Olympic torch burns brightly in Jingzhou

The torch carriers also include world weightlifting champion Guan Hong and Chinese actress Zeng Li.

At the launching ceremony, the torchbearers and spectators observed a minute of silence to the victims of the 8.0-magnitude earthquake which struck southwestern China's Sichuan Province on May 12.

Jingzhou is one of the first 24 historic cities of cultural significance selected by the State Council and also the cradle of Chu culture of ancient China.

As a transportation hub and distribution center of commodities since ancient times, the city has become a strategic place of military importance in Chinese history.

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JINGZHOU, Central China, June 2 (Xinhua) -- The Beijing Olympic torch relay started its Jingzhou leg on the middle reaches of the Yangtze River on Monday, the last segment in central China's Hubei province.

The 18.6-kilometer relay of 208 torchbearers kicked off at 8:13 a.m. at the Golden Phoenix Square and will pass through the Ancient Jingzhou Town and end at Shalongda Square.

Zheng Lihui, who claimed a men's gymnastics team gold at Sydney Olympics, opened the relay as the first torchbearer. As the No. 3 torchbearer, the Greek ambassador to China Michael Cambanis delivered the flame on the Nine Dragon Bridge of the city.

Chinese Olympics relay member donates torch to quake relief

Chinese Olympics relay member donates torch to quake relief

Special report: Reconstruction After Earthquake

BEIJING, June 2 (Xinhua) -- Luo Xuejuan, the first Chinese bearer of the 2008 global Olympic torch relay, is donating her torch to the China Siyuan & The Loving Torch Foundation, which is dedicated to rebuilding areas ravaged by the May 12 Wenchuan earthquake.

"This torch doesn't belong to me alone. It belongs to the nation," said the Athens Olympic 100-meter breaststroke gold medalist.

"I hope the flame of our loving hearts will kindle people's hope for beautiful lives."

Luo also took part in the disaster relief fund-raising event organized by CCTV (China Central Television) and donations organized by the sports circles.

One of the founders of the Siyuan & The Loving Torch Foundation, Luo has been involved with disaster relief work, aiming to provide aid to people affected by the earthquake, especially women.

news courtesy:xinhua http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-06/02/content_8301717.htm

China issues strict rules for summer Olympics

China issues strict rules for summer Olympics

Locking lips at Safeco Field will get you only a minor public outcry. But if you're going to the Chinese Olympic Games this summer, you'd better not mess with the rules.

The Beijing Olympic organizing committee issued a stern, 57-topic guide letting foreigners know what they can't do as they enjoy the games this August -- like sleep outdoors, enter Tibet or stage a protest without the government's permission.

No word on whether kissing is allowed in the stands, but so much for freedom of speech. According to the Associated Press, the guide forbids the display of insulting slogans and any religious or political banner that "disturbs the political order."

It also informs visitors that people with "mental diseases" -- whatever those are -- will be barred from events.

The Olympic committee earlier had to apologize after a volunteer guide that used striking stereotypes to describe the physically disabled spawned a wave of protest.

Read more from the Associated Press.

China shortens Tibet leg of Olympic torch relay

China shortens Tibet leg of Olympic torch relay

By HENRY SANDERSON –

BEIJING (AP) — The controversial Tibetan leg of the Olympic torch relay has been cut to just one day because of the devastating earthquake in Sichuan province, a Beijing Olympics official said Sunday.

The torch's stop in Tibet — originally set for three days — has been criticized by Tibet activist groups who see it as an attempt by Beijing to symbolize its control over Tibet. China says it has ruled Tibet for centuries, although many Tibetans say their homeland was essentially independent for much of that time.

The cut to one day came after the relay was stopped for three days last week as part of a national period of mourning declared by the government to honor the victims of the May 12 earthquake in Sichuan province that left nearly 63,000 people dead and almost 24,000 others missing.

The announcement also came two months after a violent uprising in ethnic Tibetan areas throughout China led to a security clampdown in the region. China has said life is returning to normal, and monasteries are reopening in Tibet's capital, Lhasa. But foreigners are still banned and until recently Chinese were advised to stay away.

