Nepal: Plane crashes in Kathmandu with 19 on board

The Saurya Airlines plane was operating a test flight from the capital, Kathmandu, to the tourist hub of Pokhara. Nepal's military said that rescue work is ongoing.

ITS NOT RESCUE ITS RETRIVAL OF DEAD BODIES

The incident occurred when the plane skidded off the runway in Kathmandu

Image: Navesh Chitrakar/REUTERS


A plane crash in Nepal killed all 18 passengers on board on Wednesday and left the pilot injured, police said.

The Saurya Airlines plane crashed during take-off on a test flight from Nepal's capital of Kathmandu to Pokhara.

"Eighteen bodies have been recovered, including one foreigner," police spokesperson Dan Bahadur Karki told the AFP news agency.

"We are in the process of taking them for post-mortem."

The Nepali military responded to the fatal crash

Image: NepaliArmyHQ via X/via REUTERS

Kathmandu airport general manager Jagannath Niroula told AFP further details were "still being confirmed."

Footage of the incident showed a large smoke plume with firefighters at the scene.

"Rescue work is going on," Nepal's military said.

Saurya Airlines operates the Bombardier CRJ 200 regional jet on domestic routesImage: Agniia Galdanova/AP/picture alliance

Nepal's air safety record

Saurya Airlines operates the Bombardier CRJ 200 regional jet on domestic routes.

Nepal's aviation sector has a poor safety record due to insufficient training and maintenance.

The European Union has banned all Nepali airlines from its airspace.

More to follow...

zc/rm (AFP, Reuters, AP)

LAS MALVINAS

Falkland Islands: At least six dead after fishing boat sinks

A fishing vessel carrying 27 sunk off the Falklands, killing at least six people while seven others are missing. Rescuers found fourteen people and took them to a hospital in Stanley.

Ten off those on board were Spanish.

Image: Steven Heap/Zoonar/picture alliance

Officials from the UK and Spain said Tuesday that a fishing boat carrying 27 people had sunk off the Falkland Islands, with six dead and seven others missing.

The boat sank about 320 kilometers (199 miles) off the Falkland Islands east of Argentina. The archipelago is controlled by Britain, but Argentina claims it as its own and calls it Las Malvinas.

Rescue operations

Fourteen people made it onto a life raft and were rescued by two other fishing boats that were nearby, said Spanish authorities.

Authorities from Spain's Pontevedra province said 10 of the crew members were from Spain. There were other nationalities on the ship as well.

The Argentinian navy said strong winds and waves had damaged the vessel, causing water to rapidly fill the hull.

Authorities in the Falklands said they received an emergency signal on Monday from the vessel known as Argos Georgia. It was sailing at a speed of 35 knots (40 mph, 65 kmph) when the signal was sent, said monitoring site MarineTraffic.com.

The boat was sailing east of Stanley, the capital of the Falklands.

A helicopter spotted survivors on Monday. Another aircraft and other vessels were deployed for a rescue operation, which had to be suspended earlier due to rough wind and waters and low visibility. Efforts were resumed on Tuesday.

Fourteen people were taken to the King Edward VII Memorial Hospital in Stanley for treatment.

The vessel built in 2018 was managed by Argos Froyanes Ltd., a privately owned joint British-Norwegian company, and was sailing under the flag of St. Helena, another of Britain's overseas territories.

"Our crew members are true professionals and have regular training for such a situation. We trust in their ability to use the safety equipment to the best of their ability," the company said in a statement.

In 1982, Britain had gained territorial rights within 200 miles of the archipelago after its victory over Argentina in a war that has soured relations between the two nations to this day.

When the Argos Georgia called for help, Britain said they had dispatched boats and a helicopter to the scene, without mentioning any coordination with Argentina.

The Argentinian navy also said it received the distress call and responded to it. Argentina said it deployed fishing boats and life rafts "to rescue survivors despite extreme weather conditions."

tg/jsi (AFP, AP, Reuters)

Nigeria lawmakers double minimum wage after labor dispute

The Senate agreed to raise the minimum wage after pressure from trade unions. However, the increase is only a small reprieve amid runaway inflation.

Labor unions have said that the minimum wage increase is not enough, but accepted the deal to end a long-running dispute

Image: Sunday Alamba/AP

Lawmakers in Nigeria's Senate passed legislation on Tuesday to increase the monthly minimum wage more than twofold.

The bill increases the minimum wage to 70,000 naira ($44.16, €40.69), up from the 30,000 naira that was agreed in 2019.

