"Freedom" buttons for the Beijing Olympics

The World Association of Newspapers and World Editors Forum are calling on the president of the International Olympic Committee to confront China over its lack of press freedoms. In a letter to Jacques Rogge, the organizations referred to the "30 journalists and 50 cyber-dissidents [who] are currently held in Chinese prisons for peacefully expressing their views," and asked the committee to urge China to respect press freedoms for reporters covering the Games. Meanwhile, Reporters without Borders has produced buttons -- in five colors to represent each of the Olympic rings -- bearing the Chinese word for "Freedom" and asks athletes, journalists and members of the public to wear them leading up to and during the Olympics in protest of China's poor record in human rights and press freedom.

Finally, the Olympic torch was handed over to Chinese organizers on Sunday amid protests, but it made it there without the help of Narisa Charabongse. One of six Thai torch bearers, the founder of the Green World Foundation bowed out in protest, citing "the severe violation of human rights in Tibet." (I'm so proud of my country-in-law!)