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“China: Rain free Beijing opening guaranteed”
Reuters ^ | 04/25/07
Posted on 04/26/2007 12:11:43 AM PDT by TigerLikesRooster
“Rain free Beijing opening guaranteed”
By Nick Mulvenney
Wed Apr 25, 7:47 AM ET
ARTICLE SNIPPET: “BEIJING (Reuters) - Beijing’s meteorological bureau believes it can manipulate the weather to guarantee a dry opening ceremony at next year’s Olympic Games, an official said on Wednesday.
Rainfall is often made heavier by cloud seeding in the drought-stricken Chinese capital but scientists have also been testing “artificial mitigation of rainfall” and found it can be effective in small areas.
“We are talking about limited areas, the area around the National Stadium,” Zhang Qiang, head of the office of weather manipulation, told a news conference.
“We will provide a guarantee for the main Olympic stadium...we take various artificial measures so the rain falls before it arrives at the area.”
The opening ceremony will be open to the elements after a decision was made two years ago to cut costs by not building a roof on the National Stadium, known as the Bird’s Nest.
Wang Yubin, the chief engineer at the bureau, said studies of the weather patterns over the last 30 years indicated there was a 50 percent chance of some rainfall on the day of the opening ceremony, August 8 2008.
“The rain might have a negative impact on the opening ceremony,” he said.
“We have already conducted tests of artificial mitigation of rains, we will take necessary preparations for rain mitigation for the opening and closing ceremonies.
“Our measures are quite effective in a limited area but over a large area we cannot reduce this rainfall to the minimum, to be frank.””
Note: The following text is a quote:
http://www.travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/tw/tw_2533.html
Travel Warning
United States Department of State
Bureau of Consular Affairs
Washington, DC 20520
This information is current as of today, Thu Apr 26 2007 00:45:34 GMT-0700.
UZBEKISTAN
April 25, 2007
This Travel Warning is being issued to remind U.S. citizens that the potential for a terrorist attack or civil disturbance still exists, despite the fact that there have been no violent incidents in Uzbekistan since May 2005. As the May 13 anniversary of the violence in Andijon approaches, the Department of State continues to urge Americans in Uzbekistan to exercise caution. This Travel Warning supersedes the Travel Warning of October 4, 2006.
The Department of State reminds U.S. citizens of the potential for terrorist attacks or civil disturbance in Uzbekistan, although there have been no violent incidents there since May 2005, and continues to urge Americans in Uzbekistan to exercise caution. The U.S. Government continues to receive information that indicates terrorist groups may be planning attacks, possibly against U.S. interests, in Uzbekistan. Supporters of terrorist groups such as the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan, Al-Qaida, the Islamic Jihad Union, and the Eastern Turkistan Islamic Movement are active in the region. Members of these groups have expressed anti-U.S. sentiments and have attacked U.S. Government interests in the past, including the U.S. Embassy in Tashkent, and may attempt to target U.S. Government or private American interests in Uzbekistan. In the past, these groups have conducted kidnappings, assassinations, and suicide bombings.
Increased security at official U.S. facilities over the past year may lead terrorists and their sympathizers to seek softer targets. These may include facilities where Americans and other foreigners congregate or visit, such as residential areas, clubs, restaurants, places of worship, schools, hotels, outdoor recreation events, and resorts. The U.S. Embassy in Tashkent continues to employ heightened security precautions. U.S. citizens should report any unusual activity to local authorities and then inform the Embassy.
The Uzbek Government maintains travel restrictions on large parts of the Surkhandarya province bordering Afghanistan, including the border city of Termez. American citizens intending to travel to this region must obtain a special permission card from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, or Uzbek embassies and consulates abroad. Even with permission, however, some American citizens transiting to Afghanistan via Termez have been briefly detained and/or fined for not registering in Uzbekistan. Furthermore, American citizens affiliated with a nongovernmental organization that has been closed down in Uzbekistan may be denied entry, even with a valid visa.
Uzbekistan experienced a wave of terrorist violence in 2004. In July 2004 there were three suicide bombings in Tashkent, including one outside the U.S. Embassy. The Islamic Jihad Union (IJU) claimed responsibility for the attacks. The IJU also used suicide bombers in multiple attacks focused on police and Uzbek private and commercial facilities in Tashkent and Bukhara in late March and early April 2004. In May 2005, armed militants stormed a prison in Andijon, released its prisoners, and then took control of the regional administration and other government buildings in Andijon Province. Fighting broke out between government forces and the militants, and reports indicated that several hundred civilians died in the ensuing violence. While there were no reports of U.S. citizens affected by these events, U.S. citizens and other foreigners in Uzbekistan frequently have experienced harassment from authorities and local residents since the 2005 violence.
Americans traveling to or remaining in Uzbekistan, despite this Travel Warning, are strongly urged to register with the nearest U.S. Embassy or Consulate through the State Department’s travel registration website, https://travelregistration.state.gov, and to obtain updated information on travel and security within Uzbekistan. Americans without Internet access may register directly with the U.S. Embassy in Tashkent. The U.S. Embassy in Uzbekistan is located at # 3, Moyqorghon Street, 5th Block, Yunusobod District, Tashkent-700093, Uzbekistan. The telephone number is 998-71-120-5450 and can be reached after hours as well. The Consular fax number is 998-71-120-5448. The website is http://uzbekistan.usembassy.gov .
Travelers also should consult the Department of State’s latest Consular Information Sheet for Uzbekistan, the Public Announcement for Central Asia, and the Worldwide Caution Public Announcement at http://travel.state.gov . American citizens may also obtain up-to-date information on security conditions by calling 1-888-407-4747 toll-free in the United States or Canada, and 202-501-4444 from overseas.