2008 Summer Olympics In Beijing China Blog

China to force rain ahead of Olympics (Boston Globe)
Chance of showers during the 2008 Beijing Olympics: 50 percent. But Chinese meteorologists have a plan to bring sunshine. The meteorologists say they can force rain in the days before the Olympics, through a process known as cloud-seeding, to clean the air and ensure clear skies. China has been tinkering with artificial rainmaking for decades, but whether it works is …

Amnesty says China uses Olympics Games for crackdown (AFP via Yahoo! News)
Next year’s Olympics is being used as a catalyst for repression in China, allowing hardliners to crack down on peaceful dissent in the name of stability, according to Amnesty International.

China Olympic torch route ignites uproar (Los Angeles Times)
Taiwan objects to being put on the flame’s ‘domestic’ leg. But Beijing, which claims the island as its own, is unlikely to relent. BEIJING China is calling it the “journey of harmony.” But the Olympic torch relay that is to precede the 2008 Beijing Summer Games and showcase the nation’s rise in world standing ran into discord as soon as the route was announced Thursday.

China Dismisses Amnesty Report On Human Rights (GamesBids.com)
China dismissed an Amnesty International report Monday that accused it of using the Beijing 2008 Summer Olympic Games as an excuse for impression.

China still lags on rights, Amnesty says (USA Today)
China has failed to make some of the human rights improvements it promised ahead of the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, Amnesty International said in a report issued today.

Olympics: Taiwan rejects Beijing’s torch relay plan (International Herald Tribune)
The government rejected the route taking the 2008 Olympic torch to Beijing via Taipei that was announced by China.

Beijing restrictions offer case study in emissions of key atmospheric gases (EurekAlert!)
CAMBRIDGE, Mass., April 30, 2007 — The Chinese government’s restrictions on Beijing motorists during a three-day conference last November — widely viewed as a dress rehearsal for efforts to slash smog and airborne pollutants during the 2008 Summer Olympic Games in Beijing — succeeded in cutting the city’s emissions of one important class of atmospheric gases by an impressive 40 percent.

350 to compete in local Special Olympics Friday (Tulare Advance-Register)
Why wait for the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing when the Tulare County Special Olympics Track and Field Meet will be in Tulare on Friday?

China and Taiwan exchange heated words on Olympic torch (The Philadelphia Inquirer)
BEIJING - China’s grandiose plans for the torch relay, the high-profile prelude to the 2008 Beijing Olympics, have been engulfed in conflict by an old political rival - Taiwan.

Daughter of Palm Springs restaurant owner expelled from China (The Press-Enterprise)
BEIJING - China said Friday it has expelled five Americans — including the daughter of a Palm Springs restaurant owner — who staged a protest against the Olympics on Mount Everest to challenge Chinese rule over the mountainous region.

Chinese Traffic Restrictions Reduce Air Pollution (LiveScience.com via Yahoo! News)
A dress rehearsal of traffic restrictions for the 2008 Summer Olympic Games in China cut Beijing s emissions of an important class of atmospheric pollutants by up to 40 percent, recent satellite observations show.

Audi Named As Official Automobiles of the 2008 Summer Olympics (AutoSpies.com)
As a partner of international sport, Volkswagen China Investment Ltd., with its brands Audi and Volkswagen, will be nailing its colours to the mast during the Summer Olympics staged in Beijing (China) in August 2008. In the Olympics and Paralympics the spotlight will be on Audi vehicles as the “Official Premium Car”: Athletes, officials and VIP guests will be using the chauffeur service with over …

Where News Comes First
KVBC - Las Vegas could play a part in the 2016 Summer Olympics The Olympics are 9 years away, but cities around the world are placing bids to become the host city for the 2016 Summer Olympics. On the short list of U.S. cities is Los Angeles, and they plan to

Knowles qualifies for Beijing
Nassau Guardian - By SHELDON LONGLEY NG Sports Editor >> Multi-national record holder Jeremy Knowles became the first Bahamian athlete to qualify for the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, China, when he dipped below the B standard established by FINA, the world?s

