Ironically, this torch relay was supposed to be the largest in Olympic history—a showcase of international cooperation and sport. Instead, it has become a testament to international outrage over China’s human rights abuses, especially over Tibet.

March 31: A huge carefully scripted ceremony at Beijing’s Tiananmen Square sent the torch off across the globe

April 3: In Istanbul, Turkey, the Uighur expat community staged demonstrations against Chinese persecution of their “brother” expats in Xinjiang. In February 2007, for example, an Uigur activist named Ismail Semed, was executed on the shaky grounds of attempting to “split the motherland” and possessing explosives.

April 6: Massive clashes occurred between Free Tibet protesters and police during the London relay. Thirty-seven protesters were arrested including a man who tried to snatch the torch away from one of the runners. Another tried to put out the torch with a fire extinguisher.

April 7: In Paris, massive protests forced organizers to cancel the final third of the relay—transporting the flame by bus to the end point. Activists succeeded in hanging Tibetan flags and black banners from the Eiffel Tower and Notre Dame.

April 9: In San Francisco, thousands of protesters—both Chinese Americans supporting the games and human rights activists–surrounded the torch. Fearing violence, officials cut the planned route in half and changed it—meaning that at several points runners were waiving to near-empty streets.

The Buenos Aires, Argentina relay on April 11th and in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania on April 13th were comparatively peaceful and well managed.

April 16: In Islamabad, Pakistan, the relay was moved from the streets to a local stadium open solely to officials and invited guests.

April 18: In India, officials sealed off the huge city of New Delhi hours before the relay and arrested 276 protesters in an effort to protect the event. Heavy security surrounded the runners turning the traditionally celebratory event into a fairly dismal occasion.

April 19: The relay route was comparatively quite in Bangkok, Thailand thanks to the official warning that Tibetan exiles who disrupted the proceedings would be deported.

On Monday, April 21, the torch will travel through Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia and then Jakarta, Indonesia on April 22. The torch will then travel through Canberra, Australia on April 24th where anxious officials have been mapping out security precautions since the first signs of unrest in Europe. They have erected steel fences along the 12.4-mile relay route.

On May 4th the Everest part of the relay will commence with the relay going up the Nepal side and down the north face into Tibet. Nepalese soldiers have been given permission to use any force necessary—including firing shots– to prevent protesters from stopping the relay.

Stay tuned for further updates.

There are actually 10,000 students that believe the show would clash with Asian values and more specifically Islamic. Believing that the company sponsoring the show, Maxis is responsible for exposing youth to a moral decay. Apparently Stefani is believed to contribute to the systemic erosion of morality in Malaysia when in the states we thought all she did was make great dance/rock music and design cute clothing lines.

Apparently a subject of great controversy “The Sweet Escape Tour” will not be escaping to Malaysia anytime soon. Stefani has cancelled the dates because of the stirring controversy being reported. But none the less Gwen has always been moral, never overly overtly sexual or disempowering.

If anything Stefani was always the great role model, the fabulous mother or the talented musician never ever the smut-peddler! Looks like Stefani will be sitting this one out in Malaysia but the show must go on. The sweet escape tour continues to Australia and then she is off to Japan for a much sweeter reception from millions of screaming Harajuku lovers. But we mustn’t forget she is after all Just a Girl, not with a moral vengeance, just a great musical talent and flawless public persona.