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SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 2009
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NEWS ABOUT: 2008 Beijing Olympics

2008 Beijing Olympics stories: 376 news summaries

1 - 20 of 376 Stories | 1 2 3 4 5 ... 19 Next >>

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China Censors Artist Leading Quake Inquiry

Police stake out whistleblower's studio, shut down blog

Jul 13, 09 9:45 AM CDT
(Newser) - The Chinese artist who has made investigating the deaths of children in the Sichuan earthquake a personal crusade is facing a government crackdown, reports the CBC. Ai Weiwei's widely read blog has been deleted, and plainclothes police officers are staking out his studio in Beijing. Ai has relaunched his blog... More »

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China • Chinese art • art • censorship • 2008 Beijing Olympics • death toll • Olympic Games • earthquake • Internet censorship • disaster • Sichuan province • China earthquake • Birds Nest National Stadium • Ai Weiwei • Olympic Stadium

OPINION

 How China Rewrote 
 Tiananmen History 

Recalling Tiananmen 20 years later

May 27, 09 2:59 PM CDT
(Newser) - The Tiananmen Square massacre isn’t something the Chinese government wants the world to remember, and it's doing a good job keeping the matter quiet, writes Terrence Cheng in the Chronicle of Higher Education. In China, “those who dare to speak about it are swiftly silenced,” he writes.... More »

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China • Tiananmen Square • 2008 Beijing Olympics • protests • massacre • history • Opening Ceremony • killings

(Newser) - Michael Phelps’ suspension ended today, and the swimmer is back in the pool preparing for a tourney next week in Charlotte, the AP reports. The Olympian said he was actually unaware of the end of the 3-month ban, imposed after photos emerged of him hitting a bong. “I had... More »

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Michael Phelps • 2008 Beijing Olympics • competition • swimming • marijuana • professional athletes

 Usain Bolt Crashes 
 Gift Car, Walks Away 

Bolt has only minor scratches

Apr 30, 09 7:46 AM CDT
(Newser) - Olympic gold medalist Usain Bolt walked away from a car accident in Jamaica with no apparent injuries except a thorn in his foot. The world champion sprinter crashed his BMW M3—a gift from sponsor Puma for his performance in Beijing—after speeding down a wet highway, the Guardian reports.... More »

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car accident • Jamaica • 2008 Beijing Olympics • athlete • running • Usain Bolt • sprinters

Retesting Nails 6 Olympic Drug Cheats

New technique
exposes athletes'
use of banned
blood booster

Apr 29, 09 6:07 AM CDT
(Newser) - Six Olympic drug cheats have been exposed long after the end of the 2008 Beijing Games, CNN reports. The IOC—which keeps test samples on file for eight years after events finish—rechecked 948 samples after a new test for a banned blood booster was developed. Silver medal-winning Italian cyclist... More »

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2008 Beijing Olympics • doping • drug test • Olympians • Olympic athletes • IOC • Davide Rebellin

(Newser) - The restraining order against Shawn Johnson stalker Robert Michael O’Ryan has been extended to 3 years, E! reports today. The Johnson family is “pleased with the decision,” their lawyer said. O’Ryan is being held in a California jail for trespassing on a studio lot—guns, duct... More »

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Dancing with the Stars • stalker • 2008 Beijing Olympics • gymnastics • Shawn Johnson • restraining order • stalking • Robert Michael O'Ryan

 Phelps 
 Chugs Vodka 
 While Mom 
 Plugs Book 

Swimmer backs mom in NYC, up-ends bottle of Grey Goose

Apr 9, 09 10:13 AM CDT
(Newser) - Michael Phelps, well on his way to reclaiming his All-American image, was spotted at a New York hotspot “drinking straight from a bottle of Grey Goose,” a source tells the Daily News. At one point, “he got up, started dancing like a loon and kept on yelling,... More »

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Michael Phelps • alcohol • 2008 Beijing Olympics • memoir • Olympians • Olympic athletes • US Olympic athletes • Debbie Phelps

World Rules
Sink New
Tech Tricks for Swimming Suits

Regulations limit suits' bouyancy, coverage

Mar 15, 09 8:51 AM CDT
(Newser) - World competitive swimming organization Fina has outlawed certain high-tech swimming suits to keep the playing field even, reports the BBC. Suits cannot cover the neck, nor extend past the ankles and shoulders, and are limited to a certain thickness and buoyancy under the new rules. An astonishing 108 swimming records... More »

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Michael Phelps • 2008 Beijing Olympics • swimming • Speedo • Speedo LZR Racer

 Phelps Hides 
 From Paps— 
 at Strip Joints 

Swimmer hides from cameras, tints windows

Feb 18, 09 9:50 AM CST
(Newser) - It’s understandable that Michael Phelps is a little camera-shy after the fallout from his bong portrait. But he’s started “hiding out at strip clubs” to avoid having his picture taken, the New York Post reports. The Olympic champ has also tinted the windows of his Baltimore home... More »

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bongs • Michael Phelps • 2008 Beijing Olympics • swimming • strip club • marijuana • photograph • Olympic athletes • strip clubs

 (Some) 
 Sponsors, 
 Celebs 
 Support 
 Phelps 

A few celebs are also in his corner

Feb 3, 09 8:36 AM CST
(Newser) - Michael Phelps’ sponsors are supportive—so far—following his bong imbroglio, AP reports. Watchmaker Omega called the whole thing a “nonissue,” and Speedo reiterated that Phelps is a “valued member of the Speedo team.” Experts say Phelps better stick to the straight and narrow—he promised... More »

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Michael Phelps • 2008 Beijing Olympics • swimming • marijuana • photograph • Internet leak • corporate sponsorship • Olympic athletes • Olympics • gold medalist

