Summer Olympics

The Greek capital's Panathenaic Stadium, which hosted the first modern Olympics, will be lit up in the colors of the Brazilian flag Wednesday evening as part of the Olympic Flame handover ceremony, from the birthplace of the Games to 2016 host Rio de Janeiro.

A new elevated bike path that was heralded as a top legacy project of the Rio de Janeiro Olympics collapsed April 21, killing at least two people.

The flame for the Olympic Games in Brazil has been lit in southern Greece. An actor performing the role of high priestess lit the torch by using the sun’s rays. The torch will be taken by various runners on an international relay that will culminate at the opening ceremony in Rio de Janeiro on 5 August. The ritual was established 80 years ago for the Berlin Game

Artemis Ignatiou has been the choreographer of several Olympic Flame ceremonies in the last decade, but Thursday's Lighting of the Flame for the Rio 2016 Olympics at Ancient Olympia will be really special for her and the dancers to perform at the event.

Fire spurted from a concave mirror Wednesday as a priestess, kneeling in her long, pleated dress before a ruined Greek temple, focused the blazing sun's rays on her metal torch.

Come rain or shine on Thursday's official lighting ceremony, Rio de Janeiro has now secured its Olympic flame, which will burn in the Brazilian host city throughout the Aug. 5-21 games.

2016 is the year of of the Rio Summer Olympics to be held in Brazil. It is all about competition and medals. But it also involves athletes with beautiful bodies. Which is why we prepared this short list of hot female athletes to prepare you for what to expect in the world’s greatest sporting event in the sizzling Brazilian summer. So keep an ‘eye out’ for these:

Japan scrapped the original architectural plan for the 2020 Tokyo Olympic stadium as a result of the exploding cost estimate and ridicule over its design. On Tuesday it announced its new design by Japanese architect Kengo Kuma.

The majority of Hamburg’s residents voted against hosting the 2024 Olympic Games, according to the results of the referendum which took place on Sunday 29th on whether Hamburg should bid for the Olympic Games in 2024.

According to the final results, 51.6% of those participated in the referendum were against hosting the Olympics, with voting participation reaching 50.1%.

Russia rejected on Nov. 10 explosive accusations of doping and corruption and promised a rapid response to avoid suspension from the 2016 Olympics due to the scandal that threatens to spread far beyond the borders of Russia and athletics.

"Until any proof has been put forward, it is hard to accept any accusations as they seem rather groundless," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said.

Greece’s national Olympic committee issued a statement on Wednesday criticising reported plans to use sporting venues to temporarily shelter thousands of refugees. The committee said that all sporting venues are “absolutely necessary” to help Greek athletes prepare for the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.