OLYPlusSelectPlusSportsOlympics '08: Is Pollution Returning?Olympics '08: Is Pollution Returning?The Associated PressA thick haze settles over Beijing, just four days before the Summer Olympics begin. But AP's Lee Powell says Chinese organizers of the games vow the air will not cause any events to be rescheduled. (Aug. 4[Notes:VO Wide of haze over Olympic venues] MORNING IN BEIJING ... A THICK HAZE HANGS OVER THE OLYMPIC GREEN, OBSCURING LANDMARKS IN A FOG ... LIKE THIS TALL BUILDING, BARELY VISIBLE. ... [Notes:VO traffic on street][Notes:VO sequence of shots of National Stadium] DIRTY AIR IS MAKING ITS RETURN HERE ... JUST FOUR DAYS UNTIL THE SUMMER OLYMPICS BEGIN. THIS COMES AFTER SEVERAL DAYS OF BRIGHT, CLEAR CONDITIONS ... WITH BLUE SKY FRAMING THE ICONIC NATIONAL STADIUM IN THIS SEQUENCE OF SHOTS FROM RECENT DAYS. [Notes:VO various shots around Beijing, aerials]ORGANIZERS WANT PERFECT AIR FOR THESE GAMES ... ATHLETES WILL DEPEND ON IT FOR PEFORMANCE ... THE CHINESE WANT GOOD AIR FOR LOOKS, WITH A GLOBAL TELEVISION AUDIENCE REACHING INTO THE BILLIONS. [Notes:SUPER: Peter Carroll / Northwestern University]SOT: I would say that pollution is the one thing that could throw a wrench into these plans. I would expect otherwise this should be a very interesting Olympics ...THE CHINESE APPEAR WILLING TO DO JUST ABOUT ANYTHING TO MAKE THE AIR BETTER ... CLOSING FACTORIES, TAKING CARS OFF ROADS. SOME OF IT IS BEYOND THEIR CONTROL ... PREVAILING WINDS CAN BLOW IN POLLUTION FROM OTHER CITIES ... AND SAND. BEIJING SITS AT THE EDGE OF A DESERT. [Notes:SUPER: Lee Powell / The Associated Press / Beijing]STUP: The clear skies of the last several days seemed to lift spirits ... maybe the air wouldn't be as bad as everyone thought. But then the smog ... returned. [Notes:VO wide of newser with official, cutaway of press]AT A NEWS CONFERENCE, AN OFFICIAL WITH THE MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION MADE THIS VOW ...SOT (translator voice): The monitoring ensures the smooth operation of the games and the qualities in Beijing in time for the Beijing olympics.IF THE AIR GETS TOO BAD ... SOME ENDURANCE EVENTS LIKE THE MARATHON MAY GET RESCHEDULED ... SOMETHING ORGANIZERS CLAIM WILL NOT BE NECESSARY. THEY SAY POLLUTION LEVELS ARE *DOWN* ... DRAMATICALLY. Lee Powell, The Associated Press, Beijing.
