Olympic Rings are displayed on the Eiffel Tower in Paris, France.
| Photo Credit: Getty Images

Paris’s mayor said Friday that she intended to keep the Olympic rings on the Eiffel Tower until at least 2028 despite criticism of the idea from some residents and lawmakers.

The logo of five interlocking rings was erected on the beloved monument before the July 28-August 11 Olympics in Paris and has become a popular backdrop for selfies by visitors.

Anne Hidalgo, the Socialist mayor in power since 2014, caused widespread surprise last weekend by saying she intended to retain the symbol.

“The proposal that I have made for the rings… is a proposal that until 2028, until the Games in Los Angeles, we will leave the rings on the Eiffel Tower,” she told reporters at a press conference.

“Perhaps after 2028, they’ll stay and maybe they won’t. Let’s see,” she added.

Criticism

The idea has sparked criticism from many opposition Parisian lawmakers, residents as well as conservation groups.

The descendants of the tower’s designer, Gustave Eiffel, issued a statement saying that it “does not seem appropriate to us that the Eiffel Tower, which has become the symbol of Paris and the whole of France since its construction 135 years ago, has the symbol of an outside organisation added to it”.

Deputy mayor Pierre Rabadan confirmed to AFP on Tuesday that Ms. Hidalgo wanted to keep the rings permanently on the tower.

The Agitos logo for the Paralympic Games, which wrap up on Sunday, was placed on the Arc de Triomphe but will be moved to a location mid-way up the Champs-Elysees avenue, Ms. Hidalgo added.

Some critics have slammed the Eiffel Tower announcement as a personnal initiative taken without consulting the city’s council, or the capital’s residents more broadly.

“The mayor of Paris is not someone who lets opportunities slip by,” Ms. Hidalgo told reporters. “When you’re mayor you take decisions because you are legitimate to take them.”

The rings belong to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) while the Eiffel Tower is the property of the city of Paris.

It is on a list of protected monuments which is likely to complicate the task of keeping the logo.

The current rings will have to be removed because they are too heavy to keep on the monument, with the IOC financing a technical study to design new, lighter versions that can be attached to an attraction known affectionately by Parisians as “the Iron Lady”.

New Delhi:

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has congratulated Indian grappler Aman Sehrawat for clinching the bronze medal in the men’s freestyle 57 kg wrestling event at the Paris Olympics.

Mr Sehrawat, making his Olympic debut, secured the medal with a 13-5 victory over Puerto Rico’s Darian Cruz on Friday, marking India’s first wrestling medal at the Paris 2024 Games.

PM Modi praised him for his “dedication and perseverance” in a post on X.

More pride thanks to our wrestlers!

Congratulations to Aman Sehrawat for winning the Bronze Medal in the Men’s Freestyle 57 kg at the Paris Olympics. His dedication and perseverance are clearly evident. The entire nation celebrates this remarkable feat.

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) August 9, 2024

“More pride thanks to our wrestlers! Congratulations to Aman Sehrawat for winning the Bronze Medal in the Men’s Freestyle 57 kg at the Paris Olympics. His dedication and perseverance are clearly evident. The entire nation celebrates this remarkable feat,” PM Modi wrote.

Union Minister of Home Affairs Amit Shah also lauded Mr Sehrawat for his achievement.

“Congratulations, Aman! With your remarkable perseverance and strength, you have secured the Bronze Medal for India in the wrestling match at the #ParisOlympics2024. The nation is proud of your achievement,” Amit Shah wrote in a post on X.

Union Minister of Road Transport and Highways Nitin Gadkari expressed his pride in Mr Sehrawat’s accomplishment.

“Heartfelt congratulations to Aman Sehrawat for clinching the Bronze Medal in Men’s Freestyle 57 kg at the Paris Olympics! Your grit and determination have brought glory to on the world stage. You’ve made the nation proud with your remarkable achievement, inspiring countless others to chase their dreams,” Nitin Gadkari said in a post on X.

During the match, the Puerto Rican grappler initially gained the lead by securing a point with a single-leg hold. However, Mr Sehrawat came back strong, scoring points by targeting Darian Cruz’s shoulders.

