Prominent rival Abir Moussi, 49, head of the Free Destourian Party, was sentenced to two years in prison late Monday. He has already been in jail since October.

The former parliament member is a vocal critic of Saied, who has been in power since 2019.

Six other potential candidates have also been sentenced to prison, and several have been banned from running for life.

Among those recently arrested were Issam Chebbi, leader of the centrist party Al Joumhouri, and Ghazi Chaouchi, head of the social-democratic party Democratic Current.

These politicians are part of a group of over 20 of Saied’s opponents detained since a series of arrests in February 2023.

Last week, four women working on the presidential campaign of rapper-turned-businessman Karim Gharbi (known as K2Rhym) were jailed for allegedly buying endorsement signatures.

Additionally, three staffers from media personality Nizar Chaari’s campaign have been detained on similar suspicions, which Chaari has denied.

‘Intimidation’

A group of NGOs last week denounced the “arbitrary detention” of candidates, a lack of independence of the electoral authority, and the “monopolisation of the public space.”

They claim these measures were aimed at boosting Saied’s re-election bid.

The Intersection NGO, which focuses on human rights and freedoms, has documented cases of imprisonment for expressing opinions in Tunisia since January 2024.

“Thirty arrests fell under Decree 54, a repressive decree that was promulgated to combat cyber-criminality, but which in fact targets anyone who expresses an opinion critical of the government,” Ghaylen Jelassi, one of the report’s authors, told RFI’s correspondent in Tunis.

“This decree has even affected artists such as the young Rached Tamboura who has been in prison for over a year for graffiti on the President of the Republic,” he added.

The deadline for registering as a presidential candidate was 6 August.

One main candidate

Saied submitted his candidacy for the upcoming election on Monday amid criticism from the opposition and the press.

The 66-year-old described his candidacy as part of “a war of liberation and self-determination” to establish a new republic.

“We are in a war of liberation and we don’t want to restrict anyone’s freedoms,” Saied said. “I did not interfere with the judiciary.”

Saied’s challengers face significant constraints, with several would-be candidates in prison or being prosecuted.

However, Saied, who assumed wide-ranging powers two years after his 2019 election, denies repressing critical voices.

“I did not oppress anyone, and the law applies to everyone equally,” he said. “I am here as a citizen to run for office.”

“We will not accept any foreign party interfering in the choices of our people.”

(with newswires)

Ray van den Berg, Harrie Lavreysen and Jeffrey Hoogland shaved fractions off their February 2020 high of 41.225 seconds to pulverize Canada in 41.191 seconds in heat four of the qualifying round to advance as the fastest team to the gold medal race.

Britain saw off Germany to set up a showdown.

But it was a set-to in name only. In the final, rather like the other sprinters in Usain Bolt’s 100m races from back in the day, the jig was up early on.

Van den Berg completed the first 250m in 17.123 seconds. Britain’s Ed Lowe was not that far behind in 17.346 seconds but Harrie Lavreysen changed the game. He finished his 250m in 11.763 seconds. Hamish Turnbull could only post 12.213 seconds. That gave the Dutch anchor Hoogland an advantage of 0.673 seconds.

The 31-year-old discarded the invitation to slouch. He increased the lead in the final 250m to cross the line 0.865 seconds ahead of Jack Carlin – an eternity at this level of marginal gains intensity – with a world record of 40.949 seconds.

Effort

“We have worked very hard for this moment and for the three of us to do this is an amazing achievement,” said Van den Berg.

“That everything works out in the final as well,” he added. “We kept our heads cool, kept focusing on ourselves and did something on this track which has never been done before.

“People were always happy to race in 41 seconds. And today we achieved the 40 second barrier, which is absolutely outstanding, in my opinion.

“And I’m very happy to have achieved this with an amazing team, which includes our staff as well.”

So rapidly had the records changed that the official Olympic website could not function at the same quicksilver pace.

Update

It was showing the old Berlin-set mark of 41.225 when the 41.191 was valid and 41.191 for a good couple of hours when a new fashion had come to town sported by the same triumvirate who had won gold in Tokyo

 “It was amazing to have people in the stands,” beamed Van den Berg. “In Tokyo it was empty and so it was fantastic to perform here for this amazing crowd.

“Around  20 of my friends and my family were here to celebrate this achievement plus all the supporters from the Netherlands … it was absolutely wonderful. And to set a world record while winning an Olympic gold, it doesn’t get any better than that.”

The whiplash evening in Saint Quentin-en-Yvelines started with the eight teams sliced up into four heats. The challenge was simple. Win at breakneck speed.

France’s Rayan Helal, Florian Grengbo and Sebastien Vigier – bronze medallists in Tokyo in 2021, launched the extravaganza amid cheers of “Allez les Bleus” against Japan. The trio won in 42.376 seconds. It was greeted with a frenzy of noise.

Ultimately, it was only good enough to reach the bronze medal race against Australia.

Redemption

The Australians won that in 41.597 seconds to the chagrin of the partisans but to the glee of Matthew Glaetzer who had lost in bronze medal races in London 2012, Rio in 2016 and Tokyo in 2021.

“I’ve lived through a lot of heartbreak,” said the 31-year-old.

“Every team sprint in the Olympics, I’ve been on the losing side in the bronze final and it’s been very tough.

“But to finally come out on the winner’s side was pretty special.”

For the record, Japan were fifth and Germany sixth. China secured seventh spot after beating Canada.

Following his title-winning exploits, Van den Berg said there would be no celebrations to make sure he was at breakfast with Lavreysen and Hoogland.

“They have the individual sprints on Wednesday and I want to show the guys respect by going to bed early and getting up early as well to support them.

“We have worked so hard for this team sprint,” he added. “For them, the competitions have just started and it started very well.

“But there’s three days of sprint events and then two days keirin. So it means they have to perform for five more days and they have to be at their absolute best. And so no time for celebrations yet.

“But on Sunday night, that will be a good one.”

High man

Armand Duplantis retained his Olympic pole vault title. He won the competition with a jump of 6m. Sam Kendricks of the United States was second at 5.95m and Emmanouil Karalis from Greece was third. Duplantis, who was born in the United States but competes for his mother’s homeland of Sweden, then went on a personal show of setting an Olympic record of 6.10m. And once that was over, he tried to break his own world record of 6.24m. He reached 6.25m on the third and final attempt. Gold medal. World record. Result.

History time

The pole vault competition featured in the inaugural Olympic Games in 1896. William Hoyt won it with a jump of 3.30m. Bob Richards from the United States was the first man to claim back-to-back titles in Helsinki in 1952 and Melbourne four years later. Duplantis joins him and at 24 is young enough to be among the field in Los Angeles in 2028 and brandish a third title. That would really set the bar high.

Come and go

Beatrice Chebet from Kenya claimed the country’s first gold medal with her victory in the women’s 5000m in 14 minutes, 28.56 seconds. Compatriot Faith Kipyegon was second and the defending champion Sifan Hassan from the Netherlands was third. Kipyegon, who won the world championships title last summer in Budapest, had an anxious few minutes after the race. The 30-year-old was initiially disqualified for obstruction but reinstated. Chebet will also run in the 10000m. She’ll be favourite for that after setting a world record of 28 minutes, 54.14 seconds at a meeting in Eugene in the United States on 25 May.

