China raises the bar with a jaw-dropping Olympic opening ceremony

When Yao Ming, all seven and a bit feet of him, marched into the Beijing National Stadium carrying the flag of China, all those claims about the construction, all that boasting about the 45,000 tons of raw steel that have gone into its foundation, were put to the test. Blown away: awestruck onlookers stand outside the Bird's Nest as China's Olympics begin in spectacular fashion Photo: EPA Already some 287 firework positions had been blasting pyrotechnics into the night sky. Already more than 14,000 performers had been pounding out their carefully choreographed rhythms. Already some 9,000 People's Liberation Army members had been marching on the spot, shaking the place with an ominous intent. But it was when the giant basketball player was first spotted that we knew this was a stadium that could hold a noise. It went on and... [read full story]