Delegates present 2014 Olympic bids
Biloxi Sun Herald - A delegation from Beijing, which is hosting the 2008 Summer Olympics, was in the U.S. territory to observe the presentations. The three cities submitted final bid documents to the International Olympic Committee by the January deadline in Lausanne

‘Strike hard’ Olympics policy hurts freedom in China - Amnesty (AFP via Yahoo! News)
Next year’s Olympics is being used as a catalyst for repression in China, allowing hardliners to crack down on peaceful dissent in the name of stability, according to Amnesty International.

China Olympic torch route ignites uproar (Los Angeles Times)
Taiwan objects to being put on the flame’s ‘domestic’ leg. But Beijing, which claims the island as its own, is unlikely to relent. BEIJING China is calling it the “journey of harmony.” But the Olympic torch relay that is to precede the 2008 Beijing Summer Games and showcase the nation’s rise in world standing ran into discord as soon as the route was announced Thursday.

Dar es Salaam honored to be only African city to host Olympic Torch (People’s Daily)
The Olympic Torch is scheduled to relay in mid-April next year through Dar es Salaam, the only city on the African continent, before reaching Beijing for the 2008 Olympic Summer Games.

Olympic torch relay protested (Baltimore Sun)
Taiwan objects to China’s calling island portion of route ‘domestic’ China is calling it the “journey of harmony.” But the Olympic torch relay that is to precede the 2008 Beijing Summer Games and showcase China’s peaceful rise in world standing ran into discord as soon as the route was announced yesterday. The path of the flame and its characterization by China drew the immediate wrath of …

China: Olympics countdown — important reforms marred by increasing repression (Amnesty International)
Despite significant reforms to the death penalty system and new rules for foreign journalists in China, there is little evidence of improvement in other areas of human rights related to the Olympics — and there has been increasing repression of human rights activism and domestic journalism, said Amnesty International today.

China’s plans for the 2008 Beijing Olympics (The Victoria Advocate)
BEIJING - China’s grandiose plans for the torch relay, the high-profile prelude to the 2008 Beijing Olympics, have been engulfed in conflict by an old political rival - Taiwan.Within hours of Beijing’s announcement Thursday of what would be the longest torch relay in Olympic history - an 85,000-mile, 130-day route that would cross five continents and scale Mount Everest - Taiwan rejected its …

China Olympic torch route ignites uproar (Los Angeles Times)
Taiwan objects to being put on the flame’s ‘domestic’ leg. But Beijing, which claims the island as its own, is unlikely to relent. BEIJING China is calling it the “journey of harmony.” But the Olympic torch relay that is to precede the 2008 Beijing Summer Games and showcase the nation’s rise in world standing ran into discord as soon as the route was announced Thursday.

Audi Named As Official Automobiles of the 2008 Summer Olympics (AutoSpies.com)
As a partner of international sport, Volkswagen China Investment Ltd., with its brands Audi and Volkswagen, will be nailing its colours to the mast during the Summer Olympics staged in Beijing (China) in August 2008. In the Olympics and Paralympics the spotlight will be on Audi vehicles as the “Official Premium Car”: Athletes, officials and VIP guests will be using the chauffeur service with over …

China and Taiwan exchange heated words on Olympic torch (The Philadelphia Inquirer)
BEIJING - China’s grandiose plans for the torch relay, the high-profile prelude to the 2008 Beijing Olympics, have been engulfed in conflict by an old political rival - Taiwan.

Spin games for the 2014 Winter Olympics (AP via Yahoo! News)
The world’s biggest sports convention is taking place in the city that will host the 2008 Summer Olympics fewer than 500 days from now. The spotlight, though, is on a Winter Games still seven years away.

Olympics: Taiwan rejects Beijing’s torch relay plan (International Herald Tribune)
The government rejected the route taking the 2008 Olympic torch to Beijing via Taipei that was announced by China.

