Special report:   2008 Olympic Games  

Special report: Strong Earthquake Jolts SW China   

    NINGBO, China, May 18 (Xinhua) -- The Ningbo leg torch relay of the Beijing Olympic Games will be postponed for three days till May 22 to mourn for the earthquack victims, local organizers said on Sunday.

    Lao Jinlong, vice president of Ningbo Municipal Sports Bureau, said the torch relay of Ningbo leg will be postponed as the State Council announced to set May 19 to 21 as the Days of Mourning to memorize the people died in the 8-magnitude earthquake in China's Sichuan province.

    "The government will fly the flag at half-mast. All public entertainment activities will be cancelled during the three days of mourning including the torch relay," Lao said.

    Zhang Jinsong, a torchbearer, said "it is a terrible disaster and causes great destruction. I hope the victims of the earthquake can overcome the difficulties and reconstruct their homeland as soon as possible."

    "I support the decision of postponig the torch relay unconditionally. We want to show our best wishes to the people in the disastrous areas and the Chinese people's courage to the whole world," said Yang Lingna, another torchbearer.

    The Ningbo leg torch relay was slated for May 19, but will be postponed till May 22. It's the fourth leg in South China's Zhejiang province.

BOCOG halts Olympic torch relay for three days

    BEIJING, May 18 (Xinhua) -- The Beijing Organizing Committee for the Olympic Games (BOCOG) decided Sunday to halt the Olympic torch relay for the next three days to express deep condolence over all the victims in the May 12 earthquake. Full story