After Darian Cruz took the lead with a two-point move, Mr Sehrawat regained control. With 37 seconds left, he secured additional points and won the bout with technical superiority as Mr Cruz attempted a desperate move and conceded another point.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

New Delhi:

India’s star javelin thrower, Neeraj Chopra, who clinched a silver medal at the Paris Olympics, became the first Indian track-and-field athlete to win two consecutive Olympic medals. His remarkable achievement was celebrated across the nation, with Prime Minister Narendra Modi leading the chorus of congratulations.

In a conversation with Mr Chopra, PM Modi said, “Many, many congratulations to you, Neeraj. You have once again made the country proud. Last night, even at 1 am, crores of people were watching you with hope.”

Mr Chopra said that he could not push himself fully because of his injuries and the competition was tough. “I am still happy to get a medal for my country in these circumstances. There are ups and downs in sport,” he added.

Mr Chopra’s silver medal came after a fiercely contested fight, where Pakistan’s Arshad Nadeem set a new Olympic record with a throw of 92.97 meteres, securing his country’s first-ever individual Olympic gold. Despite Mr Nadeem’s stellar performance, Mr Chopra held his ground with a formidable throw of 89.45 metres in the second round, earning him the silver medal.

PM Modi took to X (formerly Twitter) to express his admiration for the Haryana-born MrChopra. “Neeraj Chopra is excellence personified! Time and again he’s shown his brilliance. India is elated that he comes back with yet another Olympic success,” he wrote, “He will continue to motivate countless upcoming athletes to pursue their dreams and make our nation proud.”

Neeraj Chopra is excellence personified! Time and again he’s shown his brilliance. India is elated that he comes back with yet another Olympic success. Congratulations to him on winning the Silver. He will continue to motivate countless upcoming athletes to pursue their dreams… pic.twitter.com/XIjfeDDSeb

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) August 8, 2024

Mr Chopra won gold at the Tokyo Olympics.

Panipat:

Neeraj Chopra’s father, Satish Kumar, was proud of his son’s remarkable effort that saw him script history at the Paris Olympics after clinching the silver medal in the men’s javelin throw final at Stade de France.

When stakes were high in one of the biggest sporting events, it was Pakistan’s Arshad Nadeem who raised the bar by breaking the Olympic Record with a mammoth throw in front of a jam-packed crowd.

Neeraj delivered his season-best attempt of 89.45m, but it wasn’t close to Arshad’s humongous throw of 92.97 meters.

Before the Paris Olympics, Neeraj had a fair share of trouble with injuries. The groin injury that haunted him in 2023 and forced him to miss the Commonwealth Games returned early in May after he felt discomfort in his adductor.

Satish, who was proud after witnessing Neeraj’s performance and felt it was Pakistan’s day in the men’s javelin throw final, felt that his injury had a role in his performance.

“Everyone has their day. Today was Pakistan’s day. But we have won silver, and it is a proud thing for us. I think his groin injury had a part in his performance,” Satish told ANI.

His father believes that Neeraj’s success in Paris will serve as an inspiration for the next generation.

“He has won silver for the country. We are happy and proud. All the youths will get inspired by him,” Satish told reporters.

A big screen was arranged for people from Neeraj’s neighbourhood, and people turned up in numbers to see Neeraj perform in Paris.

Following his triumph, sweets were distributed among people, and crackers were burst to celebrate India’s first silver and overall fifth at the Paris Olympics.

Neeraj’s mother Saroj Devi was happy with the way his son delivered in the Summer Games and is eager to cook her son’s favourite meal.

“We are very happy. For us, silver is also equal to gold. The one who got the gold is also like our son. He was injured, so we are happy with his performance. I will cook his favourite food,” she said.

#WATCH | Haryana: On Neeraj Chopra winning a silver medal in men’s javelin throw at #ParisOlympics2024, his mother Saroj Devi says, “We are very happy, for us silver is also equal to gold…he was injured, so we are happy with his performance…” pic.twitter.com/6VxfMZD0rF

— ANI (@ANI) August 8, 2024

Neeraj’s grandfather, Dharm Singh Chopra, also reacted to his grandson’s win and said, “He has given his best performance and won silver, adding one more medal to the country.”

