In an attempt to summarise some of the developments on the Tibet issue that have taken place in the last 24 hours, we have selected a few of the more pertinant reports with links to fuller coverage.

The stories range from news regarding arrests in Tibet, to political developments, the Olympics and a great review of the creative online initiatives being taken by Tibet support groups and human rights organisations around the world.

Bashing Beijing: The Shame Game Olympics
Stephen Hutcheon reports for the Sydney Morning Herald on what he describes as “broad coalition of professional activists, anarchists and freelance stirrers is rolling out a series of shaming campaigns intended to fuel the cacophony of complaint against China’s hosting of the 2008 Olympic Games.”
http://www.smh.com.au/news/web/bashing-beijing-the-shame-game-olympics/2008/04/02/1206850964942.html

Chinese Authorities Confirm Arrests
The chairman of the Tibet Autonomous Regional Government, Qiangba Puncog, says there are “414 riot suspects are in custody” from the Lhasa disturbances on 14 March. Puncog also claims that “nearly 300 others have turned themselves in. Over a hundred have been released due to good behavior and cooperation. 53 people are still wanted.”
http://www.cctv.com/english/20080401/100975.shtml

Protests Over Tibet Echo Worldwide (Reuters)
Video report of Global Day of Action from around the world (1min 47secs).
http://www.reuters.com/news/video?videoId=79270&videoChannel=1

Exiled Tibetan Government Refutes Beijing’s Allegations
The Tibetan Government-in-Exile today repeated its call for an independent investigation while strongly refuting China’s allegations that the Dalai Lama and the Tibetan Government were responsible for inciting recent unrests in Tibet.
http://www.phayul.com/news/article.aspx?id=20205

US Senator Criticizes China For Blaming Dalai Lama On Tibet
Senator Richard Lugar, who sits on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, has said he is “disappointed that officials in Beijing have chosen to attack the Dalai Lama and unfairly blame him for the protests”. He also called on China to allow journalists and diplomats full access to Tibet.
http://www.phayul.com/news/article.aspx?id=20221

INDIA: Tibetan Exiles Barred From Handing Protest Petition
300 demonstrators were blocked by police from marching to the Chinese Embassy in New Delhi and submitting the Avaaz global petition. The demonstrators instead marched towards the Indian parliament.
http://www.phayul.com/news/article.aspx?id=20206

India Footballer In Tibet Protest
Baichung Bhutia, India’s football captain, has refused to carry the Olympic torch when it comes to Delhi on 17 April. Saying it was a personal decision, Bhutia said, “I sympathise with the Tibetan cause. This is my way of standing by the people of Tibet and their struggle. I abhor violence in any form.”
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/7323803.stm

Pelosi Suggests Bush Skip Olympic Opener (Associated Press)
Nancy Pelosi, Democratic speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, said “I think boycotting the opening ceremony, which really gives respect to the Chinese government, is something that should be kept on the table… I think the president might want to rethink this later, depending on what other heads of state do.”
http://tinyurl.com/2avagq

IOC Flouting Olympic Charter By Ignoring Tibet Issue
Human Rights Watch criticised the IOC for refusing to speak publicly about human rights abuses in China. Included was criticism on allowing the Olympic torch relay to go ahead through Tibet. The statement was released on the eve of a 12-day IOC meeting in Beijing.
http://www.hrw.org/english/docs/2008/04/01/china18410.htm

China Fires Up Rhetoric Before Torch Is Even Lit (Globe and Mail)
Report on the security and propaganda surrounding the torch ceremony in Tiananmen Square on Sunday and how this is a preview of what to expect in coming months.
http://tinyurl.com/25shvc

IOC Wants Beijing To Open Internet During Olympics (IHT)
The IOC have expressed concern over China’s continued censorship of the internet. Kevan Gosper, Vice Chairman of the IOC Coordinating Commission, said China had an obligation to open internet access to journalists during the Games. He said blocking the internet during the Games “would reflect very poorly” on the host nation.
http://tinyurl.com/2ybx6b

Olympians Torn on Protesting China’s Policies (New York Times)
American Olympians are considering ways of expressing their political views on China when at at the Beijing Games, such as wearing wristbands. (Note: the focus of article is mainly on Darfur, though Tibet is mentioned.)
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/04/01/sports/othersports/01athletes.html

Tibetans In Nepal Stage Protest Before Chinese Consulate (Phayul)
Over 300 Tibetans protested for the third consecutive day outside the Chinese Consulate in Kathmandu on Monday. The police beat protestors and made 245 arrests.
http://www.phayul.com/news/article.aspx?id=20209

Nepal: Stop Abusing and Arresting Tibetans (Phayul)
Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch have sent a letter to Nepali Prime Minister Girija Prasad Ghimire. The letter called on Nepal to immediately restore the rights to freedom of assembly, expression, and movement, by allowing Tibetans to go about their daily lives and carry out peaceful protests without fear of arrests or threat of deportation.
http://hrw.org/english/docs/2008/04/01/nepal18409.htm