Olympic news in brief: Brightman sings; pollution measures; Coe delays

Sarah Brightman to perform main theme

*The British soprano and the former wife of Andrew Lloyd Webber, Sarah Brightman, is to sing the main theme song at the opening ceremony tomorrow with the Chinese pop star Liu Huan. It is her second Olympic appearance, after performing with Jose Carreras in Barcelona in 1992. Liu apparently combines the appeal of Val Doonican with the power of Meat Loaf.

Pollution solution has Beijing creased up

*Pollution is still appalling in Beijing, despite the government's best efforts. Restricting the roads to even-numbered car registrations on one day, and odd-numbered the next has not worked so now the authorities are moving on to the city's 17 million people – at least according to a joke doing the rounds. People with a single eyelid – that is those with no crease between the eyebrow and eyelid – will be allowed out on "even" days, while those with what's known as a "third eyelid" – a crease between eyebrow and eyelid – will be allowed out on odd days. At least so they say.

Father's illness forces Coe to delay trip

*Lord Coe has delayed his departure to Beijing to stay at the hospital bedside of his father Peter, 89, who is seriously ill. The double Olympic gold-medallist was due to update the International Olympic Committee on London 2012 yesterday, but passed the task to his number two, Paul Deighton. Lord Coe was coached by his father throughout his career.