Snappy newsletters. Simple Facebook sharing. Spirited comments. Sweet features are waiting… GET THEM NOW!

Hot on Facebook
Guy Buys $123 Safe on eBay, Finds $26,000 Inside Seller tries to get half the cash back, fails »

NEWS ABOUT: 2008 Beijing Olympics

Stories 301 - 320 | << Prev   Next >>

Switch to grid view »

San Francisco in Fine Frenzy Over Torch

Security tightens as protesters hit streets for relay

(Newser) - The Olympic torch winds its way through San Francisco today and authorities are bracing for big trouble from protesters who have already hit the streets, AP reports. The torch was buffeted by protests in London and Paris, where the relay was cut short, and the worst may be yet to... More »

Flame Arrives in San Francisco

Protesters absent amid heavy security; torch in hiding before tomorrow's city tour

(Newser) - The Olympic flame landed in San Francisco early this morning, accompanied by Chinese officials and protected by riot-ready security, the San Francisco Chronicle reports. The 3:40am landing was followed by a round of photographs before a quick retreat to an undisclosed location, where the torch will await tomorrow's relay... More »

Olympic Committee May Cancel Torch Relay

IOC to meet in Beijing to discuss massive protests

(Newser) - The International Olympic Committee has scheduled an extraordinary meeting to discuss whether the remainder of this year's torch relay should be canceled. In the face of massive protests against China's human rights abuses, the committee is considering a plan to limit the remainder of the relay to China, reports AFP.... More »

Beijing Blasts Torch Protests

Marches "tarnish the lofty Olympic spirit," China says

(Newser) - Today China denounced the protests that have disrupted Olympic torch relays in London and Paris over the past 2 days, Reuters reports. "The despicable activities tarnish the lofty Olympic spirit," a Foreign Ministry spokeswoman said. She also denied media reports that "the Olympic torch was forced to... More »

Clinton to Bush: Skip Olympics

Candidate cites Darfur and Tibet as reasons not to go

(Newser) - Hillary Clinton urged President Bush today to skip the Beijing Olympics over China's role in the Darfur genocide and violence in Tibet, Politico reports. She joined ranks with Nancy Pelosi in calling for Bush to protest Beijing's human rights record "absent major changes by the Chinese government," Clinton... More »

Torch Protesters Climb Golden Gate Bridge

Pro-Tibet students make statement from above

(Newser) - With the Olympic torch due to reach San Francisco tomorrow, protesters climbed the Golden Gate Bridge today to unfurl banners reading “One World, One Dream" and "Free Tibet 08.” The climbers, members of Students for a Free Tibet, were arrested after they rappelled down the bridge’s... More »

China Wikipedia Access Not So Impressive

Recent move isn't enough to meet IOC's request for openness

(Newser) - It's good for Chinese Internet users that the government has lifted bans on Wikipedia and Blogspot, but the move isn't the great breakthrough it may seem to be. If the policy change was intended to fulfill requests from the International Olympic Committee for an open internet, it falls well short... More »

Olympic Flame Doused 5 Times; Paris Relay Cut Short

Torch is put out, put on a bus, re-lighted, then put out again

(Newser) - Paris police today extinguished the Olympic flame five times after massive pro-Tibet protests turned the torch relay into chaos. The torch was doused for the first time near the start of the route at the Eiffel Tower and taken on board the bus that accompanies the runners, the AP reports.... More »

China Rips 'Vile' London Torch Protests

State media glosses over clashes

(Newser) - A day after protesters in London nearly extinguished the Olympic flame, Beijing denounced the "tiny number of Tibet independence elements" who threatened the torch relay. "We strongly condemn this vile behavior," said an official. Chinese television focused on cheering crowds in the British capital, followed by a... More »

London Erupts in Torch Protests

Activist grabs torch, 25 busted in street battles with cops

(Newser) - Despite massive security, London erupted today in a series of protests along the route of the Olympic flame relay, and a "free Tibet" protester managed to grab the torch before police wrestled him to the ground, reports the Guardian. At least 25 protesters were busted as scores of police... More »

