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| Beijing's Olympic village opens | Beijing's Olympic village opens |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| The first athletes have checked into Beijing's newly-built Olympic village, with 12 days to go until the Games. | The first athletes have checked into Beijing's newly-built Olympic village, with 12 days to go until the Games. |
| China's basketball star Yao Ming and hurdler Liu Xiang were present for a flag-raising ceremony at the heavily guarded site. | China's basketball star Yao Ming and hurdler Liu Xiang were present for a flag-raising ceremony at the heavily guarded site. |
| The opening came on a muggy morning and correspondents reported a haze of pollution over the village's complex of luxurious, high-rise apartments. | The opening came on a muggy morning and correspondents reported a haze of pollution over the village's complex of luxurious, high-rise apartments. |
| In all 16,000 competitors will stay there during the games. | In all 16,000 competitors will stay there during the games. |
| The BBC's Quentin Sommerville, in Beijing, says the flats - housing either four or eight people each - have been built to an unusually high environmental standard for China. | The BBC's Quentin Sommerville, in Beijing, says the flats - housing either four or eight people each - have been built to an unusually high environmental standard for China. |
| Solar energy will power some of the buildings, and unlike most of China, residents will be able to drink the water straight from the tap. | |
| Specially extended beds have been installed for taller athletes. | Specially extended beds have been installed for taller athletes. |
| Food safety is a concern in China, so everything served to the athletes will have undergone spot checks at mobile laboratories, our correspondent says. | Food safety is a concern in China, so everything served to the athletes will have undergone spot checks at mobile laboratories, our correspondent says. |
| Key to the village | Key to the village |
| Speaking at the opening ceremony, a vice-president of Beijing's organising committee, Chen Zhili, said: "We now welcome athletes from around the world to come to the Games." | |
| Chen, the so-called mayor of the village, added: "We will try to satisfy the needs of people from different cultural and religious backgrounds." | Chen, the so-called mayor of the village, added: "We will try to satisfy the needs of people from different cultural and religious backgrounds." |
| He received a symbolic gold key to the village from organizing committee president Liu Qi, also the head of Beijing's Communist Party. | He received a symbolic gold key to the village from organizing committee president Liu Qi, also the head of Beijing's Communist Party. |
| Chinese athletes were the first to check into the village. | Chinese athletes were the first to check into the village. |
| The flats will be refitted and sold after the Olympics. | The flats will be refitted and sold after the Olympics. |
| Reports say they will cost up to $1m (£500,000) - considered a high price even in Beijing's soaring property market. | Reports say they will cost up to $1m (£500,000) - considered a high price even in Beijing's soaring property market. |