To defend his Tokyo gold medal, Neeraj had to do what he still has to achieve in his career, breaching the 90m mark.

After Arshad sent shockwaves throughout the athletics community with an Olympic Record effort of 92.97m, Neeraj had to dig deep and pull out his biggest performance ever.

However, he struggled to find his groove and registered a single legal attempt out of six, which turned out to be his season-best attempt.

Arshad effortlessly sent his javelin past the 90m mark to deliver one of the greatest track and field performances in the history of the Olympics. He broke the Olympic record in his second attempt and capped off his impressive display with a remarkable throw of 91.79m to take away the gold.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

New Delhi:

Congress MP Shashi Tharoor today said that Vinesh Phogat is “tired of fighting”, shortly after the wrestler announced her retirement following the shock exit from the Paris Olympics 2024 on Wednesday.

In a post in Hindi on X, Mr Tharoor said, “This girl is tired of this system… This girl is tired of fighting.”

इस सिस्टम से पक गई है ये लड़की
लड़ते-लड़ते थक गई है ये लड़की…#SorryVinesh! https://t.co/PkAGIqv1HWpic.twitter.com/59N38rT3Lx

— Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) August 8, 2024

Ms Phogat, heartbroken over her disqualification, announced her retirement from wrestling today.

“Wrestling won the match against me, I lost… My courage is all broken, I don’t have any strength now. Goodbye Wrestling 2001-2024. I will forever be in your debt,” she wrote in Hindi on X.

Vinesh Phogat was disqualified from the Paris Olympics for being 100 grams overweight, hours before she was to take on the US’ Sarah Ann Hildebrandt in the historic 50-kg freestyle gold medal match.

She had scripted history by becoming the first Indian woman wrestler to reach the gold medal bout in her category on Tuesday night and was assured of at least a silver medal.

The 29-year-old grappler, who usually competes in the 53 kg category, had moved down to the 50 kg weight class for the Paris Olympic Games.

Shortly after her disqualification, Prime Minister Narendra Modi called her “a champion among champions” and urged her to “come back stronger”.

“Today’s setback hurts. I wish words could express the sense of despair I am experiencing. At the same time… you epitomise resilience. It has always been your nature to take challenges head-on. We are rooting for you,” he posted on X.

Vinesh Phogat Demands Olympic Silver

Vinesh Phogat has decided to file an appeal in the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) against her disqualification from the Paris Olympics.

Ms Phogat, who is a three-time Olympian and has won gold medals in both the Asian and Commonwealth Games, has asked for a joint Olympic silver to be given to her.

The verdict is expected to be given today.

An ad-hoc division of the CAS has been set up in Paris for resolution by arbitration of any disputes arising during the Olympic Games or during a period of 10 days preceding the opening ceremony.

Cuban wrestler Yusneylis Guzman Lopez, who lost to Ms Phogat in the semifinals, replaced her in the final against Ms Hildebrandt.

Ms Hidebrandt won the bout to claim gold and the Indian wrestler is now banking on the CAS to be a joint silver medallist with Ms Lopez.

Paris:

Telecom installations belonging to French companies SFR and Bouygues Telecom have been vandalised, reported Le Parisien newspaper and BFM TV on Monday, citing unnamed sources.

SFR and Bouygues did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

The reports said cables in electrical cabinets had been cut in southern France, and that installations in the Meuse region near Luxembourg and the Oise area near Paris had been vandalised, affecting mainly fixed-line services.

Saboteurs targeted France’s high-speed rail network on Friday with pre-dawn attacks on signal substations and cables, causing travel chaos hours before the opening ceremony of the Paris Olympics.

Interior Minister Gerald Darmanin said that one far-left extremist had been arrested on Sunday in relation to the case.

Traffic only returned to normal Monday morning but only after some 800,000 people faced disruptions, including 100,000 people whose trains had to be cancelled outright.

