Russia receives Olympic flame

The flame that will burn at next year's Sochi Winter Olympics was handed over to Russia on Saturday in the marble stadium that hosted the first modern Games in 1896.
After a six-day trek across 33 towns in Greece's mainly mountainous northern regions, the flame that was lit last Sunday by the sun's rays at the birthplace of the ancient Games in Olympia was presented to Russia's Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Kozak.

From its overnight perch on the ancient Acropolis, the flame travelled through Athens' streets before being carried into the stadium, by Greek figure skating champion Panagiotis Markouzios.
The flame will be flown in special safety lanterns from Athens to Moscow today and it will then begin the longest torch relay in the history of the Winter Games from the Red Square.
It will travel more than 65,000 km, looping around Russia's 83 regions on foot, in sleighs, hot air balloons and even on a trip to space, as Russia prepares to showcase its modern post-Soviet face.
More than 90 percent of the Russian population will be within one hour of the flame before the lighting of the Olympic cauldron takes place at the stadium at the Black Sea resort of Sochi on Feb. 7.