President Bola Tinubu must still give his assent for the law to come into full effect.

Lawmakers also agreed to shorten the review period until the next possible minimum wage increase, from five years down to three years.

Minimum wage pales in comparison to rising inflation

The legislation comes after a monthslong dispute between the government and Nigeria's two major unions, the Nigerian Labor Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC).

They argued that soaring prices and a weak currency had thrown workers into a cost-of-living crisis.

Since coming to office, Tinubu has removed fuel subsidies in a move that has seen gasoline prices more than double.

Inflation reached 34.1% last month, the highest rate in three decades. At the same time, the unification of the country's various exchange rates has devalued the naira, making imports more expensive.

How Nigeria's economic woes impede access to medications  02:32

Corruption and poverty in Nigeria

The bill was passed in the Senate and the lower parliament without any opposition.

Nigerian newspaper The Punch reported that the unions had originally proposed a minimum wage of nearly 500,000 naira, which they later brought down to 250,000 naira.

Disputes over the amount triggered strikes that brought Africa's most populous nation to a halt.

After meeting with President Tinubu earlier in the month, the labor leaders accepted the sum of 70,000 naira.

But the unions accepted the offer with "mixed feelings," NLC President Joe Ajaero said on Thursday.

Nigeria is a major oil exporter, but it remains one of the world's poorest countries. The natural wealth is often diverted by corrupt officials to fund lavish lifestyles.

President Tinubu gave his approval to spend millions of dollars on sport utility vehicles last year, with his wife being among the beneficiaries, despite not holding any constitutionally recognized office.

ab/fb (Reuters, AP)

ISLAMOPHOBIA

Germany shuts down Islamic Center Hamburg

The Islamic Center Hamburg (IZH) was under investigation for several months over its alleged support for Lebanon's Hezbollah group which is backed by Iran. Hezbollah is classified as a terrorist group by Germany.

Hamburg's Blue Mosque has connections to the Iranian regime

 Daniel Bockwoldt/dpa/picture alliance

German Interior Minister Nancy Faeser said on Wednesday that the Islamic Center Hamburg (IZH) would be banned for propagating extremism and that its famous "Blue Mosque" was being searched by police.

"It is very important to me to make a clear distinction here: we are not acting against a religion," Faeser said, but just against a group accused of undermining the German state as well as women's rights.

The Imam Ali Mosque, known locally as the Blue Mosque, is one of Germany's oldest mosques and is operated by the IZH.

What is the Islamic Center of Hamburg?

The IZH is an organization that is considered an extension of the Iranian regime in Germany and is thought to have a large influence over certain mosques and associations, according to Germany's domestic intelligence services.

The Interior Ministry said Wednesday that the Blue Mosque has ties to the government of Iran and its activities were aimed at spreading Iranian revolutionary ideas.

The Interior Ministry last year said the IZH was suspected of "acting against constitutional order" and of "supporting [the] terror organization Hezbollah."

In 2020, Germany designated Hezbollah as a terrorist organization and banned its activities on German soil.

53 properties searched

There had been calls for years from Hamburg residents to investigate the IZH.

Affiliated institutions in the federal states of Bremen, Bavaria, Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania Hesse, Lower Saxony, North Rhine-Westphalia and Berlin were also being investigated. A total of 53 properties were being searched, the ministry said, and a total of four mosques shut.

The IZH is also being probed for "spreading aggressive antisemitism," Faeser added, saying that raids against the group in November established proof of connections to Hezbollah and led to Wednesday's ban.

es/rm (dpa, Reuters)

World champions Spain, new-look USA top Olympic women's football billing

Paris (AFP) – A rejuvenated United States team under new coach Emma Hayes are targeting a record-extending fifth women's football gold medal at the Paris Olympics but face stiff competition, not least in the shape of World Cup holders Spain and their all-star line-up.

Issued on: 24/07/2024 -

Former Chelsea coach Emma Hayes leads the USA women's team into the Paris Olympics © Darren Staples / AFP/File

The USA just about remain the biggest draw in women's soccer despite disappointing recent results and the departures of several veteran stars.

They won gold when women's football was introduced to the Olympics in 1996, and won three in a row in 2004, 2008 and 2012.

But they exited in the quarter-finals in 2016 and settled for bronze three years ago in Tokyo after losing to eventual champions Canada in the semis.

HUBRIS

That was followed by a shock last-16 exit at the World Cup a year ago in Australia and New Zealand, a disappointing end to the iconic Megan Rapinoe's international career and an outcome that precipitated the exit of coach Vlatko Andonovski.

