Special police for Beijing games

The Chinese authorities say they have established a special military unit to provide security for the Beijing Olympics next year.

The unit, drawn from the army, navy and air force, will confront terror threats and help in the event of any disasters.

Beijing has also issued further rules to make sure taxi drivers present a good image to foreign visitors in 2008.

A senior official from the unit, Tian Yixiang, said the games' organisers faced a complicated security situation.

He told military attaches from 54 countries that Beijing had to be fully prepared for unconventional terror threats of a kind China had not experienced before - including chemical and biological attacks.

Mr Tian said the special military unit would be better equipped and have greater capabilities than the security forces at the Athens Olympics in 2004.

Cloud seeding

China is paying close attention to every last detail of its Olympic preparations.

Media reports in Beijing say the city authorities have issued further rules to ensure taxi drivers make a good impression - banning them from shaving their heads or growing beards.

In April the drivers were told not to eat, spit or smoke in their taxis and women drivers were warned to keep their hair tidy and avoid extravagant earrings.

Earlier this week Chinese meteorologists said they had plans in place to prevent it raining during key Olympic events by using aircraft to carry out cloud seeding.

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