2010' logo 7. SOUNDBITE: (English) Tim Gayda, VANOC Vice President of Sport: "We are quite confident on the number of runs that we did provide all the teams, both starting in 2008 and then leading into the 2009 and the Games. So, from a safety perspective, we went thoroughly through all that and feel confident that we got the right number of runs for the teams." 8. Pan of news conference 9. SOUNDBITE: (English) Svein Romstad, Secretary-General, International Luge Federation: "None of our athletes have experienced what they have experienced. They have lost a.....(pauses)...they lost a friend yesterday. It is emotional for everyone." 10. Mid shot of Josef Fendt, President of International Luge Federation at news conference 11. SOUNDBITE: (German) Josef Fendt, President of International Luge Federation: "Regarding the fastest speed on the track, I never said it was 137 kilometres per hour (85 miles per hour) and that is not my exact number. But we know that all tracks that are set up for 137 or 140 kilometres per hour (85 or 87 miles per hour) now are getting faster over time. For example, we know that in St. Moritz and Salt Lake City, the tracks went well beyond 140 kilometres per hour (87 miles per hour) they went to 144 kilometres per hour (89 miles per hour). What I have said in the past is the the planning of future tracks we have to make sure that the tracks do not go over 140 kilometres per hour (87 miles per hour)." 12. Various of end of news conference. STORYLINE The start of men's Olympic luge competition has been moved farther down the track, international luge officials said on Saturday, a decision made with the "emotional component" of athletes in mind following the death of a Georgian competitor. They reiterated that the lightning-fast track was safe for competition, and Olympic officials said they were "completely satisfied" with the adjustments. An extra session of men's training, as well as all four runs of the men's event - two on Saturday, two on Sunday - will begin from the women's start ramp. It means speeds, at least for the men, will be a bit lower at the Whistler Sliding Track, where 21-year-old Nodar Kumaritashvili crashed and died in a training run on Friday after his body flew over the track wall and smashed into a steel pole. "The run of Nodar appeared to be routine until curve 15," Svein Romstad, Secretary-General of the International Luge Federation told a news conference. "At that time,he came out late of the exit of the curve. This resulted in a late entrance into curve 16 - the finish curve. Although he attempted to correct the situation, he shot up into the roof of curve 16. The angle in which he did so resulted in him experiencing a G-force that literally collapsed his body, rendering it difficult to control the sled, which in this case he was not able to do." Romstad said once this happened, Kumaritashvili was literally at the mercy of the path of the sled. "At the exit of curve 16 he hit the wall. This resulted in Nodar being catapulted onto the top of the wall resulting in the fatal crash." The decision to change the start's location seemed to have the desired effect. None of the 36 sliders who took a sixth practice run broke 90 miles per hour (144.84 kilometres per hour) after speeds routinely surpassed 95 miles per hour (152.88 kilometres per hour) earlier in the week. Other changes were made overnight, including raising the wall at Curve 16, the area where Kumaritashvili crashed; some modifications were also made to the surface of the ice itself. When training resumed from the lower start, American Tony Benshoof - the first man to slide in the session - navigated the track without incident. Kumaritashvili's teammate, Levan Gureshidze, did not take his sixth run down the course. There was no official word on why he did not slide or if he had withdrawn from the field. "None of our athletes have experienced what they have experienced. They have lost a ... they lost a friend yesterday. It is emotional for everyone," Romstad said. Kumaritashvili's death was believed to be the first on a sanctioned luge track since December 1975, the federation said. It remains unknown if the start positions will be changed for upcoming bobsled and skeleton competitions, a decision that will be made in consultation with the governing body for those sports and not the FIL. Including past training sessions starting last November, Kumaritashvili had 26 runs down the icy chute in all, and data distributed by the FIL indicated that he crashed at least three times around the area of the final curve. From the men's luge start, which won't be used going forward during these Olympics, Kumaritashvili crashed four times in 16 tries. Clients are reminded: (i) to check the terms of their licence agreements for use of content outside news programming and that further advice and assistance can be obtained from the AP Archive on: Tel +44 (0) 20 7482 7482 Email: infoaparchive.com (ii) they should check with the applicable collecting society in their Territory regarding the clearance of any sound recording or performance included within the AP Television News service (iii) they have editorial responsibility for the use of all and any content included within the AP Television News service and for libel, privacy, compliance and third party rights applicable to their Territory. APTN APEX 02-13-10 1539EST ------------------- END -- OF -- ITEM -------------------

Man plowing snow on ATV snow plow in Colorado.

