Beijing bans smoking for Olympics
Beijing's smog can choke first-time arrivals. Then there's the pervasive cigarette smoke, so much a part of China's culture that more than half of all male doctors smoke. That's about to change. Starting Thursday, the Chinese capital finally joins other major cities in cracking down on smoking in most public buildings. But even a communist government realized it could go only so far without stirring social unrest. Restaurants, bars and hotels can still allow smoking but must provide smoke-free areas or rooms.