Antoine Dupont, the skipper of the full-size national rugby team came off the bench to orchestrate a second-half rout of the defending champions.

Fijian teams have won the title since rugby sevens was introduced at the 2016 Games in Rio.

And the 2024 vintage got off to a flyer with a try on their first attack.

Joseva Talacolo’s score silenced the partisans at the Stade de France. But they refound their voice and fervour just before half-time when Andy Timo’s barnstorming run set up Joseph Jeffereson-Lee.

Change

At 7-7, France coach Jerome Daret sent on Dupont.

His searing run down the left wing at the start of the second-half left Aaron Grandidier Nkanang with the formalities and Rayan Rebbadj added his second conversion of the match to give France a 14-7 lead.

The score broke Fiji who lost their discipline. Dupont took charge of a penalty and tricked his way over the touchline to effectively end the contest. The try at the end was pure grandstanding.

South Africa took the bronze medal following a 26-19 win over Australia.

Earlier, Shirine Boukli won France’s first medal of the Games when the 25-year-old claimed bronze in the women’s judo -48 kg with victory over Laura Martinez Abelenda from Spain.

Natsumi Tsunoda took the gold in the category to notch up Japan’s first medal.

Luka Mkheidze from France won silver in the men’s -60kg after his loss to Yeldos Smetov from Kazakhstan at the Champ de Mars Arena.

“I was hooked from the moment I walked into the stadium,” said the 60-year-old nurse.

“It was impressive to see the fervour rising and rising as the semi-final got underway. The atmosphere was great. It was well coordinated between the music and the matches. I thought it was really good.”

Husband Christian concurred.

“It was magical. Exceptional. It’s true that the fact that France won helps, doesn’t it?”

The couple who live in Saint-Cloud on the leafy western fringes of Paris paid 145 euros each on Friday for their first trip to an event at an Olympic Games as well as a piece of Paris 2024 history.

“The stadium was superb, and the teams played really well,” said Christian. “And the atmosphere in the stadium was exceptional, very strong.”

Unlike his neophyte wife, Christian is a Stade de France habitué with trips last autumn during the rugby union World Cup for a semi-final and the third place play-off between England and Argentina.

A heavily fancied France flopped in that tournament. South Africa beat them 29-28 in a nailbiting quarter-final.

Antoine Dupont, who was injured in a pool match against Namibia, returned sporting a mask to protect a broken cheekbone but to no avail.

The skipper of the 15-man team dropped out of the 2024 Six Nations tournament to devote himself to the cause of the national sevens team.

And it paid off handsomely.

“When I joined the squad for the first time I wondered what I was doing with them and  if I made the right choice to not play the Six Nations,” Dupont admitted.

But after dancing in the centre of the pitch with his teammates following the rout, he beamed: “The atmosphere was amazing.

“I’ve rarely heard such an atmosphere here in Stade de France. The fans made a lot of noise and we had to embrace it and give something back to them.”

Coach Jérôme Daret started Dupont on the bench. It appeared a waste of riches as Fiji scored on their first attack.

Joseva Talacolo’s impudence silenced the partisans. But they were reenergised just before half-time when Andy Timo’s barnstorming run set up Joseph Jefferson-Lee

Change

At 7-7, Daret sent on Dupont for and he lived up to his name. The 27-year-old offered the bridge into the promised land.

A searing run down the left wing at the start of the second-half left Aaron Grandidier Nkanang with the formalities and Rayan Rebbadj added his second conversion of the match to give France a 14-7 lead.

 Dupont took charge of a penalty and tricked his way over the touchline to effectively end the contest at 19-7. Another conversion made it 21-7 and Dupont’s try at the end hinted at excess.

“It was not what we wanted but France were too good for us,” said Fiji’s Jerry Tuwai.

Turning

“We started really well but a lot of things happened that didn’t go our way. I wanted to end my career with a third gold but not everything goes to plan.”

A group of Fiji supporters were equally realistic as they planned the evening’s entertainment outside the stadium.

“It’s the first time they’ve lost at the Olympics,” said Robert Nicole who was over from Christchurch in New Zealand with his wife Raijeli to see the game and meet up with his younger brothers George, 56, and 54-year-old Philippe who had travelled respectively from Zhengzou in China and Solothurn in Switzerland with their families.

“But we’re so proud of them,” added Robert. “Even a silver … Fiji is only 900,000 people and so to get to the final of this event is just so brilliant.”

Chinese shooters Yuting Huang and Lihao Sheng were first to step onto the podium after the 10m air rifle mixed team event, which was decided on Saturday morning.

They outscored South Korea’s Jihyeon Keum and Hajun Park, leaving them with silver. Alexandra Le and Islam Satpayev of Kazakhstan claimed bronze. 

China followed up its success on the shooting range with victory for its women’s synchronised 3m springboard diving pair, Yani Chang and Yiwen Chen.

The United States, expected to vie with China for most medals overall, also got on the table with silver for Kassidy Cook and Sarah Bacon. 

Scarlett Mew Jensen and Yasmin Harper of the United Kingdom took bronze. 

Later in the day, Australia became the second country to claim gold thanks to cyclist Grace Brown in the women’s individual time trials.

She was followed by Anna Henderson of the UK in second place and American Chloe Dygert in third.

Paris 2024 Medal Table

Weather woes

A score of other events are scheduled for the first day of competition at the Paris Games, with medals also due in judo, rugby sevens and 400m freestyle swimming.

But the men’s street skateboarding, which had been due to take place on Saturday, had to be postponed to Monday due to persistent rain in the French capital.

Paris Olympics become a matter of medals after stars reign on the Seine

The downpours also disrupted play at the opening rounds of tennis at Roland Garros, with action on the 10 uncovered outside courts pushed back by a few hours, organisers said.

Badminton, rowing, cycling, hockey and basketball also get under way on Saturday – along with the surfing competition, which is being held nearly 16,000 kilometres kilometres away on the French Pacific island of Tahiti.

(with AFP)

South Sudan soars in basketball

Just 13 years after gaining independence, South Sudan will be a star attraction in the men’s basketball competition.

It’s the only country to represent the African continent in men’s basketball, although Nigeria is in the women’s competition.

South Sudan‘s Bright Stars qualified for the 2024 Paris Games via their first appearance at the Fiba World Cup in September last year.  

Their victory over Angola (101-78), combined with Egypt’s defeat by New Zealand (86-88), ensured that they finished as the top African team at the World Cup.

The country has risen from 82nd to 33rd place in the International Basketball Federation’s world rankings, making it the second highest-ranked African team, behind Côte d’Ivoire in 31st place.

Championed by former National Basketball Association (NBA) star Luol Deng – now president of the South Sudan Basketball Federation – the Bright Stars are, in the words of player Wenyen Gabriel, “a bunch of refugees that come together for a few weeks each year, trying our best, playing against some of the best players ever”.  ​​​​​​

Marathon man Kipchoge eyes third Olympic gold

Kenya’s Eliud Kipchoge is undoubtedly one of the most eagerly awaited African athletes at the Paris Games.

The 39-year-old is already a double Olympic marathon champion, having won in Rio in 2016 and Tokyo in 2021.

He’s currently tied with Ethiopian legend Abebe Bilkila, winner in 1960 and 1964, and Germany’s Waldemar Cierpinski, who won in Montreal in 1976 and Moscow in 1980.

If he secures a hat trick in Paris on 11 August, Kipchoge will be crowned the greatest of all time.

Kenya’s Eliud Kipchoge makes history by running a marathon in under two hours

Ta Lou sprints for the podium

Ivorian sprinter Marie-Josée Ta Lou has made it clear this is her last Olympics and last chance to finally get a medal.

The four-time Olympic finalist, now 35, finished fourth in both the 100m and 200m in her Olympic debut at Rio 2016, missing out on the 100m bronze by seven-thousandths of a second.

At Tokyo 2020 she came fourth in the 100m and fifth in the 200m.

Ta Lou was 100m and 200m runner-up in the London World Athletics Championships in 2017.

She wants to break that cycle in Paris and finally climb to the top of the podium.

“I am determined to give it my all to finish on a high note. My aim is the podium, I strive for the gold medal because I don’t want to leave these last Olympics without a medal,” she told Ivorian media in March this year.

Faso’s Zango to leap into history books again? 

Burkina Faso’s triple jump star Hugues Fabrice Zango made history at Tokyo 2020 when he claimed bronze in the men’s event – becoming the first Burkinabé to win an Olympic medal.

His bronze in Doha in 2019 was the nation’s first World Athletics Championships medal; he took silver in Oregon in 2022 and then gold in Budapest in August 2023.

The 30-year-old, who also has a doctorate in electrical engineering, was crowned world indoor champion in March this year, beating Algeria’s Yasser Triki and Portugal’s Tiago Pereira.

Hopes are high that Zango could bring Burkina Faso its first Olympic gold medal.

Cissé looks to reclaim taekwondo title 

Cheick Salah Junior Cissé is out to win his second taekwondo Olympic title after Rio in 2016, when he beat British athlete Lutalo Muhammad in the very last second of the competition to become the first Ivorian to win an Olympic gold medal.

The 30-year-old is flag bearer for Côte d’Ivoire’s delegation to Paris 2024, along with Marie-Josée Ta Lou.  

Cissé lost his Olympic welterweight title in the Tokyo Games in his opening fight against Achraf Mahboubi of Morocco. 

But he won his first world title and first world medal at last year’s World Taekwondo Championships in Baku, Azerbaijan, defeating defending champion Carlos Sansores of Mexico in the men’s over-87kg heavyweight division.

Cissé’s motto is “never give up”.

Mali returns to the pitch

Mali has waited 20 years to return to the Olympic football competition, and qualified by beating Guinea in a play-off match at the U23 Africa Cup of Nations in 2023.

Twenty years after competing in the Athens Olympics, where they reached the quarter-finals, Mali’s Eagles of Hope are back in the Olympic limelight.

Coach Alou Badra Diallo told Fifa his objective was “to do better than our quarter-final finish at Athens 2004. I believe they (Mali) are capable of achieving great things.” 

All eyes on South African swimmer Smith

South African breaststroke champion Tatjana Smith (née Shoenmaker) won gold in the 200m breaststroke in Tokyo 2020, beating the world 200m record in 2 minutes and 18.95 seconds.

Smith also took silver in the 100m breaststroke, and laid down a new world record of 1 minute 4.82 seconds during the preliminaries.

She competes in both distances in Paris and expectations are high she’ll go home with a medal.

Hatherly, South Africa’s mountain biking standout

Alan Hatherly got a major boost ahead of the Paris Games, winning the men’s elite cross-country at the UCI Mountain Bike World Cup at Les Gets in France earlier this month.

The 28-year-old finished in 26th place in the cross-country event at the 2016 Rio Olympics. In 2018, he won bronze at the Commonwealth Games, and went on to be crowned the 2018 Under-23 Cross-Country World Champion.

