‘Proud’ Murray bows out of tennis with Paris Olympics defeat

‘Proud’ Murray bows out of tennis with Paris Olympics defeat
Paris 2024 Olympics - Tennis - Men's Doubles Quarterfinals - Roland-Garros Stadium, Paris, France - August 01, 2024. Andy Murray of Britain waves to spectators after losing his match with Daniel Evans of Britain against Taylor Fritz of United States and Tommy Paul of United States. (Reuters)
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Updated 02 August 2024

‘Proud’ Murray bows out of tennis with Paris Olympics defeat

‘Proud’ Murray bows out of tennis with Paris Olympics defeat

PARIS: Andy Murray said he was retiring “on my terms” as his trophy-filled career came to an emotional end at the Paris Olympics on Thursday, closing another chapter on tennis’s golden generation.
The former world number one and three-time Grand Slam title winner slipped into retirement aged 37 when he and Dan Evans lost in the men’s doubles quarter-finals at Roland Garros.
American pair Taylor Fritz and Tommy Paul delivered the knockout blow with a 6-2, 6-4 victory on a packed Court Suzanne Lenglen.
Britain’s Murray had already announced that the Olympics would be his last event.
“I’m proud of my career, my achievements and what I put into the sport,” said Murray.
“Obviously it was emotional because it’s the last time I will play a competitive match. But I am genuinely happy just now. I’m happy with how it finished.”
He added: “I’m glad I got to go out here at the Olympics and finish on my terms because at times in the last few years that wasn’t a certainty.”
Just a few hours after Murray had made his exit, he cheekily wrote on X: “Never even liked tennis anyway.”
Career-long rival Novak Djokovic described Murray as “an incredible competitor.”
“One of the greatest warriors tennis has seen. His fighting spirit is definitely something that I’m sure is going to inspire many generations to come,” said the Serb.
One of the ‘Big Four’ in the sport, Murray joins 20-time Grand Slam winner Roger Federer in retirement after the Swiss great quit in 2022.
Rafael Nadal, the winner of 22 majors but battling more injuries at the age of 38, exited the Paris Olympics on Wednesday and suggested that he had played his last match at Roland Garros, where he won 14 of his Slams.
Nadal also effectively ruled himself out of the US Open, sparking more speculation that the great Spaniard is also finished in the sport.
That would leave just 37-year-old Djokovic — winner of a record 24 Grand Slams — still active among the sport’s eminent talents who have carved up 69 majors between them.
Murray famously ended Britain’s 77-year wait for a men’s champion at Wimbledon when he triumphed in 2013, defeating Djokovic in the final.
He added a second title in 2016, taking his career majors total to three after breaking his duck at the 2012 US Open.
Murray won gold at the 2012 Olympics on an emotional day at the All England Club when he defeated Federer just weeks after he had lost the Wimbledon final to the Swiss on the same Center Court.
Four years later he defeated Juan Martin del Potro to become the first player, man or woman, to win two Olympic singles golds.
Murray also led Britain to the Davis Cup title in 2015, the country’s first in 79 years.
He has won 46 titles in all and banked around $65 million in prize money.
However, he has been ravaged by injuries in recent years, slumping to 117th in the world.
The Scot has played with a metal hip since 2019 and suffered ankle damage earlier this year before undergoing surgery to remove a spinal cyst, which ruled him out of singles at Wimbledon.
Instead, he played doubles with brother Jamie and was defeated in the first round before an emotional tribute arranged by tournament chiefs.
“It’s hard because I would love to keep playing, but I can’t,” admitted Murray at the All England Club.
“Physically it is too tough now, all of the injuries, they have added up and they haven’t been insignificant.”
Men’s tennis has already opened up a new frontier.
Jannik Sinner, the 22-year-old Italian, succeeded Djokovic as Australian Open champion in January and eventually took his world number one ranking.
Carlos Alcaraz, 21, won the French Open and successfully defended his Wimbledon title, sweeping Djokovic off court in a one-sided final in July.
“It was a privilege to share the court with you, Andy!” Alcaraz wrote on X in tribute to Murray.
“Congratulations on a legendary career and for being an example to all. You will always have a fan here.”


