PREVIEW: Weeks 28 & 29
World Sport Presents: Athletes of the Arab Spring
Wednesday 18 July at 1730 BST / 1830 CET Saturday 21 July at 0530 BST / 0630 CET and 1930 BST / 2030 CET Sunday 22 July at 1230 BST / 1330 CET Saturday 28 July at 1230 BST / 1330 CET Sunday 29 July at 0530 BST / 0630 CET and 1930 BST / 2030 CET Duration: 30 MinutesLast year’s revolutions in the Arab world inevitably affected the lives of those in the region, including those of young hopefuls, looking to lead their countries to sporting glory at the London 2012 Olympic Games. Amid bloodshed, turmoil and uncertainty, athletes walked the streets in protest alongside their countrymen, demanding greater freedom at the expense of their training regimes. Many suffered from injuries; either shot, beaten or detained. Others lost family members. After facing their greatest fears, the uprisings changed many athletes’ goals and motivations. Now athletes from these countries face another challenge – London 2012.
In ‘World Sport Presents: Athletes of the Arab Spring’ CNN and Sports Illustrated have teamed up to follow athletes of the Arab Spring; Tunisia’s gymnast Wajdi Bouallegue, the fastest sprinter in Egyptian history Amr Seoud, and Libya’s Taekwondo star, Mohammed Belgasem Tishli. Athletes that were either controlled or neglected by their former regimes are now proud to represent their people and their countries, and they share with CNN their experiences of coping with the upheavals that shook their respective countries. For them lack of training, sponsorship, funding and resources may be in short supply, but spirit, passion and drive most certainly are not.
PREVIEW VIDEO CLIP HERE: http://on.cnn.com/LvzzYv
CNN Business Traveller: China
As the travel world’s heads of industry descend on Beijing for the IATA Annual General Meeting, ‘CNN Business Traveller’ host Richard Quest is poised to meet them. In a roll call of the most influential CEOs in the business, the programme hears why China is top of the agenda for companies like Boeing, United Airlines, Lufthansa, American Airlines, Cathay Pacific, Qantas, and of course China’s big three – Air China, China Southern and China Eastern. Elsewhere, hotel giants are clamouring to corner the market: Marriott, Ritz Carlton and Hilton share their respective China expansion plans. When East meets West for business, another new market blossoms – that of etiquette, and the art of successful communication. Equipped with a series of translation apps and the advice of those in the know, Quest educates himself on doing business in Beijing.
Also this month, a megastar who knows only too well the importance of a good night’s sleep on the road: Chinese pianist Lang Lang shares some of his tips for a healthy body and mind when on the move. This month on ‘CNN Business Traveller’, the dragon is rising.
@RichardQuest cnn.com/SPECIALS/business.traveller
MainSail
If Britain’s Ben Ainslie wins Gold at London 2012 he will become the greatest sailing Olympian of all time (CREDIT: Mark Lloyd)
Ahead of the Olympics, this month’s ‘MainSail’ sees Shirley Robertson, herself a double-Olympic-gold-medallist, visit Weymouth and Portand, the London 2012 sailing venue on the south coast of Great Britain, over one hundred miles from the capital city and the Olympic stadium.
Robertson assesses which athletes she believes could be on target for the ten Gold medals to be won in the sport and which previous Olympic Gold winners have the potential to defend their title this time. She also highlights Alison Young, a rank outsider just two years ago, who she now believes has potential for Olympic success.
‘MainSail’ provides an insight to what life is like for the Olympic athletes just a few weeks before the Games. Robertson has exclusive access, being invited on the water to join training sessions and into team homes, as the sailors whose lives have been shaped by the drive to become London 2012 Olympic Champions are in their final countdown to the Games.
cnn.com/mainsail/ @CNNShirley
Open Court
CNN’s Patrick Snell meets the “golden couple” of tennis, Andre Agassi and Steffi Graf
In this month’s gold medal edition of ‘Open Court’, host Pat Cash presents from London, filmed as the city was gearing up for two of the biggest sporting events in the world; Wimbledon and the Olympics. The show opens with a very rare interview, as Patrick Snell travels to Las Vegas to meet Andre Agassi & Steffi Graf – the “golden couple” of tennis – to talk about their Olympic memories.
The programme also highlights the career of Stan Wawrinka, the reigning doubles gold medallist who is hoping to defend his title in London this August with partner Roger Federer. Cash plays with Stan in London, where the Swiss number two demonstrates his trademark backhand.
The gold medals don’t stop there, as ‘Open Court’ also meets Chile’s Fernando Gonzalez. The recently-retired star tells Cash what it was like to win three of Chile’s thirteen medals.
cnn.com/opencourt@cnnopencourt @TheRealPatCash
Amanpour
Christiane Amanpour
Christiane Amanpour’s nightly interview programme ‘Amanpour’ showcases the big interview – a leader, a key player – incisive questioning to get at the truth behind today’s headline.
In recent weeks, Amanpour has reported live from Cairo on the historic Egyptian Presidential election, as well as conducting interviews with managing director of the International Monetary Fund Christine Lagarde, Israeli President Shimon Peres, and Nobel Peace Prize laureate Aung San Suu Kyi.
www.Amanpour.com www.Amanpour.com/Facebook @CAmanpour