Countdown Beijing -- Olympic Torch Fires up at Space Center, Algae Blooms at Qingdao

The Shenzhou 6 was China's second manned space flight. (Xinhua)Torch to Space City

One of China's first astronauts begins the torch relay June 28 in the home of the country’s manned space flight program.

Fei Junlong, commander of the second manned spacecraft to fly for China, begins the relay in front of the launch pad at Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center where he flew intoorbitin 2005.

Organizers plan a space launch-style countdown to light the first torch. One torchbearer will carry the flame up the launch tower. Of the 22 torchbearers, many are astronauts and engineers employed on the Chinese space program.

Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center is part of the Dongfeng Space City in the Gobi desert of Inner Mongolia.

News about the visit to the space flight center is scarce in international media reports and the stop for the relay doesn’t even show up on the torch relay route schedule on the BOCOG website.

But the visit is headline news on the sohu.com Olympic portal.

Thousands Cleaning Qingdao Coast

Qingdao is mobilizing as many as 3,000 people to clean up an outbreak of algae that is stopping up the ocean along the Olympic sailing city. A green algae carpets the shoreline of the Qingdao sailing venue. (Xinhua)

Pictures from Chinese media show people lined along the shore collecting the algae into bags by hand.

Some 400 fishing boats are out with nets as well, according to state media reports.

Patches of the stuff are as thick as carpet, according to eyewitness reports, and reportedly strong enough to keep boats from moving.

Sailing champion Ian Percy says there is concern about how Games organizers can set up a mile-long course during the Games, he tells British media.

Algae islands as big as football fields are afloat in plain sight of Qingdao, with more patches pushed up against the shore.

Major algae blooms often occur due to organic pollution carrying too many nutrients into the sea.

Beijing Briefs…

China Ouyang Kunpeng won three silvers at the 2006 Asian Games. (Getty Images)bans a double national backstroke champion for a positive drug test. Ouyang Kunpeng and his coach both received a lifetime ban after the swimmer tested positive for the anabolic agent clenbuterol. The result comes from an out-of-competition test in May, according to the Chinese Swimming Association. "We are going to take a clear stand on anti-doping work and firmly crack down on any violations," reads an association statement.

Written by Maggie Lee

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