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

‘Proud’ Murray bows out of tennis with Paris Olympics defeat
Updated 02 August 2024
AFP
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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.”

Recipes for success: Chef Jonas Plangger at Myra Jeddah offers advice and a fruit madeleine recipe 

Recipes for success: Chef Jonas Plangger at Myra Jeddah offers advice and a fruit madeleine recipe 
Updated 11 min 42 sec ago
Adam Grundey
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Recipes for success: Chef Jonas Plangger at Myra Jeddah offers advice and a fruit madeleine recipe 

Recipes for success: Chef Jonas Plangger at Myra Jeddah offers advice and a fruit madeleine recipe 
Updated 11 min 42 sec ago
Adam Grundey

DUBAI: When German pastry chef Jonas Plangger first accepted the offer of a job in Saudi Arabia from Amro Bagedo, founder and CEO of Kraiv, three years ago (a job that has since involved overseeing the launch of the pattiserie and “all-day dining concept” Myra Jeddah, where he is the executive pastry chef), it nearly ended his marriage.  

Plangger, no stranger to travelling abroad for work, took the job, he says, because his “gut feeling” once presented with the challenge made him say yes. Before he checked with his wife, who wasn’t especially impressed at not being consulted.  

Fortunately, the move has paid off personally and professionally for Plangger and his family, who have now settled happily into life in the Kingdom.  

And Myra, he says, is thriving. “Breakfast trade is extremely strong. The lunch trade is extremely strong. And then the evening trade is where the most people eat cake,” he tells Arab News. “So we have a very strong customer base throughout the whole day.” 

It’s a customer base he describes as a tough crowd.  

“The Saudi customer is very, very challenging,” Plangger says. “Wants everything, wants it now, is very picky… but once convinced is the most loyal customer you can experience. 

“We’re ready to transfer the brand to Riyadh. That’s the next step. I’m really looking forward to this. The company is growing. It’s really exciting times. My staff, they’ve all been with me from the beginning. I’m really proud of them. They’re really, really strong pastry chefs. We are proud of what we’re doing. If you compare what else is on the market, I think we can put our chests out a bit.” 

What’s your top tip for amateurs? 

The secret to all cooking — at home, in a professional kitchen, wherever — is to plan ahead. Take a piece of paper, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, and follow those steps. What (inexperienced) chefs do, what I did myself… You want to do everything right now, everything all together. But that doesn’t work. The to-do list is crucial. Work clean and organized, have an idea of what you’re doing. Plan it through. Is the oven ready? Do I have my bowls? Do I have my sieve? Do I have my ingredients? Because when you suddenly need the flour, and it’s in a cupboard somewhere, and you need to call your mom, it ends in disaster.  

What one ingredient can improve any dish? 

For me, vanilla bean. I think it’s the turbo for every dessert, it gives everything an elegant touch — a bit of luxury. I’m obsessed with it. It’s an expensive ingredient, but it just adds another layer of flavor to everything, 

And what’s the most underrated ingredient? 

Probably cinnamon. Everyone knows you’ll have it in an apple crumble or a cinnamon roll or whatever, but, especially in the Middle East, cinnamon is used for so many different things. Even in pastry, or just a normal vanilla sponge, you add half a gram of cinnamon and it just lifts the whole thing up, without tasting of cinnamon. It’s very nice and very, very underrated. 

When you go out to eat do you find yourself critiquing the food? Or are you able to switch off your ‘chef brain?’  

No, I can’t. I’m really pleased if I like something on a personal and a professional level, it makes me very happy. But of course I start nitpicking. It’s normal. But it goes both ways. Yes, (chefs are) more critical, but if I find someone who puts effort in and the service is good and the food is good and the whole experience is good then I love praising people.  

And what’s the most common issue that you find in other restaurants?  

Lack of seasoning. I can forgive a lot, you know? Like it might be a busy restaurant… so service (might suffer). Maybe it’s not to your personal liking. But if the food is bland, that’s just a lack of care. Because it means the chef didn’t taste his food.  

What’s your favorite cuisine?  

Italian. It’s the simplicity of it. Simplicity and flavor. I absolutely love pasta. I was in Italy recently and it’s a different game. It’s, like, four, five, six ingredients. I love it. 

What’s your favorite dish to cook?  

Black Forest gateaux. I’m from the Black Forest. We take that very, very seriously. It’s a joy to make. It’s where I come from. It’s my identity. That’s why I really enjoy doing it. 