In Tokyo he entered the top 10, coming in eighth place.

Ranked second in the world this year, he’s expected to put up a good fight in the hunt for a medal.

This article was adapted from the original in French.

The route along the Seine river took teams along the same waterway where protesters were thrown by Paris police during a demonstration in support of Algerian independence from France on 17 October 1961. 

Algerian athletes carried red roses with them as they sailed in the river parade, then tossed them into the water. 

Some members of the delegation chanted “Long live Algeria!” in Arabic.

Watching from Algeria, the grandson of one of the victims called it “a moment of intense emotion”.

“To make such a gesture, the day of the opening of the Olympics in Paris, is a monumental homage to the victims of 17 October,” Yanis, whose grandfather Kaci Yahia disappeared into the Seine that day, told the Associated Press.

Colonial legacy

Some 12,000 people were arrested during the 1961 protest and an estimated 120 people died, according to historians. Many of the bodies were never recovered, while others dragged from the water showed signs of harrowing violence.

It came during the final year of Algeria’s war for its independence, which it eventually won in 1962.

The French branch of the National Liberation Front (FLN) rallied protesters to defy a nighttime curfew and demonstrate peacefully around Paris.

Yet on the orders of Paris’s infamously brutal police chief, Maurice Papon, the protests were violently broken up. Demonstrators were beaten, rounded up and murdered by officers who had been assured they would be protected from prosecution. 

France and Algeria revisit painful past in battle to mend colonial wounds

Survivors and their descendants battled for decades for France to investigate the deaths and recognise its responsibility.

For years French authorities were reluctant to scrutinise the events, and it was only in 2001 that the state recognised that a massacre occurred.

In 2021, on the 60th anniversary of the killings, President Emmanuel Macron called the police’s actions “crimes” and called them “inexcusable for the Republic”.

Earlier this year, lawmakers backed a parliamentary motion that would create an official day of commemoration for the events. 

(with AP)

Less than a week since he flew down the beachfront of Nice in cycling’s most famous event, Girmay will be pounding his pedals in Paris as he launches his Olympic campaign.

If the Tour de France is anything to go by, he’ll have a large Eritrean contingent out to cheer him as he competes in the time trials on Saturday, and again in the road race a week later. 

At home and along the nearly 3,500 kilometres of the Tour’s route, his compatriots roared their support as he became the first black cyclist – from Africa or any continent – to win a stage of the race, then another, then another. 

The records kept coming. By the time the race concluded in the south of France last weekend, Girmay had accumulated enough points to take home the green sprinter’s jersey, one of the race’s three overall prizes – something no other African rider has done before. 

“I don’t have the words for it,” Girmay told RFI’s sister station France 24 when asked about the Eritrean supporters lining the way to the finish line. 

“They’ve come all the way from Asmara, from neighbouring countries. Their enthusiasm gave me lots of strength. 

“It’s not the first time they’ve done this, but today it was something special.”

An African outlier

As his fans’ commitment testifies, Girmay is something special himself: a rare African rider on the international scene, and an even rarer black one. 

The only black competitor in this year’s Tour, he’ll be one of a handful of African cyclists at the Paris Olympics.

Girmay hopes he won’t be an outlier for much longer. “It’s more beautiful to see in the peloton different colours from different countries and different continents,” he told France 24.

“I’m super happy to be part of that, and to see myself in this historic way.”

“There’s no doubt he can inspire generations of future champions, as we hope he will,” the Tour’s director Christian Prudhomme told RFI, praising Girmay’s “incredible feline style, fluid in every way”.

Cycling country

Eritrea’s long-standing passion for cycling, introduced by the Italians who once colonised it, has made it a powerhouse for the sport in Africa.

Scores of athletes have grown up training in its mountains and found success nationally and in all-Africa competitions.

It has produced world-class riders before too – including Daniel Teklehaimanot, Eritrea’s first ever Olympic cyclist, who represented the country at the 2012 Games in London.

Together with countryman Merhawi Kudus, he became one of the two first black Africans to compete in the Tour de France in 2015 and even climbed his way to the spotted “King of the Mountains” jersey in one early stage.

But Girmay, who left Eritrea as a teenager to train in Switzerland after being spotted by a talent scout for governing body the International Cycling Union (UCI), has racked up more wins outside the continent than any other African cyclist yet.

First came the one-day Gent-Wevelgem sprint in Belgium in 2022, then a stage of the Giro d’Italia the same year, a stage of the Tour de Suisse in 2023, and now this summer’s victories in France. 

“He’s staying in Europe to race. He knows he has to stay in Europe to be professional and make money,” said Belgian filmmaker Lieven Corthouts, who spent more than six years filming Girmay for his documentary This Is My Moment. 

That comes at a personal cost, according to Corthouts, not least the separation from his wife and daughter back in Asmara. 

“It’s very hard,” the filmmaker told RFI. “They can’t share the victory.”

On a mission

Girmay’s sacrifices are proof of his commitment – something the 24 year old will need plenty of if he’s to maintain his stellar trajectory.

Next year sees Rwanda host the UCI’s cycling world championships, a chance for Girmay to claim a global victory on African soil. Last time he took part in the event as a junior rider, in the 2021 under-23s race, he took silver.

“He’s going to have to incorporate everything he’s done, question himself and get back to work this winter,” French former pro racer Pierre Rolland said.

“He’s going to have avoid floating too high on his little cloud because this sport is thankless. He has to continue to write the history of his sport. I think that’s what he was born to do.”

Before then, there’s the Olympics.

As Eritrea’s lone rider, Girmay will be at a tactical disadvantage without teammates to help him to a sprint finish – but those who witnessed him make history in the Tour believe he can do it again in Paris.

“The gold medal in Paris – it’s to complete his mission,” one supporter told RFI. “Now, he’s on a mission.”

Who are the African athletes to watch out for at Paris Olympics?

This story features interviews by RFI’s Thomas de Saint Léger and Nicolas Sur, and James Vasina of France 24. 

Nearly one-third of trains were cancelled Saturday in the three regions affected by the attacks, with most trains still operating delayed by between one and two hours, state rail company SNCF said.

About a quarter of Eurostar services between London and Paris also failed to leave.

Traffic will remain disrupted into Sunday on the northern line running to Lille and Brussels, but should gradually improve on the Atlantic route to Brittany and the south-west, SNCF said.

Trains to Strasbourg and Germany have largely returned to normal.

Full service is expected to resume from Monday, Transport Minister Patrice Vergriete told a press conference. 

Authorities have taken measures to prevent any further sabotage, he said, including deploying police helicopters and 250 rail security agents to monitor France’s train lines.

Rail workers were out throughout the night making emergency repairs, said SNCF director Jean-Pierre Farandou, who estimated that about 160,000 of the 800,000 people due to travel this weekend still faced cancellations or delays.

Coordinated attacks

There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the coordinated arson attacks on cabling boxes at junctions strategically picked out north, south-west and east of the French capital.

Rail workers thwarted an attempt to destroy safety equipment on a fourth line to the Mediterranean in what the SNCF called a “massive attack”.

The strikes staged early on Friday morning cut and burned fibre optic cables running along the tracks that transmit safety information to train drivers.

‘Sabotage’ on French rail network before Olympics: What we know

Prosecutors have opened an investigation into “damage to property likely to undermine the fundamental interests of the nation” and other offences.

“We have uncovered a certain number of elements that allow us to think that we will soon know who is responsible for what clearly did not sabotage the Olympic Games but did sabotage part of the holidays of the French people,” Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin told France 2 television.

Some 250,000 people missed their train on Friday, according to SNCF.

Many travellers were on their way to the French capital for the start of the Olympics, while others were hoping to travel in the opposite direction to start their summer holidays.

(with AFP)

Following qualification heats, the 10m air rifle mixed team gold and bronze medal matches will take place at the shooting range in Chateauroux, some 300 kilometres south-west of Paris.

Back in the metropolis, golds will be decided in the judo, men’s street skateboarding, men’s rugby sevens as well as the individual time trials in the road cycling.

In the pool at the Aquatics Centre in Saint Denis, eight teams – including hosts France – will vie for the women’s synchronised 3m springboard diving title.

And at La Défense Arena, the men’s and women’s 400 metres freestyle as well as the men and women’s 4x100m freestyle relays will be contested.

• President Emmanuel Macron declares the Paris Olympics open

Celebration

Friday night’s opening extravaganza featured an array of national and international stars and homages to athletes from 120 years of Olympic history as well as the Frenchman Pierre de Coubertin, who resuscitated the ancient Greek sports festival.

Water was very much to the fore as around 300,000 people braved persistent, driving downpours to watch a flotilla of vessels ferry around 7,000 athletes between the Pont d’Austerlitz and Pont d’Iéna and fete the Games in Paris since 1924.

During the six-kilometre voyage, opening ceremony artistic director Thomas Jolly unfurled a sporadically wry but continually engaging vision of French history, histrionics and kinks.

At one point, playing with pop and pomp, Jolly orchestrated a vignette in which the Franco-Malian singer Aya Nakamura belted out some of her hit tunes accompanied by musicians from the Republican Guard who eventually broke ranks to get down and funky.

Lady Gaga revelled in an early interlude before the heavens opened.

Soon after her appearance, the 38-year-old American posted a message on social media.

Dancers – who had threatened to boycott the opening ceremony in a dispute over pay and conditions – performed routines along the scaffolding at Notre Dame and along the roof tops.

“I’ve got such an adrenaline rush,” said Selene Martinez, who had travelled from Mexico for the ceremony.

“The atmosphere is really friendly,” added 75-year-old Frenchman Jean-Yves Herve, who watched the show with his granddaughter. “There are lots of foreigners, we’re enjoying it. It’s good for France.”

‘Love story’

Nearly three hours after the Greek delegation led the way in the first boat, the French athletes emerged in their craft.

Their arrival in front the VIPs perched under a roofed stand at Trocadéro signalled the start of the formalities.

“It’s a huge honour to welcome you back after 100 years,” said Tony Estanguet, the boss of the organising committee.

“There’s been a big love story between France and the Olympics,” added the three-time gold medallist in canoeing. “We have put our whole heart into welcoming you and we want to share everything that is most precious to us.”

And paying tribute to the teams that instigated and executed the first opening ceremony outside a main stadium, Estanguet added: “We’ve been bold … doing things that have never been done before with the desire to make the Games bigger.

“There are often times when we don’t see eye to eye but in the moments that count, we can come together.”

Thomas Bach, the president of the International Olympic Committee, which was set up by de Coubertin in 1894, added: “What better place than Paris to celebrate the Olympics, the birthplace of the IOC founder?”

Eiffel power

Addressing the athletes, Bach, a gold medallist for West Germany in the fencing at the 1976 Games in Montreal, insisted: “This is the pinnacle of your Olympic journey.

“Now you are Olympians like generations before you. Now you are part of something bigger than yourself.

“In our world there is no global south or global north. As Olympians we care for each other.”