King’s man

Frederik X – not to be confused in any way, shape or form, with Malcom X – was at the La Chapelle Arena to watch Viktor Axelsen’s attempt to retain his men’s singles title in the badminton. And 30-year-old Axelsen, who won bronze in the event at the 2016 Games in Rio, didn’t disappoint the Danish king. He beat Thailand’s Kunlavut Vitidsarn 21-11, 21-11. Axelsen met the monarch after the game and was still whirring following the audience. “I think we are very, very lucky in Denmark to have an amazing royal family and what they’re doing for sports, what they’re doing for the country,” he beamed. “I’m so proud. And I’m even more proud that the king was here watching me play and having a chance to talk with him afterwards was amazing.” Arise Sir Viktor.

Family man with plans

As he sat between 23-year-old Kunlavut Vitidsarn to his right and the 26-year-old bronze medalist Lee Zii Jia to his left, 30-year-old Viktor Axelsen hinted that it was time to be thinking of fresh pastures. The Dane said he would celebrate becoming only the second man after China’s Lin Dan to defend an Olympic title by spending some quality moments time with his wife and two daughters. “I’m not quitting badminton now, that’s for sure. I will continue. And if I’m still competitive in four more years, then maybe I will go for another Olympics.” As he tapped Vitidsarn and Jia on the shoulder, he added: “I don’t know if I can keep this level for four more years because these guys are doing very well also.”

The Grand Palais, which usually hosts major art exhibitions and has been the site for the Olympic fencing and Taekwondo events, is one of 40 museums targeted by the ransomware attacks.

Over the weekend hackers targeted the system that centralises financial data from the stores and boutiques of museums around France, blocking access to it and threatening to release the data if the institutions did not pay a ransom in cryptocurrency.

The French National Agency for Information Systems Security (ANSSI) told the Parisien newspaper that the attacks do not affect the “information systems implicated in the continuity of the Olympics and Paralympics”.

The Grand Palais confirmed that it was a victim, but did not provide details. The Louvre, which was initially reported as having been targeted, said it was not.

The Paris cyber crimes police unit has opened an investigation into the attacks.

At the end of July, days after the start of the Olympics, Prime Minister Gabriel Attal had announced that nearly 70 cyberattacks linked to the Games had been foiled.

(with AFP)

Hasina’s hasty departure on a helicopter Monday is the second fall from grace of a South Asian leader since 2022 when Sri Lankan leader Mahinda Rajapakse fled the island nation rocked by protests over rising prices.

The Bangladeshi uprising that claimed 440 lives by a media count and left many injured since June also shattered its image as a poster child of development and left it in a power vacuum.

Critics allege Hasina, who faced charges of extra-judicial killings, forced disappearances and imprisonment of rivals, pursued partisan policies such as a job quota system in the civil services that favoured her loyalists.

In Delhi, Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar confirmed her escape as diplomats said the 76-year-old Hasina, who had been in office for 20 years, could seek asylum in Britain.

“At very short notice, she requested approval to come for the moment to India,” Jaishankar said and also voiced his “worry” over reports of attacks on Hindus.

‘We are also monitoring the situation with regard to the state of minorities (Hindus),” he told parliament.

Rival freed

President Shahabuddin dissolved the Bangladeshi parliament under pressure from students who had set 09:00 GMT Monday as a deadline.

The country’s first woman prime minister Khaleda Zia who led the opposition Bangladesh National Party (BNP) was set free. The two-term premier was given a 17-year jail term in a corruption case in 2018.

“She is now freed,” BNP spokesman AKM Wahiduzzaman said as Zia’s son  Tarique Rahman called for calm as looters carted away clothing, computers, furniture, live chicken  and fish from Hasina’s opulent home.

“I call upon the people of Bangladesh to display restraint and calm in the midst of this transitional moment on our democratic path,” Rahman said in a X post Tuesday.

The national Police Employee Association with thousands of officers on its rolls called a general strike.

 “Until the security of every member of the police is secured, we are declaring a strike,” it said in a reference to the 13 policemen among 135 people killed in Monday’s clashes.

BDNews24.com said some officers were seen patrolling the streets and several schools reopened after a lengthy closure over Hasina’s job quota system.

• How a pioneering French law emerged from the ruins of a factory in Bangladesh

Bangladesh’s former foreign secretary Samsher Mubin Chowdhury rejected suggestions Pakistan fomented trouble in the country of 170 million Bengali-speaking people.

“It is unfair,” Chowdhury told Indian TV and cited rigged elections and malpractices by Hasina’s Awami League party as the root cause of the turmoil.

Protesters were seen scouring the streets as troopers refused to open fire on “fellow countrymen.”

“Her Awami League clowns are in hiding but we will get them,” a looter said as others stripped artefacts from the parliament building in capital Dhaka.

Nashid Islam, a prominent leader of the protesting students, called for Nobel Peace Prize winner Muhammad Yunus to lead an interim government.

The 2006 Nobel laureate now in Paris for the Olympic Games, described Hasina’s ouster as the “second liberation day” of Bangladesh which was formed in 1971 from Pakistan’s eastern rump following a war with India.

Reactions

The US hailed the army for its display of “restraint” and said an interim government should be formed.

“Too many lives have been lost over the past several weeks, and we urge calm and restraint in the days ahead,” US State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said as protesters raided a Bangladeshi diplomatic mission in New York.

The EU urged for an “orderly and peaceful transition towards a democratically elected government” in Bangladesh.

 London sought an international probe into the violence which analysts said could puncture Hasina’s hopes of seeking a safe haven in Britain.

“The people of Bangladesh deserve a full and independent UN-led investigation into the events of the past few weeks,” Foreign Secretary David Lammy said.

China called for “social stability” in South Asia’s second largest economy.

 “As a friendly neighbour and comprehensive strategic cooperative partner of Bangladesh, China sincerely hopes that social stability will be restored soon in the country,” a foreign ministry spokesman said in Beijing.

India, meanwhile shut flight, train and bus services to Bangladesh.

The Zamzam camp for internally displaced people (IDPs) in North Darfur risks running out of a special type of food designed to treat malnourished children, a global food monitor said.

The Famine Review Committee (FRC) found that famine, confirmed when acute malnutrition and mortality criteria are met, was ongoing in Zamzam and likely to persist there at least until October.

The Administrator of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Achim Steiner, confirmed the famine in North Darfur and potentially 14 other areas within the country.

“Famine is not merely a likely and devastating future prospect, but an actual and cruel present reality in North Darfur,” he said.

The FRC report confirmed that famine conditions are prevalent in parts of North Darfur, including the Zamzam camp in El Fasher, with an estimated 500,000 people.

Sudan’s authorities, however, deny the existence of famine in Zamzam.

Fears of disease

“The arrival of thousands of internally displaced people fleeing the city of Al Fasher to the Zamzam camp has led to people defecating in open latrines,” Nathaniel Raymond, head of the Humanitarian Research Lab at Yale University, told RFI’s Lucile Gimberg.

This means that the water from these floods has potentially come into contact with these contaminated areas.

The famine-stricken camp is also facing floods threatening to contaminate water and sanitation facilities, according to satellite imagery published on Friday. The floods have led to a significant new influx of displaced people.

Findings from Yale lab show that toilets and nine out of 13 water points have been inundated at the Zamzam camp, raising the risk of cholera and other diseases.

Floods are also affecting other regions of Sudan, including around Port-Sudan and in the province of Kassala, 500 kilometres south.

