The Wall Street Journal speculates who will light the Olympic flame, a game that has dominated newspapers, TV and websites running poll after poll:

Readers' picks have ranged from obvious choices such as basketball star Yao Ming and hurdler Liu Xiang -- China's best hope for a track medal -- to sports veterans such as gymnast-turned-sportswear-magnate Li Ning, or diving queen Fu Mingxia, to even mythical figures such as dragons, phoenixes and the Monkey King, China's folkloric trickster figure. more ›

The crowds were assembled, the flags were being waved, and the nationalism was fervent — Shanghai was ready for the torch relay. We'd got up nice and early, aiming for People's Square but, due to the volume of people, only making it as far as the corner of Tibet Road (yeah, we know). After waiting in the strong early morning sun for a couple of hours, the chants of "中国加油!“ ("Come on China!") got louder and louder until a buzz went around the crowd that the torch was on its way towards us. more ›

That's right, lots of road closures, stronger than average nationalistic fervour, and even more tat being sold on the streets than normal can only mean one thing: the moment we've all been waiting for is here! The international leg of the relay might have been less than harmonious, and it might be three days later than originally expected (following an understandable postponement for this week's official mourning period), but tomorrow [Friday] will see the Olympic torch hit the streets of Shanghai. more ›

You've probably been on the edge of your seat waiting for the latest Olympic torch relay news so here it is. The beleagured sacred flame is making its way through Hong Kong today at the start of its tour of China following a few, shall we say, hiccups during the international relay. Despite the rain, the torch route has been mostly been lined with supporters throughout, many hoping to catch a glimpse of the flame as it is carried by a host of Hong Kong stars, such as Andy Lau. The International Herald Tribune claims that many of these supporters have come across from the mainland (citing their use of Mandarin rather than Cantonese). more ›

By Benjamin Cohen more ›

UPDATE, 20:21: The flame has just been extinguished for a second time amid protests in Paris. Following an earlier disturbance along the banks of the Seine, the flame had been extinguished by officials and put aboard a bus to avoid further protests. The torch was then re-lit and the relay restarted but the procession was again halted and officials once again extinguished the flame and boarded a bus. More to follow shortly... more ›

Unsurprisingly, given recent events, there have been huge problems with the London leg of the Olympic torch relay in the UK today. Despite the Metropolitan Police launching a huge operation to try and safeguard the flame's path The Guardian reports that there has been a string of major disruptions to the relay:

A Free Tibet protestor attempted to wrestle the Olympic flame from Blue Peter TV presenter Konnie Huq in Ladbroke Grove before being bundled to the ground by police; two others were taken away after trying to put out the torch with a fire extinguisher in Holland Park, and the relay was also temporarily stopped near Bloomsbury after three people blocked Sir Clive Woodward's path. more ›

In two related articles in People’s Daily, French officials have been kindly reminded by the Chinese Ambassador to France to keep safeguarding the Chinese embassy in Paris (mentioning the Vienna convention), and avoid causing troubles when the Olympic “flame of harmony” is to reach the French capital:

Foreign Ministry Spokeswoman Jiang Yu made the remarks in response to reports that France has threatened to withdraw police from the Paris embassy as a protest against comments by a Chinese diplomat, who likened China's handling of the violence in Lhasa to France's curbing of domestic unrest.

Foreign Ministry spokesperson Jiang Yu made the remarks at a regular press conference here when asked to comment on Paris Mayor Bertrand Delanoe's reported statement about erecting a human rights banner when the Olympic torch passes through Paris.