The reports by Le Parisien and BFM TV did not state if there were any links between the vandalism on the telecom installations, and that earlier sabotage on the rail network.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Paris:

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer Saturday brushed off the fascination with a viral image taken at the Paris Olympic Games opening ceremony showing him as the only dignitary not wearing a protective plastic poncho during driving rain.

Starmer was pictured as the only person bare-headed as other VIPs opted to encase themselves in plastic hand-out ponchos to protect themselves from the rain that blighted Friday’s opening ceremony on the River Seine.

The image was widely shared on social media, with users seeing the picture as a classic example of a very British stiff upper lip in the face of the inclement weather all to familiar to residents of the famously drizzly country.

“It’s British! We are used to the rain,” Starmer told French channel LCI in an interview.

“But it (the rain) didn’t dampen the spirits,” he added, describing the opening ceremony as a “spectacular” and “fantastic” event that made “the whole use of the river (and) of Paris.”

Starmer, elected earlier this month in a landslide election victory for the centre-left Labour Party that ended 14 years of right-wing Conservative rule, was making his first official visit to Paris as premier.

“Nothing more British than absolutely refusing to wear one of those plastic poncho things,” wrote one user on X, formerly Twitter.

Rain has had considerable symbolism in British politics in recent weeks.

When he called the general election, Conservative former prime minister Rishi Sunak was widely mocked for delivering his address outside 10 Downing Street in pouring rain without a coat or an umbrella.

Starmer was however wearing a navy blue Team GB rain-proof jacket and in other images could also be seen using its hood to protect his hair from the rain. 

“Preparation is the key to success,” the Labour Party wrote on X as it posted one of these images.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

The cauldron rises by the Arc de Triomphe du Carrousel in Paris, France, during the opening ceremony of the 2024 Summer Olympics, on July 26, 2024.
| Photo Credit: AP

Paris Olympics 2024 opening ceremony | Paris unveils ultimate spectacle with pomp, fervour and splendour

The magnificent City of Light, dotted with the spectacular Eiffel Tower and scores of majestic buildings featuring admirable architecture, welcomed the 33rd Olympic Games in a unique way, with the much-awaited Opening Ceremony on the Seine involving a stretch of Paris’ rich heritage, here on Friday. The riot of colours and lights turned the Seine and the pastel city into a surreal place, amalgamating history and contemporariness in a spellbinding show.

Mosques, mazar covered on Haridwar kanwar route; removed after flak

Facades of two mosques and a mazar along the kanwar yatra route in Uttarakhand’s Haridwar city were on Friday covered with large sheets of white cloth to “prevent trouble” but were removed by the evening after objections from various quarters. The sheets were hung on bamboo scaffoldings in front of the mosques and the mazar, all in the Jwalapur area.

17 share top rank as NTA declares final results of NEET-UG

The National Testing Agency (NTA) on Friday released re-revised results, the fourth iteration, of the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) undergraduate exam that pave way for medical and para-medical course admissions. The latest results were published after the Supreme Court asked the NTA to deduct marks for a Physics question that NTA had said had two ‘correct’ answers.

NEET paper leak case: CBI arrests one more accused

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) arrested one more accused, Pawan Kumar, from Jharkhand’s Dhanbad district on July 26 in connection with the NEET-UG paper leak case. This is the 37th arrest in the case in Jharkhand and Bihar.

ED attaches assets of Tamil Nadu Minister Ponmudy’s kin, associates

The Directorate of Enforcement (ED) on Friday provisionally attached movable and immovable properties, worth ₹14.21 crore, belonging to the family members and associates of Tamil Nadu Minister for Higher Education K. Ponmudy and his son and former Kallakurichi MP P. Gautham Sigamani in the illegal red earth quarrying case.The Airports Authority of India (AAI) has issued a safety advisory expressing concern over the recent increase in fire accidents at airport buildings. The safety advisory laid emphasis on following the Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) to prevent and respond to fires, which could cause chaos, loss of life and flight disruptions.