The NGO Doctors Without Borders is asking Sudanese authorities for access to help flood victims in the province of Kassala.

Houses have collapsed due to the floods, Prince Djuma Safari, MSF France medical coordinator in Sudan, told RFI.

The situation is also worrying in Kassala, where there are more than 76,000 displaced people.

“As displaced people, they already have a lot of problems: access to care, food and access to drinking water,” he said.

‘A disaster foretold’

Emmanuel Rink, from Solidarités internationale, told RFI: “The declaration of famine in Zamzam and by extension in the other displaced persons camps does not surprise us.

“The conditions have been there for a long time and we have observed the situation deteriorate sharply. It is truly a chronicle of a disaster foretold.” 

UNDP’s Steiner further highlighted the dire circumstances faced by Sudanese communities, with 70 percent of rural households unable to cultivate land, a quarter unable to access markets due to safety concerns, and 43 percent unable to afford food even when available.

He stressed the urgent need for immediate and comprehensive humanitarian response, calling on all parties involved in the conflict to cease hostilities.

In addition to immediate food assistance, Steiner emphasised the importance of supporting livelihoods through investments in irrigation infrastructure, extension services, and resources for farmers.

He argued that this approach would address immediate needs and foster long-term sustainability and resilience within communities.

(with newswires)

“Whatever the apparent motivation, this is not protest, it is pure violence and we will not tolerate attacks on mosques or our Muslim communities,” Starmer said on Monday after an emergency meeting with ministers, police and prison chiefs.

“The full force of law will be visited on all those who are identified as having taken part.”

Protests have continued across the country, with participants looting shops and mosques, attacking Asian-owned businesses and burning cars.

Some unverified videos on social media have shown ethnic minorities being beaten up.

Violence first broke out last Tuesday in Southport, northwest England, where three young girls were stabbed to death by an assailant falsely identified as a radical Islamist who had just arrived in Britain.

Revealling his identity, police said the 17-year-old was born in Wales, of Rwandan parents, and they are not treating it as a terrorist incident.

Police have blamed online disinformation, amplified by high-profile figures, for the violence, which continued Monday.

In Plymouth, in southwest England, on Monday evening several hundred anti-immigration protesters wearing English and British flags faced off against a greater number of counter-protesters, who were kept apart by police in riot gear.

Protesters threw bricks and fireworks. Sky News said several police officers were injured.

Starmer said a “standing army” of specialist police officers would tackle outbreaks of violence where needed.

The government will “ramp up criminal justice” to ensure that “sanctions are swift”, he told the media after Monday’s meeting.

Northern Ireland’s assembly will end its summer break a day early to discuss the violence.

The National Police Chiefs’ Council said 378 people had so far been arrested, and that others would be “brought to justice” and warned of “lengthy prison terms” for those found guilty of violent disorder.

(with AFP)

Before the start of the Olympic Games, nearly half of those living in the Paris region said they were planning to leave during the month of August, according to an Ipsos poll for Trainline carried out in March.

People were worried about large crowds and overloaded public transport, concerned about security or the cost of tickets, and some were turned off by the cost of the event or the city’s move to clear out homeless encampments before the games.

The security failings around the 2022 Champions League final, when fans crowded into tight spaces at the Stade de France were tear-gassed by police, did not inspire confidence in France’s ability to run a smooth Olympics.

But some are now regretting their decision to leave or for not having sought out affordable tickets when they were available.

“I was about to boycott the Games,” a woman named Coline told FranceInfo radio, before the Games’ spectacular opening ceremony along the River Seine.

“I watched the opening ceremony and I loved being proud of France,” she added.

• ‘We need this moment of peace,’ say Olympic opening ceremony storytellers

Spectacle of pride

Many have said that opening ceremony changed their mind, which had been influenced by media coverage in the run-up that warned that 15 million visitors to the capital would put strain on an already tight public transport system.

And yet, the metro and RER commuter rail systems have not been over-crowded.

The Paris-area public transport system saw an increase of 500,000 users in the first week of the Games, compared to previous years (4 million, compared to 3.5 million people).

General manager Laurent Probst told the French news agency AFP that this shows that Parisians have not fled the city. He also pointed to the reinforcements in the system, with more frequent trains on certain lines near stadiums, to make up for the extra users.

Easier to get around

Traffic caused by construction in the run-up to the Games has cleared up and Parisians are pleasantly surprised at how smooth it is to travel around the city.

“It’s almost easier to get around than before the Games. Before the [opening] ceremony everything was closed,” said Victoire Allard a 20-year-old student told AFP from a fan zone in Paris, where she returned to, cutting short a holiday with family in Normandy.

Meanwhile Marie Heyraud, a project manager living in Paris, told France 24 she was glad she failed to rent out her flat during the Games.

“A lot of my friends left and now they regret it… it’s really something you have to experience once in your life.”

Those who have decided to come back to the city have found it difficult to find affordable tickets on the resale platform.

Fan zone mania

But the Games ambiance remains in fan zones around the city, which last week had already welcomed 400,000 people, according to Pierre Rabadan, deputy mayor in charge of the Olympics and Paralymics.

In terms of attendance, Club France – the official hub for fans, athletes and journalists – has been full every day with an average attendance of more than 40,000 daily visitors and guests.

Situated at La Villette in north-eastern Paris, the venue has seen families line up to try their hand at different sports, get autographs from the French medal winners and watch the events on giant screens.

Parisians’ enthusiasm for the Games may well benefit the Paralympic games, to be held 28 August to 8 September, which have had trouble selling tickets.

French rugby federation chiefs suspended the 25-year-old from the game for 34 weeks for the incident following a disciplinary hearing on 26 July. They also fined him 30,000 euros.

They said they would reduce the ban to 26 weeks if Jaminet were to take part in community service programmes for the FFR such as talking to youth players about the dangers of alcohol and social media as well as promoting the fight against discrimination.

Following its own inquiry, Toulon said it would not dismiss the player but would not pay his salary during the FFR ban and had modified his contract.

“Regardless of the circumstances in which the incident occurred, Toulon rugby club has suffered considerable damage to its image and its interests with regard to its public, players and staff,” said a club statement.

Hope

“We believe in the possibility of Melvyn Jaminet’s redemption and are ready to support him in this process.

“This approach aims to help him understand the seriousness of his actions, eradicate them and evolve positively as an individual.

“The club has taken a series of measures and is hoping for the success of a rehabilitation plan.”

Jaminet joined Toulon from Toulouse in November 2023 after appearing for France in the 2023 World Cup. He scored his first international try in the opening match win over New Zealand.

Though he missed the 2024 Six Nations tournament, he was selected for the France tour of Argentina and Uruguay.

On 7 July, the day after Jaminet won his 20th cap in the victory over Argentina in Mendoza, he posted video of himself saying: “The first Arab I meet on the street … I’m going to headbutt him.”

Return

He was sent home from the tour and suspended pending an inquiry.

A French rugby federation statement issued after a disciplinary hearing said: “Melvyn Jaminet was found to have undermined the best interests of rugby.”

Should Jaminet carry out his community service programmes successfully, he will be free to play from the end of January 2025.

His tour teammates Oscar Jegou and Hugo Auradou remain in Argentina after the 21-year-olds were arrested in Buenos Aires on 9 July and later charged with raping a 39-year-old woman.

