Reuters: Olympic torch reaches Shanghai 23 May

China came to a standstill on Monday, exactly one week after its earthquake tragedy, observing three minutes of silence to mourn the tens of thousands of people killed in the disaster.

Far from a shining icon of Olympic pride, the torch relay leading up to the Beijing Games has been a chaotic, gaffe-filled security bungle upstaged by protests at most of its stops. A look back at its weeklong journey through London, Paris and San Francisco, which has seen the Olympic event hijiacked by activists seeking to shame China over its human rights record in Tibet and elsewhere. An AFPTV report.

China launched the Olympic torch relay in Beijing on Monday but tight security highlighted concerns that protests over Tibet, human rights and other issues may tarnish its three-month journey around the world.

The Beijing Olympic flame ended its chaotic relay journey through Paris Monday, marred by citywide protests against China's crackdown in Tibet that forced the torchbearers to take refuge in a bus. The flame arrived in a bus escorted by around 30 police officers for a ceremony at the Charlety Stadium after its journey by foot was cut short half way to its final destination. Moments after the Olympic torch set off from the Eiffel Tower, protests forced the organisers to extinguish the torch, and place the flame on an accompanying bus for safety. An AFPTV report.

The final leg of the Olympic torch relay is underway in Beijing. The flame will be taken to the Olympic stadium for the games' opening ceremony later today. (August 7)

Thai torchbearers set off Saturday for the Bangkok leg of the protest-hit Beijing Olympic torch relay, witnesses said, with the flame guarded by more than 2,000 police and security officials. After a short ceremony presided over by Thailand's deputy prime minister Sanan Kachornprasart, the first of 80 runners set off from an ornate Chinese gate in Bangkok's Chinatown for the 10-kilometre (six-mile) relay. "We reaffirm our position that we clearly separate politics and sport. Thailand is ready to organise the torch relay peacefully and orderly," Sanan said.

China celebrated the Olympic flame's arrival on Monday but a thick blanket of security highlighted concerns that protests over Tibet, human rights and other issues may tarnish the historic torch relay. The flame arrived from Greece on Monday morning ahead of what will be an epic journey through 19 countries, before it returns to China for a three-month tour. Images from AFPTV.

Beijing's Olympic Organising Committee made the announcement as Chinese authorities said more than 100 people turned themselves in to police after taking part in the protests. The crackdown on the protests in Tibet and neighbouring Chinese provinces, which may have killed dozens of people, have sparked calls for a boycott of Beijing's showcase Games.

China's biggest earthquake for a generation has left tens of thousands dead, missing or buried under the rubble of broken communities Tuesday, triggering a desperate nationwide relief effort.

The journey of the Olympic torch met near-constant protests and countless delays in Paris on Monday, forcing organisers to change the travel route and even extinguish the flame a few times in a bid to to avoid human rights activists mobilised across the French capital.