French football legend Zinedine Zidane, who appeared in the opening segment of the show to take the Olympic torch from comedian Djamel Debbouze at the Stade de France, turned up at Trocadéro to reclaim the torch. 

He handed it on to the 14-time French Open winner Rafael Nadal. The torch then went through other sports stars such as the former tennis world number one Amélie Mauresmo and the former basketball player Tony Parker.

French Olympians Marie-José Perec and Teddy Riner combined to light the flame for the Games.

But the coup de théâtre came from the Canadian singer Céline Dion, who in her first public performance for four years following a battle with an illness that affected her voice, belted out from the Eiffel Tower the Edith Piaf song L’Hymne à l’amour.

All that remained from the Jolly good show were the lights and music. Cue the Eiffel power.

Opting for a ceremony on the waters of the River Seine rather than the standard option of a stadium was a theatrical gesture typical of President Emmanuel Macron but which brought considerable risks.

The day was also far from ideal. It began with news of three attacks on signal infrastructure on the French railway network which will disrupt travel for the next days and raises the prospect of a coordinated bid by so far unknown individuals to upset the Games.

Meanwhile the weather conspired against organisers and spectators, with an unseasonable deluge drenching performers, athletes and onlookers protected by nothing more than plastic ponchos.

But the show went on.

It lasted a marathon four hours, reaching a crescendo with a spectacular climax as the Olympic flame soared into the sky aboard a cauldron tethered to a balloon and Celine Dion serenaded Paris with an Edith Piaf song from the Eiffel Tower.

The eclectic show put on by director Thomas Jolly was not to everyone’s taste – the Times of London called it “surreal” and a “damp squib” but no-one could doubt its originality and daring.

And above all the mass event had passed off safely without incident. Parisians and visitors will now again be able to enjoy most of the city without brandishing QR codes to get through police barriers put up for the event that had put much of the riverside embankment into security lockdown over the last days.

“With sabotage of railway installations in the morning and pouring rain in the evening, the opening day of the Olympics was chaotic but ended with a grandiose ceremony which broke all the rules,” daily Liberation wrote on the front page of its Saturday edition.

Paris Olympics become a matter of medals after stars reign on the Seine

‘Creative genius’

Images of police snipers deployed on rooves provided a stark reminder of the constant security threat faced by France which has been hit by a spate of attacks by Islamist extremists since 2015.

The ceremony also marked a boost for Macron after two turbulent months that saw him call snap parliamentary elections that at one point raised the prospect of the far-right winning and forming a new government.

That did not materialise but the country remains in political paralysis after the polls and the president generally seen as a weakened figure with three years of his mandate to run.

“Thanks to Thomas Jolly and his creative genius for this grandiose ceremony. Thank you to the artists for this unique and magical moment. Thank you to the police and emergency services, agents and volunteers,” Macron wrote in an unusually triumphant post on X.

“Thank you to everyone who believed in it. We’ll still be talking about in 100 years! We did it!”

Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin added: “We did it! After four years of intense work to prepare for the world’s biggest sport event, we have never been prouder of our security forces.”

Extreme-right MEP Marion Marechal harrumphed on X that she was left to “desperately seek to celebrate the values of sport and the beauty of France in the midst of such crude woke propaganda.”

‘Can’t mess up’

Some spectators were frustrated by the rain and crowds obscuring the view but Jolly’s concept appeared focused above all on the millions watching worldwide on TV at home.

It also skilfully played on themes of French culture and history but with a modern twist and a plethora of in-jokes for those who wanted to find them. Jolly also celebrated modern France’s diversity, highlighting artists of immigrant origin.

“The opening ceremony is really the moment when you can’t mess up. It’s a successful gamble,” communications specialist Philippe Moreau Chevrolet told AFP.

“He (Macron) has very successfully carried out his communications operation for the country and for himself: it’s a moment of coming together for the nation… and he hasn’t had many in seven years in power.”

(AFP)

In total, more than 200 delegations and 10,000 athletes are participating in 36 sports at the Paris Games. 

RFI’s sport editor Paul Myers discusses how African athletes from all over the continent are likely to perform.

Who are the African athletes to watch out for at Paris Olympics?

Episode mixed by Erwan Rome. 

Spotlight on Africa is a podcast from Radio France Internationale. 

On Friday at 7:30pm around 326,000 spectators on tiered seating on the banks and bridges of the river Seine will begin watching a spectacular waterborne show.

Thousands more will be glued to 80 massive screens along the route, and an estimated 1.5 billion worldwide.

So what will they be watching?

The 7,000 or so athletes sailing in a flotilla of vessels of course, but also a story about Paris – its history and monuments and how they’ve shaped present-day France and its people.

It will likely not be the greatest story ever told, but it could indeed be a great story.

And you could scarcely dream of a bigger stage – a six-kilometre stretch of the river Seine with the city of Paris itself as the set.

Whatever happens, and there is a degree of unpredictability, it will go down in history as the first Olympic opening ceremony to take place outside a stadium.

“For the first time we’re not going to go round in circles in a stadium but over a 6km stretch of water,” says historian Patrick Boucheron, one of the four writers enlisted by the ceremony’s artistic director Thomas Jolly to script the show.

“We’re going to give a voice to the City of Paris – she has the leading role on this extraordinary stage,” he told RFI.

Reconnaissance on the river

When Jolly and the four writers began their collective adventure at the end of 2022, the route had already been traced out.

Beginning in the east at the Gare d’Austerlitz, heading past relics of the Middle Ages including Notre-Dame Cathedral, the Conciergerie – where Marie-Antoinette was imprisoned – Le Louvre and the glass-domed Grand Palais, it ends at the foot of the Eiffel Tower.

 “We put on our puffer jackets and went out on boats up and down the river from the Austerlitz bridge to the Eiffel Tower,” Jolly told Le Monde daily.

“We looked at everything that was part of the history of Paris – the streets, the monuments, the squares, the statues. We went through literary correspondence, films, musicals.”

After much brainstorming they wrote, in secret, for about nine months.

Wary of being drawn into the dreamlike Paris of the French cult film Amelie Poulain or American Netflix series Emily in Paris they knew they had to “play with the clichés, the American take on France, but without poking fun,” Jolly said.

The real star of the Paris Olympics is the storied River Seine

12 scenes to paint a portrait of the time

They divided the show into 12 tableaus – along, above and even rising out of the Seine – intermingled with the parade of athletes on some 90 boats.

More than 3,000 dancers and actors will perform on the quayside and bridges.

Each tableau draws on the city’s emblems and what they evoke both past and present, taking the world on a journey through Parisian history and architecture.

Notre-Dame Cathedral, for example, means many things to different people – a Gothic monument, a link to 19th-century writer Victor Hugo, but also a raging inferno.

“The last time the world saw Notre-Dame on television it was on fire,” says Boucheron. “So there isn’t just a story of pride and grandeur but also one of emotion, of reconstruction.

“That’s basically the story we wanted to stage  – about the dogged and creative will to live together despite everything.”

Boucheron, who’s described himself as a “historian in love with the present”, says the ceremony had to address as many people as possible.

“It’s not like throwing a party and putting on your favourite playlist. It has to speak from the world to France and from France to the world.

“We just tried to paint a portrait of the time, so that people could relate to it.”

He insists on the originality of putting the story in motion on the Seine to “try and build a sense of momentum”.

Value of joy and excitement

President Emmanuel Macron said the ceremony would offer a “great story of emancipation and freedom” – going from the 1789 French Revolution through to the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which was signed at the spot where the parade ends.

While the details of the ceremony are shrouded in secrecy, there’s a presumption that French values will be celebrated in some way or other, though there’s little consensus nowadays on what those values are.

French-Moroccan novelist Leila Slimani, another of the storytellers, says she appreciates the way Paris values collective effort – how “we’re capable of building the unthinkable when we’re together,” she told Le Monde.

She said the four writers wanted their story to have a generous spirit.

“There had to be joy, emulation, movement, excitement and sparkle, and not just those famous traditional philosophical values that France likes to display with sometimes too much confidence.”

Franco-Moroccan author France’s most read in 2016

No repeat of Rugby World Cup

The team watched old videos of previous opening ceremonies, including Beijing 2008, whose history lesson to the world was precisely what they didn’t want to emulate.

They identified more with London 2012, with its mix of UK pop culture, pomp, history and self-deprecating humour.

Meanwhile, last September’s Rugby World Cup opening ceremony in Paris served “as a counter-example”, Boucheron said.

Featuring Jean Dujardin, the Oscar-winning actor from “The Artist”, sporting beret and baguette, cycling round a mock-up of 1950s French villages waving to milkmaids and dancers, the show was panned by many critics as an outdated, clichéd representation of France. And a very inward-looking France at that.

“We can’t just settle for an old-fashioned image, nor an ode to the present,” the historian maintains. 

“History is in flux, we have to remember that a nation is not an identity, it’s a project, a political project. So it speaks to the future.

“That’s why we have this big travelling along the Seine, to try and get everyone on board.”

Bicentennial of the French Revolution

Among the more inspirational shows, Boucheron cites the 1989 ceremony marking the bicentennial of the French Revolution, with spectacular scenography by Jean-Paul Goude.

Boucheron was 20 years old at the time and watching it convinced him to become a historian.

“It was a moment of acute historical awareness, A lot of things were happening in the world in 1989, in the Soviet Union, in China [with the Tiananmen Square protest].

“At that time we could still proclaim loud and clear the values of what was then called multicultural France. It’s become more difficult, there’s a form of disenchantment, but we must not let ourselves be intimated.”

A few weeks ago there were genuine concerns that the far-right National Rally could take power in France following parliamentary elections. In that case, Jolly said the show would have been “transformed into a sort of ceremony of resistance”.

In the end, Marine Le Pen’s party did well, but not well enough to require a rewrite.

French election leaves far-right National Rally down but not out

However, the need to resist violence remains.

“We desperately need this moment of peace and sharing, a moment suspended in time, far from the violence that’s breaking out everywhere,” Slimani said.

“I very much hope that the audience will let themselves go with the flow. On 26 July we all have to find the child within us, the joy of discovering. It’s become so rare.”

“The military authorities in Niger have cracked down on the opposition, media, and peaceful dissent since taking power in a coup one year ago,” Human Rights Watch (HRW), Amnesty International and the International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) said in their joint report.

The groups called on the ruling authorities to “immediately release all those held on politically motivated charges; guarantee respect for fundamental freedoms, particularly the rights to freedom of expression, opinion, and association”.

The military, led by General Abdourahamane Tiani, seized power on 26 July last year, after deposing elected president Mohamed Bazoum over allegations of failing to protect the West African nation from jihadist attacks.

Bazoum, who remains under strict detention with his wife Hadiza in the capital Niamey, should also be released, said Samira Daoud, Amnesty’s regional director for West and Central Africa.

On Friday, the military regime marks its first year in power holding festivities over several days.

