Beijing | News Headlines

Beijing orders half its cars off roads to clear smog for Olympics (McClatchy Newspapers via Yahoo! News) BEIJING— Authorities Sunday ordered half of Beijing's 3.3 million vehicles off city streets for a two-month period in an experiment designed to remove a smoggy halo over the capital and ease traffic jams before the Summer Olympics.

Men's groups finalized for Beijing Games (Reuters via Yahoo! News) The International Basketball Federation on Sunday finalized the two groups for the Beijing Games men's tournament minutes after Germany won the final qualifying spot with a win over Puerto Rico.

To avoid Olympic smog, Beijing limits traffic (AP via Yahoo! News) With the Olympics less than three weeks away, Beijing began restricting car use and limiting factory emissions on Sunday in a final drastic effort to clear its smog-choked skies.

German men book ticket to Beijing (Reuters via Yahoo! News) Dallas Mavericks forward Dirk Nowitzki inspired Germany to a 96-82 win over Puerto Rico in the final game of the qualifying tournament on Sunday to book their place at the Beijing Olympics.

Bundesliga newboys Hoffenheim give Nigerian Beijing green light (AFP via Yahoo! News) Bundesliga newboys Hoffenheim on Sunday said that their Nigerian striker Chinedu Obasi will be allowed to take part in the Beijing Olympics.

Beijing begins limiting car use and factory emissions (International Herald Tribune)With the Olympics less than three weeks away, Beijing began limiting car use and factory emissions Sunday in a drastic last-minute effort to clear its smog-choked skies.

Thanks to Olympics, Beijing gets its Eiffel Tower, of sorts (McClatchy Newspapers via Yahoo! News) BEIJING— London has Big Ben, Paris has the Eiffel Tower, San Francisco has the Golden Gate Bridge and now Beijing has an iconic structure that's likely to identify the city forever.

Olympic traffic crackdown in Beijing (AP via Yahoo! News) Beijing started its most drastic pollution-control plan Sunday, restricting car use and limiting factory emissions in a last-minute push to clear smog-choked skies for the August Olympics.

Give Hamm a hand, he's going to Beijing (AP via Yahoo! News) Give Paul Hamm a hand. And a plane ticket to Beijing. The Olympic champion will get to defend his title in China thanks to a performance Saturday that ended any doubt about whether his broken right hand has healed.

Beijing cuts cars by half as Olympics near (CNN.com)BEIJING, China (AP) -- Beijing started its drastic traffic control plan Sunday in a last-minute push to clear the capital's pollution-choked skies in time for the August Olympics.