China

Chinese Olympic officials are likely to appoint a home-grown insurance broker to cover the 2008 Olympics rather than an international intermediary experienced in big event, sports related insurance.

Neither South America nor Africa can afford to stage the Olympic Games says new Olympic chief Jacques Rogge.

Ninety percent of the population of Beijing tuned into the broadcast of the Olympic vote on the host city for the 2008 Games which saw the Chinese capital emerge victorious.

Encouraged by the success of communist Beijing being awarded the 2008 Olympics, Cuba has announced its intention to bid for the 2012 event.

Beijing?s hotels were flooded with calls just minutes after the Chinese capital won their bid to host the 2008 Olympics.

The International Olympic Committee?s (IOC) decision to award Beijing the Olympic Games in 2008 has been criticised by human rights interest group Amnesty International.

A squad of top NBA players will visit China and Taiwan in September for two exhibition games, the National Basketball Association has announced.

China plans to launch a special lottery to help finance the 2008 Summer Olympics.

The emperor of Japan, premier of China and North Korean leader Kim Jong-il will be in the stands when next year's World Cup finals kick off, if South Korea's soccer boss has his wish.

Osaka is not ready to throw in the towel in the race to stage the 2008 summer Olympic Games, bid officials have said.

A US government official has stated that President George Bush will not block Bejing?s bid to host the 2008 Olympic Games, despite the current political unrest between the US and China.

Rival cable television broadcasters HBO and Showtime are negotiating to present a fight between former champions Mike Tyson and Lennox Lewis.

Beijing expects to receive revenues of $1.625bn from hosting the 2008 Olympic Games if its bid is successful, Jiang Xiaoyu, vice-chairman of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games Committee has said.

India is racing against time to complete the preparations for the first Afro-Asian games in November, which has been hit by delays in getting facilities ready, poor financial returns and low-key competitions.

A favourable review of Beijing's 2008 Games bid by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) showed human rights protestors and US critics were out of step with world opinion, a Beijing official said on Sunday.

Kazakhstan would be welcomed as the 52nd member association of UEFA if they went ahead with plans to quit the Asian confederation, officials said on Wednesday.