Saudia Airlines confirms flight from Jeddah diverted after bomb threat has landed safely

Saudia Airlines confirms flight from Jeddah diverted after bomb threat has landed safely
Updated 8 min 4 sec ago

Saudia Airlines confirms flight from Jeddah diverted after bomb threat has landed safely

Saudia Airlines confirms flight from Jeddah diverted after bomb threat has landed safely
  • ⁠Flight SV5276, bound for Jakarta, was rerouted to a different airport in Indonesia after an email claimed there was an explosive device on board
  • The aircraft landed safely at Kualanamu International Airport in Medan, where passengers and crew evacuated the aircraft and nobody was hurt

RIYADH: Saudia Airlines has confirmed that all passengers and crew are safe after a flight from Jeddah to Jakarta made an emergency landing at another airport in Indonesia, Al Arabiya News Channel reported on Tuesday.

The flight was forced to divert after an email threat claimed there was a bomb on board, a Saudia spokesperson said.

Abdullah Al-Shahrani, the airline’s general manager of corporate communications, told Al Arabiya that in response to the security alert, Flight SV5276 was rerouted to Kualanamu International Airport in Medan as a precaution.

The plane landed there safely and all passengers and crew evacuated the aircraft without incident and nobody was hurt, he added. Inspections by authorities confirmed the aircraft was secure and the bomb threat was false. Al-Shahrani said passenger safety remains Saudia’s top priority and the airline was working to help passengers continue their journeys.

In a statement to Arab News, Saudia confirmed: “In response to a security alert received in flight, Saudia diverted Flight SV5276, operating from Jeddah to Jakarta, to Kualanamu International Airport in Indonesia as a precautionary measure.

“The aircraft landed safely, and all guests and crew disembarked without incident. Local authorities conducted standard checks shortly after landing, and have cleared the aircraft for continued operation.

“The safety and well-being of our guests and crew remain Saudia’s highest priority. Full care and support have been provided and onward travel arrangements are being made."


Iran set to show off captured Israeli F-35 pilots

Iran set to show off captured Israeli F-35 pilots
Updated 14 min 48 sec ago

Iran set to show off captured Israeli F-35 pilots

Iran set to show off captured Israeli F-35 pilots

RIYADH: Iran is set to present images of captured Israeli F-35 pilots “soon,” according to the Tehran Times.
The Iranians on Friday said they had captured two Israeli fighter jet pilots, one of them a woman.
The Israelis have not confirmed they had lost any of its pilots after carrying out a surprise attack on Iran on Friday morning. 
The two countries militaries have been engaged in missile and drone attacks since then, prompting fears the confrontation could spiral out of control and lead to a major regional conflict.
Iranian media reported on Tuesday the arrest of an Israeli-linked “terrorist team” with explosives,  in a town southwest of the capital Tehran.


UN two-state conference co-chairs urge renewed push for Palestinian state amid regional escalation

UN two-state conference co-chairs urge renewed push for Palestinian state amid regional escalation
Updated 50 min 2 sec ago

UN two-state conference co-chairs urge renewed push for Palestinian state amid regional escalation

UN two-state conference co-chairs urge renewed push for Palestinian state amid regional escalation
  • The statement said the latest escalation had “necessitated the suspension” of the high-level conference in New York

RIYADH: and France, co-chairs of the United Nations Conference on the Peaceful Settlement of the Palestinian Question, joined with the chairs of the conference’s working groups in issuing a joint statement on Tuesday expressing “deep concern” over recent developments in the region, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

The statement said the latest escalation had “necessitated the suspension” of the high-level conference, underscoring “the validity of warnings about the fragility of the situation” and the urgent need to “restore calm, respect international law, and strengthen diplomatic action.”

Despite the setback, the group reaffirmed their “full commitment to the conference’s objectives” and pledged to “ensure the continuity of its work and the achievement of its goals,” SPA added.

They added that “the co-chairs of the working groups will announce the date of the conference's roundtables soon,” with the aim of generating “clear and coordinated international commitments” to advance the implementation of a two-state solution.

“In these critical circumstances,” the statement continued, “we must redouble our efforts calling for respect for international law and the sovereignty of states, and to promote peace, freedom, and dignity for all peoples of the region.”

The group also reiterated its “unwavering support for all efforts aimed at ending the war in Gaza” and called for a “just and sustainable settlement of the Palestinian issue,” affirming that regional stability and security hinge on a lasting peace.


What We Are Reading Today: Forest Euphoria by Patricia Ononiwu Kaishian

What We Are Reading Today: Forest Euphoria by Patricia Ononiwu Kaishian
Updated 58 min 42 sec ago

What We Are Reading Today: Forest Euphoria by Patricia Ononiwu Kaishian

What We Are Reading Today: Forest Euphoria by Patricia Ononiwu Kaishian

In “Forest Euphoria,” Patricia Ononiwu Kaishian introduces readers to the queerness of all the life around us.

