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                  Russia Prepares for Opening Olympic Ceremony

   by VOA News

   Russia is preparing for a glitzy opening ceremony for the Winter
   Olympic Games in the Black Sea resort city of Sochi on Friday.
   Russian President Vladimir Putin and U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon
   will attend, along with some 40 other heads of state and leaders from
   around the world.
   However, President Barack Obama and a number of other European Union
   leaders will be conspicuously absent, as Russia battles criticism of
   its new law banning the spread of so-called "gay propaganda" to minors,
   which critics say could be used to crack down on gay rights in general.
   International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach, who passed the
   Olympic torch to Ban Thursday during the Olympic torch relay, told
   reporters Friday that preparations for the Games are going "pretty
   smoothly," but allowed that the first few days of the Games usually
   have "a small hiccup here or there." He did not say what those problems
   might be.
   On Thursday, during the Olympic torch relay, Bach said he was glad to
   send an "Olympic message of peace and understanding," as he passed the
   torch to Ban beside the Sochi River.
   Fans cheered both men as they carried the Olympic flame toward Fisht
   Olympic Stadium, where the opening ceremonies will take place.
   Although the ceremony will be held Friday night, qualifying rounds
   began Thursday in several sports.
   Russia took the lead in team figure skating competition, a new team
   gold medal event at the Winter Olympics. Russia's world pairs champions
   Tatiana Volosozhar and Maksim Trankov crafted a thrilling performance,
   finishing first with 83.79 points.
   Snowboarding slopestyle also debuted at the Winter Games Thursday.
   Austria's Anna Gasser qualified for the women's final with the top
   score of 95.50, while Canada's Maxence Parrot secured his place in the
   men's finals with the high score of 97.50.
   On the security front, officials remain on high alert for possible
   terrorist attacks linked to the Olympic Games. U.S. Homeland Security
   officials are warning airlines flying to Russia to watch out for
   toothpaste tubes that may be filled with bomb-making materials. The
   officials cited no specific threat.
   Russian Foreign Ministry spokesman Aleksandr Lukashevich has called
   media reports about the threats of explosives on flights to Russia a
   "misunderstanding." He also said President Putin has said full-scale
   measures are being taken to guarantee security at the Sochi Olympics.
   Russian authorities have spent an estimated $2 billion to shore up
   security in advance of the Sochi Olympics. Analysts have warned of
   possible attacks against targets such as train stations.
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   eremony/1846365.html

References

   1. http://www.voanews.com/content/russia-prepares-for-opening-olympic-ceremony/1846365.html