I’d imagine that’s quite a lot of pressure the first time you make one? 

To be fair, at the bakery where I was an apprentice, we made like, 80 a day. I really learned it from scratch in the Black Forest.  

What customer behavior most frustrates you? 

When someone seasons the food without trying it. Yeah, I can’t deal. I think it’s very rude. It disrespects the chef. At least try it. 

What’s the most difficult dish for you to perfect? 

From a chef’s point of view, the most difficult is anything that is very clean and very neat, and you don’t have a lot of flavors going on. You have nowhere to hide. Obviously, pastry chefs are very good at hiding (things) by chocolate. I think sushi is one of the most difficult to get right, because you have rice and you have fish. That’s it. If the rice is not spot on, or the fish is not spot on, or the technique is not spot on… see you later. In the pastry world, I think that goes more for baking, like, a croissant, say. You make a simple mistake there, in the lamination or in the proving… People don’t understand how much effort goes into a single croissant. 

In the kitchen, what are you like as a leader?  

Firm but fair. I’m very passionate. Extremely passionate. Things get a bit wild. But I love to lead. I love to teach to let people grow. Discipline is crucial. I have a big Michelin background, and without discipline… don’t even start. My team is from all parts of the world, but we all have one common path to guide us; that’s the discipline.  

Chef Jonas’ fruit madeleines 

WARNING: You’ll need a madeleine baking pan (pan with small shell-shaped molds) and a piping bag. 

INGREDIENTS 

For the madeleine batter:  

3 eggs; 10g honey; 100g sugar; 5g baking powder; 120g all-purpose flour; 1g salt; 2g vanilla essence; 110g melted butter 

For the fruit mixture (all fruits should be dry): 50g dates; 50g apricots; 50g cherry; 50g mango; 50g raisins; 1 vanilla stick; zest of 1 orange; 3g cinnamon; 300g stock syrup 

INSTRUCTIONS:  

1. Mix the eggs, honey and sugar in a bowl or processor for 3 minutes. Set aside. 

2. Sieve together the baking powder, all-purpose flour and salt and fold under.  

3. Add melted butter and vanilla essence. 

4. Combine both mixtures together and mix until it becomes firm.  

5. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours, but ideally for 12 hours. 

6. In a separate bowl, put all the ingredients for the fruit mixture, including the syrup, and allow to soak for at least 2 hours, but ideally for 12 hours. 

7. Combine the batter with the fruit mixture, put in a piping bag. Line your madeleine molds with grease and flour. Pipe the mix into the molds. 

8. Bake in a pre-heated oven at 165 C for 11-13 minutes. 

Authorities issue rain, snowfall alert for upper parts of Pakistan

Authorities issue rain, snowfall alert for upper parts of Pakistan
Updated 33 min 13 sec ago
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Authorities issue rain, snowfall alert for upper parts of Pakistan

Authorities issue rain, snowfall alert for upper parts of Pakistan
  • Local authorities, emergency responders and public have been asked to remain vigilant and take necessary precautions
  • Residents of hilly areas should exercise caution while traveling due to slippery roads and reduced visibility, authorities say
Updated 33 min 13 sec ago
Hasaan Ali Khan

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan's National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) has issued a weather alert for upper parts of the country, predicting rain, thunderstorms and snowfall as a result of a westerly wave.
The western and upper parts of the country are likely to experience rain, wind and thunderstorms, with snowfall expected in mountainous areas, according to the NDMA.
"Upper Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, including Malakand and Hazara divisions, is expected to receive rain and thunderstorms, along with snowfall in [areas with] higher altitudes," the NDMA said in a statement.
"The plains of Punjab will largely experience dry conditions, although smog and fog are likely to persist, especially during early morning and nighttime."
Rain and thunderstorms are also expected in the Pothohar region and its surroundings.
The NDMA said it had advised local authorities, emergency responders and the public to remain vigilant and take necessary precautions.
"Residents in northern and hilly areas should exercise caution while traveling due to the risk of slippery roads and reduced visibility," it said.
"Farmers are encouraged to safeguard their crops against potential weather impacts."
Additionally, the NDMA asked people in smog-affected areas to minimize outdoor exposure and take protective measures during low-visibility conditions.