Just hours after their debuts for France in the Mendoza win, Jegou and Auradou are alleged to have prevented a woman from leaving their hotel room.

Both players claim the encounter was consensual.

Winning on the wave he grew up surfing was “the cherry on the cake”, said Vaast, who grew up in Teahupo’o. “For all of France, for all of Polynesia it’s incredible.”

He won gold on Monday after taking the two best waves of a high-level match, beating Australian Jack Robinson.

In the women’s final, France’s Johanne Defay took bronze, while the United States’ Caroline Marks claimed gold in a thrilling final that went down to the wire.

Vaast took the lead against Robinson from the start, scoring a near-perfect 9.50 on his first wave, and earning a total of 17.67 against Australia’s Jack Robinson , who conceded in the final moments with  7.83, for silver.

Three-time world champion Gabriel Medina of Brazil took bronze.

“The mana was with me today,” said Vaast after the win, referring to a supernatural force in Polynesian culture.

“From the beginning, every day I felt it, it was there.”

Vaast said he was unsure whether he would make it to Paris, some 15,000 kilometres away, to celebrate his win, especially as he has a competition in California on Monday.

For the women, Johanne Defay took the women’s bronze, scoring 12.66 to Costa Rican Brisa Hennessy’s 4.93.

A native of Auvergne in central France, she has been surfing since she was very young on beaches in Reunion Island, where she lives today.

World champion Marks won gold just 0.17 ahead of Brazil’s Tatiana Weston-Webb in an evenly-matched final that was only decided in the final few minutes.

(with newswires)

By the 10th day of competition on Monday, France had amassed 45 medals – more than it collected over the entire Olympics in Tokyo (33), Rio (42), London (35) or Beijing (43). 

It hasn’t had a higher total since the Paris Games of 1900, when just 24 countries participated and France supplied half of all competitors, helping it to an unmatchable 102 medals.

The country’s 12 golds in Paris put it behind China, the United States and Australia – and, with almost a week of competition left, tantalisingly close to the 15 gold medals it brought home from Atlanta in 1996 and hasn’t equalled since. 

France has set itself the target of finishing these home Olympics, like the Atlanta Games, as one of the top five medal winners – something that will likely require at least 20 golds. 

But events have concluded in several disciplines where France’s chances were strongest, including indoor swimming, judo and fencing. Between them, the three sports accounted for 24 of the country’s total medals and seven of its golds so far.

Poor record on track and field

The second week started poorly for France with disappointment in the mixed team triathlon on Monday, which saw it place fourth despite having two individual medallists on its side.

Angèle Hug later helped by winning silver in the women’s kayak cross.

The rest of the week is dominated by athletics, a domain in which France won a lone silver medal at the Tokyo Games. 

It has a few hopes this time round, notably in the 3,000m steeplechase, an event in which it has the current European champions in both the women’s and men’s races, Alice Finot and Alexis Miellet.

Several French women are through to the finals of their events, including Rénelle Lamote in the 800m, Mélina Robert-Michon in the discus, and Marie-Julie Bonnin and Ninon Chapelle in the pole vault.

But most of the country’s medal chances now rest on team sports, with French teams through to the knockout stages of the handball, basketball, volleyball and football tournaments.

Track cyclists are hoping to add to the clutch of medals France has already won in BMX, mountain biking and the road race, while the country also some of the world’s top fighters in taekwondo.

Meanwhile its boxers are sure to secure medals after both Sofiane Oumiha and Billal Bennama made it into the men’s finals of their respective categories. Djamili-Dini Aboudou Moindze is in the semi-finals and guaranteed at least a bronze.

Boxer Cindy Ngamba becomes first refugee athlete to win Olympic medal

Spreading the medal chances

France has been honing its sports strategy ever since it won the Olympic bid in 2017, enlisting grassroots clubs to spot fresh talents and match them with the country’s top trainers. 

While that’s typical for host nations, France has cast a wider net than other countries such as the UK, for example, which concentrated on upping its game in a few target sports – swimming, track cycling, athletics – before London 2012. 

According to former handball coach Claude Onesta, the man hired as France’s high-level performance manager for the Paris Games, 85 athletes have been identified as potential medal winners.

Roughly half of them had competed by Sunday and brought in 37 medals, leaving another 40 or so hopefuls still to try their chance.

French sports chiefs say clubs must prepare for Olympic boom

Then there are the wild cards. As those stats suggest, athletes tipped for success sometimes miss out, while medals can come from unexpected quarters. 

Before the Games started, sports data specialists at market research firm Nielsen forecast that France would win a record 60 medals overall, 27 of them gold, across 28 different sports.

Some of the athletes they predicted were headed for gold lost out in the first week. But others surprised even the experts – leaving the field open for further upsets in the second half of the Games.

The withdrawal of US forces and assets from Air Base 201 in Agadez is complete, the Pentagon said in a joint statement with Niger’s defence ministry.

“This effort … will continue between US and Nigerien armed forces over the coming weeks to ensure the full withdrawal is complete as planned.”

The statement did not give any details on which assets the US may still have left to withdraw in the country.

Some 200 soldiers had been at the Agadez drone base, in northern Niger.

Jihadist insurgencies

Niger had been seen as one of the last nations in the restive region that Western nations could partner with to beat back growing jihadist insurgencies.

The US and France had more than 2,500 military personnel in the region until recently, and together with other European countries had invested hundreds of millions of dollars in military assistance and training.

Niger’s ouster of American troops following a coup last year has broad ramifications for the US because it is forcing troops to abandon the critical base that was used for counterterrorism missions in the Sahel, a vast region south of the Sahara desert where groups linked to al-Qaida and the Islamic State group operate.

• US mulls military options as France prepares troop withdrawal from Niger

• Russian Wagner group reports massive losses in Mali

One of those groups, Jama’a Nusrat ul-Islam wa al-Muslimin, known as JNIM, is active in Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger and is looking to expand into Benin and Togo.

“Over the past decade, US troops have trained Niger’s forces and supported partner-led counterterrorism missions against Islamic State and al Qaeda in the region,” the joint statement said.

“The effective cooperation and communication between the US and Nigerien armed forces ensured that this turnover was finished ahead of schedule and without complications.”

(with newswires)

During a military engagement late last month in the north of the country, members of the Russian mercenary group Wagner were reportedly among the casualties in the defeat and which Mali’s military rulers have blamed on “separatists and jihadists”.

Speaking on Sunday, government spokesman Colonel Abdoulaye Maiga said Mali will break off relations with Ukraine “with immediate effect”.

The military government in Bamako had reportedly been shocked to learn of remarks by Andriy Yusov – spokesman for Ukraine’s military intelligence agency the GUR – who had “admitted Ukraine’s involvement in a cowardly, treacherous and barbaric attack by armed terrorist groups” that had led to the deaths of Malian soldiers, Maiga’s statement added.

Ukrainian ‘propaganda’

Speaking on Ukrainian television, Yusov said the whole world was aware that the rebels “had received the necessary data that allowed them to carry out their operation against the Russian war criminals”.

On Saturday, Senegal summoned Ukraine’s ambassador for having published the comments in what it described as a “propaganda video” on its Facebook page.

Maiga’s statement went on to say Ukraine’s actions had violated Malian sovereignty and constituted unacceptable foreign interference and support for international terrorism.

• Russian Wagner group reports massive losses in Mali
• Mali to quit regional Ecowas bloc without respecting notice period

Three days of intense fighting erupted near the Algerian border on 25 July at a military camp at Tinzaouatene.