They come to Paris under the leadership of English former Chelsea boss Hayes, probably the outstanding female coach in the sport.

She made a striking decision when naming her squad for the Games by choosing to leave out Alex Morgan, one of the leading players in the sides that won the 2015 and 2019 World Cups but now in her twilight years at the age of 35.

"It was a tough decision of course...especially considering Alex's history and record with this team, but I felt I wanted to go in another direction and selected other players," said Hayes.

It is a younger USA squad now, although players like Trinity Rodman and Sophia Smith will benefit from the experience garnered at the World Cup.

Experience is still there, too, notably in the shape of Lindsey Horan and Rose Lavelle, members of the side that won the World Cup in France in 2019.

The USA are in a difficult Group B with Germany, Australia and a Zambia team who are outsiders but boast exciting forwards in Barbra Banda and Racheal Kundananji.

The format –- with 12 teams in three groups of four –- means the two best third-placed sides advance to the quarter-finals, providing a safety net in the event of slip-ups.
Bonmati aims big

Germany, gold medallists in 2016, will aim to bounce back from their group-stage exit at the World Cup but have lost key midfielder Lena Oberdorf to injury.

Australia are hoping to build on their run to the semi-finals in that World Cup on home soil, yet they are missing Sam Kerr, their captain, as she recovers from an ACL injury.

Reigning Ballon d'Or Aitana Bonmati is set to star for World Cup holders Spain 

© STR / AFP/File

Spain, in Group C with Japan, Nigeria and Brazil, will take some beating as they arrive in Paris with the stars who led them to World Cup glory 11 months ago.

Ballon d'Or winner Aitana Bonmati, Alexia Putellas and Salma Paralluelo are the standouts in a superb side that also won the UEFA Women's Nations League this year and are now making their Olympic debut.

"I'm sure lots of people and lots of teams see us as favourites, but this competition is a bit different," Bonmati told Marca.

"We play lots of matches in a short space of time, and against good sides, so it will be very difficult. But obviously we have the maximum ambition and are going for gold."

Spain kick off against 2012 silver medallists Japan, whose side includes Hinata Miyazawa, top scorer at the World Cup.

Nigeria are the top-ranked African nation, while Brazil are two-time silver medallists and hope to contend again in legendary forward Marta's sixth Olympics at the age of 38.

France, meanwhile, are aiming big on home soil as they face reigning Olympic champions Canada, New Zealand and the Colombia of teenage sensation Linda Caicedo in Group A.

"The objective, like that of every French athlete, is to win a medal. It won't be easy, but it has to be the aim," said coach Herve Renard, who will leave after the tournament which begins on Thursday and runs until August 10.

Games will be played around France, with the semi-finals in Lyon and Marseille. However, the gold-medal match will be in Paris.

© 2024 AFP

A PLAGUE UPON BOTH YOUR HOUSES

Sudan's paramilitary chief to participate in US-mediated ceasefire talks

BOTH SIDES PRACTICE WAR AS RAPE

The leader of Sudan's paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, said Wednesday that he was willing to explore avenues towards a “peaceful, negotiated political solution” to the war with the Sudanese army through US-mediated talks in Switzerland.


Issued on: 24/07/2024 - 05:39
1 min

People set up their tents at a camp for internally displaced Sudanese from Sennar state, in the al-Huri district of Gedaref city in the east of war-torn Sudan on July 14, 2024. 

© AFP

By:NEWS WIRES

The United States has invited the Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces for US-mediated ceasefire talks starting on Aug. 14 in Switzerland, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Tuesday.

RSF leader Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo said early on Wednesday they will constructively participate in the talks to achieve "a comprehensive ceasefire across the country and facilitate humanitarian access to all those in need."

"We reaffirm our firm stance ... which is the insistence on saving lives, stopping the fighting, and paving the way for a peaceful, negotiated political solution that restores the country to civilian rule and the path of democratic transition," Dagalo said in a statement.

The talks will include the African Union, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates and the United Nations as observers, Blinken said in a statement. Saudi Arabia will be a co-host for the discussions, he added.

"The scale of death, suffering, and destruction in Sudan is devastating. This senseless conflict must end," Blinken said, calling on the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and Rapid Support Forces (RSF) to attend the talks and approach them constructively.


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The war in Sudan, which erupted in April 2023, has forced almost 10 million people from their homes, sparked warnings of famine and waves of ethnically-driven violence blamed largely on the RSF.