NAME: CAN OLYHI 20100213I TAPE: EF10/0139 IN_TIME: 10:00:08:00 DURATION: 00:06:08:07 SOURCES: OLYMPIC MATERIAL IOC DATELINE: Vancouver - 12 Feb 2010 RESTRICTIONS: Olympic Restrix Apply - Pls Check Script SHOTLIST RESTRICTIONS: Olympic Material is subject to full IOC copyright. All use of Olympic Material is strictly subject to the following restrictions: 1. Olympic Material may be used only as a part of regularly scheduled daily news programmes of which the actual news element constitutes the main feature "programmes". Programmes shall not be positioned or promoted as Olympic programmes. 2. 3 x 2 x 3 Non-Rights Holding Broadcast Organisations may use a total of six minutes of Olympic Material per day subject to the following provisions: a) Olympic Material may appear in no more than three programmes per day. b) No more than two minutes of Olympic Material may be used in any one programme. c) These programmes must be separated by a period of at least three hours. d) No more than one third of any individual event may be used in any one programme with a maximum broadcast time of 30 seconds for any individual event. 3. 6 x 1 x 2 In the case of an all-news network, the network may use Olympic Material during multiple news programmes, as long as a) the Olympic Material is used in accordance with Clause 2 (3 x 2 x 3). or b) in no more than six news programmes per day and does not exceed a total of one minute in any one programme. These bulletins must be separated by a period of at least two hours. The other provisions of clause 2 above continue to apply. 4. Should any fair dealing or similar provisions contained in any applicable national law permit the use by Non-Rights Holding Broadcast Organisations of any footage of previous Olympic Games, then such footage will be included in the total of six minutes per day. 5. Olympic Material may only be used for a period of 48 hours from the earliest time at which broadcast of such Olympic Material by the Non-Rights Holding Broadcast Organisations may begin. After such period, Non-Rights Holding Broadcast Organisations may only transmit archive Olympic Material with the express prior written agreement of the IOC. 6. Non-Rights Holding Broadcast Organisations may broadcast Olympic Material in accordance with the other conditions contained in these News Access Rules, as follows: a) The later of (i) immediately following the broadcast of an Olympic event by the local Rights Holding Broadcaster on free to air television in that territory, or (ii) such longer period of time after such broadcast that the Rights Holding Broadcaster may wish to impose in accordance with applicable national law. b) At the end of the broadcast day (i.e. 24:00 hours local time) if not broadcast by the local Rights Holding Broadcaster on free to air television in that territory on the day (local time) during which the Olympic event concluded. c) At such time as may be agreed by the Rights Holding Broadcaster for its particular territory and that particular Olympic event. d) Non-Rights Holding Broadcast Organisations can only transmit Olympic Material prior to these times with the specific written agreement with the local Rights Holder Broadcaster. 7. Non-Rights Holding Broadcast Organisations shall respect the following provisions: a) They shall not make available or provide Olympic Material to any third party. b) They shall ensure that no advertising, promotion, publicity or other message appears at the same time (be it superimposed or on a split screen or otherwise) as Olympic Material and/or at the same time as any other coverage of the Olympic Games which contains any Olympic imagery or Olympic marks. c) They shall ensure that no advertising or other message is placed before, during or after the broadcast of Olympic Material, in such a manner as to imply an association or connection between any third party, or third party''s product or service, and Olympic Material or the Olympic Games. d) They must give an on screen credit to the Rights Holding Broadcaster in their particular territory during each broadcast of Olympic Material. The credit shall be in the form of leaving on the Rights Holding Broadcaster watermark, or, should the Olympic Material not be sourced through the Rights Holding Broadcaster, a super video credit of at least five seconds to read as follows: "Courtesy of (Name of Rights Holding Broadcaster)" 8. Any dispute, controversy or claim arising from or in connection with the execution or interpretation of these News Access Rules or breach thereof not resolved after exhaustion of the legal remedies established by the IOC and which cannot be settled amicably, shall be submitted exclusively to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) for final and binding arbitration in accordance with the Statute and Regulations of the CAS. The decisions of the CAS shall be final, binding and cannot be appealed. Vancouver 1. Various aerial shots of Vancouver and the BC Place Stadium. 2. Start of the 2010 Olympic Games opening ceremony Whistler 3. Various of snowboarder and people on mountain Vancouver 4. Snowboarder coming through Olympic Logo and welcoming world to Vancouver 2010 Winter Games 5. SOUNDBITE: (English) Jacques Rogge, IOC President "I now have the honour to ask the Right Honourable Michaelle Jean, Governor-General of Canada, to open the 21st Winter Olympic Games. Thank you." 6. Michaelle Jean, Governor-General of Canada, on stage 7. SOUNDBITE: (French/English) Michaelle Jean, Governor-General of Canada "I declare open the Games of Vancouver - celebrating the 21st Olympic Winter Games." 