China rejects protest applications

Beijing city authorities say they have received 77 applications for demonstrations in the specially designated Olympic protest parks but none have been cleared to take place.

According to China's Xinhua news agency, 74 of the applications have been withdrawn because the problems have already been ironed out through consultation.

Two other applications were denied because the application procedures were incomplete and the remaining one protest application was vetoed by police.

But human rights groups say China never intended to allow protests during the Olympic Games.