China's security organisations will seek help from their foreign counterparts, including those from the United States and Britain, to ensure an incident free Beijing Olympics in 2008.
Qiang Wei, head of the co-ordination team organising the Olympic security arrangements, has reportedly said that the scheme involves participation of almost all similar organisations around the city.
This includes public security, national security and the armed police.
Beijing would also work closely with security organs of Germany, France and Russia; to enhance its defence against riots or terrorist attacks, Qiang said.
Thursday, March 24, 2005
Wednesday, March 23, 2005
Olympics Pest Barred
A former priest, who disrupted the 2004 Olympics, has been banned from going anywhere near this year's London Marathon.
Neil Horan, who jumped out in front of the lead runner in the men's marathon in Athens, was served with an Anti-Social Behaviour Order (ASBO)to ensure he does not disrupt the London event on 17 April.
Horan was defrocked in January, as a result of his stunts, which have led to him ending up in prison.
He was dressed in a brown kilt, green waistcoat and green tam-o'-shanter, as he represented himself yesterday at Camberwell Magistrates' Court.
He said:
"I have taken the Bible to the world stage on two great sporting events. I won’t need to do it a third time because the gospel requires me to do it just twice..I am quite happy to declare that my public mission is over in that sense."
Outside court he said:
"I think these great events were actually picked for me by the hand of God. I am delighted that I was able to use them to spread my message."
Neil Horan, who jumped out in front of the lead runner in the men's marathon in Athens, was served with an Anti-Social Behaviour Order (ASBO)to ensure he does not disrupt the London event on 17 April.
Horan was defrocked in January, as a result of his stunts, which have led to him ending up in prison.
He was dressed in a brown kilt, green waistcoat and green tam-o'-shanter, as he represented himself yesterday at Camberwell Magistrates' Court.
He said:
"I have taken the Bible to the world stage on two great sporting events. I won’t need to do it a third time because the gospel requires me to do it just twice..I am quite happy to declare that my public mission is over in that sense."
Outside court he said:
"I think these great events were actually picked for me by the hand of God. I am delighted that I was able to use them to spread my message."
Tuesday, March 22, 2005
Mayor Ken Supports Paris
In a bizarre display of openness, Ken Livingstone the Mayor of London said that Paris was leading the race of the five cities to host the 2012 Olympics.
Quote:
"We've closed the gap on Paris, but the truth is, Paris is still ahead...No city is close to a majority on the first ballot..".
However, Livingstone insisted the decision on which city will host the Games, to be made by the International Olympic Committee 117 members in Singapore on July 6 was "still up for grabs".
Livingstone tried to predict the voting intentions of the IOC:
"At most Paris has got about 30 votes. We have 25 votes and none of the other cities has more than 20, and we've got about 30 to 40 delegates yet to express an opinion...If in the end it is Paris and London, the people who voted for Moscow, New York and Madrid will say what is my second vote."
He added:
"The thing is these people are so skilled at not indicating which they favour and so when they are in any city, everyone thinks this is going really well because they are really good at avoiding bad press coverage. They should give us all a lesson."
Quote:
"We've closed the gap on Paris, but the truth is, Paris is still ahead...No city is close to a majority on the first ballot..".
However, Livingstone insisted the decision on which city will host the Games, to be made by the International Olympic Committee 117 members in Singapore on July 6 was "still up for grabs".
Livingstone tried to predict the voting intentions of the IOC:
"At most Paris has got about 30 votes. We have 25 votes and none of the other cities has more than 20, and we've got about 30 to 40 delegates yet to express an opinion...If in the end it is Paris and London, the people who voted for Moscow, New York and Madrid will say what is my second vote."
He added:
"The thing is these people are so skilled at not indicating which they favour and so when they are in any city, everyone thinks this is going really well because they are really good at avoiding bad press coverage. They should give us all a lesson."
Monday, March 21, 2005
West Side Bids Close Today
Bids for the redevelopment of the West Side railyards, New York, close today.
Redevelopment will be critical in New York's plans to host the 2012 Olympics, and a home for Jets football.
The Jets have reportedly said that they will increase their $100m offer for the right to build a 75,000-seat stadium.