Talks in Jeddah between the army and RSF that were sponsored by the United States and Saudi Arabia broke down at the end of last year.

State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller told reporters on Tuesday that the goal of the talks in Switzerland was to build on work from Jeddah and try to move the talks to the next phase.

"We just want to get the parties back to the table, and what we determined is that bringing the parties, the three host nations and the observers together is the best shot that we have right now at getting the nationwide cessation of violence," Miller said.

(Reuters)

Scramble to send aid after Ethiopia landslide kills over 200

Addis Ababa (AFP) – Humanitarian agencies were scrambling Tuesday to send desperately needed aid to a remote area of southern Ethiopia where a landslide has killed more than 200 people in the deadliest such disaster recorded in the Horn of Africa nation.


Issued on: 23/07/2024 - 

Map showing the approximate area of the deadly landslide in Southern Ethiopia 

© Nalini LEPETIT-CHELLA, Valentina BRESCHI / AFP

Crowds gathered at the site of the tragedy in an isolated and mountainous area of South Ethiopia regional state as residents used shovels or their bare hands to dig through mounds of red dirt in the hunt for victims and survivors, according to images posted by the local authority.

So far, 148 men and 81 women are confirmed to have died after the disaster struck on Monday in the Kencho-Shacha locality in the Gofa Zone, the local Communications Affairs Department said.

Images published on social media by the Gofa authority showed residents carrying bodies on makeshift stretchers, some wrapped in plastic sheeting.

Five people had been pulled alive from the mud and were receiving treatment at medical facilities, the government-owned Ethiopian Broadcasting Corporation reported earlier.

It quoted local administrator Dagemawi Ayele as saying that most of the victims were buried after they went to help local residents hit by a first landslide following heavy rains.

Dagemawi said that among the victims were the locality's administrator as well as teachers, health professionals and agricultural professionals.

The UN's humanitarian response agency OCHA said more than 14,000 people had been affected in the hard-to-access area, which is roughly 450 kilometres (270 miles) from the capital Addis Ababa, about a 10-hour drive.

It said support for those affected was mostly being shouldered by the local community but some initial relief items had been sent by federal and regional authorities and local partners, including four trucks of supplies dispatched by the Ethiopian Red Cross for 500 households.

"Agencies are ready to deliver critical supplies, including food, medical items, and water, sanitation and hygiene support," OCHA said, adding that agencies would be assessing the scale of the impact of the tragedy, including displacement and damage to livelihoods.

Ethiopia, the second most populous country in Africa with around 120 million people, is highly vulnerable to climate disasters including flooding and drought.
'Landslide engulfed them'

"I am deeply saddened by this terrible loss," Ethiopian Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed said on X.

"Following the accident, the Federal Disaster Prevention Task Force has been deployed to the area and is working to reduce the impact of the disaster."

World Health Organization chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, who is Ethiopian, sent a message of condolence on X and said a WHO team was being deployed to support immediate health needs.

African Union Commission chief Moussa Faki Mahamat also posted a statement on X, saying "our hearts and prayers" were with the families of the victims.

Firaol Bekele, early warning director at the Ethiopian Disaster Risk Management Commission (EDRMC), told AFP that residents had mobilised to try to save lives after four households were initially affected by a mudslide.

"But they too perished when the landslide engulfed them," he said, adding that the commission had sent an emergency team to the area, along with food and other aid for the stricken community.

He said there needed to be a "solid assessment and scientific investigation" into the cause of the landslide.

"An integrated, study-based solution is needed to address the risk permanently. This may include relocating the population."
Seasonal rains cause havoc

OCHA said Tuesday that a similar, but lower-scale landslide had occurred in May in the same area, where more than 50 people had died.

Seasonal rains in South Ethiopia state between April and early May had caused flooding, mass displacement and damage to livelihoods and infrastructure, it had said in May.

"This isn't the first time this type of disaster has happened," said an Ethiopian refugee living in Kenya who is from a district located near the site.

"Last year in a similar disaster more than 20 people were killed and before that almost every rainy season people die because of landslides and heavy rains in that area."

In another incident in 2017, at least 113 people died when a mountain of garbage collapsed in a dump in the outskirts of Addis Ababa.

The deadliest landslide in Africa was in Sierra Leone's capital in Freetown in August 2017, when 1,141 people perished.

Mudslides in the Mount Elgon region of eastern Uganda killed more than 350 people in February 2010.