Niger’s military coup widely condemned following overthrow of President Bazoum

Arrests and restrictions

According to the rights groups, the military regime had “arbitrarily arrested at least 30 officials from the ousted government, including former ministers, members of the presidential cabinet and people close to the deposed president, failing to grant them due process and fair trial rights”.

Among those arrested, some “were detained in secret by the intelligence services, before being transferred to high-security prisons on trumped-up charges”, lawyers cited in the NGOs’ statement said.

Meanwhile, “media freedom has been severely restricted in the country”, with journalists being threatened and “arbitrarily” arrested, leading to self-censorship for fear of reprisals, the NGOs said.

“The long list of attacks on journalists over the past year demonstrates the authorities’ determination to restrict press freedom and the right of access to information,” said Drissa Traoré, secretary general of the FIDH.

In June, the new regime in place in Niger also reinstated prison sentences for cyber-crimes involving disseminating information that “may disturb public order”, a measure “that could be used to silence any voice deemed to be dissenting”, Traore added.

Military regimes have turned the Sahel into a ‘black hole’ of information

At the end of January, a decree also suspended the activities of the independent media group Maison de la Presse, while installing a new committee headed by the Interior Ministry to oversee the organisation.

“Public oversight of the military’s economic activities is not only critical for restoring civilian democratic rule and holding military officials accountable for abuses, but also for preventing the loss of public resources to corruption and mismanagement,” said Ilaria Allegrozzi, senior Sahel researcher at Human Rights Watch.

“The Niger authorities should commit to transparency and accountability by immediately disclosing verifiable financial information about military spending.”

 (with AFP) 

VIPs are arriving in the city of light for the long-awaited gala opening of the 2024 Paris Games, but Russia’s president, Vladimir Putin, is not be among them.

No Russian official representing Putin’s government has been invited either.

Russia – a long time Summer Olympics powerhouse – has been banned from the Paris Games in response to Putin’s war against Ukraine, now in its third year, although a tiny squad of neutral athletes will represent the country.

Ukraine has yet to announce whether President Volodymyr Zelensky will attend the three-hour ceremony.

• Police arrest Russian over alleged Paris Olympics ‘destabilisation’ plot

Speaking on Wednesday, Zelensky said that the very fact that Ukraine was participating in the Games was an accomplishment in wartime and added that the athletes’ presence in Paris would help people back home maintain “normal lives”.

Ukraine is fielding a team of about 140 athletes, the smallest contingent it has sent to the Olympic Games in post-Soviet times.

Ukraine has lobbied hard, since the Russian invasion of February 2022, to ensure athletes from Russia and its closest ally Belarus were barred from taking part in the Games.

UK and US presence 

The new British prime minister, Keir Starmer, who is keen to strengthen ties with France, will be in the stands overlooking the Seine to watch the spectacular river parade.

Paris 2024 “is a big event for France but also for the UK,” said Menna Rawlings, the British ambassador to France, adding that around 500,000 tickets had been sold in the UK.

Samuel Ducroquet, France’s ambassador for Sports has declared: “We are ready to welcome the world”.

Other European leaders expected to attend include German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Italy’s president Sergio Mattarella, Finland’s Alexander Stubb, and Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis.

US President Joe Biden – who has announced he is dropping his re-election bid and is recovering from Covid – will not fly to Paris, but US First Lady Jill Biden, will attend. 

The closing ceremony will be attended by Douglas Emhoff, the husband of Vice President Kamala Harris, who is now in the running for the White House.

• Olympics chief and Macron reject Palestinian demand to ban Israel from Games

Israeli and Arab delegations

Israeli President Isaac Herzog will attend the ceremony, under heavy protection, despite protests from Tehran, which on Tuesday called to ban Israel from the Olympics because of the unrelenting bombardment of Gaza since the 7 October Hamas attacks.

The head of the Palestinian Olympic Committee, Jibril Rajoub, will represent Palestinian Authority leader Mahmoud Abbas.

Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman – popularly known as MBS – and Emirati President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan have kept their plans under wraps.

But the Emir of Qatar Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, a member of the International Olympic Committee, was spotted in Paris at the traditional pre-Games session.

• In pictures: Paris’s River Seine on the eve of Olympics opening ceremony

Global representation

Chinese President Xi Jinping will be represented by Vice President Han Zheng and Brazil’s President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva has entrusted his wife Rosangela with representing the nation.

Argentina’s leader Javier Milei and Colombia’s Gustavo Petro have confirmed they will attend on Friday.

However, the participation of Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan is uncertain, as is that of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Regarding royalty, Britain’s Princess Anne, sister of King Charles III, and Prince Albert of Monaco arrived on Monday to attend the IOC meeting – both are IOC members.

Meanwhile, the King of Spain Felipe VI is also expected, while Denmark will be represented by King Frederik X and Queen Mary, as well as Princess Benedikte, the sovereign’s octogenarian aunt.

• Senegalese rifleman who fought for France prepares to carry Olympic flame

African leaders

Brice Oligui Nguema of Gabon and Faustin Archange Touadera of the Central African Republic will both be present, but the attendance of Cameroonian leader Paul Biya has not been officially confirmed.

The new Senegalese president, Bassirou Diomaye Faye, will be also there but South Africa’s Cyril Ramaphosa will not.

The opening ceremony coincides with the first anniversary of a coup that ousted Niger’s President Mohamed Bazoum, and the country will be represented by sports ministry official Abdoulaye Mohamadou. 

While wars in Ukraine, Gaza, Sudan, the Democratic Republic of Congo and other places continue,  the Games provide an opportunity for intense diplomatic activity.

On Friday, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is expected to call on nations to “lay down their arms”, and President Macron has also called for “an Olympic truce“.

(with AFP)

Koniambo Nickel SAS, which is in serious financial difficulty with a colossal debt of over €13 billion, had been looking for a buyer since the departure last February of the Anglo-Swiss group Glencore – its main shareholder.

KNS said in a press release on Friday: “While the search for a buyer is continuing actively and three groups continue to show an interest in our company … we have neither a finalised offer nor visibility on the financing of the operations”.

“As a result, we are obliged to continue the process of collective redundancies for economic reasons,” KNS added.

According to management, the 1,200 employees will be made redundant on 31 August.

Around 50 of them will stay on after that date, “to ensure that the site remains on cold standby”.

Debt management

The KNS site – one of the main employers in New Caledonia – has also relied on subcontractors employing some 500 people.

Glencore had agreed to fund salaries until the end of August to allow operations to be put on a so-called “hot standby”, enabling a rapid resumption of activities in the event of a takeover.

The company said Friday that the decision to lay off almost all the staff “does not call into question the process of finding a new economic partner”. 

Until now, the company’s debt had been entirely assumed by Glencore, under the terms of a shareholders’ agreement linking the group to Société minière du Pacifique Sud (SMSP), which is owned by public interests representing the archipelago’s pro-independence North Province.

• Blow for France as Glencore quits struggling New Caledonia nickel mine
• New Caledonian capital Noumea ‘under control’ after deadly riots

Market collapse

New Caledonia is bearing the full brunt of the global nickel crisis, and the territory’s two other plants are also threatened with closure.

Prony Resources in the south of the archipelago has come to a complete standstill, while SLN in the capital Nouméa posted a net loss of €72 million in the first half of the year, according to figures presented on Thursday by its main shareholder, the French group Eramet.

The difficulties have been exacerbated by the insecurity and civil unrest that has reigned in New Caledonia since mid-May, disrupting ore supplies and employee access to many sites.

Recent riots, sparked by a vote on a proposed reform of the territory’s electoral body – which the pro-independence faction opposes – have resulted in the deaths of at least 10 people, including two policemen, and considerable material damage to the archipelago’s infrastructure, estimated at over €2 billion.

(with newswires)

Oxfam said that despite the reported windfall, taxes on the rich had plummeted to “historic lows”, warning of “obscene levels” of inequality with the rest of the world “left to scrap for crumbs”.

Brazil has made international cooperation on taxing the super-rich a priority of its presidency of the G20, a group of countries representing 80 percent of the world’s GDP.

At this week’s summit in Rio de Janeiro, the group’s finance ministers are expected to make progress on ways to raise levies on the ultra-wealthy and prevent billionaires from dodging tax systems.

The initiative involves determining methodologies to tax billionaires and other high-income earners.

‘Litmus test for G20’

The proposal is due to be fiercely debated at the summit on Friday, with France, Spain, South Africa, Colombia and the African Union in favour, but the United States firmly against.

Oxfam dubbed it a “real litmus test for G20 governments“, urging them to implement an annual net wealth tax of at least eight percent on the “extreme wealth” of the super-rich.

“Momentum to increase taxes on the super-rich is undeniable,” said Oxfam International’s head of inequality policy, Max Lawson.

• Surge in global wealth sees number of millionaires hit new high
• France’s top CEOs earn 130 times more than their employees, says Oxfam

“Do they have the political will to strike a global standard that puts the needs of the many before the greed of an elite few?”

Oxfam said that the $42 trillion figure was nearly 36 times more than the wealth accumulated by the poorer half of the world’s population.

Despite this, billionaires “have been paying a tax rate equivalent to less than 0.5 percent of their wealth” across the globe, the NGO said.

Nearly four out of five of the world’s billionaires are from G20 countries, Oxfam noted.

Hello everyone!

This week on The Sound Kitchen, you’ll hear an essay by listener Ashik Eqbal Tokon from Rajshahi, Bangladesh. I hope you’ll be inspired to write an essay for us, too!

If your essay goes on the air, you’ll find a package in the mail from The Sound Kitchen. Write in about your “ordinary” heroes – the people in your community who are doing extraordinarily good work, quietly working to make the world a better place, in whatever way they can. As listener Pramod Maheshwari said: “Just as small drops of water can fill a pitcher, small drops of kindness can change the world.”

I am still looking for your “This I Believe” essays, too. Tell us about the principles that guide your life … what you have found to be true from your very own personal experience. Or write about a book that changed your perspective on life, a person who you admire, festivals in your community, your most memorable moment, and/or your proudest achievement. If your essay is chosen to go on the air – read by you – you’ll win a special prize!

Send your essays to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr

Or by postal mail, to:

Susan Owensby

RFI – The Sound Kitchen

80, rue Camille Desmoulins

92130 Issy-les-Moulineaux

France

I look forward to hearing from you soon!

Here’s Ashik Eqbal Tokon’s essay:

The Transformative Journey, Inspired by Pather Panchali 

As a child growing up in the bustling megacity of the 1980s, I was accustomed to the constant hum of trains, the clanging of trams, the honking of buses, and the rhythmic peddling of rickshaws. My world was a mosaic of concrete, electricity, radio broadcasts, and black-and-white television screens. It was a life saturated with modern conveniences and rapid movement, where nature seemed distant, relegated to small parks and occasional glimpses of the sky between towering buildings. However, this perception shifted dramatically when I encountered a short story extracted from the novel Pather Panchali by Bibhutibhushan Bandopadhyay. The tale of Apu and Durga’s discovery of the train in their remote Bengali village captured my imagination with its vivid descriptions and emotional depth. The scene where they run through lush fields, their eyes widening in awe at the sight of the train, resonated deeply within me. This moment became etched in my mind, igniting a spark of curiosity and longing for a world beyond the urban sprawl.

