PARIS: French authorities say they have detained a Russian man on suspicion of planning to “destabilize the Olympic Games.”
A 40-year-old Russia-born man was arrested on Tuesday at his Paris apartment, a statement from the Paris prosecutor’s office said Wednesday.
He was charged with “conducting intelligence work on behest of a foreign power” with an aim to “provoke hostilities in France,” crimes punishable with 30-year sentence in France, the statement said.
During an official search of the suspect’s home in Paris, police agents found items that “raised fears of his intention to organize events likely to lead to destabilization of the Olympic Games,” prosecutors said.
It comes after the interior minister said earlier Wednesday that security authorities made an arrest and foiled a separate plot to attack the Olympics.
Minister Gérald Darmanin said the security authorities thwarted a plot against the Paris Olympics, two days before the official start of the Summer Games.
France has been on high alert over the past few weeks as preparations to host the 2024 Olympics hit the final stretch. The Games officially kick off with a lavish and high-security opening ceremony on the River Seine on Friday.
The Games’ organizers face security challenges, including cyberattack concerns, amid high international tensions because of the Russia’s war in Ukraine and the Israel-Hamas conflict in Gaza.
There are also elaborate disinformation campaigns orchestrated out of Russia, targeting the Olympics and France’s recent elections, according to French officials and cybersecurity experts in Europe and the United States.
Darmanin said in an interview Wednesday with French broadcaster BFMTV that a young man was arrested in Gironde, a region in the southwest of France, on suspicion of “planning a violent action against the Olympic Games.”
Police arrested an 18-year-old man Tuesday on accusations that he was planning to target the “organization of the Games,” Darmanin said.
He did not give details on the suspect’s potential targets or whether they were in Paris or in other French cities hosting Olympic events that run through Aug. 11.
“We are still working on this case ... (we) avoid giving details ... but we think there is a link,” Darmanin said. “It’s been established that this person wanted to attack the Olympic Games.”
Paris has deployed 35,000 police officers each day for the Olympics, with a peak of 45,000 for the opening ceremony. In addition, 10,000 soldiers are taking part in security operations in the Paris region.
A 10,000-strong military force is patrolling streets and sites in the Paris region and carrying out other security missions.
France also is getting help from more than 40 countries that together have sent at least 1,900 police reinforcements.
French authorities detain Russian man on accusations of planning to ‘destabilize’ Olympics
https://arab.news/wtf79
French authorities detain Russian man on accusations of planning to ‘destabilize’ Olympics
- A 40-year-old Russia-born man was arrested on Tuesday at his Paris apartment
- He was charged with “conducting intelligence work on behest of a foreign power” with an aim to “provoke hostilities in France”
Mubadala Abu Dhabi Open set for third edition in early 2025
- 28 singles players and 16 doubles pairs will come together for 8 days of tennis action in the UAE capital
ABU DHABI: The Mubadala Abu Dhabi Open is set to return for the third time in 2025 after its successful second edition earlier this year.
The Women’s Tennis Association and International Management Group have announced that the tournament will take center stage at the International Tennis Centre, Zayed Sports City, from Feb. 1-8.
Secretary-General of Abu Dhabi Sports Council, Aref Hamad Al Awani, said: “We continue to steadily build on the success of this prestigious championship, following the excellence demonstrated in the past two editions.
“The championship highlights our commitment to hosting world-class events in Abu Dhabi, the global sports capital, backed by the confidence of official sports federations and organizations, as well as the exceptional infrastructure that positions Abu Dhabi as a premier global destination, attracting top sports stars from around the world.”
The Mubadala Abu Dhabi Open has quickly established itself as one of the highest-profile tournaments in women’s tennis, with strong line-ups competing for valuable ranking points.
With 28 singles players and 16 top doubles teams, the third edition aims to build on the success of this year’s event, where former Grand Slam champion and World No. 4 Elena Rybakina clinched the singles title and Bethanie Mattek-Sands and Sofia Kenin triumphed in the doubles.
Homaid Al-Shimmari, deputy group CEO and chief corporate and human capital officer for Mubadala Investment Company, said: “The third edition of the Mubadala Abu Dhabi Open promises to be the best yet, offering an unparalleled experience that celebrates world-class tennis. Our commitment to this event highlights our dedication to supporting women’s professional tennis, enhancing Abu Dhabi’s global presence, and fostering engagement through world-class sporting experiences.”
Women’s Tennis Association CEO Portia Archer added: “We’re excited to welcome the Mubadala Abu Dhabi Open back for the 2025 season after an impressive second edition featuring eight of the world’s top 20 players. The tournament’s exceptional organization and passionate fan base make it a favorite among WTA players.”
