Russia launches attack on Georgia during the first day of the Olympics

As the Olympics begin, war breaks out in Eurasia.

On a day meant to mark international friendship and peace, Russian and Georgian forces clashed over the disputed region, South Ossetia.  More on that development here.  While visiting Beijing for the Olympic Games and the opening ceremony, Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin told press that Georgian forces would pay.  

This is really disappointing news, and I could go on for a while about this, but I will not here in this blog about the Olympics, Beijing, and related topics.

80+ Heads of State to Attend the Opening Ceremony

The 80+ heads of state include:

• USA: George W. Bush*
• France: Nicolas Sarkozy
• Japan : Fukuda (pictured above)
• Australia: Kevin Rudd
  
• South Korea: Lee Myung-bak
  
• Russia: Vladimir Putin
• Monaco: Prince Albert II
• Pakistan: Pervez Musharraf
• Samoa: Tuiatua Tupua Tamasese Efi
• Luxembourg: Grand Duke Henri Albert Gabriel Felix Marie Guillaume
• Hong Kong: Donald Tsang
• Israel: Shimon Peres
• Turkmenistan: Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedov

Other notable political and business leaders in attendance:

• George H.W. Bush, former president of USA
• Gerhard Shröder, former chancellor of Germany
• Mayor of Tokyo (one of 4 finalist contenders for the 2016 summer Olympics)
• Bill Gates
• Drs. Chen of Sunrider International
• Rupert Murdoch
• Jerry Yang
• Princess Haya of Jordan

Big shots who have decided to NOT attend the ceremony:

• Angela Merkel, Chancellor of Germany
• Gordon Brown, P.M. of Great Britain
• Stephen Harper, P.M. of Canada

*no American president has ever attended an opening ceremony beyond American borders (while in office).

VIP treatment in Beijing

The Wall Street Journal ran this article a few weeks ago about the VIPs at the upcoming Beijing Olympics.

They pose the question: how do you treat VIPs in a setting in which (almost) everyone in a VIP?

There will be at least 80 heads of state attending the opening ceremony on Friday evening.