Spin games for the 2014 Winter Olympics (Provo Daily Herald)
BEIJING — The world’s biggest sports convention is taking place in the city that will host the 2008 Summer Olympics fewer than 500 days from now. The spotlight, though, is on a Winter Games still seven years away. The three candidates for the 2014 Winter Olympics are lobbying intensely in Beijing this week at the last major international sports gathering before the IOC selects the host city on …

China to force rain ahead of Olympics (Boston Globe)
Chance of showers during the 2008 Beijing Olympics: 50 percent. But Chinese meteorologists have a plan to bring sunshine. The meteorologists say they can force rain in the days before the Olympics, through a process known as cloud-seeding, to clean the air and ensure clear skies. China has been tinkering with artificial rainmaking for decades, but whether it works is …

China to force rain ahead of 2008 Olympics to ensure clear skies, clean air (Fox21)
BEIJING China’s planning on seeding clouds to bring on rain to spruce up the skies ahead of the 2008 Olympics in Beijing. China’s been tinkering with forcing rain for decades.

Olympic torch relay protested (Baltimore Sun)
Taiwan objects to China’s calling island portion of route ‘domestic’ China is calling it the “journey of harmony.” But the Olympic torch relay that is to precede the 2008 Beijing Summer Games and showcase China’s peaceful rise in world standing ran into discord as soon as the route was announced yesterday. The path of the flame and its characterization by China drew the immediate wrath of …

Delhi To Bid For 2020 Summer Games (GamesBids.com)
The Indian Olympic Committee (IOA) said Saturday that Delhi will bid for the 2020 Summer Olympic Games while opting out of a bid for the 2016 Games after India missed hosting the 2014 Asian Games.

Dar es Salaam honored to be only African city to host Olympic Torch (People’s Daily)
The Olympic Torch is scheduled to relay in mid-April next year through Dar es Salaam, the only city on the African continent, before reaching Beijing for the 2008 Olympic Summer Games.

China Olympic torch route ignites uproar (Los Angeles Times)
Taiwan objects to being put on the flame’s ‘domestic’ leg. But Beijing, which claims the island as its own, is unlikely to relent. BEIJING China is calling it the “journey of harmony.” But the Olympic torch relay that is to precede the 2008 Beijing Summer Games and showcase the nation’s rise in world standing ran into discord as soon as the route was announced Thursday.

Will revenue flap hurt Chicago’s Olympic bid? (Chicago Sun-Times)
U.S. Olympic boss Peter Ueberroth on Thursday rejected complaints that America takes too big of a bite out of the Olympic revenue apple. The contentious issue could affect Chicago’s chances at winning the 2016 Summer Games.

San Francisco to carry Olympic torch for U.S. in ‘08 (The Fresno Bee)
San Francisco was selected Thursday to represent the United States when the Olympic torch makes its way around the world next year during the city-to-city relay leading up to the summer games in Beijing, the U.S. Olympic Committee said.

TAIWAN TO QUIT 2008 OLYMPICS IF CALLED ‘TAIPEI, CHINA’: PREMIER (Central News Agency)
Taipei, April 21 (CNA) Premier Su Tseng-chang said Friday that Taiwan would not take part in the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games if China insisted on referring to the country as “Taipei, China, ” instead of the more commonly used “Chinese Taipei.”

2016 bid team hits world stage (Chicago Sun-Times)
BEIJING — Work the hotel lobby. Meet and greet. And, especially, listen and learn. That was the essence of Chicago’s first foray into international Olympic circles since being picked as the U.S. candidate for the 2016 Summer Games.

China Olympic torch route ignites uproar (Los Angeles Times)
Taiwan objects to being put on the flame’s ‘domestic’ leg. But Beijing, which claims the island as its own, is unlikely to relent. BEIJING China is calling it the “journey of harmony.” But the Olympic torch relay that is to precede the 2008 Beijing Summer Games and showcase the nation’s rise in world standing ran into discord as soon as the route was announced Thursday.