Endrick’s surprising tribute to Charlton has Brazilians calling him ‘Bobby’
- Endrick, who turned 18 in July, wasn’t used against Ecuador but he looks set to start on Tuesday against Paraguay in Asuncion in his first appearance since the Copa America in July
- Endrick ended a goalless friendly with England 10 minutes from time with his first goal for Brazil and became the youngest male scorer at Wembley
SAO PAULO: After Endrick scored the only goal for Brazil in a win over England at Wembley, he revealed a player he unexpectedly idolized.
Bobby Charlton.
Ever since that March night, his Brazil teammates have never let him forget it.
They started calling him “Bobby” and it has stuck.
Last Friday, as Endrick warmed up before the World Cup qualifier against Ecuador in Curitiba, fans were yelling “Bobby Charlton” at him. He was seen smiling and waving.
On Sunday, Brazil striker Rodrygo confirmed it. “Now he is Bobby, he is no longer Endrick. The banter is on,” Rodrygo told ESPN. “There’s nothing he can do. If he gets angry it will be worse.”
Endrick, who turned 18 in July, wasn’t used against Ecuador but he looks set to start on Tuesday against Paraguay in Asuncion in his first appearance since the Copa America in July, when he failed to shine and Brazil bowed out in the quarterfinals.
That was in stark contrast to March when Endrick ended a goalless friendly with England 10 minutes from time with his first goal for Brazil and became the youngest male scorer at Wembley. He paid surprising tribute to Charlton, the England and Manchester United great who died last October.
“I am a fan of Bobby Charlton’s, he played a lot in this stadium. To play and score at a stadium where he scored so many goals is very important to me,” Endrick said.
Journalists at the match had the impression Endrick was instructed to pay tribute to Charlton, which he never confirmed. Later, Brazilian media reported Endrick played a video game that included Charlton.
When memes exploded on Brazilian social media featuring the striker as a fan of antiques, Endrick went quiet about it. An old interview in which he said his father initially wanted to name him after Real Madrid great Alfredo di Stefano added to doubts about whether Endrick was being truthful or just trying to pander to an international audience.
But last month, he again named Charlton, a 1966 World Cup winner, as one of his favorite players in an interview with a social media influencer.
No Pele, no Diego Maradona, no Lionel Messi.
Endrick’s list of five also included four past or present players from Real Madrid, which he joined in July.
His Brazilian teammates at Real Madrid — Eder Militao, Vinicius Junior, Rodrygo — were already on the “Bobby” train but others came aboard after the striker scored his first goal for Madrid on Aug. 25.
“Bien Bobbyyyyyy,” goalkeeper Thibault Courtois wrote on social media. Midfielder Jude Bellingham added, “Bobbiiigol.”
There seems to be no stopping “Bobby” now.
US Open champion Jannik Sinner is a young man in a hurry. He is 23, is No. 1 and has 2 Slam titles
- Sinner is the first man since Guillermo Vilas all the way back in 1977 to pick up major titles No. 1 and No. 2 within the same season
- This season could be seen as a transfer of power from the generation of Djokovic, Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal — a trio with 66 Slam trophies — to the Big Two of Alcaraz and Sinner
NEW YORK: New US Open champion Jannik Sinner is making big strides in a short amount of time.
And that, he figures, bodes well for what’s to come.
Just 23, Sinner already reached No. 1 in the ATP rankings a few months ago and, on Sunday, collected the second Grand Slam trophy of his career — and of the year — by defeating Taylor Fritz 6-3, 6-4, 7-5 in the final at Flushing Meadows.
Add that to his Australian Open championship in January, and Sinner is the first man since Guillermo Vilas all the way back in 1977 to pick up major titles No. 1 and No. 2 within the same season.
“I’ve gone through a lot things quickly,” said Sinner, Italy’s second US Open singles title winner, joining 2015 women’s champ Flavia Pennetta. “I’m still young. That gives me confidence I still can get better, because at 23, you haven’t perfected everything. So my team and I know we have to improve.”
In what ways? He pointed to the match against Fritz.
“Today, I played well from the back court. I felt good there,” said Sinner, who was exonerated in a doping case the week before the tournament began in New York. “But could I do more? Yes. Could I serve better? Absolutely.”
That aspect of his game is considered a relative weakness, but check out this stat: Sinner won 88 percent of points when his first serve went in.
What the 6-foot-4 (1.93-meter) Sinner did best Sunday is what he does as well as any other man in tennis right now: control the baseline, using his instincts and considerable wingspan to get to nearly every ball and whip it with serious force. He’s also an elite returner: Fritz had lost just nine of 107 service games across 22 sets before Sinner broke him three times in the first set alone and a half-dozen times overall.
“Credit to Jannik. He returned well at some of the big moments and got some serves back that a lot of guys don’t get back,” said Michael Russell, Fritz’s coach. “He creates a lot of unique challenges, because he’s so dangerous off both sides, the forehand and the backhand, and he moves really well, too.”
