The Beijing Olympics: Was the world impressed with China's coming out party?

Photo by Marc van der Chijs

The Opening Ceremony
Reuters: World media hails Beijing's perfect night
China Daily: Zhang rises to greatest directorial challenge
The Guardian: Patriot games: China makes its point with greatest show
BBC: Spectators awed as Games begin
The Hindu: Games get off to a cracking start
AFP: Beijing's Games kick off with spectacular opening ceremony
The Independent: Opening ceremony: the meaning behind the spectacle
LA Times: An Olympics, at least, for the people, about the people
The Times: Olympics: the power and the glory - China leaves world awestruck
Edmonton Sun: Olympic opening ceremonies the best ever
Irish Times: Controversy takes back seat as Olympics get off to a flying start
Globe and Mail: Fiery reaction on the streets
TIME China Blog: "I'd never think we'd have a day like this"
WSJ Blog: The Grand Li Ning Finale

The Business
NPR: Many Ask If Olympic Sponsorship Is Worth Cost
The Telegraph: Beijing Olympics: The ultimate business networking opportunity
BusinessWeek: Analysis: Why Olympic Sponsors Won't Get the Gold in China
The Moscow Times: Olympic Sponsorship Worth More Than Gold
ABC News: Sponsors Win Big With Coveted Olympic Partnerships

The Fashion Olympics
WSJ: Best and worst dressers at the opening ceremony (slideshow)

The Weather
Bloomberg: Worst Olympic Heat Since '96 Brings Bad Air to Games
NineMSN: Beijing shrouded in smog 'white-out'

The Protesters and the Dissidents
Reuters: Turkish man sets self on fire in anti-China protest
The Evening Standard: Banker's daughter arrested in Beijing protest
AP: Anti-China protests worldwide as Olympics begin
Reuters: "Blood" Olympics protested in India and Nepal
The Guardian: Olympic protests held around the world
CNN: Nepal: More than 1,000 Tibet protesters held
AP: Mia Farrow shows alternative 'Darfur Olympics'
The Independent: Dissident invites Olympic chief to visit jail
AFP: Hong Kong detains US-based Chinese dissident: rights group

Elsewhere in China
Yahoo! Sports: An Olympics of hope for earthquake victims
AP: Beijing couples rush to tie knot on lucky 08-08-08
Mercury News: Away from stadium, mood in Beijing is muted
Financial Times: Olympics cast a pall over Shanghai
WSJ: Shanghai’s Olympic-Sized Selloff

Elsewhere around the world
Reuters: China invokes Olympics in urging South Ossetia ceasefire
Boston Globe: Romney calls on China to reconsider revoked visa
Economic Times: Olympics 2008: India more hooked to Games than China

The London Olympics
RTE: Olympic officer calls for end of global torch relay
UPI: 2012 Olympic torch to stay in Britain
The Telegraph: London Olympics torch relay may be confined to Britain