Tuareg-led separatists said on Thursday they had killed 84 fighters from Wagner and 47 Malian soldiers.

Mali’s Prime Minister Choguel Kokalla Maiga acknowledged they had lost “a battle” at Tinzaouatene.

Mali’s army has admitted it suffered a “large number” of deaths during the fighting but has not released figures.

Russian support

This week, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov reaffirmed his support for Bamako in a telephone call with his Malian counterpart Abdoulaye Diop.

The West African nation’s military leaders who seized power in a 2020 coup have made it a priority to retake all of the country from separatists and jihadist forces linked to Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State group.

Under Colonel Assimi Goita, the junta broke off its traditional alliance with former colonial ruler France and has turned toward Russia.

This comes as Ukraine’s Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba is due to visit three African countries this week, in an effort to drum up support for Kyiv’s position in its war with Russia. 

This will be Kuleba’s fourth diplomatic tour to Africa in the last two years and he will visit Malawi, Zambia and Mauritius. 

After the showdown between their own Viktor Axelsen and Thailand’s Kunlavut Vitidsarn, they were stomping anew in exultation at the country’s first gold medal of the Paris Games and Axelsen’s accession into Olympic legend.

The 2016 Olympic bronze medallist joined China’s Lin Dan as the only other man to win consecutive Olympic crowns.

And he did it with some panache taking 52 minutes to dispatch 23-year-old Vitidsarn 21-11, 21-11.

“Axelsen kicked his ass,” said Jan Leschly, Danish-born but clearly Americanised after moving to the United States 45 years ago. 

“It was amazing,” added the 83-year-old who was over from San Francisco with his son, Mark and grandson, Bo.

The troika were part of the Danish din among the 8,000 fans cheering and chanting: “Viktor! Viktor! as the 30-year-old moved inexorably towards nominative determinism.

Change

As waves of red gathered in phalanxes preparing to move southwards to continue the festivities after the “viktory”, the three joyously admitted turning coats on Sunday to bellow for the Stars and Stripes of the American flag during the women’s cycling road race through the city centre and at the Stade de France where their compatriots Noah Lyles and Fred Kerley finished first and third respectively in the men’s 100m final.

“Oh we were definitely American last night,” smiled Mark.

Before heading to Denmark and back to the States, a trip to the equestrian events at Versailles and another session at Stade de France were on the cards.

“No rain, not many cars around and the metro working well, it’s been great,” added Jan.

Plans

As the family Leschley fulfil their busy itinerary, the hero of the day, said he planned some time with his kith and kin to savour the moment.

“Winning the first gold in Tokyo was a little bit of a strange feeling because there weren’t that many people because of the Covid restrictions,” said Axelsen.

“So to win here in front of so many Danish supporters and my wife, our two daughters, my family and my friends … this second gold medal just means more than the first one,” he added.

Peter Isager and Line Lyngdorf were also celebrating a second medal.

The couple, from Aarhus on Denmark’s eastern coast, had been at the team dressage event on Satuday at the Chateau de Versailles to see Denmark claim silver.

Axelsen’s gold had them styling themselves as lucky charms.

“You come to the badminton and see a Danish winner and hear the national anthem, it’s very emotional,” said Isager who hailed the country’s king for attending the final.

“He is a people’s king,” added Lyngdorf.

Before the couple return home, they said they plan to see the athletics at the Stade de France and the canoeing on the penultimate day of competition on Saturday.

“We’ve been walking around in Paris too,” said Isager. “It seems so calm and secure.”

Place

His own place safe in badminton mythology, Axelsen was asked about his afterlife and a possible role as an ambassador following a post-match chat with the king?

The suggestion was politely rejected so too his primacy among his sport’s deities.

“Lin Dan … he’s the greatest of all time,” said Axelsen in a blink.

“Obviously when you look at Olympic medals, I have two golds and one bronze … he has two golds but he still has way more All-England titles, way more world championships, Thomas Cups.

“So for me he’s the greatest. I’m just very happy and proud to be on the same level in Olympic terms. In my eyes he stands as the best ever.”

But for the Danes leaving the La Chapelle Arena of a balmy summer’s evening, Axelsen’s now in that stratosphere.

Cindy Winner Djankeu Ngamba is living up to her middle name. 

The 25-year-old was the first ever refugee athlete to qualify for the Olympic boxing tournament.

Now, after carrying the flag for the Refugee Olympic Team at the Paris opening ceremony, she’ll be representing it on the podium after winning her quarter-final in the 75kg category against Davina Michel of France.

That victory, which Ngamba secured in three rounds by unanimous decision on Sunday, takes her through to the semis and guarantees her at least a bronze. (In Olympic boxing, two bronze medals are awarded to both losing semi-finalists to spare them a runoff fight for third place.)

“It means the world to me to be the first ever refugee to win a medal,” she told reporters after the match.

“I’m just a human, just like any other refugee and athlete all around the world.”

Refugee Olympic Team flies the flag for resilience at Paris Games

From detention centre to Olympic ring

Ngamba joined the 36-strong refugee team after being denied the chance to compete for Great Britain, where she lives and trains. 

She moved there from Cameroon aged 11 and discovered boxing as a teenager at a gym in northern England, where she first sparred with local boys. 

“The sport helped me in lots of ways,” Ngamba told RFI in July. “It gave me the power to express myself and be proud of myself.”

In between completing school and getting a degree in criminology, she went on to win national titles in three weight classes and now trains with the British boxing team.

But without UK nationality or a long-term visa, her position remained precarious. Five years ago, she was even arrested, taken to a detention camp and threatened with deportation, only getting the right to remain after an uncle who lives in France and works for the government managed to intervene.

Eventually, she was granted refugee status on the grounds that she is gay – a criminal offence in Cameroon.

Cameroon LGBTQ+ activists hope for change after president’s daughter comes out

‘Honour to represent refugees’

The British team wanted Ngamba to fight for them at the Paris Olympics and appealed to immigration authorities to grant her citizenship, but the request was denied.

Instead, with Team GB’s support, she applied to join the refugee team.

“It’s an honour to represent refugees at the Olympics,” she said. “I hope that all refugees, not only athletes, can see us and that we show them it could be them one day.”

Tipped as one to watch going into the Games, Ngamba has delivered.

“It’s the first medal for the Refugee Olympic Team. It’s historic,” said Gonzalo Barrio, the team’s manager, after Sunday’s quarter-final.

“We want to show that our athletes are truly high level and deserve to be here, they can win medals. They’re not only here to represent nearly 120 million displaced people, but to show that if they get the opportunity, they can be great champions and reach the holy grail – winning an Olympic medal.”

Ngamba is aiming to make it more than bronze in her semi-final fight on Thursday against Atheyna Bylon of Panama.

“Hopefully in the next one, I will also get the job done,” she said after her latest victory. “No, not hopefully. I will get it done.”

France clocked up 12 gold, 14 silver and 18 bronze medals by Sunday evening, to lie third behind the United States and China. 

In the first eight days of competition, home athletes won more than the 33 medals from entire 16 days of the Tokyo Olympics in 2021.

Politicians and sports administrators say they are confident French athletes can finish among the top five in the medals table and inspire new generations of athletes. 

“This is the thrust of plans by the National Olympic Committee and all the federations,” said Sports Minister Amélie Oudéa-Castéra.