Fritz, the first American man in a major singles final in 15 years, had played Sinner twice before, both times at Indian Wells, California, winning in 2021 and losing in 2023. Fritz said Sinner’s greatest areas of improvement are his movement and serve.
“In my mind, I know that I’m not perfect, and I will never be perfect, but we always try to evolve,” Sinner said. “Then after my career, I can say, ‘OK, I’ve done everything possible to be at 100 percent.’”
When Fritz tried to go to what he called “Plan B” on Sunday, opting to keep balls in play more, rather than going for winners early in exchanges, he said, Sinner managed to “bully me a little bit too much.”
And it’s not as though Sinner is only capable of these things on hard courts like those used at Melbourne Park and Flushing Meadows. He’s been a semifinalist on the French Open’s clay and Wimbledon’s grass.
The self-belief he got at the Australian Open — beating 10-time champion Novak Djokovic in the semifinals, then defeating 2021 US Open champion Daniil Medvedev for the championship after being two sets down — also was important.
He called that title “kind of a relief” because “you never know if you can win one Grand Slam or not, but when you win one, you know that you can.”
The US Open was different, Sinner said, both because of elevated pressure and what he termed “pre-tournament circumstances.”
He considered it “pretty surprising” to wind up with a pair of majors in 2024, which is a fair assessment, especially given that 24-time Slam champion Djokovic, 37, is still around, and Carlos Alcaraz, 21, is showing himself to be elite.
This season could be seen as a transfer of power from the generation of Djokovic, Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal — a trio with 66 Slam trophies — to the Big Two of Alcaraz and Sinner.
The young duo divvied up the four biggest prizes in men’s tennis, making this the first time since 2002 that no member of the Big Three won at least one.
“It is a bit different, for sure. I mean, it’s something new, but it’s also nice to see,” Sinner said. “Nice to see new champions. Nice to see new rivalries.”
Italy beat Israel in Nations League
BUDAPEST: Italy continued their post-Euro 2024 recovery on Monday with a tight 2-1 Nations League win over Israel in Budapest.
Goals in each half from Davide Frattesi and Moise Kean were enough for Italy to win in a subdued atmosphere at the Bozsik Arena which hosted the Israel home fixture due to the security situation in the Middle East.
Luciano Spalletti’s team have reacted well to their disastrous European Championship title defense, which ended at the last-16 stage, and were deserved winners on a soaking night in the Hungarian capital.
The crowd of 2,000 fans meant Monday’s match didn’t have the feel of a senior international match, with the main off-pitch event coming during Israel’s national anthem ahead of kick-off, when a small group of Italy fans turned their backs to the pitch.
The Azzurri were slow starters as they were in Friday’s 3-1 win over France in Paris, but were not punished by Israel and grew into the match.
By the time Frattesi chested home Federico Dimarco’s pinpoint cross in the 38th minute, his sixth international goal since Spalletti replaced Roberto Mancini just over a year ago, Italy were firmly on top.
Sagiv Jehezkel should have levelled for Israel just after half-time when he failed to divert Dor Peretz’s scuffed shot past Gianluigi Donnarumma from close range.
But in the 62nd minute Fiorentina striker Kean scored his first Italy goal in almost exactly three years to seal the points, with Mohamed Abu Fani’s strike in the final minute too late for Israel to mount a comeback.
France beat Belgium with Kolo Muani and Dembele goals
LYON: Randal Kolo Muani and Ousmane Dembele scored the goals as France bounced back from a home loss to Italy at the weekend by beating Belgium 2-0 in the UEFA Nations League on Monday.
It was not a full-strength French team that took to the field for the game in Lyon, with captain Kylian Mbappe dropping out as one of eight changes made by coach Didier Deschamps.
France lost 3-1 to Italy in Paris on Friday despite taking the lead inside 13 seconds, while Belgium came into this match fresh from beating Israel by the same scoreline.
This game was a repeat of the Euro 2024 last-16 tie which France won 1-0 in Duesseldorf thanks to a late own goal.
Les Bleus went ahead here just before the half-hour mark, Kolo Muani applying the finish after Dembele’s mishit shot was pushed out by Belgian goalkeeper Koen Casteels.
A Belgian side captained by Kevin De Bruyne could not find an equalizer and France scored again on 57 minutes thanks to a fine individual effort by Dembele.
The Paris Saint-Germain winger skipped inside from the right wing before blasting a shot into the net on his left foot.
Mbappe, Antoine Griezmann and Michael Olize were among the players who came off the bench for France in the second half, as they saw out a victory which will boost confidence after the disappointing defeat by Italy.
The Italians are on top of Group A2 with six points out of six after beating Israel 2-1 on Monday.
France and Belgium have three points apiece, while Israel are bottom without a point.
The next matches are in October, including Italy playing Belgium in Rome, and Israel meeting France on neutral territory in Budapest.