Spin games for the 2014 Winter Olympics (AP via Yahoo! News)
The world’s biggest sports convention is taking place in the city that will host the 2008 Summer Olympics fewer than 500 days from now. The spotlight, though, is on a Winter Games still seven years away.

Olympic torch route angers Taiwan (UPI)
China announced the Olympic Torch route Thursday, angering Taiwan and activists seeking Tibetan independence. The route the torch is to take to the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics includes the summit of Mount Everest, which lies on the border between Tibe

China to force rain ahead of Olympics (Boston Globe)
Chance of showers during the 2008 Beijing Olympics: 50 percent. But Chinese meteorologists have a plan to bring sunshine. The meteorologists say they can force rain in the days before the Olympics, through a process known as cloud-seeding, to clean the air and ensure clear skies. China has been tinkering with artificial rainmaking for decades, but whether it works is …

Will revenue flap hurt Chicago’s Olympic bid? (Chicago Sun-Times)
U.S. Olympic boss Peter Ueberroth on Thursday rejected complaints that America takes too big of a bite out of the Olympic revenue apple. The contentious issue could affect Chicago’s chances at winning the 2016 Summer Games.

Lenovo Creation to Help Light Way for Olympics to Beijing (Local Tech Wire)
Morrisville PC manufacturer Lenovo will help light the way to the 2008 summer Olympics in Beijing both literally and figuratively.

U.S. travelers expelled from Tibet after Olympics protest (Seattle Times)
China said today it has expelled five Americans who staged a protest against the Olympics on Mount Everest to challenge Chinese rule over…

Audi Named As Official Automobiles of the 2008 Summer Olympics (AutoSpies.com)
As a partner of international sport, Volkswagen China Investment Ltd., with its brands Audi and Volkswagen, will be nailing its colours to the mast during the Summer Olympics staged in Beijing (China) in August 2008. In the Olympics and Paralympics the spotlight will be on Audi vehicles as the “Official Premium Car”: Athletes, officials and VIP guests will be using the chauffeur service with over …

China to Force Rain Ahead of Olympics (The San Francisco Examiner)
(AP Photo/Kenichi Murakami, Pool) Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao, left, and Beijing Organizing Committee for the Olympic Games (BOCOG) President Liu Qi attend the opening ceremony of the SportAccord international sports convention Tuesday, April 24, 2007 in Beijing, the host city of the 2008 Summer Olympics.

Spin games for the 2014 Winter Olympics (AP via Yahoo! News)
The world’s biggest sports convention is taking place in the city that will host the 2008 Summer Olympics fewer than 500 days from now. The spotlight, though, is on a Winter Games still seven years away.

CHINA TAIWAN Beijing 2008: the politics of the torch relay - Asia News (AsiaNews.it)
Asia News CHINA TAIWAN Beijing 2008: the politics of the torch relay china taiwan tibet olympics beijing 2008 torch relay controversy Criticism is mounting over Beijing s decision to have the Olympic torch relayed in Taiwan as local authorities accusing mainland China of trying to demean the island s status.

Olympic torch relay protested (Baltimore Sun)
Taiwan objects to China’s calling island portion of route ‘domestic’ China is calling it the “journey of harmony.” But the Olympic torch relay that is to precede the 2008 Beijing Summer Games and showcase China’s peaceful rise in world standing ran into discord as soon as the route was announced yesterday. The path of the flame and its characterization by China drew the immediate wrath of …

Delhi To Bid For 2020 Summer Games (GamesBids.com)
The Indian Olympic Committee (IOA) said Saturday that Delhi will bid for the 2020 Summer Olympic Games while opting out of a bid for the 2016 Games after India missed hosting the 2014 Asian Games.

China to force rain ahead of 2008 Olympics to ensure clear skies, clean air (WHO-TV 13 Des Moines)
BEIJING China’s planning on seeding clouds to bring on rain to spruce up the skies ahead of the 2008 Olympics in Beijing. China’s been tinkering with forcing rain for…