Watching China

Iraq has been banned from taking part in the Beijing Olympics because of a government decision to disband the country's National Olympic Committee, a senior official of the committee said on Thursday.

Iraq has been banned from taking part in the Beijing Olympics because of a government decision to disband the Iraqi Olympic Committee, an official at the committee said.

The International Olympic Committee says Iraq will not compete at the Beijing Olympics because of government interference.

BUDAPEST, Hungary — Hungarian discus thrower Robert Fazekas, who was stripped of his gold medal at the 2004 Athens Olympics for doping, will compete at the Beijing Games.

SINGAPORE: It will be a mini—Olympics of sorts in Singapore ahead of the Beijing Games. That’s because 32 teams from 22 countries will use the island as a training base for 10 sports in preparation for the Olympics.

DURHAM, N.C. (AP) -- Colorado second baseman Jayson Nix was picked Wednesday to round out the U.S. baseball team headed to the Beijing Olympics.

BEIJING (AP) -- China will allow a modicum of dissent at the Olympics, setting up special protest zones far from the main sports venues, in a shift that supporters and detractors said Wednesday is meant to safely channel criticism and avoid disrupting the games.

BEIJING (AP) -- Hundreds were evacuated Wednesday from the massive building that will house broadcasting facilities for the Beijing Olympics, fearing there was a gas leak after people smelled a strong odor. But authorities later said it was a false alarm and the smell probably came from building materials or chemicals.

Hundreds were evacuated Wednesday from the massive building that will house broadcasting facilities for the Beijing Olympics, fearing there was a gas leak after people smelled a strong odor. But authorities later said it was a false alarm and the smell came from paint fumes in the ventilation system.

Hundreds were evacuated Wednesday from the massive building that will house broadcasting facilities for the Beijing Olympics, fearing there was a gas leak after people smelled a strong odor. But authorities later said it was a false alarm and the smell probably came from building materials or chemicals.

Hundreds of people were evacuated Wednesday from the massive building that will house broadcasters from around the world when the Beijing Olympics open, fearing there was a gas leak after people inside smelled a strong chemical odor.

Designated protest zones will be set up in Beijing during the Olympics.

Randy Starkman Torstar news services Oakville kayaker Adam van Koeverden carried the flag in the closing ceremonies for Canada at the 2004 Athens Olympics. Now, he'll be carrying the Maple Leaf back into the stadium for the 2008 Beijing Games.

Montreal, Que. - Star kayaker, Adam van Koeverden, was named Canada's flag-bearer for the 2008 Beijing Olympics. The 26-year-old , who is from Burlington, Ont., but trains in Oakville, was named the flag-bearer at a news conference Wednesday morning in Montreal.

Hundreds of people were evacuated Wednesday from the massive building that will house broadcasters from around the world when the Beijing Olympics open, fearing there was a gas leak after people inside smelled a strong chemical odor. But authorities later said it was a false alarm and the smell probably came from building materials or chemicals.

Beijing will set up specially designated zones for protesters during next month's Olympics, a security official said Wednesday, in a sign China's authoritarian government may allow some demonstrations during the games.

SINGAPORE: It will be a mini—Olympics of sorts in Singapore ahead of the Beijing Games. That’s because 32 teams from 22 countries will use the island as a training base for 10 sports in preparation for the Olympics.

Broadcast officials say the massive building housing television facilities for next month's Beijing Olympics has been evacuated due to an apparent gas leak.

Beijing trying to reduce pollution before Olympics

Hotels in Beijing are slashing room rates for next month's Olympics after tighter security — among other measures — dashed an expected windfall of visitors, hotels and travel industry executives said Tuesday.