Latest News
Paris set for its first Olympics in 100 years
It is the first time in 100 years that the French capital has hosted the summer Games, with the majority of the events taking place in or around the city’s most iconic areas.
Today’s opening ceremony will see boats carry athletes and dignitaries down 6km of the River Seine, with room for 300,000 spectators.
Few details are known about the event – though there has been speculation about Celine Dion and Lady Gaga performing – with the ceremony’s artistic director Thomas Jolly saying he wants to “show France in all its diversity”.
The Paris Games is the first to achieve gender parity among athletes,arn with 5,250 male and 5,250 female athletes set to compete.
With millions expected to attend the Games, Paris is making the final touches for a Games it hopes will be like no other.
French President Emmanuel Macron said earlier this week that the country was “ready and we will be ready throughout the Games”.
However, some Parisians have used social media to warn people about issues such as overcrowding, price inflation and difficulties in getting around the city.
There is a huge security operation in place, with up to 5,000 police, soldiers and hired guards on patrol at any one time. The Seine – the river than runs through the centre of Paris – has been fenced off for the opening ceremony, leaving residents needing QR codes to access certain areas.
That has affected local businesses along the Seine, leading to some criticism but. French authorities say the barricades will be removed after Friday’s event.
The cost of this year’s Games is expected to be about 9bn euros (£7.6bn), with the organising committee promising to make it the greenest Olympics in history.
Only two arenas are new and purpose-built – an aquatics centre and an arena for badminton and rhythmic gymnastics.
Other iconic venues such as the Stade de France – the national stadium – and French Open tennis venue Roland Garros will host events, alongside historic sites such as the Grand Palais and the Place de la Concorde.
One of the big concerns in the build-up was the water quality of the Seine, which will host the swimming leg of the triathlon and open-water events.
Swimming in the river was banned for a century because of the water quality, with tests in June still showing levels of E.coli above the upper limits imposed by sports federations.
However, Paris mayor Anne Hidalgo swam in the river on 17 July to try to prove it was safe.
The water will be tested regularly in different areas before the events.
(BBC)
Latest News
President scheduled to attend a meeting with representatives of Germany’s Tourism and Travel Industry Associations and Association of German Chambers of Industry and Commerce today
President Anura Kumara Disanayake who is on an official visit to the Federal Republic of Germany, is scheduled to attend a meeting with representatives of Germany’s Tourism and Travel Industry Associations at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in Berlin today (13).
Following this engagement, the President will participate in a Business Forum organised by the Association of German Chambers of Industry and Commerce (DIHK), to be held at its headquarters in Berlin.
President Disanayake is also expected to hold bilateral discussions this afternoon with Germany’s Federal Minister for Economic Cooperation and Development, Ms Reem Alabali-Radovan, at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel.
In the afternoon, the President is further scheduled to meet with members of the Sri Lankan community residing in Germany.
Accompanying the President on this official visit are Minister of Foreign Affairs, Foreign Employment and Tourism, Vijitha Herath and a delegation of senior government officials, all of whom will participate in these engagements.
Bangladesh Cricket Board on Thursday (June 12) announced Mehidy Hasan Miraz as the new ODI captain, replacing Najmul Hossain Shanto, “for the next 12 months”. The surprising decision comes less than a month ahead of three-match ODI series in Sri Lanka, scheduled to begin on July 2.
Shanto, who recently stepped down from T20I captaincy in order to concentrate on his batting, was all set to continue as ODI captain though the board think-tank felt otherwise.
“The Board felt that Miraz’s consistent performances with the bat and ball, his ability to fight and inspire the team and his energetic presence on and off the field make him an ideal candidate to lead the ODI side during a transitional time,” Chairman of BCB’s Cricket Operations Committee Nazmul Abedeen said. “We believe he has the temperament and maturity to take Bangladesh forward in this format.
“We take this opportunity to thank Shanto for the positivity and character he has demonstrated as captain. He remains very much a part of the leadership group and we know how important his batting is to the team.”
With 1617 runs and 110 wickets in 105 ODIs, Miraz is currently ranked No. 4 among allrounders in the ICC ODI rankings – the highest for any Bangladeshi player. He is also a part of the elite club – comprising Mohammad Rafique, Mashrafe Bin Mortaza, and Shakib Al Hasan – who have achieved the 1000 runs and 100 wickets double in the 50-overs format at the highest level.
“It is a huge honour for me to be entrusted with this responsibility by the Board,” Miraz said in a statement released by the BCB. “Leading the country is a dream for any cricketer and I am grateful for the confidence the Board has shown in me.
“I have every faith in this team. We have the talent and the belief to play fearless cricket. I want us to perform with confidence, play without inhibition and continue giving our best for the country.”
Mehidy has previously led the national side in four ODIs in Najmul’s absence.
With this move, the BCB has once again reverted to different captains for different formats, a formula they followed earlier when Tamim Iqbal led the ODI side while Mominul Haque and Mahmudullah captained in Tests and T20Is respectively. Currently Najmul is leading the country in the longest format, while Litton Das is the T20I skipper.
Shanto, who scored 1565 runs averaging 34.77 in 49 ODIs including three centuries and 10 fifties, made 564 runs in 13 ODIs that he captained in, averaging 51.27. He lost nine games and won four during his tenure as Bangladesh’s ODI captain.
Israeli military says it launched a wave of strikes against Iranian military and nuclear sites in a major escalation against Tehran.
An unnamed Israeli military official has told the Times of Israel newspaper that it has carried out five waves of strikes on targets across Iran. Hundreds of strikes have been carried out in total, with at least eight locations targeted.
Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says the military operation will continue as long as necessary
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps eulogises its slain chief Hossein Salami who was killed by Israel, saying that he was at the “forefront” of defending the country.
“Despite this brutal crime, the noble and revolutionary nation of Iran, is assured that the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps command with authority and intelligence, along with other armed forces and fighters of the Islamic nation, is ready to respond decisively to the violations of the Zionist enemy,” the IRGC said in a statement.
[Aljazeera}
Preventing road accidents should be approached not merely as a legal obligation but as a personal responsibility to save lives – PM
President scheduled to attend a meeting with representatives of Germany’s Tourism and Travel Industry Associations and Association of German Chambers of Industry and Commerce today
Mehidy Hasan replaces Najmul Hossain as Bangladesh ODI captain
-
Business6 days agoRegional Ambassador for Wildlife Photography
-
Business6 days agoDialog Enterprise reaffirms commitment to Sri Lankan SMEs as the Title Sponsor of Industry Expo 2025
-
Features4 days agoLTTE and Canadian complicity
-
Business6 days agoThe Evolving Story of Pure Ceylon Tea
-
News4 days agoIranganie celebrates her birthday today
-
Business6 days agoSLIM partners with ministry to produce Sri Lanka’s top Business Advisors
-
Sports5 days agoMathews’ 10,000- run regret
-
News2 days agoUK confirms ongoing war crimes investigation into British mercenaries in Sri Lanka