A bold policy shift, a destructive winter storm, and the birth of a Pakistani athlete who would make Olympic history.
Tag: olympics
Updated Oct. 16, 2024 at 11:00 a.m. African-American athletes Tommie Smith and John Carlos raised their fists in the Black Power Salute during the 200-meter medal ceremony at the Olympics on this day in 1968. What was the Black Power salute at the 1968 Olympics? During the medal ceremony for the 200-meter sprint at the […]
Updated Sept. 5, 2024 at 09:40 a.m The Munich Olympics terrorist attack happened on this day in in 1972. What was the Munich Olympics terrorist attack? The Munich Olympics terrorist attack was a tragic event that began in the early morning hours of September 5, 1972, when eight Palestinian militants entered the Olympic Village in […]
Since 2021, engineers at the aerospace group Airbus have been working with the French National Sports Agency to build better equipment for disabled athletes. Their high-lying expertise will be in full display at the Paralympics Games Paris 2024.
Updated Aug. 27, 2024 at 12:20 pm Twenty years ago, Argentina beat the star-studded U.S. basketball team at the Athens Olympics in a major upset. Who were the key players for Argentina in the game against the United States? Several key players contributed to Argentina’s victory against the United States, including Manu Ginóbili, Andrés Nocioni, […]
Updated August 16, 2024 at 11:30 a.m. Usain Bolt set a new world record of 9.58 seconds for the 100-meter dash on this day in 2009. Who is Usain Bolt? Usain Bolt is a Jamaican former sprinter and widely regarded as one of the greatest sprinters in the history of athletics. He specialized in the […]
Our Naples-based psychiatrist reflects on summer calm in the city, or lack thereof, and Olympic fervor.
Egypt disqualified a track cyclist from the Paris Olympics following an incident of unsportsmanlike behavior. But there is general confusion in Egyptian society — whether in politics or soccer — over the concept of competition.
For years, France has been searching for what makes it truly stand out in the modern world, beyond its eternal critical sense and Gallic quarrels. The creativity of the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games was the beginning of the answer.
Updated July 30, 2024 at 10:55 a.m. Caitlyn Jenner, then known as Bruce Jenner, won the Men’s decathlon at the 1976 Montreal Olympics on this day. How did Bruce Jenner perform in the men’s decathlon at the Montreal Olympics? Bruce Jenner delivered an outstanding performance, winning the gold medal in the Men’s decathlon at the […]
Several transgender athletes will compete at the Paris’ Olympics. But overall participation of transgender women in female sports is under threat in the U.S. where some states and sports organizations get to draw the boundaries between “real” and “unreal” women.
July 29 – August 4, 2024
With wars around the world arousing political strife and affecting the personal lives of many athletes, it seems the Paris 2024 Games could be overrun by geopolitics. Polish journalist Radoslaw Leniarski, an 11-time Olympic Games correspondent, explains what is, and isn’t, different this time.
Despite sometimes heated debates and increasing regulations, the king of short-term rentals has never performed as well as in this post-COVID period. The announcement this week of a whole set of new features shines the light on one of the digital era’s great success stories.
Sure, on this first leg of her European tour, Swift’s concerts this weekend in Paris are sold out. But many of the Swifties are arriving from outside of France. So while her star power spreads around the world, the French seem to remain impervious to Tay-tay’s soft power. A deeper look at the pourquoi by a bonafide Swiftie from Paris.
The Seine, the backbone of Paris’ Olympic celebrations, is being reclaimed as a recreational and transport hub. Does it mean Napoleon’s dream of a “Greater Paris” stretching all the way to the sea will finally happen?
Updated April 6, 2024 at 10:10 a.m. The first modern Olympic Games took place on this day 1896, in Athens, Greece. Why were the first modern Olympic Games held? The first modern Olympic Games were held to revive the ancient Greek tradition of athletic competition and promote international understanding and goodwill. How many countries participated […]
Paris promised to be a socially responsible host for the 2024 Summer Games, yet multiple testimonies from undocumented migrant workers have revealed mistreatment and workers’ rights violations by the companies charged with building the Olympic infrastructure.
Updated Nov 12, 2023 at 12 p.m Romania’s Nadia Comăneci is credited with popularizing the sport of gymnastics worldwide, getting her successful start at a very young age. Who is Nadia Comăneci? Born November 12, 1961, the Romanian gymnast became a household name after a successful career, winning five Olympic gold medals all in individual […]
Jesse Owens won his first gold medal at the Summer Olympics held in Berlin, Germany on this day in 1936. The American athlete was the first to cross the line of the 100-meter dash — one of the marquee track and field events at the Olympics. What was significant about Jesse Owens’ victory? Jesse Owens’ […]
The riots and looting continue after the police shooting death of a 17-year-old in the outskirts of Paris. Already embattled over labor reforms, French President Emmanuel Macron’s hopes to make peace with center-left allies are getting pushed aside by demands for law and order.
The war in Ukraine has shown how civilian drones can be effectively used as weapons. Meanwhile in Paris, with preparations on to host the Olympics in 2024, the city is testing some unlikely solutions to make sure the devices can’t be employed by terrorists.
