Shanghai World Expo opens with modest attendance

Hundreds of thousands of visitors (above) waited for hours in the baking sun yesterday on the opening day of the Shanghai World Expo 2010, showcasing China's rise as a modern industrial power.

Fewer people than expected showed up, but it wasn't clear why. About 350,000 tickets had been sold for the opening day, but officials said the attendance was nearer 200,000. Tempers sometimes flared in the long lines and the tedious wait for security checks, but the head of the Expo's co-ordinating committee said there were no major problems.