"BEIJING (Aug. 8) - Once-reclusive China commandeered the world stage Friday, celebrating its first-time role as Olympic host with a stunning display of pageantry and pyrotechnics to open a Summer Games unrivaled for its mix of problems and promise."Now ascendant as a global power, China welcomed scores of world leaders to an opening ceremony watched by 91,000 people at the eye-catching National Stadium and a potential audience of 4 billion worldwide. It was depicted as the largest, costliest extravaganza in Olympic history, bookended by barrages of some 30,000 fireworks."
FOR FULL ARTICLE: http://sports.aol.com/olympics/story/_a/bbdp/china-celebrates-might-as-games-begin/72270?icid=200100397x1207333841x1200386359
http://www.reuters.com/article/topNews/idUSSP11093420080808?feedType=RSS&feedName=topNews
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080808/sp_nm/olympics_dc_73
http://bonkers-bonkers.blogspot.com/2008/07/sports-meet-your-2008-us-olympic-boxing.html
