Olympic Games torch lit in GreeceMay 10, 2012 - 16:57 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - The countdown to this summer's London Olympics kicked off with the kindling of the Games torch by the sun's rays in ancient Olympia on Thursday, May 10 sparking a relay that will culminate with the lighting of the Olympic stadium's cauldron at the opening ceremony on July 27. On a warm and sunny day at the site of the ancient Olympics, actress Ino Menegaki, playing the high priestess, needed only a few seconds to ignite the torch with the help of a parabolic mirror in this traditional ceremony less than 80 days before the Games get under way. The relay's first torchbearer, Spyros Gianniotis, a Liverpool-born Greek swimmer who won the gold medal in the 10km open water event at the 2011 world championships, started the seven-day Greek leg of the relay before the flame is handed over to London organizers on May 17 and flown to Britain a day later, Reuters reported. Top stories Armenian gymnast, Olympic bronze medalist Artur Davtyan has reached the finals of the World Cup. Gor Manvelyan has denied reports alleging that he has expressed a desire to one day play for the French national team. Roma midfielder Henrikh Mkhitaryan is not considering FC Spartak Moscow as his next haven, according to fresh reports. 10 Armenian lifters will compete in the 2021 World Championships scheduled to be held from 7 to 17 December in Tashkent. Partner news | Russia provides info about arrested Armenian ex-MP Russian law enforcement agencies have provided information about the arrest of Tigran Urikhanyan. Lemkin Institue slams Pashinyan's “cryptic engagement with Genocide denial” The Lemkin Institute is alarmed over Pashinyan’s statements “questioning Armenia's legal basis to pursue justice against Turkey”. 41 detained as antigovernment protests continue in Yerevan 41 people were detained in Yerevan as people demanding Pashinian’s resignation stage campaigns of civil disobedience. Armenia votes for UN resolution granting Palestine new rights The U.N. General Assembly voted by a wide margin on May 10 to grant new “rights and privileges” to Palestine. |