Raymond has translated this nice article about how Yao is now back on the court playing some 3-on-3. Thanks, Raymond!

Raymond has some good information about what’s up for Yao this summer leading up to the Olympics. Check it out here.

My friend Ren just got back from Shanghai and took lots of photos of some cool photos. check ’em out here or click on the photo below. Thanks Ren!

Today Yao Ming announced the launch of the Yao Ming Foundation, with its first intent to help rebuild earthquake-resistant schools in China that were destroyed from the recent quake.

100% of all donations will go to the Foundation, with Yao paying all administrative costs. Donations can be directed to other efforts by request. Yao also announced he will be donating more of his own money — this time $2 million.

Click here for more photos from the press conference and additional news reports. Thanks go to Raymond for all the Foundation coverage in the YaoMania! forum while I’ve been away on business.

Donations can be made at TheYaoMingFoundation.org.

Raymond reports that Rick Adelman, Steve Francis and other members of the Rockets staff are hosting a two-week basketball clinic for 10 of the top Chinese Basketball Association players at an Anta-Rockets training camp.

Yao didn’t show up because he is endorsed by Reebok, and it would have been a little awkward since Anta is an obvious competitor. But last week, he threw a welcome party and dinner at his Yao Bar & Restaurant after his countrymen arrived in Houston.

Click here for more photos from the training camp.

Raymond has translated another article on Yao’s rehabilitation in Houston, which goes into detail about his training regimen, including sprinting! It’s so exhausting, when Yao gets home, he goes straight to sleep.

Click here for the translation.

It’s good to see Yao get out and get a break from the depressing news from the earthquake in China — Raymond reports that Yao Ming and two-time U.S. Olympic taekwondo gold medalist Steven Lopez were introduced to the world of NASCAR as honorary pit crew members for Kyle Petty‘s No. 45 Coca-Cola team in the Coca-Cola 600 at Lowe’s Motor Speedway.

Some of the activities included:

* Leading a moment of silence for the Chinese earthquake victims.

* In crew uniforms, Yao and Lopez changing tires and performing other pit crew duties with Petty and the No. 45 Coca-Cola car.

* Yao and the Coca-Cola Racing Family drivers shooting hoops and playing “Around the World” in Victory Lane.

*Lopez providing taekwondo tips to Coca-Cola Racing Family drivers.

* The media shooting baskets with Yao.

Click here for more photos of Yao at these events. Thanks Raymond!

About a week ago, Yao conducted an audio interview with National Public Radio where he talks about the earthquake, his familiarity with that area, how he’s sometimes misunderstood by some Americans, and the politicization of the Olympic games.

Click here to launch the player that will stream the interview.

Note: the interviewer asks Yao about his donation of $70,000 U.S. The one thing not mentioned in this interview is the 2 million RMB he donated in China.

On Wednesday, Yao visited the Chinese consulate in Houston where they set up a hall for the national mourning that had been aside in China from May 19-21 for the tens of tousands of people who died in the earthquake in Sichuan.

Here Yao is pictured with his wife and mother:

Click here for more photos from Yao’s visit to the consulate in Houston.

In case you missed it, Raymond has done another translation, this time of an interview Yao did in Houston with Chinese publication Titan Sports.

In this piece, we learn more about:

* How badly Yao wants to get back to China with all that’s going on there
* Yao’s continued rehab, which includes jogging and increased weight training
* His drinking of green tea to help control his weight
* How much he perspires during his workouts
* The high-percentage of left-handed hook shots he now makes compared to a few years ago
* How many free throws he is required to make after his workouts (you won’t believe how many he made in a row one time)
* and much more!

Speaking of hard work, I want to thank Raymond again for his 3 hours of work in translating this piece.