With both fans and diplomatic dignitaries missing, it’s an Olympics that recalls politically combustible Games of the past. COVID-19, like it did for the Summer Games in Tokyo, will also help haunt the premises. The good news is that the athletes will most likely take over our attention as soon as they hit the ice and snow.
? Dumêlang!* Welcome to Thursday, where a U.S. air raid in Syria kills civilians, tainted cocaine kills 20 in Argentina, and Jeff Bezos’ superyacht gets special treatment in Rotterdam. Thanks to Persian-language media Kayhan, we also look at the discontent brewing among Iranians vis-à-vis their country’s religious government. [*Northern Sotho, South Africa] SPOTLIGHT I […]
The Omicron variant is again forcing event organizers to weigh whether to cancel, postpone or forge ahead in the face of superspreader risks.
? Saluton!* Welcome to Friday, where order has been restored in Kazakhstan, with a very heavy hand and help from Russia, North Korea bows out of the Beijing Olympics because of COVID and a new study shows dogs have multilingual skills. Meanwhile, Negar Jokar writes in Persian-language media Kayhan-London about the ways that Iran hounds […]
Joined in their respective confrontations with the West, both the Chinese and Russian leaders are boasting about their burgeoning partnership. Yet there are fundamental reasons the love affair is unlikely to last.
? Hallo!* Welcome to Tuesday, where Omicron now looms over the upcoming Beijing Winter Olympics, Philippine strongman Duterte unexpectedly quits his Senate race, and the NFT world witnesses a very costly slip of the keyboard. In French economic daily Les Echos, Adrien Lelièvre wonders whether the jig is up for the “gig economy.” [*German] […]
? Сәлем!* Welcome to Friday, where the U.S. wins bid to extradite whistleblower Julian Assange, Nicaragua breaks off ties with Taiwan to align with China and Sweden takes issue with IKEA branding. In the wake of New Zealand’s plans to ban all future cigarette sales, we take a look at toughening smoking laws around the […]
? Sveiki!* Welcome to Thursday, where boosters appear to work on Omicron, Jimmy Lai is found guilty and there’s a mind-blowingly bad idea for a new wine. We also see how Ukrainians are measuring the Russian threat of an invasion. [*Latvian] SIGN UP This is our daily newsletter Worldcrunch Today, a rapid tour of […]
A virtual unknown to most of the world a few days ago, Belarusian sprinter Kristina Timanovskaya is now at the center of an Olympic drama that has spilled over into the realm of geopolitics.
Winning a Nobel Prize can’t be the only criterion by which we measure a nation’s scientific achievement — but it is a matter of pride, like winning a gold at the Olympics. Lower funding on R&D alone doesn’t explain India’s abysmal show at the Nobel Prizes. Some key elements seem to be missing, beyond funding and infrastructure, vis-à-vis our scientists’ ability to produce path-breaking work.
Walking past a restaurant in Tokyo this week, you might spot the following sign: “Saké, ok!” Nothing out of the ordinary, it would seem, but these days it has another meaning: that restaurant is part of a growing rebellion against the government’s directives not to serve alcohol after 7 p.m, reports Le Monde. Tokyo, and […]
From global politics to the pandemic, problems abound for the Tokyo Games. Next year, when Beijing hosts the Winter Olympics, things could get messier still.
Many Japanese want to Games cancelled because of COVID risks.
Welcome to Friday, where COVID spikes in Asia, Germany formally recognizes its second 20th-century genocide and a fugitive in New Zealand went the wrong way in a helicopter. Berlin daily Die Welt introduces us to an openly gay Catholic priest, whose Sunday Mass is always full. • UN to investigate war crimes over Israeli-Hamas conflict: […]
Welcome to Tuesday, where the Taliban have launched an attack on a strategic city in southern Afghanistan, Iran’s new leader vows to fight U.S. sanctions and a world record is shattered in Tokyo. In Switzerland, there’s also an odd story of a man fond of his fondue fork for criminal purposes. • Taliban attack key […]
Welcome to Friday, where China sees its largest COVID-19 outbreak since Wuhan, the International Space Station is (briefly) thrown out of control, and a meme-related 80s hit passes the 1-billion-views mark. Meanwhile, pan-African weekly news magazine Jeune Afrique looks at the hurdles in the way of vaccination across the continent. • Hong Kong conviction, crowd […]
Welcome to Tuesday, where the first person charged under Hong Kong’s national security law is found guilty, the final victim of the Miami building collapse is identified, and Tesla reports skyrocketing profits. Meanwhile, The Conversation offers a deep dive into the Australia vs. UNESCO spat over the decision to list the Great Barrier Reef as […]
Welcome to Monday, where Tunisia’s prime minister is sacked over handling of pandemic, U.S.-China talks are off to a rocky start and a 13-year-old skateboarder wins the first Olympic gold medal. German daily Die Welt also looks at the geopolitics behind the Nord Stream 2 gas pipeline deal between Russia and Germany. • Tunisia PM […]