My First Journey to the Village

Shortly after reading the story, I had the opportunity to visit my ancestral village, a place starkly different from my city life. The journey began with a train ride that mirrored Apu’s wonder and excitement. As the train chugged through the countryside, I gazed out of the window, mesmerised by the passing landscapes. Rivers snaked through the green fields, and orchards of mangoes, lychees, and jackfruits painted the scenery with vibrant colours. It was as if I had stepped into Apu’s world, experiencing the same unmeasurable happiness he felt. The bus journey that followed took me deeper into the heart of nature. The scent of fresh earth and blooming flowers filled the air. The sight of villagers working in the fields, children playing under the shade of trees, and the serene flow of rivers created a permanent visual in my mind. This experience was a revelation, a tactile encounter with the natural world that Apu had introduced me to.

Discovering Pather Panchali in My Teenage Years

As a teenager, I read the full novel Pather Panchali and felt an even stronger connection to Apu’s journey. The book opened my eyes to the beauty of nature, the simplicity of rural life, and the profound emotions tied to family and survival. It made me realise that true happiness and fulfilment could be found in the simplest of experiences and the purest of surroundings. This realisation shaped my life’s journey and passions. I developed a deep love for travel, seeking out places where I could immerse myself in nature’s embrace. The novel’s influence led me to explore diverse landscapes, from the golden deserts of Rajasthan, India, to the lush hills of Bhutan. I found joy in the contrasting environments—the tranquil charm of Thailand’s beaches, the cultural richness of Bali, the waves of the Bay of Bengal, and the expansive horizons of the Indian Ocean, Arabian Sea, Gulf of Thailand, and Java Sea.

Embracing My Home Country, Bangladesh

One of the most profound impacts of Pather Panchali was how it deepened my appreciation for my own beautiful country, Bangladesh. After my teenage years, I have had the privilege to explore all 64 districts of Bangladesh, each with its unique natural beauty and cultural heritage. From the verdant hills of Sylhet to the serene beaches of Cox’s Bazar, the majestic Sundarbans mangrove forest to the vibrant cultural tapestry of Dhaka, every corner of Bangladesh offered a new discovery and a deeper connection to my roots. The green landscapes, the winding rivers, and the warmth of the people in Bangladesh constantly reminded me of Apu’s world. This profound connection to my homeland enriched my life and reinforced my love for travel and exploration. Bangladesh, with its rich history and diverse natural beauty, continues to be a source of inspiration and joy.

Embracing Nature and the Love of Travel

Pather Panchali taught me to appreciate the feather-light touch of nature, to find beauty and peace in its presence, even in the most unexpected places. Whether it was the arid sands of Rajasthan, where the desert winds whispered ancient tales, or the verdant hills of Jalpaiguri, where the air was thick with the scent of tea leaves, nature became my sanctuary. The novel instilled in me a sense of wonder and a desire to explore, to experience the world through the lens of its natural splendour. In Thailand and Bali, I found a different kind of charm, where the azure waters and golden sunsets painted the skies with hues of tranquility and adventure. Swimming in the waves of the Bay of Bengal and the Indian Ocean, I felt a connection to the vastness of the world, a reminder of Apu’s endless curiosity and love for discovery. The icy expanse of Mongolia, though harsh, revealed the serene and stark beauty of a world wrapped in snow and silence, expanding my understanding of nature’s extremes.

Final Word

The transformative power of Pather Panchali by Bibhutibhushan Bandopadhyay lies in its ability to transport readers into a world where nature and simplicity hold profound meaning. For me, the novel was not just a story but a catalyst for a lifelong passion for travel and an enduring love for the natural world. It taught me to seek out the beauty in every corner of the earth, to cherish the moments of awe and wonder, and to find joy in the journey itself. This timeless tale of Apu’s adventures has forever changed my perspective, making every travel experience a homage to the spirit of discovery and the beauty of nature, from the warm beaches of Bali to the freezing steppes of Mongolia, and the verdant beauty of Bangladesh, my beloved homeland.

The music chosen by Ashik is “Janmo Amar Dhonno Holo Mago” by Azad Rahman, sung by Sabina Yeasmin.

Be sure and tune in next week for an essay written by Bidhan Chandar Sanyal. Talk to you then!

In readiness for the Olympics, homeless people have been removed from security zones, while municipal cleaning teams are busy ensuring that streets remain pristine for the 15 million visitors expected for the Paris Games.

RFI spoke to three Parisians about the changes: one who lives on the streets of the city, one who uses them as his canvas, and one who cleans them everyday.

Xavier, homeless person

I am homeless at the moment. I was kicked out of my tent because of the Olympic Games. I used to live in a tent near Austerlitz station, on the banks of the Seine river.

One morning, policemen came, ripped away my tent and threw all my belongings in a garbage van that was waiting on the side of the road.

We tried to resist but there was no point. They escorted us away by force.

We are a sore sight for the Olympic show.

If you do not have 600 euros for a hotel room, the Olympic Games is not great for homeless people.

Charities slam ‘social cleansing’ ahead of 2024 Paris Olympic Games

Zeko, graffiti artist

I am a Parisian artist who works a lot on the streets, but also in my workshop.

I don’t have the impression that the Olympic Games is making a big difference in the city, except that there are twice as many police than there are people.

Paris looks deserted these days. There are many police officers who came from the countryside as reinforcements, and they do not bother me when they see me painting on the walls.

I cannot wait to see what difference the Olympics will bring to the vibe of the city. There is usually lots of tourists in summer, there’ll be more coming while most Parisians have fled the city.

Will the tourists take over our city? I don’t know… we’ll see.

I am not going to follow the restrictions imposed in certain areas. I may even try to sneak into one of the sports events.

In pictures: ‘Phantom Paris’ as security measures take hold ahead of 2024 Olympic Games

Wilfried, bin worker

I have been working as a bin worker for the past 21 years in Paris.

The Olympic Games in Paris is so special, it last happened 100 years ago. It’s going to be a celebration.

We’ll have more people working to keep the city clean and with overtime, I think it’s going to be fine.

There’ll be definitely more waste as there’ll be more people. Yesterday at the Notre Dame site, for example, the public dustbin was overflowing with mounds of waste all around.

I won’t attend the Games as I do not have tickets. I’ll follow them on TV.

The Olympic Games is a big party. We’re not going to be bothered by the negative aspects, they’re not important.

‘Au revoir Ratatouille’ says Paris pest control ahead of Olympics

“I went to Mexico City to win the race, not to necessarily make a statement,” said the 80-year-old who claimed the 200 metres dash in October 1968 in a world record time of 19.83 seconds.

“It was talked about only moments before the race,” Smith recalled. “It wasn’t something John and I decided months before … only that we had to win the race to make a statement. What statement? I really didn’t know.”

But the plan to highlight racism against black people in the United States did involve black gloves. “I didn’t know what I was going to do with them,” Smith added. “But I did know that they could be useful in what I needed to say.”

However, as Smith and Carlos prepared to go out onto the track to receive their respective gold and bronze medals with silver medallist Norman, Carlos said he had forgotton his gloves. Norman suggested sharing.

“My glove … was on the right hand. John’s was on his left … the gloves belong to me.”

Such spectacular improvisation brought ramifications. Norman was reprimanded by the Australian Olympic Associaion. Avery Brundage, the president of the  International Olympic Committee (IOC), threatened to kick out the entire US track and field team if Smith and Carlos were not sent home for what he called a domestic political statement unfit for the apolitical, international forum of the Olympic Games. Smith and Carlos were dispatched.

Nearly six decades on, history has avenged the athletes and Brundage’s reaction – though very much in keeping with Pierre de Courbentin’s original concept of the Games – emits the stench of barbaric times.

But ever since de Courbentin and his cohorts established the IOC in 1894 and the modern Olympic Games in 1896, the Games have been infused with political grandstanding.

Berlin in 1936 was Adolf Hitler’s blitz for Aryan purity. Forty odd years later, the American-led boycott of the 1980 Moscow Games in protest over the Soviet Union’s invasion of Afghanistan emerged from President Jimmy Carter’s waning political heft.

Brundage’s administrative heir, Thomas Bach, faces the fallout from latterday savageries: a war between Russia and Ukraine as well as conflict between Israel and Palestine.

Athletes from Russia and its ally Belarus will be able to participate in Paris under a neutral banner much to the chagrin of Ukraine’s leader Volodymyr Zelensky who last year threatened to boycott the Games.

Challenges

Israeli competitors will also feature despite calls from the Palestinian Olympic Committee for them to be excluded.

But the inclusion merely adds another level of anxiety – the spectre of the 1972 Munich Olympics massacre in which 11 Israelis were killed by Palestinian militants following an attack on the Olympic village.

“With regard to the security of the Israeli athletes, we have the full confidence in the French authorities,” said Bach following a meeting of the IOC in Paris on the eve of the games.

“They’re working very meticulously. They’re working very professionally.

“The Israeli athletes since 1972 have taken their own additional security measures and they feel comfortable with this situation.”

And with consummate ease, Bach declared himself satisfied that the Paris Games would be spectacular.

The sagacity of such self-basting will receive the initial waves of feedback after the official opening ceremony on 26 July. It will be the first to be held outside a stadium. 

A six-kilometre stretch of the river Seine between Pont d’Austerlitz and the Pont d’Iena has been selected for a son-et-lumière extravaganza during which around 7,000 athletes will be ferried along in a flotilla of vessels past monuments such as Notre Dame Cathedral and the Louvre and finish up at Trocadéro where the Eiffel Tower will provide the backdrop for the quintessential Parisian panorama.

All brilliant on paper but in the practice Thomas Jolly’s choreographed pageant screams security and logistical nightmare. The original attendance figures were cut from 600,000 to 300,000. Around 45,000 police and security officers will monitor the course for the usual petty miscreants as well as serious nasty pieces of work.

Adventure

“It’s been a fantastic adventure so far,” said Tony Estanguet, who heads the Olympics organising committee.

“France has been waiting for 100 years for the Games to come back. It’s a big responsibility and we have put a lot of energy and determination to make sure that it will be a fantastic edition of the event.”

The first medals of the 2024 Games will be dished out on 27 July in the 10m air rifle mixed shooting and the distribution will continue in 329 disciplines across 31 other sports at the 35 Olympic venues until 11 August

Old faithfuls such as athletics and swimming will assuredly hog the headlines with their testosterone-fuelled posturing.

Games debutant breaking will inject freshness. B-Girls and B-Boys will whirl their wonders between 9 and 10 August at Place de la Concorde which will be the venue for the second appearance in the Olympics of the 3X3 basketball as well as the skateboarding.

