COUNTDOWN TO OLYMPICS

* Days until opening ceremony: 21.

* Olympic update: Postal workers threatened to halt the delivery of thousands of Olympic tickets around Australia this weekend unless the postal service pays a bonus.

* March to the medals: Citing an injured shoulder and a lengthy battle with chronic fatigue syndrome, midfielder Michelle Akers retired from international competition Thursday less than a month before she was expected to play for the U.S. women’s soccer team at the Olympics.

* Carrying the torch: A day after a 17-year-old boy was arrested for trying to extinguish the torch with a fire extinguisher, it worked its way from Coffs Harbour to the retirement community of Port Macquarie.

* Olympic footnote: Thousands of Australian university students will work or volunteer at the games, and many will receive course credit. The jobs range from testing software to carrying signs at the opening ceremony.