CHINA: Agony Turns Ecstasy as Gold Medals Pile Up

As China piles up gold medals, even the host nation has been watching in bewilderment. Despite popular expectations that China’s athletes would shine on home turf, the medal bonanza has surprised usually skeptical Chinese people.

CULTURE-CHINA: Love a Peking Duck

Is the Peking duck winning the contest? The jury is out on which Chinese specialty is going to be crowned as the Beijing Olympics’ most favorite local product.

POLITICS-CHINA: Tough Policy in Xinjiang Backfires

China’s success in eliminating clusters of Muslim insurgencies in the western province of Xinjiang may have pushed an alleged separatist movement across the border into Pakistan and Afghanistan, exposing it to greater influences by jihadist groups in those countries.

Q&A: 'China Is Capitalist, Not Communist'

As one of the nuclear physicists behind the Manhattan Project, Joan Hinton commands awe. But she chucked it all to go to China in 1948 and take part in the Communist Revolution. Now 86, she works on a dairy farm near Beijing, her sense of humour unaffected by a stroke suffered 10 years ago.

MEDIA: Olympics Draw Harvest of Online Protests

Say goodbye to the usual slogan-shouting and banner-carrying protest actions, because one does not even have to be anywhere near China to push a mix of causes - from Tibet and Burma to Darfur. Online creativity is the name of the game.

CHINA: Olympics Leave Hong Kongers Cold

While the whole world tuned in on the spectacular Olympic opening ceremony in Beijing, there was little excitement in this former British colony that was returned to China in 1997.

CHINA: All the World's Stage

All the world is a stage and for a few mesmerising hours on Friday night that stage was China’s. Doubts over China as Olympic host faded away, at least temporarily, as the organisers delivered a fitting tribute to the mystery and sophistication of Chinese civilisation.

SPORTS-CUBA: Going for Gold – Once Again

Cuba’s prestige among the global sports élite for the past three decades testifies to the effectiveness of a mass, free physical education system which the government has supported through the ups and downs of the national economy.

CHINA: Greening of the Games

Though human rights and environmental issues - such as censorship and pollution in Beijing - have been the two major focuses of criticism levelled against the Chinese government during the lead up to the Olympic games, Achim Steiner, the Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), is expected to address some of Beijing’s environmental successes during the opening ceremonies.

BURMA/CHINA: Avoid ‘Blood Jade’ Olympic Souvenirs – Activists

They make attractive mementos for the thousands of visitors to Beijing for the Summer Olympics. But souvenirs and jewellery made out of prized jade from Burma are ridden with a history of abuse and blood, say activists from the military-ruled country.

CHINA: Olympic Glory Seen As More Than Sports

One hundred years ago Chinese athletes had neither money nor government support to compete in the Olympics. An invitation by the founder of the modern Olympics, Baron Pierre de Coubertin, to Qing dynasty rulers to send a national team of athletes went unanswered.

DISARMAMENT: China Key Arms Supplier to Human Rights Abusers

As China tries to boost its international image, playing host to a summer Olympic games, the government in Beijing is being singled out as a key arms supplier to some of the world's worst human rights abusers, according to a new study released here.

SPORTS-ARGENTINA: More Money Would Help, But That’s Not Enough

Financial support for Argentine athletes has traditionally been meagre, but it has increased ahead of the Beijing Olympic games. However, several experts warn that more money alone is not enough to give a real boost to sports.

MEDIA-AUSTRALIA: TV Network Denies Censor Role in China

An electronic paper trail indicates that one of Australia’s leading television networks may be involved in dissuading foreign media in China against covering "forbidden" topics.

LATIN AMERICA: Unimpressive Medal Haul Expected at Beijing

Some 1,200 athletes from Latin America and the Caribbean will be taking part in the Olympic games in Beijing, but only a handful stand a real chance of landing a medal, to judge from their past performance and their own expectations.