Organisers who have been trumpeting their eco-friendly credentials over the reduced carbon footprint of the Games in comparison to recent editions in London and Tokyo, have also stressed its inclusivity.

Companies trying to keep goods and objects in circulation for as long as possible have been able to munch into the 6 billion-euro Olympic pie under programmes monitored by the Bangladeshi microfinance guru Muhammad Yunus.

The 11,000 seats made from recycled plastic in the Aquatics Centre in Saint Denis just to the north of Paris and the La Chapelle Arena a few miles further south have been provided by a local outfit Le Pavé.

Chance

Co-founder Marius Hamelot set up the firm in 2018 with childhood friend Jim Pasquet and Judith Sebban.

“I felt like the inauguration of the Aquatics Centre was the end of five years of hard work for this project,” Hamelot told RFI.

“It was the end of a really important step for the company but I feel like there is so much to do still.”

Yunus, who arrived in Paris from strife ridden Bangladesh with his daughter and grandson on Monday, to attend the opening ceremony, concurs. “For so long sporting events seemed to be taking from the people,” said Yunus.

“But these events must be about the social and conventional markets coming together. These spectacles must have a social meaning,” 

Efforts in that realm might mitigate the griping from the great unwashed. Complaints have flowed over the hike in transport costs, the reserved lanes on viciously clogged roads for the “Olympic family” and sealed-off sectors in neighbourhoods.

“What we’ve seen is a record uptake of tickets for events,” countered Estanguet. “Thousands of people have offered to become volunteers. Millions have turned out to watch the passing of the Olympic flame even in places where there aren’t any competitions. We remain confident that it will be a really popular celebration.

“Obviously we’ll look at it again after the event. But at the moment all the indicators suggest that the French are up for the show.”

Sixteen days of a summer will prove or destroy the claim.

The hosts will also take on reigning Olympic champions Canada and New Zealand in the pool stages as boss Hervé Renard attempts to lead the team to its first piece of siliverware at a major international competition.

“The objective, like that of every French athlete at the Olympic Games, is to win a medal,” said Renard on the eve of the clash.

“It won’t be easy, but it has to be the aim,” added the 55-year-old Frenchman who will depart after the Olympic Games.

Veteran defender Wendie Renard (no relation to the coach) will skipper the squad at her third Olympic Games.

“I have to perform individually, that’s always been my principle and my values,” said Renard.

Challenge

“I want to perform first and then contribute my experience. At some point, you have to be able to say things, encourage and congratulate, but there will always be things to correct.”

World champions Spain take on Japan, Nigeria and Brazil in Group C while the United States – the most successful team in the women’s compeition – face Zambia, Austria and Germany in Group B.

The US won the inaugural women’s Olympic football event in 1996 and claimed three in a row in 2004, 2008 and 2012.

But they exited in the quarter-finals in 2016 and had to settle for bronze three years ago in Tokyo after losing to Canada in the semis.

Goal

That was followed by a shock last-16 exit at the World Cup a year ago in Australia and New Zealand. It was a failure that hastened the departure of coach Vlatko Andonovski.

The Americans come to Paris under the leadership of the British former Chelsea boss Emma Hayes.

The 47-year-old raised eyebrows when she omitted Alex Morgan, one of the leading players in the sides that won the 2015 and 2019 World Cups.

 “It was a tough decision of course,” said Hayes of the move to discard the 35-year-old striker. “Especially considering Alex’s history and record with this team but I felt I wanted to go in another direction and selected other players.”

The top two from the three groups advance to the last eight along with the two best third-placed sides.

Games will be played around France, with the semi-finals in Lyon and Marseille. However, the gold-medal match will be in Paris on 10 August.

Chaos

On Wednesday night in Marseille, France’s men began their tilt for a second title with a 3-0 victory over the United States.

Alexandre Lacazette opened the scoring on the hour mark and eight minutes later set up Michael Olise to double the advantage.

Defender Loic Badé added the gloss in the closing stages. France will also take on Guinea and New Zealand in Group A.

Elsewhere in the opening round of games in the men’s tournament, in Group B Morocco shocked Argentina 2-1 in a tie that took nearly four hours to complete at the Stade ­Geoffroy-­Guichard in Saint-Étienne,

Cristian Medina thought he had salvaged a 2-2 draw for Argentina when he scored in second-half stoppage-time. The strike prompted a pitch invasion and forced the referee to take the players off the field.

Play was halted while the stadium was emptied and when the teams returned to the pitch nearly two hours later, the goal was ruled out for offside by the video assistant referees.

“We spent about an hour and a half in the dressing room where they never told us what was going to happen,” Argentina boss Javier Mascherano complained after the game.

“The Moroccan captains didn’t want to play, we didn’t want to continue, and fans threw things at us. It’s the biggest circus I’ve ever seen in my life. I don’t think the game should be played for three minutes after an hour and a half.”

In the rugby sevens, France will continue their push for a place in the last eight with a final pool match against Fiji.

On Wednesday, France launched their campaign with a 12-12 draw against the United States. It was followed by a 19-12 victory over Uruguay.

In total, more than 200 delegations and 10,000 athletes are participating in 36 sports at the Paris Games. 

RFI’s sport editor Paul Myers discusses how African athletes from all over the continent are likely to perform.

Who are the African athletes to watch out for at Paris Olympics?

Episode mixed by Erwan Rome. 

Spotlight on Africa is a podcast from Radio France Internationale. 

Hello everyone!

This week on The Sound Kitchen, you’ll hear an essay by listener Ashik Eqbal Tokon from Rajshahi, Bangladesh. I hope you’ll be inspired to write an essay for us, too!

If your essay goes on the air, you’ll find a package in the mail from The Sound Kitchen. Write in about your “ordinary” heroes – the people in your community who are doing extraordinarily good work, quietly working to make the world a better place, in whatever way they can. As listener Pramod Maheshwari said: “Just as small drops of water can fill a pitcher, small drops of kindness can change the world.”

I am still looking for your “This I Believe” essays, too. Tell us about the principles that guide your life … what you have found to be true from your very own personal experience. Or write about a book that changed your perspective on life, a person who you admire, festivals in your community, your most memorable moment, and/or your proudest achievement. If your essay is chosen to go on the air – read by you – you’ll win a special prize!

Send your essays to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr

Or by postal mail, to:

Susan Owensby

RFI – The Sound Kitchen

80, rue Camille Desmoulins

92130 Issy-les-Moulineaux

France

I look forward to hearing from you soon!

Here’s Ashik Eqbal Tokon’s essay:

The Transformative Journey, Inspired by Pather Panchali 

As a child growing up in the bustling megacity of the 1980s, I was accustomed to the constant hum of trains, the clanging of trams, the honking of buses, and the rhythmic peddling of rickshaws. My world was a mosaic of concrete, electricity, radio broadcasts, and black-and-white television screens. It was a life saturated with modern conveniences and rapid movement, where nature seemed distant, relegated to small parks and occasional glimpses of the sky between towering buildings. However, this perception shifted dramatically when I encountered a short story extracted from the novel Pather Panchali by Bibhutibhushan Bandopadhyay. The tale of Apu and Durga’s discovery of the train in their remote Bengali village captured my imagination with its vivid descriptions and emotional depth. The scene where they run through lush fields, their eyes widening in awe at the sight of the train, resonated deeply within me. This moment became etched in my mind, igniting a spark of curiosity and longing for a world beyond the urban sprawl.

My First Journey to the Village

Shortly after reading the story, I had the opportunity to visit my ancestral village, a place starkly different from my city life. The journey began with a train ride that mirrored Apu’s wonder and excitement. As the train chugged through the countryside, I gazed out of the window, mesmerised by the passing landscapes. Rivers snaked through the green fields, and orchards of mangoes, lychees, and jackfruits painted the scenery with vibrant colours. It was as if I had stepped into Apu’s world, experiencing the same unmeasurable happiness he felt. The bus journey that followed took me deeper into the heart of nature. The scent of fresh earth and blooming flowers filled the air. The sight of villagers working in the fields, children playing under the shade of trees, and the serene flow of rivers created a permanent visual in my mind. This experience was a revelation, a tactile encounter with the natural world that Apu had introduced me to.

Discovering Pather Panchali in My Teenage Years

As a teenager, I read the full novel Pather Panchali and felt an even stronger connection to Apu’s journey. The book opened my eyes to the beauty of nature, the simplicity of rural life, and the profound emotions tied to family and survival. It made me realise that true happiness and fulfilment could be found in the simplest of experiences and the purest of surroundings. This realisation shaped my life’s journey and passions. I developed a deep love for travel, seeking out places where I could immerse myself in nature’s embrace. The novel’s influence led me to explore diverse landscapes, from the golden deserts of Rajasthan, India, to the lush hills of Bhutan. I found joy in the contrasting environments—the tranquil charm of Thailand’s beaches, the cultural richness of Bali, the waves of the Bay of Bengal, and the expansive horizons of the Indian Ocean, Arabian Sea, Gulf of Thailand, and Java Sea.

Embracing My Home Country, Bangladesh

One of the most profound impacts of Pather Panchali was how it deepened my appreciation for my own beautiful country, Bangladesh. After my teenage years, I have had the privilege to explore all 64 districts of Bangladesh, each with its unique natural beauty and cultural heritage. From the verdant hills of Sylhet to the serene beaches of Cox’s Bazar, the majestic Sundarbans mangrove forest to the vibrant cultural tapestry of Dhaka, every corner of Bangladesh offered a new discovery and a deeper connection to my roots. The green landscapes, the winding rivers, and the warmth of the people in Bangladesh constantly reminded me of Apu’s world. This profound connection to my homeland enriched my life and reinforced my love for travel and exploration. Bangladesh, with its rich history and diverse natural beauty, continues to be a source of inspiration and joy.

Embracing Nature and the Love of Travel

Pather Panchali taught me to appreciate the feather-light touch of nature, to find beauty and peace in its presence, even in the most unexpected places. Whether it was the arid sands of Rajasthan, where the desert winds whispered ancient tales, or the verdant hills of Jalpaiguri, where the air was thick with the scent of tea leaves, nature became my sanctuary. The novel instilled in me a sense of wonder and a desire to explore, to experience the world through the lens of its natural splendour. In Thailand and Bali, I found a different kind of charm, where the azure waters and golden sunsets painted the skies with hues of tranquility and adventure. Swimming in the waves of the Bay of Bengal and the Indian Ocean, I felt a connection to the vastness of the world, a reminder of Apu’s endless curiosity and love for discovery. The icy expanse of Mongolia, though harsh, revealed the serene and stark beauty of a world wrapped in snow and silence, expanding my understanding of nature’s extremes.