“They have been organised to be able to absorb the flow of new members in the wake of the Games.”

Since 2017 and the success of the bid to bring the Olympics to Paris, former handball coach Claude Onesta has, as high performance manager, been remodelling the country’s sporting strategy.

The plan tasks coaches at sports clubs to spot talent and bring them to the attention to federations. Budding champions are then pointed towards the country’s top trainers.

Surge of medals

The Olympic gold rush started on 27 July when rugby star Antoine Dupont inspired the men’s sevens team in a 28-7 annihilation of the defending champions Fiji at the Stade de France in front of 70,000 fervent fans that included French president Emmanuel Macron.

Macron’s presence at the jumping team event at the Chateau de Versailles on Friday failed to rouse the nation’s top horse riders, who finished in the bronze medal position.

But Macron was in the house to witness Teddy Riner’s victory in the +100kg men’s judo at the Champ de Mars Arena and Léon Marchand’s fourth gold in the swimming pool at Paris La Défense Arena.

He then headed over to see Joris Daudet, Sylvain André and Romain Mahieu add to the ecstasy with a sweep of the medals – the first time French athletes had achieved such a feat in 100 years.

Macron took to social media to hail the exploit.

“It’s brilliant for a halfway point in the Games,” said David Lappartient, boss of France’s national Olympic Committee.

“We have Games which are enthusing people and an event that is getting people behind the France team.

“The organisation has been great and, just as importantly, the team has performed.”

Last September, leaders of the French athletics federation met Castéra-Oudéa to discuss the debacle at the 2023 world championships in Budapest where France claimed one medal – silver in the men’s 4x400m relay.

The coming days – as athletics takes centre stage at the 2024 Olympics in Paris – will bear witness to the effectiveness of that powwow. 

Early results from the track and field suggest little progress. No French athletes made it to the finals over the weekend of the men’s or women’s 100m.

Results

For the 2024 Olympics, Onesta says 85 athletes have been identified as potential medal winners.

Just over 40 have competed and have brought in 37 medals. The rest will participate in their disciplines over the next seven days.

“French sport always has had quality athletes,” said Onesta. “But the athletes sometimes have trouble converting their results in competitions around the world into Olympic results.

“We realised in Tokyo that the conversion rate for the French potential medallists was around 50 percent whereas our closest rivals had conversion rates of between 70 and 80 percent.

“In Paris, the French conversion rate has been around 84 percent, which is exceptional.”

With another 40 or so potential medallists and the same conversion rate, France could well harvest more than 70 medals.

Onesta added that “the French president says he wants us to be in the top five in the medals table and to be able to stay there for the long term. 

“So this isn’t only about doing well in Paris, it’s about establishing ourselves in a new way at the very highest level so that the results we’re seeing now aren’t just a flash in the pan but repeated in the future.”

The team of Tim Hellwig, Lisa Tertsch, Lasse Luehrs and Laura Lindemann finished the course in one hour, 25 minutes and 39 seconds. 

The French team, which had been tipped for gold due to the presence of the women’s individual gold medallist Cassandre Beaugrand and the men’s bronze medallist Leo Bergere, finsihed fourth.

It was a disappointing start to the last week of competition for the French delegation which had been basking in the success of the first week which brought a record haul of Olympic medals.

On Sunday evening, France had 12 gold medals among its trove of 44 medals which surpassed the previous high of 43 set in Beijing in 2008. French athletes have bettered their medal mark the Tokyo Olympics.

“It’s brilliant for a halfway point in the Games,” said David Lappartient, boss of France’s national Olympic Committee.

Success

“We have Games which are enthusing people and an event that is getting people behind the France team.

“The organisation has been great and, just as importantly, the team has performed.”

The triathlon mixed relay, which started at the Pont Alexandre III in central Paris, was cleared to proceed on Sunday night after health bosses and representatives from World Triathlon reviewed tests on the cleanliness of the river Seine.

Hours earlier Belgium’s Olympic committee said it would withdraw its team from the mixed relay due to the illness of Claire Michel who had competed in the individual race on Wednesday morning.

The Belgian committee’s statement did not elaborate on the 35-year-old’s illness.

Quality concerns

Leading up to the individual triathlon events, poor water quality forced organisers to cancel the swimming portion of two test runs meant to allow athletes to familiarise themselves with the course and also to delay the men’s race by a day.

Test swims in the Seine scheduled for Saturday and Sunday before the triathlon mixed relay were also cancelled because of bacteria levels in the water.

“We hope that lessons will be learned for future triathlon competitions at the Olympic Games,” said the Belgian Olympic Committee in a statement.

“We are thinking here of the guarantee of training days, competition days and the competition format, which must be clarified in advance and ensure that there is no uncertainty for the athletes, entourage and supporters.”

American triathlete Taylor Spivey said the uncertainty had been difficult.

“Everyone watching can see what an incredible venue this was for the triathlon with the backdrop of the Eiffel Tower and the Champs-Elysées.

“But the constant question of the water quality was very stressful for the athletes, I would say, because the contingency plan was only to push the race back, not necessarily like a plan B location.”

Marathon swimming events are set to be held in the Seine on Thursday and Friday.

Five of the eight swimmers in the men’s 1500-metre freestyle were listed to be entered in the 10-kilometre marathon swim.

Bronze medalist Daniel Wiffen of Ireland, who won gold in the 800m freestyle, said he would not train in the Seine.

“I don’t want to try to deal with any illness,” added the 23-year-old.

Nole gets his lolly

Novak – Nole to his friends and family – Djokovic won the tennis singles title 16 years after his bronze medal at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing. Rafael Nadal won that one. Andy Murray won in 2012 and 2016 for Britain and Alex Zverev nabbed the prize for Germany in Tokyo in 2021. All this left 37-year-old Djokovic rather forlorn. But he was miles of smiles after seeing off 21-year-old Carlos Alcaraz from Spain 7-6, 7-6 for what Djokovic called the highest of the highest prizes.

Leisure centre

Weapons-grade testosterone or as the Olympic Games has it, the men’s 100m final. The race to determine the fastest man on the planet ended in a mash up of bodies on the line. A photo finish was requred to find the alpha of the alphas. Noah Lyles, so deemed, set off on a victory lap holding up the name tab from his vest, just in case the braided hair didn’t help with identification. When the ultimate race has been acquired by five thousandth of a second, it’s the time to do whatever you want.

Happy days

French sports supremos are justifiably chuffed with how the Paris Games are proceeding. Léon Marchand’s four gold medals in the swimming pool have indeed helped the splash. And at the end of Day 9, France had surpassed its record medal haul of medals. In Beijing in 2008, they collected 43. And at the end of Day 9, the French had clocked up 44. Ooh la la.

More to come

And there are going to be more. Much, much more. Claude Onesta, who’s in charge of top performances, says around 40 athletes have been identified as likely to win a medal – this is based on performances over the past two years. During the first week around 40 of the so anointed had harvested 37 medals. And if that conversion rate carries on, said Onesta, there’ll be another tranche of baubles.

And more to come?

French President Emmanuel Macron told his country’s sports supremos that he would like to see France finishing in the top five in the medals table. There’s understandable urgency not to mess up the edict. But it’s also about ensuring that France is in the top five in Los Angeles in four years. That’s going to take some planning. And it will rely on political goodwill. The state of the French parliament? Chaotic. 