 Phelps Cops to Smoking Pot 

Says he demonstrated "bad judgment"

Feb 1, 09 2:51 PM CST
(Newser) - Michael Phelps admitted today to smoking pot after a British tabloid ran a photo of him sucking a bong, the Times of London reports. The Olympic swimming star apologized, saying he “demonstrated bad judgment. I'm 23 years old and despite the successes I've had in the pool, I acted... More »

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bongs • Michael Phelps • 2008 Beijing Olympics • marijuana • British tabloids

 Chinese Sad to See Bush Go 

President's free-trade, Taiwan policies get thumbs-up

Jan 15, 09 6:36 AM CST
(Newser) - George Bush is leaving office with rock-bottom ratings in the US but he'll be missed by his many Chinese fans, reports the Los Angeles Times. The president—affectionately called Xiao Bush, or "Young Bush"—is credited with helping China's economy blossom with his free-trade policies. Many fear his... More »

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China • presidency • 2008 Beijing Olympics • Chinese economy • free trade • George W. Bush • Chinese Communist party

 Home Depot Dumps Olympians 

Program helped win 95 gold medals

Jan 8, 09 7:44 AM CST
(Newser) - Home Depot is ending the high-profile sponsorship program under which hundreds of US athletes have had the opportunity to chase Olympic gold. The company denied that the slumping economy was behind the decision, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reports. But a marketing expert said, “In tough times like these, companies are... More »

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NFL • MLB • NASCAR • 2008 Beijing Olympics • Home Depot • Olympic Games • Paralympics • corporate sponsorship • big-box retailers

 Beijing Rides High Underground 

City finally digging, in defiance of all geomancy

Jan 6, 09 1:59 PM CST
(Newser) - The days of endless traffic jams are over in Beijing, thanks to an ambitious and suddenly popular new subway network, the Wall Street Journal reports. For decades Beijing’s subway has languished, ineffective and, because digging underground violates the mystic rules of feng shui, controversial. “The city’s... More »

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China • subway • Beijing • 2008 Beijing Olympics • feng shui

OPINION

 Best Sports Stories of 2008 

Evil Bill, golden Michael, ailing Tiger, and hapless Lions held our fascination

Dec 26, 08 3:02 PM CST
(Newser) - Every fan has favorite storylines from the year in sports, but a few were universally intriguing, Reid Cherner and Tom Weir write in USA Today:
  1. Michael Phelps' eight golds in the 08/08/08 Olympics gave America a reason to root.
  2. Our favorite hoodied villain, Patriots coach Bill Belichick, finally
... More »

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Michael Phelps • Tiger Woods • Roger Clemens • 2008 Beijing Olympics • Bill Belichick • Mitchell Report • Super Bowl XLII • Big Brown • Eight Belles • Best of 2008 • US Open Golf

 China's Great Firewall Back Up 

Censorship, relaxed during Olympics, on rise again as economy slows

Dec 16, 08 3:43 PM CST
(Newser) - China has quietly reinstated the web censorship lifted during its Olympics image cleanup, the New York Times reports today. As in the past, the tightening comes as growing unemployment raises the government’s fears of social unrest. The government defended its right to censor sites that violate Chinese secession laws,... More »

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China • media • censorship • Taiwan • 2008 Beijing Olympics • secession • Internet censorship • web censorship

ANALYSIS

 Google Taps Zeitgeist, 
 Finds Palin a Winner 

Alaska governor went zooming up search charts in '08

Dec 11, 08 1:34 PM CST
(Newser) - Every year, Google releases its analysis of the global zeitgeist based on billions of searches around the world. Newsweek reports the highlights:
  • Sarah Palin: "Obama" was the most searched for term overall, but the Alaska governor grabbed the top spot on the fastest-rising list.
  • Beijing
... More »

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Barack Obama • Google • Facebook • list • 2008 Beijing Olympics • Heath Ledger • Jonas Brothers • Election 2008 • Sarah Palin • 2008 • Google Zeitgeist • Best of 2008

 Phelps' Gal Pal Meets Mom 

Girlfriend spends Thanksgiving with fam

Nov 28, 08 6:30 AM CST
(Newser) - Olympic champion Michael Phelps brought his latest prize home: his girlfriend spent Thanksgiving with the family in Baltimore, People reports. The pair met in Vegas, where Phelps is practicing for the World Series of Poker and his gal pal works as a cocktail waitress. The Olympic sensation says the card... More »

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Michael Phelps • Las Vegas • 2008 Beijing Olympics • swimming • World Series of Poker • poker • Thanksgiving • US Olympic athletes • Olympics

Football Goes Mobile on Sprint Phones Tonight

NFL games head to tiny screen

Nov 6, 08 5:19 AM CST
(Newser) - Sprint is about to score big with football fans with the first-ever live broadcast of an NFL game on mobile phones. The debut phone-cast will be tonight's Cleveland Browns showdown with the Denver Broncos. Eight more games from the NFL television network will be available over 7 weeks as part... More »

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DirecTV • NFL • NFL Network • Verizon • iPhone • NBC Universal • General Electric • 2008 Beijing Olympics • Sprint • digital media • mobile phones

 China Cracks Down 
 on Internet Cafes 

Users must be photographed for national database of Web surfers

Oct 17, 08 6:29 AM CDT
(Newser) - China has resumed a strict crackdown on Internet users less than two months after the Olympic Games, ending the more relaxed regulations that accompanied the international spotlight, reports the Times of London. All visitors to Internet cafes in Beijing will be required to have their photograph taken, reports the Times... More »

MORE ABOUT:
China • Internet • Beijing • 2008 Beijing Olympics • Internet cafes • Internet censorship • Great Firewall of China

1 - 20 of 376 Stories | 1 2 3 4 5 ... 19 Next >>


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