SANTO DOMINGO.- National Energy Commission (CNE) president Arístides Fernandez Zucco slated the inaugural of the first station to sell natural gas for cars in the next few days, as part of the Government’s policy toward efficiency and to save fuel.

Fernandez, accompanied by Ricardo Canalda, president of Linea Clave Internacional, the company that sells natural gas to the country’s industries, said the station will be located in the place known as Los Tres Ojos, on Las America highway, which will operate as a pilot project to supply the fuel to vehicles.

The executives spoke during an educational tour for students of the Carol Morgan School of the facilities of the companies AES Andrés, Linea Clave Internacional and Fluitecnik S.A., organized by the CNE.
Source: DominicanToday.com

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Santo Domingo.– As the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games loom ever closer, Dominican 400m hurdler Felix Sanchez trains harder to be ready to defend his gold medal.

Sanchez was plagued by injury troubles throughout 2005-2006, but the 30-year-old champion achieved an important silver medal in Osaka which marked his gradual return to full confidence.

After failing to make the final of the 400m hurdles at the Sydney Olympics, Sanchez wore a souvenir red band around his wrist as motivation. He wore it when winning 43 consecutive races from 2001 to 2004, including his two world titles and Olympic title. He retired it after the Athens Olympics, and donated it to the IAAF for auction.

Source: DominicanToday.com

Santo Domingo. - Film director Jorge Lendeborg announced the opening of “60 Miles to the East,” the first “Dominican reality film” May 26, with a gala premier in the Cinemateca Nacional, and for the public on the 29th.

Lendeborg’s new work, already shown to good reviews in international festivals, will be open in Santo Domingo’s Palacio del Cine, as well as in the Cine Circuito Digital nationwide.

The movie is about 28 Dominican boatpeople who risk their lives aboard yolas to try to reach Puerto Rico, crossing the Mona Pass.

Source: DominicanToday.com

www.dominicantourism.net

Anders Alm, Ikea’s director for the Canary Islands and the Dominican Republic, says that the opening of a branch of Ikea in Santo Domingo is just a sampling of what the chain has in mind for Latin America. Alm said that Ikea has 260 stores in Europe, Asia, Australia and the US, but the Santo Domingo store will be their first in Latin America.

“This is only the start. We have much more to do. Here in Santo Domingo, we will show all that we can do together,” said Alm.

Alm said that Ikea would give Latin American shoppers a taste of what the Swedish chain offers. Ikea boasts a wide range of home furnishings that are functional, well designed and at prices so low that anyone can purchase them, as reported in Listin Diario.

Ikea is best known for its affordable contemporary design. Its wacky promotions are expected to quickly gain the attention of the Dominican market. DR1 would like to take this opportunity to apologize for confusing Anders Alm with Ikea CEO Anders Dahlvig in a recent news bulletin.

Source: Dr1.com

Biologist and National District Environmental Information Center director Milcíades Mejía, and Botanical Garden director Ricardo Garcia, in a ceremony to mark Arbor Day, said there’s a need to face the danger of extinction of Dominican Republic’s different species.

The municipal authorities celebrated Arbor Day with the participation of hundreds of students from Santo Domingo public and private schools.

Mejía, a former director of the Botanical Gardens, urged the citizens to protect the biodiversity and together with the entire population, create awareness on the need to preserve the environment. Mejía and Garcia headed the event aimed at protecting forests.

Source: DominicanToday.com

Cabarete.– The annual Cabarete Kiteboarding World Cup will take place from 24-29 June at Cabarete Beach, which features the perfect combination of wind, water and waves in the Dominican Republic.

Known as the latest craze in extreme sports, kiteboarding involves a large parachute-like kite that pulls a surfboard across the water. Kite size varies with wind velocity, and when laid flat they can measure 40 to 66 feet in length. Depending on wind speeds, riders can travel up to 35 mph across waves and jump up to 30 feet in the air.

Because Cabarete’s “Kite Beach” attracts avid kiteboarding enthusiasts and has developed into a unique community that encompasses reputable schools, exceptional instructors and passionate students.

As a result of its ideal kiteboarding conditions, Cabarete draws several highly regarded competitions including the Kiteboarding World Cup and Master of the Ocean. The Kiteboarding World Cup brings together some of the best riders in the world.

Source: DominicanToday.com

Santo Domingo.– Dominican bachata group Aventura performed last night at the Estadio Quisqueya as part of their “World Tour Coranzoncito”.

Grupo Aventura was founded in New York in 1999, due to the fact that all of its members were born in the Bronx. However, their first works were accomplished in Boston, explained in the fact that there is a wide dominican community there.

Their lyrics do not fall into the typical spite and bitter of the bachata songs, the forsaken characters, the infidelity and such, and yet, on the other hand, they cleverly embraced the North American influence into their style, and also took advantage of its language.

Source: DominicanToday.com