olympics: OLYMPICS 2008 BEIJING(CHINA)

The 2008 Summer Olympic Games, officially known as the Games of the XXIX Olympiad, is being celebrated in Beijing, People's Republic of China, from August 8 (with football starting on August 6) to August 24, 2008, and followed by the 2008 Summer Paralympics from September 6 to September 17. 10,500 athletes are expected to compete in 302 events in 28 sports, one event more than was on the schedule of the 2004 games. The 2008 Beijing Olympics will also mark the third time that Olympic events will have been held in the territories of two different National Olympic Committees (NOC), with the equestrian events to be held in Hong Kong.The Olympic games were awarded to Beijing after an exhaustive ballot of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) on July 13, 2001. The official logo of the games, titled "Dancing Beijing," features a stylised calligraphic character jīng (京, meaning capital), referring to the host city. The mascots of Beijing 2008 are the five Fuwa, each representing both a colour of the Olympic rings and a symbol of Chinese culture. The Olympic slogan, One World, One Dream, calls upon the world to unite in the Olympic spirit. Several new NOCs have also been recognised by the IOCThe Games carry a $43 billion price tag, dwarfing the $15 billion splashed out by Athens in 2004, and run until Aug. 24, with 10,500 athletes from a record 204 nations chasing 302 gold medals in 28 sports.Chinese President Hu Jintao declared the Games open.Befittingly for the world's most populous nation, Friday's show unleashed wave upon wave of humanity into the arena, revelling in past glories, like the invention of gunpowder, but also more modern triumphs, like putting astronauts into space.The careful choreography of the ceremony extended well beyond the stadium and 100,000 police fanned out to prevent attacks and protests, while dissidents have been kept out of sight.UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon issued an appeal at the ceremony calling on warring nations to honor a traditional truce during the Games, but his message went unheeded with fierce fighting in Georgia during the day involving Russian forces.Further denting the Olympic ideal of harmony, the two Korea's failed to agree to march at the opening as a unified team even though they managed that in 2004 and 2000.The 91,000-strong crowd saved its largest roar of the evening for the entry of the Chinese team, which is confidently expected to top the medals table for the first time and was headed onto the field by basketball player Yao Ming.Yao was accompanied by a young boy who survived an earthquake in the southwest of the country in May which killed some 70,000."For a long time, China has dreamed of opening its doors and inviting the world's athletes to Beijing for the Olympic Games," Jacques Rogge, head of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), said. "Tonight that dream comes true. Congratulations, Beijing!"

OPENING CEREMONIES PHOTOS:

un Jinfang (L), former volleyball athlete, passes the flame to Li Ning, former Olympic gymnast during the Opening Ceremony for the Beijing 2008 Summer Olympics at the National Stadium on August 8, 2008 in Beijing, China.

Chinese former gymnastics champion Li Ning kindles the cauldron.