"All I can be sure of is that the Lhasa relay has been shortened to one day," said Li Lizhi of the Beijing Olympic torch relay center.

"It's probably either on June 18 or June 19, as is tentatively set now. But it is still open to future adjustment," she said.

Olympic organizers announced days ago that the Sichuan leg of the relay had been shifted from mid-June to early August because of the quake. The leg now will run from Aug. 3 to Aug. 5 instead of June 15 to June 18.

It was not clear if the torch relay would still go through Mianyang, one of the hardest-hit areas, as planned. The Beijing games start Aug. 8.

"It is too early to tell," said Zhang Liang, who is also with the torch relay center. "Every city has been preparing for it very hard and we will make the final decision based on how well each place recovers."

So far the torch has had a smooth relay in mainland China, uninterrupted by the protests over Tibet and human rights that dogged parts of its international tour.

Earlier this month, Chinese mountaineers raised the Olympic torch at the summit of Mount Everest, the world's highest peak, producing the triumphant image that China has longed for in the run-up to the Beijing Olympics.

The Everest torch was separate from the main Olympic flame, which is on a three-month tour of China after a one-month trip around the world.

Activists upset with Chinese government policies, especially pro-Tibet independence groups, used that trip around the world to stage protests to highlight their causes.

source courtesy :ap press
writer:HENRY SANDERSON

China picks up the Olympic torch again

2008/05/22

THE Olympic torch resumes its journey through China today after a three-day period of national mourning for victims of the earthquake that killed 40000 .

The torch relay will resume at a container port in eastern China’s seaport city of Ningbo, travelling through the city and across the Hangzhou Bay bridge to Jiaxing. Later today it is to be moved by vehicle to the country’s commercial centre of Shanghai.

So far, the torch has had a smooth relay in mainland China, uninterrupted by the protests that dogged parts of its international tour. But organisers scaled down the celebratory tone of the relay after the 7.9 magnitude earthquake that struck central China on May 12, flattening entire communities. The torch relay last stopped in Hangzhou, a scenic city to the west of Ningbo.

China’s leadership has sought to use the Olympics, which begin on August 8 in Beijing, to showcase the country’s achievements and rally national unity.

The torch relay, which has travelled to all corners of the globe , has played a key role in the build-up to the Games. Organisers initially resisted changes in the relay, which corporate sponsors have paid millions of dollars to fund.

But public pressure for a moratorium on the event prompted organisers to adjust details of the relay. Some legs of the run were shortened and donations for victims have been collected along the way.

The torch was to remain in Shanghai on Friday and Saturday, and then travel on to neighbouring Jiangsu province. It is due to arrive on June 13 in the sprawling Yangtze River city of Chongqing and enter neighbouring Sichuan province, site of the quake’s epicentre, two days later.

The torch returns to Beijing on August 6, two days before the opening ceremony.

During the three-day mourning period, flags were flying at half- mast and entertainment events were cancelled. Television networks were running only news programmes .

Authorities have reported more than 40000 dead, with at least 10000 more deaths likely, and 32000 people missing from the disaster. — Sapa- AP

Beijing City life photos from traveller magazine

Olympics ticket deadline extended after China quake

Olympics ticket deadline extended after China quake

source:courtesy: * Reuters
* , Thursday May 15 2008

BEIJING, May 15 (Reuters) - Subscribers who bought tickets for the Beijing Olympics in the third round of domestic sales will have an extra 10 days to pay after Monday's earthquake in southwest China killed thousands, Games organisers said.
Buyers were due to pay by last Tuesday but now had until May 23 after China's worst earthquake in three decades prevented some people from paying, China's Olympic Ticketing Centre announced in a statement.
The online booking system would continue service until the planned end of the third phase domestic sale on June 9, it added, despite the fact that tickets to events in Beijing and Hong Kong had already sold out.
The third round of domestic sales started with 1.38 million tickets up for grabs on May 5. A total of 7 million tickets will be made available to the general public for the Aug. 8-24 Games.
(Take a look at the Countdown to Beijing blog at http://blogs.reuters.com/china)
(Reporting by Liu Zhen; Editing by Nick Macfie)