Topics: Winters

Iraq tries to stem influx of illegal foreign workers from Pakistan, other nations

Iraq tries to stem influx of illegal foreign workers from Pakistan, other nations
Updated 35 min 42 sec ago
AFP
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Iraq tries to stem influx of illegal foreign workers from Pakistan, other nations

Iraq tries to stem influx of illegal foreign workers from Pakistan, other nations
  • The Iraqi labor ministry says the influx is mainly from Pakistan, Syria and Bangladesh, also citing 40,000 registered immigrant workers
  • Authorities are trying to regulate the number of foreign workers as Iraq seeks to diversify from the currently dominant hydrocarbons sector
Updated 35 min 42 sec ago
AFP

KARBALA: Rami, a Syrian worker in Iraq, spends his 16-hour shifts at a restaurant fearing arrest as authorities crack down on undocumented migrants in the country better known for its own exodus.
He is one of hundreds of thousands of foreigners working without permits in Iraq, which after emerging from decades of conflict has become an unexpected destination for many seeking opportunities.
“I’ve been able to avoid the security forces and checkpoints,” said the 27-year-old, who has lived in Iraq for seven years and asked that AFP use a pseudonym to protect his identity.
Between 10 in the morning and 2:00 am the next day, he toils at a shawarma shop in the holy city of Karbala, where millions of Shiite pilgrims congregate every year.
“My greatest fear is to be expelled back to Syria where I’d have to do military service,” he said.
The labor ministry says the influx is mainly from Syria, Pakistan and Bangladesh, also citing 40,000 registered immigrant workers.
Now the authorities are trying to regulate the number of foreign workers, as the country seeks to diversify from the currently dominant hydrocarbons sector.
Many like Rami work in the service industry in Iraq.
One Baghdad restaurant owner admitted to AFP that he has to play cat and mouse with the authorities during inspections, asking some employees to make themselves scarce.
Not all those who work for him are registered, he said, because of the costly fees involved.
Some of the undocumented workers in Iraq first came as pilgrims. In July, Labour Minister Ahmed Assadi said his services were investigating information that “50,000 Pakistani visitors” stayed on “to work illegally.”
Despite threats of expulsion because of the scale of issue, the authorities at the end of November launched a scheme for “Syrian, Bangladeshi and Pakistani workers” to regularise their employment by applying online before December 25.
The ministry says it will take legal action against anyone who brings in or employs undocumented foreign workers.
Rami has decided to play safe, even though “I really want” to acquire legal employment status.
“But I’m afraid,” he said. “I’m waiting to see what my friends do, and then I’ll do the same.”
Current Iraqi law caps the number of foreign workers a company can employ at 50 percent, but the authorities now want to lower this to 30 percent.
“Today we allow in only qualified workers for jobs requiring skills” that are not currently available, labor ministry spokesman Nijm Al-Aqabi told AFP.
It’s a sensitive issue — for the past two decades, even the powerful oil sector has been dominated by a foreign workforce. But now the authorities are seeking to favor Iraqis.
“There are large companies contracted to the government” which have been asked to limit “foreign worker numbers to 30 percent,” said Aqabi.
“This is in the interests of the domestic labor market,” he said, as 1.6 million Iraqis are unemployed.
He recognized that each household has the right to employ a foreign domestic worker, claiming this was work Iraqis did not want to do.
One agency launched in 2021 that brings in domestic workers from Niger, Ghana and Ethiopia confirms the high demand.
“Before we used to bring in 40 women, but now it’s around 100” a year, said an employee at the agency, speaking to AFP on condition of anonymity.
It was a trend picked up from rich countries in the Gulf, the employee said.
“The situation in Iraq is getting better, and with salaries now higher, Iraqi home owners are looking for comfort.”
A domestic worker earns about $230 a month, but the authorities have quintupled the registration fee, with a work permit now costing more than $800.
In the summer, Human Rights Watch denounced what it called a campaign of arbitrary arrests and expulsions targeting Syrians, even those with the necessary paperwork.
HRW said that both homes and work places had been targeted by raids.
Ahmed — another pseudonym — is a 31-year-old Syrian who has been undocumented in Iraq for the past year and a half.
He began as a cook in Baghdad and later moved to Karbala.
“Life is hard here — we don’t have any rights,” he told AFP. “We come in illegally, and the security forces are after us.”
His wife did not accompany him. She stayed in Syria.
“I’d go back if I could,” said Ahmed. “But life there is very difficult. There’s no work.”