China Plans 'Education' of Tibetan Monks

Beijing's move to enforce loyalty raises fears of more violence

(Newser) - Fed up with protests from Tibetan monks, Beijing said today it will step up a campaign of "patriotic education," the AP reports. Beijing will try to force monks to denounce the Dalai Lama and declare their loyalty to China, adding to worries that the current tension over human... More »

Beijing Eases Limits on Wikipedia

But topics such as Tibet, Tiananmen remain off limits

(Newser) - Prodded by the International Olympic Committee, China has seemingly eased restrictions on the English-language version of Wikipedia, Reuters reports. But authorities continue to block access to articles related to sensitive topics such as Tibet and Tiananmen Square. Users in Shanghai and Beijing, the site of the summer Olympics, reported being... More »

Chinese Rights Advocate Jailed

EU, US slam China's handling of Hu Jia's case

(Newser) - A top Chinese human-rights activist has been sentenced to three and a half years in prison for writings and comments considered subversive, the New York Times reports. The case of Hu Jia, 34, been watched closely around the world; critics see it as part of a government crackdown on dissidents... More »

For Olympians, Conscience Battles Wallet

Protesting could get athletes thrown out of Games

(Newser) - The Beijing Olympics will be rife with protesters, but athletes may be reluctant to be among them, reports the New York Times. Olympic rules forbid protests or propaganda at Olympic sites, and sponsors are sure to frown on such activity. Even Team Darfur, a protest group with many Olympian members,... More »

Mickey Ds Lurks Behind Spooky 'Lost Ring' Game

Golden Arches launches weirdest marketing campaign yet

(Newser) - Players had spent days searching for clues to The Lost Ring, an Olympic-themed online mystery game, before uncovering the stunning identity of the game’s shadowy creator: McDonald’s. Golden arches and burgers are nowhere to be seen in the dark contest—instead it’s promoting the Olympics, while “... More »

Beijing Bans Smoking in Time for Games

But earlier rules were no match for cigarette-addicted

(Newser) - China, the world's most populous country, is also home to the planet's largest number of smokers. But in the latest effort to clear the air for the Olympics, Beijing has banned smoking in government offices and public transportation, and mandated smoke-free areas in restaurants as of May 1. The penalty:... More »

House Speaker Calls on Bush to Snub Olympic Ceremonies

Pelosi urges move to protest 'oppression'

(Newser) - House speaker Nancy Pelosi calls on President Bush to consider skipping the opening ceremonies of the Beijing Olympics in an interview airing today, ABC reports. Pelosi, a fierce critic of China's human rights record, isn't suggesting an American boycott of the games themselves, but. she says that it was a... More »

Olympic Torch Lit in Beijing

Security is tight as flame begins global journey

(Newser) - The Olympic torch was re-lighted today in Beijing’s Tienanmen Square in an elaborate ceremony marked by tight security, the AP reports. President Hu Jintao passed the flame to a champion Chinese hurdler in a televised event attended by some 5,000 people. Confetti floated over bright red seats and... More »

Protesters Disrupt Olympic Torch Exchange

Demonstrators try to block torch as it passes from Greeks to Chinese; 10 arrested

(Newser) - Protesters against China’s Tibet crackdown shook up today’s Olympic torch hand-off in Athens, the New York Times reports. Some 15 people dodged security to fly banners and shout “Free Tibet” as they tried to block Greek officials from passing the flame to Beijing authorities. Ten were nabbed... More »

Protesters Follow Olympic Torch to Acropolis

Demonstrations in Greece remain mostly peaceful

(Newser) - Olympic torchbearers made their way to the Acropolis in Greece today with the help of heavy security that kept protesters at arm's length, the AP reports. Activists have set up camp by candlelight outside the stadium—site of the first modern Olympics in 1896— to protest China's human rights record... More »

Stories 301 - 320 | << Prev   Next >>
NEWS FROM OUR PARTNERS
Other Sites We Like:   24/7 Wall St.   |   Betty Confidential   |   BuzzFeed   |   Cracked   |   Fark   |   Timelines   |   The Frisky   |   Geek Sugar   |   NewsOne