In snakes, snails, and, above all, fungi, she saw her own developing identities as a queer, neurodivergent person reflected back at her — and in them, too, she found a personal path to a life of science.

Nature, Kaishian shows us, is filled with the unusual, the overlooked, and the marginalized — and they have lessons for us all.


China’s Xi in Kazakhstan to cement ‘eternal’ Central Asia ties

China’s Xi in Kazakhstan to cement ‘eternal’ Central Asia ties
Updated 18 June 2025

China’s Xi in Kazakhstan to cement ‘eternal’ Central Asia ties

China’s Xi in Kazakhstan to cement ‘eternal’ Central Asia ties
  • Astana summit brings Xi together with Central Asian leaders

ASTANA, Kazakhstan: Xi Jinping celebrated China’s “eternal friendship” with Central Asia at a summit in Kazakhstan on Tuesday, as the Chinese leader blasted tariffs and sought to assert Beijing’s influence in a region historically dominated by Russia.

The summit in Astana brought together Xi with the leaders of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan.

Under Russia’s orbit until the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991, the five Central Asian states have courted interest from major powers including China, the European Union and the United States since becoming independent.

At the summit, the group signed a pact of “eternal” friendship as Xi called for closer ties with the resource-rich region.

“We should... strengthen cooperation with a more enterprising attitude and more practical measures,” said Xi in comments carried by state news agency Xinhua.

Central Asia is also seen as a key logistics hub, given its strategic location between China, Russia, the Middle East and Europe.

Speaking as Western leaders gathered on the other side of the world for the G7 in Canada, Xi refreshed his criticism of US President Donald Trump’s trade policies.

“Tariff wars and trade wars have no winners,” Xinhua quoted him as saying.

While Central Asian leaders continue to view Russia as a strategic partner, ties with Moscow have loosened since the war in Ukraine.

China has also shown willingness to invest in massive infrastructure projects in the region, part of its Belt and Road initiative that uses such financing as a political and diplomatic lever.

In a meeting with Kyrgyzstan’s president, Xi called for moves to “advance high-quality construction of the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan railway and foster new drivers of growth in clean energy, green minerals and artificial intelligence.”

The five Central Asian nations are trying to take advantage of the growing interest in their region and are coordinating their foreign policies accordingly.

They regularly hold summits with China and Russia to present the region as a unified bloc and attract investment.

High-level “5+1” format talks have also been organized with the European Union, the United States, Turkiye and other Western countries.

“The countries of the region are balancing between different centers of power, wanting to protect themselves from excessive dependence on one partner,” Kyrgyz political scientist Nargiza Muratalieva told AFP.

Russia says China’s growing influence in the region does not pose a threat.

“There is no reason for such fears. China is our privileged strategic partner, and the countries of Central Asia, naturally, are our natural historical partners,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on Monday.

But China has now established itself as Central Asia’s leading trading partner, far outstripping the EU and Russia.

Construction of the Uzbekistan-Kyrgyzstan-China railway and the China-Tajikistan highway, which runs through the Pamir Mountains to Afghanistan, are among its planned investments.

New border crossings and “dry ports” have already been built to process trade, such as Khorgos in Kazakhstan, one of the largest logistics hubs in the world.

“Neither Russia nor Western institutions are capable of allocating financial resources for infrastructure so quickly and on such a large scale, sometimes bypassing transparent procedures,” said Muratalieva.

Kazakhstan said last week that Russia would lead the construction of its first nuclear power plant but that it wanted China to build the second.

“Central Asia is rich in natural resources such as oil, gas, uranium, gold and other minerals that the rapidly developing Chinese economy needs,” Muratalieva said.

“Ensuring uninterrupted supplies of these resources, bypassing unstable sea routes, is an important goal of Beijing,” the analyst added.

China also positions itself as a supporter of the predominantly authoritarian Central Asian leaderships.

At the last Central Asia-China summit, Xi called for “resisting external interference” that might provoke “color revolutions” that could overthrow the current leaders in the region.

“Beijing sees the stability of the Central Asian states as a guarantee of the security of its western borders,” Muratalieva said.

Central Asia border’s China’s northwestern Xinjiang region, where Beijing is accused of having detained more than a million Uyghurs and other Muslims, part of a campaign the UN has said could constitute crimes against humanity.