© 2024 AFP

Streets turned into rivers as Typhoon Gaemi hits Philippines

Manila (AFP) – Relentless rain drenched the northern Philippines on Wednesday, triggering flooding in Manila and landslides in mountainous regions as Typhoon Gaemi intensified the seasonal monsoon.


Issued on: 24/07/2024 -

People making their way through a flooded street in Manila as Typhoon Gaemi hit © Ted ALJIBE / AFP

In the densely populated capital, rescuers were deployed across the city to help evacuate people from low-lying homes after downpours turned streets into rivers.

People clutched flimsy umbrellas as they waded through thigh-deep murky water or used small boats and shopping trolleys to move around.

Government offices were shut and classes suspended, while more than 70 domestic and international flights were cancelled because of the weather.

"Many areas are flooded so we have rescuers deployed all over the city. There is an overwhelming number of people asking for help," Peachy de Leon, a disaster official in suburban Manila, told AFP.

"We were told last night the rain will not hit us, then the rain suddenly poured so we were quite shocked. There is an ongoing search and rescue now."

Typhoon Gaemi, which has swept past the Philippines as it heads towards Taiwan, intensified the southwest monsoon rains typical for this time of year, the state weather forecaster said.

"Usually the peak of rainy season is July and August and it so happens that there is a typhoon in the eastern waters of the Philippines that enhances the southwest monsoon," senior weather specialist Glaiza Escullar told AFP.
A bus ploughs through a flooded street in Manila © Ted ALJIBE / AFP

More than 200 millimetres (nearly eight inches) of rain fell in the capital in the past 24 hours, Escullar said, which was "not unusual".

Landslides killed a pregnant woman and three children in Batangas province, south of Manila, and blocked three major roads in the mountainous Benguet province, police and disaster officials said Wednesday.

That takes the death toll from heavy rains over swaths of the country in the past two weeks to at least 12, as tens of thousands sheltered in evacuation centres.

Taiwan braces for Typhoon Gaemi to make landfall

Yilan (AFP) – Taiwan closed schools, suspended the stock market, and declared a typhoon holiday Wednesday as Gaemi barrelled towards the island, bringing torrential rains and whipping winds to its northeast.

Issued on: 24/07/2024 - 

Taiwan closed schools, suspended the stock market, and issued a typhoon holiday on Wednesday as Gaemi barrelled towards the island © Sam Yeh / AFP

Typhoon Gaemi, packing sustained wind speeds of 162 kilometres (100 miles) per hour, also affected Japan and the Philippines -- which also announced that government offices would close for the day.

It is expected to make landfall in northeast Taiwan by 10 pm (1400 GMT), and President Lai Ching-te urged everyone to "put safety first" during a morning emergency briefing.

"Gaemi is this year's first typhoon to make landfall in Taiwan," Lai said.

"I hope that through our joint efforts, impact from the typhoon can be minimised... I also encourage fellow citizens across the country not to go out unless necessary during the typhoon, especially not to dangerous places."

The weather forced the self-ruled island to cancel some of its annual Han Kuang war games -- which test preparedness for a Chinese invasion -- but an anti-landing drill went ahead as scheduled on Wednesday morning on Penghu island, west of Taiwan.

Authorities evacuated more than 2,100 people living in precarious conditions in three northern regions, particularly Hualien -- a mountainous area with high risk of landslides.

Trains and ferry services were suspended and more than 250 international flights were cancelled on Wednesday.

"We expect that the impact of the typhoon will be extended to four days (until Friday)," said Taiwan's Central Weather Administration chief Cheng Jia-ping, adding that the public would need to "take precautions against heavy rain and strong wind".

Massive waves crashed against the coast of northeastern Yilan county and, in the capital Taipei, shops and government offices were closed.

Massive waves crashed against the coast of northeastern Yilan county © I-Hwa CHENG / AFP

Student Ray Su said he was "very happy" that he didn't have to go to cram school -- a specialised centre that tutors students.

"When the teacher announced the typhoon holiday last night, the whole class cheered," Su told AFP, adding that he was "not too worried" about the typhoon's impact.

Taiwanese chip giant TSMC, the world's largest contract chipmaker, said it will maintain normal production and the firm "has activated routine typhoon alert preparation procedures" at all fabrication plants.

Taiwan is accustomed to frequent tropical storms from July to October, but experts say climate change has increased their intensity, leading to heavy rains, flash floods and strong gusts.

In neighbouring Japan, authorities of a southern island region of Okinawa urged residents to "exercise strong vigilance" against storms, high waves and floods.

