Hong Kong's security chief says the Chinese territory will refuse entry to people authorities believe will cause trouble during the Summer Olympics. The announcement is causing a stir among pro-democracy legislators, who say Hong Kong prides itself on its civil liberties and openness.

The Beijing Olympic torch relay officially embarked on its world tour as the charter Air China plane carrying the holy flame on Tuesday left Beijing for Kazakhstan's Almaty, the first stop of the 137,000 kilometers (85,000 miles) worldwide journey.

Chinese President Hu Jintao lit a creatively designed cauldron in Beijing's Tian'anmen Square with the Olympic torch on Monday morning, marking the official start of the round-the-world relay.

US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi has urged President George W Bush in an interview to consider skipping the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympics over China's crackdown on protests in Tibet.

Swimming Australia will consider disciplinary action after its investigation into an alleged bar-brawl between Olympic qualifier Nick D'Arcy and another swimmer.

Azerbaijan's capital, Baku, has announced that it plans to bid for the Olympics. Initial studies suggest that the cost of hosting the 2016 Summer Olympic Games may be $20 billion. Chingiz Huseynzade, chairman of Azerbaijan's National Olympic Committee, told in a July 2007 press conference that a group of economists is working on this issue.

French President Nicolas Sarkozy says his country will not rule out a possible boycott of the Beijing Olympics, if China fails to deal responsibly with the recent unrest in Tibet.

China has criticized human rights activists for disrupting the lighting ceremony of the Olympic torch in Ancient Olympia, Greece, Monday, saying their actions were "shameful."

On Monday, the Olympic torch for the 2008 Summer Olympics was lit in Olympia, Greece as per tradition. The Games of the XXIX Olympiad are scheduled to be held in and around Beijing, China from August 8, 2008, to August 24, 2008.

A Selwyn College student has come top in an inter-university Chinese competition after impressing the judges with her sword-dancing skills and breadth of cultural knowledge.

Human rights activists got past tight security and tried to disrupt the torch lighting ceremony for the Beijing Olympic Games Monday, in Ancient Olympia, Greece.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has appealed for politics to be kept out of the Olympics after activists threatened to protest against the lighting of the Olympic flame in Greece later today.