NITI Aayog needs to be scrapped: Mamata Banerjee

A day before the meeting of the Governing Council of NITI Aayog, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee called for “scrapping” the body claiming that it had little use other than organising annual meetings. Six Opposition Chief Ministers are skipping the meeting protesting the alleged bias in the Union Budget which they claim, only catered for the NDA-ruled States. Ms. Banerjee and her Jharkhand counterpart Hemant Soren are the only Opposition Chief Ministers who are expected to attend the meeting.

India, U.S. sign agreement to protect cultural heritage

India and the U.S. on July 26 signed a cultural property agreement aimed at enhancing cooperation to protect cultural heritage of the two countries. Cultural property agreements prevent the illegal trade of cultural property and simplify the process by which looted and stolen antiquities may be returned to their country of origin.

Trump meets Netanyahu, mends relationship with key political ally

A beaming former U.S. President Donald Trump welcomed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to their first face-to-face meeting in nearly four years on Friday, patching up a political alliance important to both men that had broken down when the Israeli leader offended Mr. Trump by being one of the first to congratulate Joe Biden on his 2020 presidential victory.

BJP chief attacks Congress for politicising Agnipath scheme, PM’s Drass visit

Union Minister and BJP chief J.P. Nadda on Friday hit out at the Congress for politicising the Agnipath military recruitment scheme and the Drass visit of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to pay tributes to the soldiers on the 25th anniversary of Kargil Vijay Diwas.

Delhi HC seeks the police’s reply to MP Mahua Moitra’s plea to quash FIR over derogatory remarks to NCW chief

The Delhi High Court on Friday asked the Delhi police to respond to Trinamool Congress (TMC) Lok Sabha MP Mahua Moitra’s plea seeking the quashing of an FIR against her over an alleged “derogatory” social media remark on National Commission for Women (NCW) chief Rekha Sharma. The court listed the matter for arguments on November 6.

Congress accuses Modi government of ‘unprecedented fiscal mismanagement’ in J&K

The Congress on July 26 accused the Narendra Modi government of “unprecedented fiscal mismanagement” in Jammu and Kashmir. Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh, in a statement, asked why Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman was “benevolent” towards Andhra Pradesh and Bihar but not to the Union Territory.

Paris:
Paris is decked up to host a grand opening ceremony later today for the 2024 Olympics, but went into a tizzy after the rail network was crippled by “malicious acts”.

Here are the top updates on France’s rail network disruption:

French railway company SNCF suffered a massive attack of sufficient magnitude to paralyze its TGV network on the night of July 25, 2024 to July 26, the group told AFP and TGV traffic on the Atlantic, North and East routes will be very disrupted, a few hours before the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games
| Photo Credit: AFP

High-speed trains around France were hit by several “malicious acts” on July 26 that heavily disrupted traffic on the day of the high-risk opening ceremony of the Paris Olympics, according to the national rail company SNCF.

Travel to and from London beneath the English Channel, to neighboring Belgium, and across the west, north and east of France were affected by what SNCF called a series of coordinated overnight incidents.

Also read | Postcard from Paris

Government officials denounced the incidents hours before the opening ceremony of the Paris Olympics, which are happening around France, though there was no immediate sign of a link to the Games.

National police said authorities are investigating what happened. French media reported a big fire on a busy western route.

Transport Minister Patrice Vergriete said in a post on X that he “firmly condemns these criminal incidents,” and that SNCF is working to restore traffic.

Sports Minister Amélie Oudéa-Castera said authorities are working to “evaluate the impact on travelers, athletes, and ensure the transport of all delegations to the competition sites” for the Olympics. Speaking on BFM television, she said, “Playing against the Games is playing against France, against your own camp, against your country.” She didn’t identify who was behind the vandalism.

Paris police chief Laurent Nunez, speaking on France Info radio, said he would send police reinforcement to overcrowded train stations in relation to the SNCF incidents.

Passengers at St. Pancras station in London were warned to expect delays of around an hour to their Eurostar journeys. Announcements in the departure hall at the international terminus informed travelers heading to Paris that there was a problem with overhead power supplies.