8. Various of the torch ceremony to light the Olympic Flame 9. SOUNDBITE: (English) Jacques Rogge, IOC President "This is a very sad day. The IOC is in deep mourning. Here you have a young athlete who lost his life in pursuing his passion. He had a dream to participate in the Olympic Games, he trained hard and he had this fatal accident. I have no words to say what we feel." 10. Mid of news conference Whistler 11. Nodar Kumaritashvili of Georgia at the start during the first training day for the men''s singles luge Vancouver 12. SOUNDBITE: (English) John Furlong, Chief Executive of the Vancouver Organising Committee (VANOC): (++PART OVERLAID OVER PREVIOUS SHOT++) "Nodar Kumaritashvili came to Canada with hopes and dreams that this would be a magnificent occasion in his life. I''m told by members of his federation that he was an incredibly spirited young person. He came here to be able to feel what it is like to be able to call yourself an Olympian." Whistler 13. Various of Kumaritashvili completing his fifth practice run Vancouver 14. SOUNDBITE: (English) John Furlong, Chief Executive of the Vancouver Organising Committee (VANOC): (++SOUNDBITE STARTS OVER PREVIOUS SEQUENCE++) "We are heartbroken beyond words. To be sitting here, I am so sorry to be in this position, to be reporting this to you. It''s not something I had prepared for, or ever thought I would need to be prepared for. My team has been devastated by this and our thoughts and prayers are now with Nodar''s family, his friends and the athletes from Georgia and we turn now to do everything we can to assist then, to support them, to help them in the most Canadian way that we can." 15. SOUNDBITE: (English) Nikolos Rurua, Georgian Minister for Culture and Sport "As to the questions of the Georgian team''s participation in the Olympics, you know, during the Summer Olympics in 2008 in Beijing, Georgia was invaded by Russia and our team, despite of that fact, persevered and stayed and competed and won several medals in Beijing. So, our sportsmen and our athletes decided to be loyal to the spirit of the Olympic games and they will compete and dedicate their performance to their fallen comrade." Whistler 16. STILL: Nodar Kumaritashvili (fades to black) STORYLINE: The opening ceremony of the XXI Olympic Winter Games took place on Friday after a spectacular show in Vancouver - but the first day of the Winter Games didn''t turn out as the organisers hoped, or planned. With just hours to go before the opening ceremony, Nodar Kumaritashvili, a 21-year-old luger from Georgia, was killed after he lost control of his sled on the infamously fast track at Whistler and crashed into a steel pole. Tributes followed from an emotional Jacques Rogge, the IOC President, John Furlong, the Chief Executive of the Vancouver Organising Committee (VANOC). Nikolos Rurua, Georgian Minister for Culture and Sport said that the Georgian Olympic team would remain at the Games and will "dedicate their performance to their fallen comrade." It had been billed as a spectacular opening ceremony, but by the time the pyrotechnics and stage show began, the nation was already in mourning following Kumaritashvili''s death. As an estimated global audience of more than a (b) billion watched the event, with the theme a "landscape of a dream," the audience was transported across Canada, from the Prairies to the peaks of mountain tops, the depths of the ocean, and through its varied seasons as the BC Place Stadium was transformed into many different landscapes. The night''s celebrations had started with a daring jump by snowboarder Johnny Lyall through a giant set of Olympic Rings - after the live audience had been engaged in the dramatic countdown to the start of the ceremony. Then more than 2,600 athletes from 82 National Olympic Committees entered the stadium, led by their country''s flagbearer. Out of respect for Kumaritashvili, flags were lowered to half-mast during the opening ceremony and the Georgian National Olympic Committee and its athletes wore black armbands and a black mark was placed on the Georgian flag to symbolise their mourning. Rogge, on behalf of the IOC, International Federations (IF) and VANOC, then asked Michaelle Jean, Governor General of Canada to officially declare the XXI Olympic Winter Games open. Next came the symbolic lighting of the Olympic Flame. Rick Hansen, Canada''s ''Man in Motion'', passed off the flame to Catriona LeMay Doan (multiple Olympic gold medallist in speed skating) who, along with Steve Nash (Olympian and National Basketball Association MVP), Nancy Greene Raine (Olympic gold medallist in alpine skiing) and Wayne Gretzky (one of the most celebrated ice hockey players) lit a contemporary cauldron that emerged from the field of play. Despite the fact that one of four pillars supporting the Olympic cauldron, due to be lit by LeMay Doan, failed to rise to the occasion and emerge from the floor''s trap-door, Gretzky started the ignition of the 9.7-metre (32-foot) structure and the flame spread as planned. To ensure the Olympic Flame burns for the full 17 days of the Games, an external cauldron was also lit by Gretzky who carried the flame from BC Place to the Vancouver waterfront. Then Rogge''s thoughts turned to back to the late Kumaritashvili, and he described the IOC as being in "deep mourning". Georgia has seven other athletes entered in the games; including three freestyle skiers and another men''s luger, Levran Guereshidze. The 2010 Olympic Winter Games run in Vancouver and Whistler from February 12th to 28th, 2010. The same locations will then host the Paralympic Winter Games which run from from March 12th to 21st, 2010. Canada Olympic Games

