- Worms and snails handle the pressure 2,500m below the Pacific surface
- Serena Williams has grapefruit-sized cyst removed from neck
- Lavreysen wins record-equalling 14th world cycling track title
- School's out! Argentina students study in the street to protest budget cuts
- Lower rates, surging stock market fail to ignite US IPO market
- Pogba 'willing to give up money' to stay at Juve
- Few countries have drawn up nature protection plans: UN
- Biden to make farewell trip to Germany as Ukraine war rages
- EU announces 30 mn euros to stem Senegal irregular migration
- Italy extends surrogacy ban to couples seeking it abroad
- Panama Canal crossings down 29 percent due to drought
- 'Clear indications' India violated Canada's sovereignty: Trudeau
- World champion Springboks to host Italy in 2025, Moerat to miss November tour
- Trump claims to be 'father of IVF' at all-female campaign stop
- WHO demands space to finish Gaza polio vaccination
- Mitchell left out of England squad for Autumn internationals
- Real Madrid back Mbappe amid Swedish rape investigation reports
- Middle East crisis top-of-mind at first EU-Gulf summit
- Israeli minister criticises Macron over France defence show ban
- Global stock markets diverge as markets focus on earmings
- Who said what on Tuchel's appointment as England manager
- Amazon bets on nuclear power to fuel AI ambitions
- Zelensky plan will be 'on table' at NATO talks this week: Rutte
- Harris steps into lion's den with Fox interview
- Macron riles Netanyahu with jab on Israel's creation
- Britain bounce back in America's Cup as New Zealand suffer
- Turkey shuts down radio station in Armenia genocide row
- Global stock markets diverge as tech fears linger
- Tuchel targets trophies as England manager
- War piles pressure on roads, services in crisis-hit Beirut
- Israeli booths, equipment barred from defence show in France
- Tuchel hopes to deliver 'missing trophies' to England
- England 239-6 in second Test after Sajid strikes for Pakistan
- Britain off the mark in America's Cup as New Zealand suffer
- Lufthansa fined 'record' $4 mn for barring Jewish passengers
- First migrants arrive in Albania under contested Italy deal
- Zelensky rules out ceding Ukrainian land in Victory Plan, urges NATO invite
- Global stock markets fall as tech fears weigh
- Musk's X escapes tough EU competition rules
- Thomas Tuchel: Abrasive but effective
- Root could break 16,000-run barrier, says England great Cook
- Indian airplane forced to divert after latest bomb hoax
- Tuchel 'has to' win World Cup for England, says Shearer
- Duckett half-century as England make brisk reply to Pakistan's 366
- Israel strikes Hezbollah strongholds after rejecting Lebanon ceasefire
- India issues flood warnings as rain pounds south
- Saudi crown prince in Brussels for first EU-Gulf summit
- Thomas Tuchel appointed England manager: Football Association
- 'Age of Electricity' coming as fossil fuels set to peak: IEA
- Markets struggle after Wall Street losses as tech fears weigh
France ministry volunteers to welcome foreign delegations to Olympics
Speeding to the airport to welcome the Prince of Monaco to Paris, French civil servant Veronique Yatera Sylla was delighted to have temporarily ditched spreadsheets to become an Olympics "visit official".
"It's an unexpected opportunity," said the 52-year-old, smiling widely on a break from managing the budgets of France's overseas embassies.
For the Summer Games running from Friday to August 11, Sylla will be one of 172 foreign ministry staff members volunteering to usher foreign delegations around the French capital.
At Le Bourget airport outside Paris on Monday, she met Prince Albert of Monaco as he stepped out onto the tarmac.
The job had "nothing to do" with her usual tasks, but French foreign ministry staff are very flexible, she told AFP ahead of his arrival.
"Most of the volunteers don't usually handle the protocol side of things," Sylla said, wearing a smart jacket and maroon trousers.
But, for the Olympics, "we've come from all directions, all departments".
Doina Milinceanu, a former European vice-champion of ballroom dancing, usually works in human resources at the ministry.
But this summer she will be using her fluent Russian to help look after the Armenian delegation.
"I wanted to be at the heart of this historic event," the 34-year-old said.
"This kind of thing only happens once in a lifetime."
William Fiadjoe, who is helping organise the special Olympics "visit officials", said volunteers had been assigned according to their linguistic skills.
"We have eight people speaking Arabic, five speaking Portuguese and four speaking Russian, and all speak English," he said.
Fifty-seven percent of the team are women, and the rest are men, he added.
Valerie Bruell-Melchior, Monaco's ambassador to Paris, said Prince Albert -- a member of the International Olympic Committee -- would be staying in the French capital for the entire length of the games.
Jean-Baptiste Blanchy, an adviser at the Monaco embassy, said having Sylla with them was comforting.
"Through her we have direct access to the ministry and Olympic organisers," he said.
P.Silva--AMWN