Final Word

The transformative power of Pather Panchali by Bibhutibhushan Bandopadhyay lies in its ability to transport readers into a world where nature and simplicity hold profound meaning. For me, the novel was not just a story but a catalyst for a lifelong passion for travel and an enduring love for the natural world. It taught me to seek out the beauty in every corner of the earth, to cherish the moments of awe and wonder, and to find joy in the journey itself. This timeless tale of Apu’s adventures has forever changed my perspective, making every travel experience a homage to the spirit of discovery and the beauty of nature, from the warm beaches of Bali to the freezing steppes of Mongolia, and the verdant beauty of Bangladesh, my beloved homeland.

The music chosen by Ashik is “Janmo Amar Dhonno Holo Mago” by Azad Rahman, sung by Sabina Yeasmin.

Be sure and tune in next week for an essay written by Bidhan Chandar Sanyal. Talk to you then!

Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winner’s names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.

Erwan and I are busy cooking up special shows with your music requests, so get them in! Send your music requests to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr – tell us why you like the piece of music, too – it makes it more interesting for us all!

The ePOP video competition is open!

The ePOP video competition is sponsored by the RFI department “Planète Radio”, whose mission is to give a voice to the voiceless. ePOP focuses on the environment, and how climate change has affected “ordinary” people. You are to create a three-minute video about climate change, the environment, pollution – told by the people it affects.

You do not need expensive video equipment to enter the competition. Your phone is fine. And you do not need to be a member of the RFI Clubs to enter – everyone is welcome. And by the way – the prizes are incredibly generous!

Go to the ePOP page to read about past competitions, watch past videos, and read the regulations for your entry.  You can also write to us at thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr, and we’ll forward your mail to Planète Radio.

The competition closes on 12 September, but you know how “time flies”, so get to work now! We expect to be bombarded with entries from the English speakers!

Facebook: Be sure to send your photos for the RFI English Listeners Forum banner to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr

More tech news: Did you know we have a YouTube channel? Just go to YouTube and write RFI English in the search bar, and there we are! Be sure to subscribe to see all our videos.

Would you like to learn French? RFI is here to help you!

Our website “Le Français facile avec RFI”  has news broadcasts in slow, simple French, as well as bi-lingual radio dramas (with real actors!) and exercises to practice what you have heard.

Go to our website and get started! At the top of the page, click on “Test level”. According to your score, you’ll be counselled to the best-suited activities for your level.

Do not give up! As Lidwien van Dixhoorn, the head of “Le Français facile” service told me: “Bathe your ears in the sound of the language, and eventually, you’ll get it.” She should know – Lidwien is Dutch and came to France hardly able to say “bonjour” and now she heads this key RFI department – so stick with it!

Be sure you check out our wonderful podcasts!

In addition to the breaking news articles on our site with in-depth analysis of current affairs in France and across the globe, we have several podcasts that will leave you hungry for more.

There’s Paris Perspective, Spotlight on France, Spotlight on Africa, and of course, The Sound Kitchen. We have an award-winning bilingual series – an old-time radio show, with actors (!) to help you learn French, called Les voisins du 12 bis. And there is the excellent International Report, too.

As you see, sound is still quite present in the RFI English service. Keep checking our website for updates on the latest from our staff of journalists. You never know what we’ll surprise you with!

To listen to our podcasts from your PC, go to our website; you’ll see “Podcasts” at the top of the page. You can either listen directly or subscribe and receive them directly on your mobile phone.

To listen to our podcasts from your mobile phone, slide through the tabs just under the lead article (the first tab is “Headline News”) until you see “Podcasts”, and choose your show. 

Teachers take note! I save postcards and stamps from all over the world to send to you for your students. If you would like stamps and postcards for your students, just write and let me know. The address is english.service@rfi.fr  If you would like to donate stamps and postcards, feel free! Our address is listed below. 

Another idea for your students: Br. Gerald Muller, my beloved music teacher from St. Edward’s University in Austin, Texas, has been writing books for young adults in his retirement – and they are free! There is a volume of biographies of painters and musicians called Gentle Giants, and an excellent biography of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr, too. They are also a good way to help you improve your English – that’s how I worked on my French, reading books that were meant for young readers – and I guarantee you, it’s a good method for improving your language skills. To get Br. Gerald’s free books, click here.

Independent RFI English Clubs: Be sure to always include Audrey Iattoni (audrey.iattoni@rfi.fr) from our Listener Relations department in your RFI Club correspondence. Remember to copy me (thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr) when you write to her so that I know what is going on, too. NB: You do not need to send her your quiz answers! Email overload!

This week’s quiz: On 22 June, I asked you a question about the world’s largest arms show – the Eurosatory weapons show – which was just ending up here in France. RFI English journalist Jan van der Made went out to take a look, and wrote an article about it for you: “Israel and Russia barred as world’s largest arms show opens in Paris”.

You were to re-read Jan’s article and send in the answer to this question: why is the arms fair called “Eurosatory”?

The answer is, to quote Jan’s article: “Eurosatory is named after Satory, a town near Versailles that is home to Paris’s 24th infantry regiment and the GIGN (an elite French crisis intervention group) headquarters.

The first Eurosatory show was held there in 1967, but due to its expansion over the years, the show moved to the Villepinte exhibition halls north of the French capital.”

In addition to the quiz question, there was the bonus question: “What is your favorite food, and why?”, which was suggested by Momotaz Begum Nazu from Naogaon, Bangladesh.

Do you have a bonus question idea? Send it to us!

The winners are: Riaz Ahmad Khan, the president of the RFI Listeners Club in Sheikhupura, Pakistan. Riaz is also the winner of this week’s bonus question. Congratulations Riaz, on your double win.

Also on the list of lucky winners this week are Ferhat Bezazel, the president of the RFI Butterflies Club Ain Kechera in West Skikda, Algeria, and RFI Listeners Club member Zenon Teles, the president of the Christian – Marxist – Leninist – Maoist Association of Listening DX-ers in Goa, India.

Last but not least, there are RFI English listeners Nilu Dhakal from Mechi, Nepal, and Laily Akhter Nessa from Naogaon, Bangladesh.

Congratulations, winners!

Here’s the music you heard on this week’s programme: The theme from The Pink Panther by Henry Mancini; “No Apparent Reason” by Alex Norris, performed by Ralph Irizarry and Timbalaye; “The Flight of the Bumblebee” by Nicolai Rimsky-Korsakov; “The Cakewalk” from Children’s Corner by Claude Debussy, performed by the composer, and “Canon” by Siouxsie Sioux, Budgie, and Steven Severin, performed by Siouxsie and The Banshees.

Do you have a music request? Send it to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr

This week’s question … you must listen to the show to participate. After you’ve listened to the show, re-read our article “Rwanda heads to the polls to likely re-elect Kagame for fourth term”, which will help you with the answer.

You have until 9 September to enter this week’s quiz. The winners will be announced on the 14 September podcast. When you enter be sure to send your postal address with your answer, and if you have one, your RFI Listeners Club membership number.

Send your answers to:

english.service@rfi.fr

or

Susan Owensby

RFI – The Sound Kitchen

80, rue Camille Desmoulins

92130 Issy-les-Moulineaux

France

or

By text … You can also send your quiz answers to The Sound Kitchen mobile phone. Dial your country’s international access code, or “ + ”, then  33 6 31 12 96 82. Don’t forget to include your mailing address in your text – and if you have one, your RFI Listeners Club membership number.

To find out how you can win a special Sound Kitchen prize, click here.

To find out how you can become a member of the RFI Listeners Club, or form your own official RFI Club, click here. 

Erdogan’s call for talks comes after widespread riots against Syrian refugees in Turkish cities. He aims to facilitate the return of Syrians who have fled to Turkey since the Syrian civil war began in 2011.

Soli Ozel, an international relations expert at Istanbul’s Kadir Has University, says the situation is volatile.

“The country is like a tinderbox regarding refugees, especially as economic conditions deteriorate. Syrians have become easy scapegoats, and there’s widespread frustration with their presence, justified or not. This has become a significant political issue,” Ozel said.

He also stresses that key to any solution is a credible plan for the orderly departure of Syrian refugees to reassure the Turkish public.

Erdogan’s party suffered losses in local elections in March, largely due to growing hostility towards over three million Syrian refugees in Turkey and rampant inflation approaching triple digits. These factors have intensified pressure on Erdogan to address the refugee situation.

• Turkey vows to keep borders shut despite new exodus of Syrians

Russia’s position

Russia, under Putin, supports Erdogan’s diplomatic outreach, seeing it as a potential end to Turkish backing of Syrian rebels and a conclusion to the civil war.

This aligns with Moscow’s priorities, since resolving the Syrian conflict would allow Russia to redirect military resources to Ukraine.

However, Turkey’s extensive military presence in Syria complicates potential talks. Turkish forces are engaged in operations against Kurdish groups, which Ankara claims are linked to domestic separatists. The Turkish military also protects Syrian rebel forces along the border.

Aydin Selcen, a former Turkish diplomat and now a foreign policy analyst with Medyascope, suggests that Ankara’s willingness to negotiate could provide Syria with an opportunity to secure Turkish withdrawal.

“Assad relies heavily on external support and even internal factions” he said.

“Unable to forcibly remove Turkish troops, Assad’s only option is to request their withdrawal as a precondition for talks.”

Despite this, Erdogan insists on maintaining Turkey’s military presence until Syria can effectively secure its borders.

Sinan Ulgen of the Istanbul-based Center for Economics and Foreign Policy Studies said: “Turkey’s primary concern is preventing the border region from becoming a security threat post-withdrawal. Turkey needs assurances from Syria before considering troop removal.”

• Turkey’s Syrian refugees face local hostility as economic problems mount

Humanitarian crisis?

The news of Erdogan’s pursuit of dialogue with Damascus sparked unrest in rebel-held northeast Syria, with protesters targeting Turkish bases out of fear of potential abandonment by Ankara.

Erdogan maintains that any agreement with Damascus would safeguard returning Syrian refugees and rebels. However, Fabrice Balanche, a regional expert from Lyon University, warns of an impending humanitarian crisis.

“If the regime regains control of rebel areas, most residents will attempt to flee to Turkey. Turkey cannot accommodate four million additional refugees,” Balanche cautions.

“These people are acutely aware that remaining under regime control, even with promised amnesties, puts them at risk of targeting by security forces, conscription, or worse. There’s no real protection.”

Despite ongoing tensions in Turkey over the Syrian refugee presence, Erdogan is seeking Putin’s assistance to soften Assad’s stance on negotiations.

The Turkish leader has proposed hosting a trilateral summit this summer, though there’s been no positive response so far.

The current situation highlights the complex interplay of regional politics, humanitarian concerns and diplomatic manoeuvering in addressing the Syrian conflict and its far-reaching consequences.

• Syria’s Assyrians flee to Turkey

Hello everyone! Welcome to The Sound Kitchen weekly podcast, published every Saturday – here on our website, or wherever you get your podcasts. You’ll hear the winner’s names announced and the week’s quiz question, along with all the other ingredients you’ve grown accustomed to: your letters and essays, “On This Day”, quirky facts and news, interviews, and great music … so be sure and listen every week.

