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Storms ahead for Olympics torch High security at Olympic ceremony
(about 13 hours later)
Final preparations have been taking place in Greece for the lighting of the Olympic flame for the Beijing games. Security is tight in the Greek town of Olympia as officials prepare to light the Olympic flame for the Beijing Games.
Cloudy skies meant the flame could not be lit in the traditional way - using the Sun's rays - at the final dress rehearsal on Sunday. Hundreds of police will be on patrol around Ancient Olympia to prevent protesters disrupting the ceremony.
If the weather fails to play its part in the ceremony on Monday, a back-up flame will be used to light the torch that will be carried to China. Activists have vowed to demonstrate over the violence in and around Tibet.
Activists say the ceremony will trigger protests over Tibet and other issues. They are also angered by China's decision to send the Olympic torch through Tibet - but officials say it will go ahead under heavy security.
Security has been stepped up at the birthplace of the games in Greece to prevent demonstrations over China's reaction to protests in Tibet. The torch is to travel through 20 countries - and scale Mount Everest - before the Beijing Games open on 8 August.
The Tibetan government-in-exile - headed by the Dalai Lama, regarded by many Tibetans as their spiritual leader - says at least 99 people have died in the crackdown by Chinese troops. China says 19 people have been killed by rioters in Lhasa, the main city. 'China will change'
The Dalai Lama supports the games, saying they will make a billion Chinese people proud. The Chinese authorities have accused him of trying to ruin the Olympics. The flame-lighting ceremony, beside the Temple of Hera, will be televised and shown around the world.
But the Taiwanese president-elect, Ma Ying-jeou, has said Taiwan might boycott the games "if the Chinese authorities continue to suppress the Tibetan people and the situation in Tibet continues to worsen". The Olympic Games are a force for good Jaques Rogge
Olympic message The torch is traditionally held inside a parabolic mirror and ignited by the sun's rays.
International Olympic Committee chief Jacques Rogge believes the games could be a changing factor in China. Cloudy skies meant the flame could not be lit in the traditional way at the dress rehearsal on Sunday and with storms forecast, organisers have moved the ceremony by an hour to avoid the rain.
"We believe that China will change by opening the country to the scrutiny of the world through the 25,000 media who will attend the games," he said in a statement. If the weather fails to play its part, a back-up flame will be used to light the torch that will be carried to China.
"Awarding the Olympic Games to the most populous country in the world will open up one fifth of mankind to Olympism." Thousands of people are expected to attend the ceremony, including Liu Qi, head of the Beijing Olympic organising committee, and the president and prime minister of Greece.
With storms forecast for Greece on Monday, organisers at ancient Olympia have taken the unusual step of putting the flame-lighting ceremony back an hour to avoid the rain. International Olympic Committee (IOC) chief Jacques Rogge will also attend.
The ceremony beside the Temple of Hera involves actresses dressed as high priestesses and the torch being held inside a parabolic mirror and ignited by the sun's rays. In a statement on Sunday, he described recent events in Tibet as "a matter of great concern to the IOC".
Clouds spoiled the ceremony for the 2000 Sydney Olympics and the last three Winter Olympics. The Olympics, he said, while "not a panacea for all ills", were a force for good that could prompt change.
The torch will be carried through 20 countries, including Tibet, ahead of the start of the Beijing games on 8 August. "We believe that China will change by opening the country to the scrutiny of the world through the 25,000 media who will attend the Games," he said.
'Bloodstained torch'
Tibetan independence activists say they will protest in Olympia during the ceremony.
Tenzin Dorjee, deputy director of Students for a Free Tibet, said that the IOC should prevent the torch from passing through Tibet.
"Carrying China's bloodstained torch through Tibet where we are seeing evidence of discontent would be adding insult to 50 years of injury," he said.
But Chinese authorities say the route has been set and the torch-bearers chosen.
The torch relay team would work "with all concerned units, taking very seriously and cooperating with security and protection work, and strictly guarding against disturbances and sabotage by the Dalai clique", an unnamed official from the Tibet sports authority told the state-run Tibet Daily.
Anti-China protests began in Tibet's main city, Lhasa, on 10 March and gradually escalated. Lhasa saw at least two days of violence and there have also been violent protests in provinces which border Tibet.
China says 19 people were killed by rioters and accuses Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama of inciting the violence.
The Tibetan government-in-exile says at least 99 people have died in a crackdown by Chinese troops and deny any role in organising the protests.