Tag: Paris

Carlos Edriel Yulo wins historic gold for Philippines with floor exercise title

By Chang-Ran Kim and Gabrielle Tétrault-Farber PARIS, Aug 3 (Reuters) – Carlos Edriel Yulo produced a spectacular performance to win the men’s floor exercise final at the Paris Games on Saturday, earning Philippines their first-ever Olympic medal in gymnastics. Yulo’s gold medal is also only the second-ever top prize won by the Philippines across both the Summer and Winter Games, and the first in the men’s category. Weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz struck gold in Tokyo three […]

France’s train network hit by arson attacks hours before Olympic ceremony

By Dominique Vidalon and Elizabeth Pineau July 26, 2024   PARIS, July 26 (Reuters) – Saboteurs struck France’s TGV high-speed train network in a series of pre-dawn attacks across the country, causing travel chaos and exposing security gaps ahead of the Paris Olympics opening ceremony later on Friday. The coordinated sabotage took place as France mounted a massive security operation involving tens of thousands of police and soldiers to safeguard the capital for the sporting […]

New report warns of heat danger at Paris Olympics

PARIS, June 18, 2024 (AFP) – A new report backed by climate scientists and athletes warned Tuesday about the dangers of extreme high temperatures at this year’s Paris Olympics. The “Rings of Fire” report — a collaboration between non-profit Climate Central, academics at Britain’s University of Portsmouth and 11 Olympians — said conditions in Paris could be worse than the last Games in Tokyo in 2021. It warned that “intense heat at the Paris Olympics […]

Chechen arrested over Paris Olympics attack plot: ministry

By Shahzad ABDUL and Adam PLOWRIGHT PARIS, May 31, 2024 (AFP) – French security services have arrested a Chechen teenager suspected of plotting an “Islamist-inspired” attack on a football game during the Paris Olympic Games in July and August, the interior ministry said Friday. The DGSI domestic intelligence agency “arrested a 18-year-old of Chechen origin in Saint-Etienne” in southeast France on May 22, the ministry said, calling it the “first foiled attack against the Olympic […]

Louvre says Mona Lisa could get a room of her own

PARIS, April 27, 2024 (AFP) – The Mona Lisa by Leonardo da Vinci, the world’s most famous portrait, could get a room of its own in the Louvre, the museum’s president said on Saturday. Such a move would give visitors, many of whom visit the Louvre for the iconic painting alone, a better experience, Laurence des Cars told the France Inter broadcaster. “It’s always frustrating when you don’t give visitors the best possible reception, and […]

About 2,000 foreign troops to help France secure Paris Olympics

PARIS (AFP) – Some 2,000 foreign troops and police will be sent to Paris to bolster security for this summer’s Olympic Games as France remains on high alert following attack threats, the French armed forces minister said Friday. “We have something like 2,000 foreign police officers, gendarmes and troops who will be joining the protection system for the Olympic Games,” Sebastien Lecornu told all-news television station LCI. France, which will host the games from July […]

Eiffel Tower to reopen Sunday as strike ends

PARIS, Feb 24, 2024 (AFP) – France’s Eiffel Tower that had been closed for five days by a strike will reopen Sunday after the monument’s management announced a deal had been struck with unions. The stoppage since Monday at one of the world’s best-known tourist sites was the second within two months in protest at what unions say was insufficient investment. The tower’s operator SETE said it had reached agreement with the unions on Saturday […]

Knife attacker wounds three at major Paris train station

By Thomas Gropallo and Alexandre Hielard PARIS, Feb 3, 2024 (AFP) – Three people were injured Saturday in a knife attack at Paris’s Gare de Lyon railway station, a major travel hub, police said, adding that a suspect with psychiatric problems had been arrested. The man, a Malian national living in Italy, went on a stabbing spree at 7:35 am (0635 GMT) at the station, which operates domestic trains as well as those heading to […]

Paris’ grittiest suburb awaits Olympics dividend

By Adam PLOWRIGHT From the windows of “Les Bons Vivants” cafe, a short walk from the athletes’ village for the Paris Olympics, the changes underway in the once run-down neighbourhood are instantly visible. Next door, the makeover of the 130-metre (430-foot) Tour Pleyel skyscraper is nearly complete, turning the 1970s eyesore into a modern landmark that will host a four-star hotel and a pool with panoramic views. Its private owner started the 500-million euros ($550 […]

Surfing tower will be built, says Paris Games chief

By François BENEYTOU PARIS, Dec 20, 2023 (AFP) – The controversial building of a tower to judge the surfing event at the Paris Olympics will go ahead despite the sport’s federation saying it is not required, chief organiser Tony Estanguet said on Wednesday. A proposal made by the International Surf Association (ISA) to Paris 2024 organisers and the Polynesian government suggested the use of “live images shot from land, water and drones” to judge events […]

German tourist stabbed to death in Paris ‘terror’ attack

By Stuart WILLIAMS PARIS, Dec 3, 2023 (AFP) – A person known to the French authorities as a radical Islamist with mental health troubles stabbed a German tourist to death and wounded two people in central Paris on Saturday before being arrested, officials said. The attack took place close to the Eiffel Tower during a busy weekend night and came with the country on its highest alert for attacks as tensions rise against the background […]

Olympic chief ‘very satisfied’ with Paris 2024 Village

SAINT-DENIS, France, Dec 1, 2023 (AFP) – Olympic chief Thomas Bach said he was “very satisfied” with the state of preparations for the Olympic Village of the Paris 2024 Summer Games after a visit to the new build north of the French capital on Friday. “As an Olympian it’s always a great moment to be in an Olympic Village,” said Bach, who won Olympic fencing team gold for West Germany in the 1976 Games and […]