Erwan and I are busy cooking up special shows with your music requests, so get them in! Send your music requests to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr – tell us why you like the piece of music, too – it makes it more interesting for us all!

The ePOP video competition is open!

The ePOP video competition is sponsored by the RFI department “Planète Radio”, whose mission is to give a voice to the voiceless. ePOP focuses on the environment, and how climate change has affected “ordinary” people. You are to create a three-minute video about climate change, the environment, pollution – told by the people it affects.

You do not need expensive video equipment to enter the competition. Your phone is fine. And you do not need to be a member of the RFI Clubs to enter – everyone is welcome. And by the way – the prizes are incredibly generous!

Go to the ePOP page to read about past competitions, watch past videos, and read the regulations for your entry.  You can also write to us at thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr, and we’ll forward your mail to Planète Radio.

The competition closes on 12 September, but you know how “time flies”, so get to work now! We expect to be bombarded with entries from the English speakers!

Facebook: Be sure to send your photos for the RFI English Listeners Forum banner to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr

More tech news: Did you know we have a YouTube channel? Just go to YouTube and write RFI English in the search bar, and there we are! Be sure to subscribe to see all our videos.

Would you like to learn French? RFI is here to help you!

Our website “Le Français facile avec RFI”  has news broadcasts in slow, simple French, as well as bi-lingual radio dramas (with real actors!) and exercises to practice what you have heard.

Go to our website and get started! At the top of the page, click on “Test level”. According to your score, you’ll be counselled to the best-suited activities for your level.

Do not give up! As Lidwien van Dixhoorn, the head of “Le Français facile” service told me: “Bathe your ears in the sound of the language, and eventually, you’ll get it.” She should know – Lidwien is Dutch and came to France hardly able to say “bonjour” and now she heads this key RFI department – so stick with it!

Be sure you check out our wonderful podcasts!

In addition to the breaking news articles on our site with in-depth analysis of current affairs in France and across the globe, we have several podcasts that will leave you hungry for more.

There’s Paris Perspective, Spotlight on France, Spotlight on Africa, and of course, The Sound Kitchen. We have an award-winning bilingual series – an old-time radio show, with actors (!) to help you learn French, called Les voisins du 12 bis. And there is the excellent International Report, too.

As you see, sound is still quite present in the RFI English service. Keep checking our website for updates on the latest from our staff of journalists. You never know what we’ll surprise you with!

To listen to our podcasts from your PC, go to our website; you’ll see “Podcasts” at the top of the page. You can either listen directly or subscribe and receive them directly on your mobile phone.

To listen to our podcasts from your mobile phone, slide through the tabs just under the lead article (the first tab is “Headline News”) until you see “Podcasts”, and choose your show. 

Teachers take note! I save postcards and stamps from all over the world to send to you for your students. If you would like stamps and postcards for your students, just write and let me know. The address is english.service@rfi.fr  If you would like to donate stamps and postcards, feel free! Our address is listed below. 

Another idea for your students: Br. Gerald Muller, my beloved music teacher from St. Edward’s University in Austin, Texas, has been writing books for young adults in his retirement – and they are free! There is a volume of biographies of painters and musicians called Gentle Giants, and an excellent biography of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr, too. They are also a good way to help you improve your English – that’s how I worked on my French, reading books that were meant for young readers – and I guarantee you, it’s a good method for improving your language skills. To get Br. Gerald’s free books, click here.

Independent RFI English Clubs: Be sure to always include Audrey Iattoni (audrey.iattoni@rfi.fr) from our Listener Relations department in your RFI Club correspondence. Remember to copy me (thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr) when you write to her so that I know what is going on, too. NB: You do not need to send her your quiz answers! Email overload!

We have a new RFI Listeners Club member to welcome: Tahmidul Alam Orin from Dhaka, Bangladesh.

Welcome,Tahmidul! So glad you have joined us!

You too can be a member of the RFI Listeners Club – just write to me at english.service@rfi.fr and tell me you want to join, and I’ll send you a membership number. It’s that easy. When you win a Sound Kitchen quiz as an RFI Listeners Club member, you’ll receive a premium prize.

This week’s quiz: On 15 June, I asked you a question about the European Parliament elections, where the far-right National Rally party trounced President Macron’s centrist bloc. Macron then preceded to dissolve and call snap elections for France’s lower house of Parliament, which was a surprise to us all – even his Prime Minister, Gabriel Attal, it seems.

You were to refer to Jessica Phelan’s article “Why did Macron call snap elections and what does it mean for France?”, and send in the answer to this question: What percentage of the votes did Marine Le Pen’s National Rally party win, and what percentage of the votes did Macron’s centrist bloc win in the European Parliament elections?

The answer is, to quote Jessica’s article: “With 31.4 percent of the vote to the Macronists’ 14.6 percent, National Rally leader Jordan Bardella called the results a “stinging rejection” of the president.”

In addition to the quiz question, there was the bonus question, suggested by Father Steven Wara from Bamenda, Cameroon: “What do you do to help others have a secure and happy life?”   

Do you have a bonus question idea? Send it to us!

The winners are: RFI Listeners Club member Jayanta Chakrabarty from New Delhi, India. Jayanta is also this week’s bonus question winner. Congratulations, Jayanta!

Also on the list of lucky winners this week are two RFI Listeners Club members from Dhaka, Bangladesh: Monzurul Alam Ripon and Atikul Islam, who is also the president of the Narshunda Radio Listeners Family Club, and hailing from Hedehusene, Denmark, Hans Verner Lollike.

Last but not least, there’s RFI English listener Nizhom Yeasmin Kona from Naogaon, Bangladesh.

Congratulations, winners!

Here’s the music you heard on this week’s programme: The James Bond Theme written by David Arnold; “The Flight of the Bumblebee” by Nicolai Rimsky-Korsakov; “The Cakewalk” from Children’s Corner by Claude Debussy, performed by the composer; “I Love to Laugh” from the film Mary Poppins, music and lyrics written by Richard M. and Robert B. Sherman with George Stiles, and sung by Ed Wynn, Julie Andrews, and Dick Van Dyke, and John Coltrane’s “Naima”, performed by Eric Dolphy.

Do you have a music request? Send it to thesoundkitchen@rfi.fr

This week’s question … you must listen to the show to participate. After you’ve listened to the show, re-read our article “What are the next steps now that France finds itself with a hung parliament?”, which will help you with the answer.

You have until 26 August to enter this week’s quiz. The winners will be announced on the 31 August podcast. When you enter be sure to send your postal address with your answer, and if you have one, your RFI Listeners Club membership number.

Send your answers to:

english.service@rfi.fr

or

Susan Owensby

RFI – The Sound Kitchen

80, rue Camille Desmoulins

92130 Issy-les-Moulineaux

France

or

By text … You can also send your quiz answers to The Sound Kitchen mobile phone. Dial your country’s international access code, or “ + ”, then  33 6 31 12 96 82. Don’t forget to include your mailing address in your text – and if you have one, your RFI Listeners Club membership number.

To find out how you can win a special Sound Kitchen prize, click here.

To find out how you can become a member of the RFI Listeners Club, or form your own official RFI Club, click here. 

Rwandans will cast their ballots on Monday in an election where President Paul Kagame is expected to secure another term, facing the same opponents he defeated in 2017.

Kagame, who has effectively led Rwanda since the 1994 genocide, confronts challenges from two other candidates: Frank Habineza of the Democratic Green Party of Rwanda (DGPR) and independent candidate Philippe Mpayimana.

The 66-year-old incumbent is lauded for steering Rwanda’s economic resurgence post-genocide, with GDP growth averaging 7.2 percent from 2012 to 2022. However, his administration faces criticism for suppressing political dissent domestically and alleged involvement in neighbouring Congo’s conflicts.

Kagame’s previous electoral victories have been overwhelming, securing over 93 percent of votes in 2003, 2010, and 2017, with his last win nearing an unprecedented 99 percent.

In contrast, his current rivals Habineza and Mpayimana garnered less than one percent each in the previous election.

Rwanda’s National Electoral Commission received a total of nine presidential candidacy applications. 

Phil Clark, Professor of International Politics at the School of Oriental and African Studies, SOAS University of London talks to Spotlight on Africa about what’s at stake in the election.

Episode mixed by Nicolas Doreau.

Spotlight on Africa is a podcast from Radio France Internationale. 

Madhya Pradesh is often referred to as the Heart of India. Located right in the middle of the country, the Indian region shows everything India has to offer through its abundant diversity. The IFTM trade show, which took place in Paris at the end of September, presented the perfect opportunity for travel enthusiasts to discover the region.

Sheo Shekhar Shukla, Managing Director of Madhya Pradesh’s tourism board, sat down to explain his approach to sustainable tourism.

“Post-covid the whole world has known a shift in their approach when it comes to tourism. And all those discerning travelers want to have different kinds of experiences: something offbeat, something new, something which has not been explored before.”

Through its UNESCO World Heritage Sites, Shukla wants to showcase the deep history Madhya Pradesh has to offer.

“UNESCO is very actively supporting us and three of our sites are already World Heritage Sites. Sanchi is a very famous buddhist spiritual destination, Bhimbetka is a place where prehistoric rock shelters are still preserved, and Khajuraho is home to thousand year old temples with magnificent architecture.”

All in all, Shukla believes that there’s only one way forward for the industry: “Travelers must take sustainable tourism as a paradigm in order to take tourism to the next level.”

In partnership with Madhya Pradesh’s tourism board.

Also known as the Land of the Beautiful Islands, Malaysia’s landscape and cultural diversity is almost unmatched on the planet. Those qualities were all put on display at the Malaysian stand during the IFTM trade show.

Libra Hanif, director of Tourism Malaysia, explained the appeal of the country as well as the importance of promoting sustainable tourism today: “Sustainable travel is a major trend now, with the changes that are happening post-covid. People want to get close to nature, to get close to people. So Malaysia being a multicultural and diverse [country] with a lot of natural environments, we felt that it’s a good thing for us to promote Malaysia.”

Malaysia has also gained fame in recent years, through its numerous UNESCO World Heritage Sites, which include Kinabalu Park and the Archaeological Heritage of the Lenggong Valley.

Green mobility has also become an integral part of tourism in Malaysia, with an increasing number of people using bikes to discover the country: “If you are a little more adventurous, we have the mountain back trails where you can cut across gazetted trails to see the natural attractions and the wildlife that we have in Malaysia,” says Hanif. “If you are not that adventurous, you’ll be looking for relaxing cycling. We also have countryside spots, where you can see all the scenery in a relaxing session.”

With more than 25,000 visitors at this IFTM trade show this year, Malaysia’s tourism board got to showcase the best the country and its people have to offer.

In partnership with Malaysia Tourism Promotion Board. For more information about Malaysia, click here.