In its bid to appease critics in the run-up to this summer's Beijing Olympics, Chinese authorities appear to have a lifted a block on the English-language version of online encyclopedia Wikipedia.

Surfers in Beijing and Shanghai confirmed that over the weekend they were able to access the English-language version of one of the world's most popular websites.

However, searches for politically sensitive words such as Tibet and Tiananmen Square resulted in a message that the browser was unable to connect with the internet.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has told the Chinese government that the internet must remain open during the games.

China periodically blocks or restricts a range of websites including YouTube, Flickr and the BBC.

It is a small concession from the Chinese authorities who enforce strict and repressive measures on the control of news and information.

In Paris the Olympic torch was today extinguished four times in an attempt to keep it safe from protesters and pro-Tibet campaigners.

The symbol has become a cause for Tibet instead of its intended purpose, to raise awareness of the Beijing Olympics.

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