The International Olympics Committee (IOC) has reached agreement with China Central Television (CCTV) for the broadcast rights within China for the winter Games in Vancouver next year and the 2012 summer Olympic in London.

The deal, signed in Denver Tuesday, is believed to be worth almost 100 million euros and includes internet broadcasting rights.

IOC president Jacques Rogge said both CCTV and CCTV. com did "a first-class job of bringing Olympic action into the homes of the Chinese people" during the 2008 Beijing Games.

Denver, Colorado - The International Olympic Committee on Wednesday urged world football governing body FIFA to agree to the World Anti-Doping Agency's "whereabouts" code for doping tests.

Under the rule, which took effect on January 1, athletes must make their whereabouts known for one hour on every day of the year.

FIFA has so far refused to implement the code, citing the invasion of player privacy during periods away from teams, such as holidays.

Arctic sea ice melted to its second-lowest level since measurements began in 1979, the Colorado- based National Snow and Ice Data Center said Thursday. 

The ice coverage of 4.67 million square kilometres had only recovered slightly from the 2007 record low of 4.28 million square kilometres, the centre said. 

Below are a series of excerpts from Barack Obama's speech Thursday night accepting the Democratic Party's nomination to be its candidate for president of the United States.