A statement from the EU Council on Sunday said the results published by Venezuela’s National Electoral Council on 2 August could not be recognised.

Any attempt to delay the full publication of the official voting records would only “cast further doubt” on the credibility of the polls, it said.

Venezuela’s election authority said the 28 July vote was won by incumbent Maduro, a result that defied pre-election polls and ignited protests that rights group say have left 11 people dead so far and thousands arrested.

A growing number of nations, including the United States and Argentina, say the election was won by opposition candidate Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia.

EU states France, Germany, Italy and Spain are among those to urge transparency, calling on authorities to release detailed vote tallies. 

The latest rejection comes as Venezuela’s opposition backed outside calls for the results of last week’s disputed presidential vote to be published, as the Pope said Venezuelans must “seek the truth” and warned against further violence.

‘Commitment to democracy’

Opposition leader Maria Corina Machado, who spent much of the week in hiding after Maduro threatened her with arrest following the protests, welcomed these countries’ “commitment to democracy” over the weekend.

She had backed the candidacy of Gonzalez Urrutia after she herself was banned from running.

“On behalf of Venezuelans, I thank you for this important message … reaffirming your commitment to democracy,” she wrote on X, formerly Twitter.

But unlike the United States and several other countries, the EU has refrained from recognising Gonzalez Urrutia as president-elect.

“Copies of the electoral voting records published by the opposition, and reviewed by several independent organisations, indicate that Edmundo Gonzalez Urrutia would appear to be the winner of the Presidential elections by a significant majority,” the EU statement said.

“The European Union thus calls for further independent verification of the electoral records, if possible by an internationally reputed entity”.

• US pulls remaining staff from Venezuela as Maduro urges ‘resistance’
• Venezuela death squads have killed 7000 in 18 months – UN

Hacking claims

On Friday, the National Electoral Council (CNE) ratified Maduro’s victory with 52 percent of the vote against 43 percent for Gonzalez Urrutia.

Claiming to be the victim of computer hacking, the CNE, which the opposition accuses of being loyal to Maduro, has still not provided details of the vote on a poll-by-poll basis.

The opposition believes this is a maneouver to avoid revealing the true results and has published the minutes of each polling station on a website showing that Gonzalez Urrutia won 67 percent of the vote. 

Maduro has rejected their validity. 

“We support the request for the verification of the minutes that we have presented, as soon as possible, at an international and independent level,” said Machado.

“We also appreciate the call for an end to the persecution and repression which, in recent hours, has been cruelly deployed against innocent people who are merely demanding respect for the popular sovereignty they exercised.”

The 17-year-old French-born athlete took the title ahead of China’s Qiu Qiyuan with American Sunisa Lee snatching bronze. Defending champion Nina Derwael of Belgium finished fourth.

“I’m so shocked, it’s the dream of all my life. I can’t believe it has happened, I’m speechless,” said Nemour.

“It was my ultimate dream, years of hard work, details. I’m honoured to have been able to win this medal, first of all for me and for Algeria too.”

Nemour’s stunning high-flying acrobatic performance earned 15.700 points to push world champion Qiu, 17, into the silver medal position with 15.500.

“In qualifying I had 15.600, when I saw her 15.500 I said, I really had to fight and gave the performance of my life,” said the Algerian.

A relief

“It’s crazy, I’m honoured to have this medal after all that has happened, it’s a relief.”

Nemour switched to represent her father’s country after the French federation blocked her from competing on medical grounds after a dispute.

 A growth spurt of 14 centimetres in a year just after she turned 13 caused a bone problem which required surgery on both knees.

 After a legal battle lasting several months Nemour was excluded from the France team and switched to competing for Algeria at worlds last October, and the Olympic Games in Paris.

“I am very happy to have won this medal for Algeria. I hope I made them proud,” she said.

“It has been an intensive road. But right now I am glad I performed well and have the gold.”

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

Nemour was the favourite in the absence of US gymnastics great Simone Biles who failed to qualify for the uneven bars final.

But competing last, teammate Lee grabbed bronze ahead of Derwael, a former two-time world champion who was returning after surgery.

Smooth movements

“Having seen the others doing so well kind of put the pressure on me to do a good routine,” said Lee, 21.

“That’s exactly what I did.”

Her routine earned 14.800 points and her third medal in Paris after team gold and bronze in the all-around.

For Qui there were “regrets” at missing out on gold.

“(Kaylia) did amazing today,” she said. “All the movements were so smooth. Her routine was perfect. She did even better than her previous routines.”

(with AFP)

The sprinters were left looking up at the official scoreboard after the dash for around 15 seconds as judges tried to decrypt the mass of bodies on the finishing line.

Lyles was deemed the victor in a personal best time of 9.784. Thompson was clocked at 9.789 seconds.

The victory – his first Olympic gold – comes a year after he won the 100m world championship title in Budapest last year.

He will compete in the 200m as he attempts to become the first man since Usain Bolt in 2016 to win the sprint double at an Olympic Games.

Akani Simbine, who finished fourth and Letsile Tebogo from Botswana who finished sixth set new records for South Africa and Botswana with times of  9.82 and 9.86 seconds respectively.

In the athletics field events at the Stade de France, world champion Ethan Katzberg from Canada won the men’s hammer throw and Yaroslava Mahuchikh took the women’s high jump with a leap of 2.02 metres.

July saw major military drills in Armenia between Armenian and United States forces.

“Politically, it is exceptionally relevant; they are four or five times larger than last year,” explains Eric Hacopian, a political analyst in Armenia, who notes the range of US divisions mobilised for the drills. “It’s not about peacekeeping.”

The military exercise, dubbed “Eagle Partner“, is part of Yerevan’s wider efforts to escape its Russian neighbour’s sphere of influence, Hacopian believes.

“These are serious exercises, and they were followed up with the news that there is going to be US permanent representation in the Ministry of Defence of Armenia as advisors to join the French who are already there,” he noted.

“Essentially, there is no other play but to join the West.”

France, Russia stand on opposite sides of Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict

Armenia is also seeking to reduce its economic dependence on Russia, pressing Turkey to open its border and providing a new gateway to Western markets for the landlocked country.

Ankara closed the frontier in 1993 after ethnic Armenian forces seized the contested Azerbaijani enclave of Nagorno-Karabakh. However, with Azerbaijani forces recapturing the enclave last year, analysts say the opening of the border could now align with Turkey’s goals to expand its regional influence.

“The normalisation of the relationship with Armenia would allow Turkish policy in the Cacasus to acquire a more comprehensive dimension today. That’s the missing element,” said Sinan Ulgen, an analyst with the Centre for Economics and Foreign Policy Studies, a think tank in Istanbul.

“Turkey obviously has very strong links to Azerbaijan and very good relations with Georgia, but not with Armenia,” he explained. “And that’s a predicament, as we look at Turkey’s overall policy in the Caucasus.”

Leverage

Washington is working hard to broker a permanent peace agreement between Armenia and Azerbaijan. “A deal is close,” declared US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on the sidelines of July’s NATO summit in Washington.

Last week, Turkish and Armenian envoys held their fifth meeting aimed at normalising relations. However, with critical issues between Armenia and Azerbaijan unresolved, Baku sees Turkey’s reopening of the Armenian border as important leverage.

In principle, both Azerbaijan and Turkey are in favour, claims Farid Shafiyev, an Azeri former diplomat and now chair of the Centre of Analysis of International Relations in Baku.