In the Philippines, meanwhile, heavy downpours in Manila triggered widespread flooding and a landslide in a nearby mountainous province killed four people.

burs-dhc/fox

© 2024 AFP

RIP

UK blues legend John Mayall dead at 90

Los Angeles (United States) (AFP) – John Mayall, the British blues pioneer whose 1960s music collective the Bluesbreakers helped usher in a fertile period of rock and brought guitarists like Eric Clapton to prominence, has died at 90, his family said Tuesday.

MY FIRST 3 BLUES ALBUMS 

WERE JOHN MAYALL

Issued on: 24/07/2024 

Blues legend John Mayall, who died on July 22, 2024 at age 90, is seen performing at the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival in 2009 © Rick Diamond / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA/AFP/File
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Mayall, a singer and multi-instrumentalist who was dubbed "the godfather of British blues," and whose open-door arrangement saw some of the greats in the genre hone their craft with him and his band, "passed away peacefully in his California home" on Monday, according to a statement posted on his Facebook page.

It did not state a cause of death.

"Health issues that forced John to end his epic touring career have finally led to peace for one of this world's greatest road warriors," it said. "John Mayall gave us 90 years of tireless efforts to educate, inspire and entertain."

Mayall's influence on 1960s rock and beyond is enormous. Members of the Bluesbreakers eventually went on to join or form groups including Cream, Fleetwood Mac, the Rolling Stones and many more.


At age 30, Mayall moved to London from northern England in 1963. Sensing revolution in the air, he gave up his profession as a graphic designer to embrace a career in blues, the musical style born in Black America.

He teamed up with a series of young guitarists including Clapton, Peter Green, later of Fleetwood Mac, and Mick Taylor who helped form the Rolling Stones.

In the Bluesbreakers' debut album in 1966, "Blues Breakers With Eric Clapton," John Mayall enthralled music aficionados with a melding of soulful rock and gutsy, guitar-driven American blues featuring covers of tunes by Robert Johnson, Otis Rush and Ray Charles.

The blues music he was playing in British venues was "a novelty for white England," he told AFP in 1997.

That album was a hit, catapulting Clapton to stardom and bringing a wave of popularity to a more raw and personal blues music.

Mayall moved to California in 1968 and toured America extensively in 1972.

He recorded a number of landmark albums in the 1960s including "Crusade," "A Hard Road," and "Blues From Laurel Canyon." Dozens more followed in the 1970s and up to his latest, "The Sun Is Shining Down," in 2022.

Mayall was awarded an OBE, an Officer of the Order of the British Empire, in 2005.

© 2024 AFP

 

 

Strike threat lingers over Olympics opening ceremony

Paris (AFP) – Negotiations to end a strike threat from several hundred dancers involved in the Paris Olympics opening ceremony failed to reach an agreement Tuesday, meaning the event still faces the risk of disruption.


Issued on: 23/07/2024 

T

he Paris 2024 Olympic Games opening ceremony will take place along the river Seine © SEBASTIEN BOZON / AFP

The SFA-CGT union, which says it represents roughly 10 percent of the 3,000 performers involved in the opening ceremony, filed a strike notice last week over what it said were "outrageous disparities" in pay between dancers.

A meeting Tuesday between the union and the organising committee for the Games resulted in an offer of 120 euros ($130) extra for the lowest paid performers, which was rejected.

"This Tuesday, a timid proposal was finally made to us, related to an increase in pay for broadcasting rights," the union said in a statement sent to AFP.

The strike threat is an unwelcome development for French organisers and risks deepening France's reputation for labour disputes just as the eyes of the world fall on Paris for the start of the Games this Friday.

A whole host of French public sector workers have threatened strikes or have stopped work ahead of the Olympics to demand bonuses for working over the July 26-August 11 event, which coincides with the summer holidays.

One-off payments of up to 1,900 euros have been agreed for police and municipal workers in Paris.

The head of the formerly Communist-aligned CGT, Sophie Binet, urged the company producing the opening ceremony, Paname 2024, to quickly reach an agreement to end the strike threat.

Some of the dancers protested on Monday during rehearsals by the river Seine by stopping and holding their fists aloft for eight minutes.

The opening ceremony is set to take place over a six-kilometre (four-mile) stretch of the river Seine, with around 6,000-7,000 athletes expected to sail down the river on 85 boats.

It will be the first time a summer Olympics has opened outside of the main athletics stadium.

A small union at Paris airport operator ADP has also filed a strike notice for Friday.

Management of the company reached an agreement last week with most labour groups to end a dispute over Olympic bonuses.

© 2024 AFP