On the Scene in Beijing -- Yao Ming gets Basketball Advice, GE Kicks off Beijing Program

NBA star Yao Ming presents an autographed ball to Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao (Getty Images)Chinese Premier Gives Yao Ming Basketball Advice

Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao visited Olympic volunteers and workers, and said the Olympics would help improve life in China.

"China is a responsible country. We will fulfill the promises we made for the Olympics. We will not only host a quality and unique Games, but also build a more scenic, greener and more civilized city in a sustainable manner."

Wen visited the gymnasium where the Chinese men’s basketball team was practicing and had some face time with superstar Yao Ming.

"Are you feeling well?" Wen asked Yao. "Is your foot okay?"

Yao told Wen he felt fine.

The news should come as a relief to Wen, who is an avid basketball fan. Yao’s foot has been injured since February, causing him to miss much of the remaining NBA season.

"Your first game will attract great attention," Wen told the team.

"You need confidence and win or lose, it's important to have the sporting spirit."

GE Imagination Center Opens

GE is “very important” to the Olympic Movement, IOC IOC President Jacques Rogge; Ferdinando Beccalli-Falco, president, GE International; Yuan Bin, BOCOG marketing, and Beth Comstock, GE chief marketing officer, at the opening of the GE Imagination Center Monday. (ATR)President Jacques Rogge said at the opening of the GE Imagination Center on the Olympic Green Monday.

“GE has helped the Olympic Movement very much,” he said, adding that “without the help of sponsors, we would not be able to field 205 nations” in this summer’s Games. Rogge said the IOC re-distributes 94 percentof its revenues from sponsorship and other areas, with much of that money going to developing nations.

The two-story pavilion showcases technologies used in the 2008 Olympics. The pavilion follows the five core Chinese elements of wood, fire, earth, metal and water. Those elements are used to translate GE technologies, such as water purification, and wind and medical technologies.

NBC sports chief Dick Ebersol also was on hand as was Gerhard Heiberg, head of IOC marketing.

Protest Procedure Outlined

BOCOG says protests will be allowed... as long as organizers obey the law and follow procedures. BOCOG outlined requirements for protesters over the weekend.

In a statement posted to the official website of the Olympic Games, BOCOG said protestors will need to apply for a permit five days in advance, if they wish to protest at one of three parks designated for such activities.

"It must be stressed that citizens must respect and not harm others' freedom and rights, and must not harm national, social and collective interests," Olympic security chief Liu Shaowu said.

Protestors must submit a valid ID along with their application to police. The application should state the purpose, time, route of protest, and any signs or slogans used. NGOs and corporations that wish to protest must provide an official seal on their applications, and have authorization from the head of their organization. Foreign protestors must provide a Chinese translation of their application, as well.

Protests will be allowed as long as they follow Chinese laws and procedures. Approved protestors will be notified two days in advance.

160,000 to Attend Opening Ceremony

An official with the Beijing city government said close to 160,000 people will flock to Bird’s Nest Stadium to watch the opening ceremony.

Only 90,000 will be spectators or volunteers, while the remaining 70,000 will be VIPs, or performers.

Zhou Zhengyu, deputy director of the Beijing Municipal Committee of Communications, said the city designed transportation management plans for the event and is well prepared to handle the massive crowds.

Torch Ends Run in Leshan

The torch relay is creeping closer and closer to Beijing, finishing up its tour through the areas devastated by the May 12 earthquake in Sichuan.

Pu Guoqiang, who lost his wife and mother-in-law in the earthquake, was the last torchbearer in Leshan.

Close to 200 bearers preceded him in the 8.2km relay.

The torch will travel next to Mianyang and Guanghan, where the relay will continue in the afternoon. On Tuesday, the torch will arrive in the Sichuan capital of Chengdu.

Olympic YouTube Channel Brings Games Broadcasts Worldwide

The IOC launched a YouTube channel to bring the Olympics to countries without a certified broadcaster of video on demand for the Olympics.

Available at www.youtube.com/beijing2008, the page will bring VOD services to 77 countries including India, the Republic of Korea, and others.

Users will be able to access the site starting August 6.

Content will be provided by Olympic Broadcasting Services. OBS will provide highlights, news and daily clips of the competitions, available throughout the 17-day period of the Games.

IOC Director of Television and Marketing Services, Timo Lumme said: “The IOC’s priority is to ensure that as many people as possible get to experience the magic of the Olympic Games and the inspirational sporting achievements of the Olympic athletes. For the first time in Olympic history we will have complete global online coverage, and the IOC will have its own broadcast Channel and content production facilities. The IOC’s Channel will make fantastic Olympic footage available where young generations of sports fans are already going for online entertainment, and will complement the footage offered in these territories by our broadcast partners across all media platforms.”

Iraqi Team Arrives in Beijing

Five athletes from Iraq are due to arrive in Beijing Monday night after obtaining visas for travel to China. The five will be accompanied by team office Tiras Odisho and members of the duly-elected NOCI.

One Chinese Gymnast Age Confirmed, Two Still Questionable

Yang Yilin is too young to compete in the Beijing Olympics, even though she qualified for the Games. (Getty Images)Doubts have been raised about the eligibility of a third female Chinese gymnast, whose official birth date is now a year earlier than previously reported.

The Associated Press says that Yang Yilin, a medal contender in the all-around and uneven bars competition, is listed with a birthdate of Aug. 26, 1992. That makes her 15 years old this year and ineligible to compete in the Olympics. However, according to registration lists on the web site of the General Administration of Sport of China in 2004, 2005 and 2006, her birth date was Aug. 26, 1993.

The ages of He Kexin, a gold-medal favorite on uneven bars, and Jiang Yuyuan have also been questioned.

Furlong in Beijing

John Furlong, CEO of Vancouver 2010, arrives in Beijing Monday night. Furlong will report on the progress of preparations for the next Winter Games to the IOC Executive Board later this week.

With reporting in Beijing from Mark Bisson, and Ed Hula III.