Winter Olympics underway after opening ceremony in Beijing

The 24th edition of the Winter Olympics is officially underway after the Olympic cauldron was lit in a restrained opening ceremony in Beijing.

Almost 3,000 athletes from 91 nations will compete across the Games.

The International Olympic Committee has been criticized for awarding the Games to China because of the country's alleged human rights abuses.

IOC president Tomas Bach said one of the missions of the Games was to unite humankind in all their diversity.

The Olympic torch was placed into the centre of a giant snowflake, which was then illuminated to become the cauldron.

The snowflake is made up of placards with the names of the 91 nations competing in Beijing.

[Source: BBC Sports]