Young couple having fun on a snowy winter day

Tourist enjoying Mountain Coaster in Switzerland

Winter sports fans are mourning the death of Georgian luger Nodar Kumaritashvili who died on Friday during a training run for the Winter Olympics in Whistler, Canada. Whistler, British Columbia, Canada. (Footage by AFPTV via Getty Images)

A teenager boy pulls a sled on a snow-covered road and going to ski

Riding Ski-Doo through deep powder on sunny winter day, sun flare

People snow sled, sledding, sledging, sleighing down hill, Snowy Mountains, New South Wales, Australia; 1966 (ESB5890N/00 - AEVZ001J).

Slow motion shot tracking an adaptive athlete riding side to side down a mountain while learning to use a sit-ski. The athlete's instructor is watching and providing support.

Woman enjoys the view on a ski lift

Coast Mountains of British Columbia

Friends at winter tourist resort

Whistler Blackcomb Ski Resort view from a ski lift, British Columbia, Canada

Teenagers enjoying sledding in the hills on a winter day. Shot with Canon R5.

Descending through steep alpine trees, extreme snowboarding as snow flies up into camera

Slow motion wide tracking shot of two small kids riding a sledge down a snowy hill and laughing. Shot in Slovenia.

Left to right camera movement following an adult male adaptive athlete who is learning to sit-ski in Oregon.

A mother and her two teenage children slide down a sledding hill