Cablevision, which owns the Garden, the Knicks and the Rangers views the stadium as competition; they have offered $600M, in order for the construction of apartment houses and parks on a platform over the yard.
A third bidder, TransGas Energy Systems, is preparing an offer of $800M.
Other bidders are reportedly scared of upsetting Mayor Bloomberg, by bidding to build what everybody wants; namely apartments, rather than an Olympic stadium.
Mayor Bloomberg has made the stadium the epicentre of New York's bid for the 2012 Olympics.
It is possible that once the details of the bids are made public, there may be a further round of bidding.
Redevelopment will be critical in New York's plans to host the 2012 Olympics, and a home for Jets football.
The Jets have reportedly said that they will increase their $100m offer for the right to build a 75,000-seat stadium.
Cablevision, which owns the Garden, the Knicks and the Rangers views the stadium as competition; they have offered $600M, in order for the construction of apartment houses and parks on a platform over the yard.
A third bidder, TransGas Energy Systems, is preparing an offer of $800M.
Other bidders are reportedly scared of upsetting Mayor Bloomberg, by bidding to build what everybody wants; namely apartments, rather than an Olympic stadium.
Mayor Bloomberg has made the stadium the epicentre of New York's bid for the 2012 Olympics.
It is possible that once the details of the bids are made public, there may be a further round of bidding.
Sunday, March 20, 2005
Greece's Olympic Size Deficit
The Greek government has blamed the unchecked spending on the 2004 Olympics as being the reason for Greece's growing budget deficit.
Seemingly, because of accounting errors and "omissions", this deficit is likely to grow.
The latest figures from the EU show the deficit at 6.1% of gross domestic product, more than double the cap allowed by the EU.
Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis told the Parliament:
"The burdens we face from the past are very large..".
The cost of the 2004 Olympics is now being estimated at being $12BN. The Greek government has until the end of the month to explain to the EU how it will lower the deficit.
In a statement on the Finance Ministry website, the blame is pointed directly at PASOK, the socialist government that ruled Greece in the lead-up to the Olympics.
Additionally, there is the nagging question of what to do with the now redundant white elephants that made up the Olympic infrastructure. These are costing around $100M per annum just to maintain.
In respect of the breaching of the EU deficit rules, I would imagine that some form of political "fudge" will be made. The EU is notorious for allowing its members to break the rules, this will be no exception.
After all, if the then Greek government had been honest about the costs it would never have been allowed to join the Euro.
The EU will never admit to the fact that it had been conned.
With regard to the $12Bn cost, this is surely proof positive that the Olympics as a whole need to be totally reformed and scaled down.
No one in their right mind should even think of hosting them, if they are going to cost this much.
The trouble is that politicians' egos overrule common sense.
Maybe it is now time to abandon the Games, and for countries to spend their money on something more productive instead.
Seemingly, because of accounting errors and "omissions", this deficit is likely to grow.
The latest figures from the EU show the deficit at 6.1% of gross domestic product, more than double the cap allowed by the EU.
Prime Minister Costas Karamanlis told the Parliament:
"The burdens we face from the past are very large..".
The cost of the 2004 Olympics is now being estimated at being $12BN. The Greek government has until the end of the month to explain to the EU how it will lower the deficit.
In a statement on the Finance Ministry website, the blame is pointed directly at PASOK, the socialist government that ruled Greece in the lead-up to the Olympics.
Additionally, there is the nagging question of what to do with the now redundant white elephants that made up the Olympic infrastructure. These are costing around $100M per annum just to maintain.
In respect of the breaching of the EU deficit rules, I would imagine that some form of political "fudge" will be made. The EU is notorious for allowing its members to break the rules, this will be no exception.
After all, if the then Greek government had been honest about the costs it would never have been allowed to join the Euro.
The EU will never admit to the fact that it had been conned.
With regard to the $12Bn cost, this is surely proof positive that the Olympics as a whole need to be totally reformed and scaled down.
No one in their right mind should even think of hosting them, if they are going to cost this much.
The trouble is that politicians' egos overrule common sense.
Maybe it is now time to abandon the Games, and for countries to spend their money on something more productive instead.
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