“However, we believe at this stage, as we have not signed a peace agreement, it might send a wrong signal to Yerevan and Armenia that we don’t need to come to an agreement about the core issues – the mutual recognition of territorial integrity,” he said.

Can Turkey tip the balance of power in the Caucasus conflict?

Meanwhile Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has developed close ties with his Azerbaijani counterpart, Ilham Aliyev, and is ruling out opening the border until Baku’s demands are met.

Turkish arms were key to Azerbaijan’s recent military successes against Armenian-backed forces. “Azerbaijan is where it is, in good part because of Turkey’s military assistance, intelligence assistance and all that,” argues Soli Ozel, who teaches international relations at Istanbul’s Kadir Has University.

But Ozel says Baku is dictating Ankara’s Caucasus policy. “It is befuddling to me that Turkey cannot open the borders with Armenia, which Armenia both needs and wants, because of Azerbaijan’s veto,” he said. “Especially if indeed Azerbaijan, for one reason or another, believes that its interests are once more in turning toward Russia.”

With Azerbaijan’s Socar energy company Turkey’s biggest foreign investor, Baku retains powerful economic leverage over Ankara – meaning any hope of reopening the Turkish-Armenian border appears dependent on the wishes of Azerbaijan’s leadership.

Hello everyone!

This week on The Sound Kitchen, you’ll hear a “My Hero” essay by listener Bidhan Chandra Sanyal from West Bengal, India.  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 Bidhan Chandra Sanyal’s essay: 

Hello, I am Bidhan Chandra Sanyal from West Bengal, India. Today I would like to share with you the story of a man whom I greatly admire, Kailash Sharma.

Kailash Sharma was born on January 11, 1954, in Vidisha, Madhya Pradesh, India.  He is an electrical engineer by profession, but he did not work as an engineer – instead, he engaged in social service work.

Appalled by the plight of child slavery across South Asia, in 1980 Sharma founded Bachpan Bachao Andolan – the Save Childhood Movement – to fight against the evil of child labor and slavery which has been socially accepted and widely practised in the region for generations.

As the saying goes: “The farmer’s child or the king’s potter all have work in this world.”  But a child’s work should be tailored to children, in the home.

Far too often, harsh reality takes them on another path. Disrespect, neglect or severe rule towards children are not right. When a child is forced to take the lead in financial hardship, to meet the family’s food needs, he frequently endures inhuman torture through child labor. They become the victims of malnutrition, illiteracy, and poor education. They cannot enjoy what should be a normal childhood – instead, childhood is a burden.

The goal of Kailash Sharma’s Bachpan Bachao Andolan movement is to create a child-friendly society, where all children are free from exploitation and receive a free and quality education. It aims to identify, liberate, rehabilitate and educate children in servitude through direct intervention, child and community participation, coalition building, consumer action, promoting ethical trade practices and mass mobilisation.

It has so far freed close to 100,000 children from servitude, including bonded labourers, and helped in their re-integration, rehabilitation and education.

Due to Sharma’s hard work, the Child Protection Act came into effect in India in 2012.  India’s Supreme Court ordered that any complaint of torture against child laborers be registered immediately.  Kailash Sharma has received many awards in recognition of his work: the Achina National Peace Prize, the Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights Prize, the Alfonso Comin National Prize and a medal from the Italian Senate.

And then, in 2014, he received the world’s highest award: The Nobel Peace Prize.

There is hope: Light can come from darkness. A total of 365 villages in our 11 states in India are now child labor free.  Kailash Sharma’s work has inspired and created change not just in India, but all across the globe. 

Kailash Sharma is my true hero.

Thank you for listening.

The music chosen by Bidhan is “Brishtir Gaan”, written and performed by Aditi Chakraborty.

Be sure and tune in next week for a special “Music in the Kitchen”, featuring your musical requests. Talk to you then!

Under controversial legislation currently passing through parliament, local authorities would be responsible for rounding up stray dogs, which would be killed after 30 days if an owner can not be found for them.

Opponents claim as many as eight million street dogs could be at risk.

“They are planning to round them up into shelters, which we call death camps,” said Zulal Kalkandelen, one of the animals rights activists taking part in a recent protest against the plan in Istanbul.

“For some time, there has been a campaign to fuel stray animal hatred,” she declared.

“Our people, who have been living with street dogs for many years, in fact for centuries, are now being brought to the point where all these animals will be erased.”

Street dogs have been a part of Istanbul life for centuries. The proposed legislation evokes memories of a dark chapter in the city’s past when, in 1910, street dogs were rounded up and left on a nearby island to starve.

It has provoked emotive arguments in parliament, with MPs jostling one another and exchanging insults – opening another deep divide in an already fractured political landscape.

But President Erdogan insists something must be done to control stray animals that, he argues, have become a menace to society, causing traffic accidents and spreading disease.

Humane alternatives

Addressing parliament, Erdogan claimed he was answering the call of the “silent majority”.

“The truth is that a very large part of society wants this issue to be resolved as soon as possible and our streets to become safe for everyone, especially our children,” he declared.

“It is unthinkable for us to remain indifferent to this demand, this call, even this cry. Our proposals are no different from those of other countries in Europe.”

Mixed reactions as France prepares to simplify wolf culling rules

Lawyer Elcin Cemre Sencan, who has helped organise protests against the proposed legislation, argues there are more humane ways to address people’s concerns.

“There is a group of people who are disturbed by these stray animals or who are afraid even to touch them,” she acknowledges. “But even if there are these concerns, the solution is not to put the dogs to sleep.

“Scientific studies have shown that sterilising animals, especially dogs, reduces not only their numbers but also attacks on people.”

Veterinary organisations have also pointed out that the cost of euthanising a dog is many times higher than sterilisation and vaccination.

Diversion tactic?

Some critics suggest politics could be behind the move.

With Erdogan’s conservative AK Party suffering heavy defeats in local elections this spring and Turkey grappling with near 100 percent inflation, opponents claim the Turkish president could be calculating that objections to his street dog legislation comes mainly from the secular opposition and hoping the issue will consolidate his religious base.

“We know our problems in this country; the world knows our problems. There is an economic crisis, and we have human rights problems everywhere. But they want to change the main topics to these animals,” said Eyup Cicerali, a professor at Istanbul’s Nisantasi University, at a recent protest against the legislation.  

“They want to kill them all,” he claimed. “We are here to protect our values, values of respect and dignity for human and animal rights. Life is an issue for all groups.”

According to one recent opinion poll, less than 3 percent of the Turkish public support the culling of street dogs.

Some of Erdogan’s MPs have even started speaking out against the law in the media, albeit anonymously. “This law makes us dog killers,” one unnamed deputy was quoted as saying.

Despite such misgivings, the legislation is expected to pass parliament later this month.

But with the protests drawing together secular and religious animal lovers, and opposition-controlled local authorities declaring they won’t impose the law, the stray dog legislation could prove a risky move for Erdogan.

Where will Gaza stray dogs find shelter?

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!

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 yourvery own personalexperience. 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, mesmerized by the passing landscapes. Rivers snaked through the green fields, and orchards of mangoes, lychees, and jackfruits painted the scenery with vibrant colors. 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 realize that true happiness and fulfillment could be found in the simplest of experiences and the purest of surroundings. This realization 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 splendor. 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!

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.