Topics: karbala Baghdad

Taiwan says 41 Chinese military aircraft, ships detected ahead of Lai US stopover

Taiwan says 41 Chinese military aircraft, ships detected ahead of Lai US stopover
Updated 41 min 15 sec ago
AFP
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Taiwan says 41 Chinese military aircraft, ships detected ahead of Lai US stopover

Taiwan says 41 Chinese military aircraft, ships detected ahead of Lai US stopover
  • The figure was the highest in more than three weeks, according to a tally of figures released daily by Taiwan’s defense ministry
Updated 41 min 15 sec ago
AFP

TAIPEI: Taiwan said Friday it had detected 41 Chinese military aircraft and ships around the island ahead of a Hawaii stopover by President Lai Ching-te, part of a Pacific tour that has sparked fury in Beijing.
The figure was the highest in more than three weeks, according to an AFP tally of figures released daily by Taiwan’s defense ministry.
China insists self-ruled Taiwan is part of its territory, which Taipei rejects.
To press its claims, China deploys fighter jets, drones and warships around Taiwan on a near-daily basis, with the number of sorties increasing in recent years.
In the 24 hours to 6:00 a.m. on Friday, Taiwan’s defense ministry said it had detected 33 Chinese aircraft and eight navy vessels in its airspace and waters.
That included 19 aircraft that took part in China’s “joint combat readiness patrol” on Thursday evening and was the highest number since November 4.
Taiwan also spotted a balloon — the fourth since Sunday — about 172 kilometers west of the island.

Topics: Taiwan China Lai Ching-te

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Pakistan reiterates ‘unwavering’ support for Palestinians’ right to self-determination

Pakistan reiterates ‘unwavering’ support for Palestinians’ right to self-determination
Updated 30 min 22 sec ago
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Pakistan reiterates ‘unwavering’ support for Palestinians’ right to self-determination

Pakistan reiterates ‘unwavering’ support for Palestinians’ right to self-determination
  • The statement comes on International Day of Solidarity with Palestinian People that aims to grant sovereignty to Palestinians
  • PM Shehbaz Sharif calls on international community to act 'decisively' to impose immediate halt to Israel's atrocities in Gaza
Updated 30 min 22 sec ago
KASHIF IMRAN

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Friday reiterated his country's "unwavering" support for the Palestinians' right to self-determination, Sharif's office said, on the occasion of the International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People.
The International Day of Solidarity with the Palestinian People is a UN-organized observance, with events held at the United Nations (UN) headquarters in New York and its offices in Geneva, Vienna and Nairobi.
In a statement issued from his office, Sharif said the last one year marked a "deeply disturbing moment" in the history of Palestine in the wake of Israel's brutal aggression in Gaza and the West Bank since October 7, 2023 attacks by Hamas.
"The Palestinian people have been bravely enduring a campaign of unending genocidal violence with indiscriminate attacks, ethnic cleansing, and collective punishment that constitute a flagrant violation of human dignity, human rights, and international law," he said.
"On behalf of the people of Pakistan, I reaffirm our complete solidarity with the valiant and resilient Palestinian people. We will continue to stand by you in your just and rightful pursuit of peace, dignity, and right to self-determination."
Pakistan does not recognize nor have diplomatic relations with Israel and calls for an independent Palestinian state based on “internationally agreed parameters.”
Since the beginning of Israel’s war on Gaza that has claimed over 43,000 lives, Pakistan has repeatedly raised the issue at the UN, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) and other multilateral platforms and demanded international powers and bodies stop Israeli military actions in Gaza. The South Asian country has also dispatched several aid consignments for the Palestinians.
Sharif said Israel's violations of international humanitarian law had crippled the humanitarian response in Gaza, calling on the international community to act "swiftly and decisively" to impose an immediate halt to Israel's atrocities, including indiscriminate attacks on civilians, hospitals, schools, and critical infrastructure.
"The repeated assaults on humanitarian aid convoys and essential services are unconscionable. The failure to hold Israel accountable for these grave war crimes and violations of human rights will perpetuate the impunity, with which Israel has unleashed its destruction in Gaza, the West Bank and Lebanon," he said.
"Pakistan further calls for an immediate and unconditional ceasefire in Gaza and stresses the urgency of ensuring unhindered humanitarian assistance to the Palestinian people."

Topics: Israeli war on Gaza Pakistan Palestine

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