Sabotage cripples French high-speed train service – Massive disruptions before Olympic opening ceremony

The French high-speed train operator SNCF was forced to suspend rail services in large parts of the country after acts of sabotage severely damaged the infrastructure. This occurred just hours before the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games. "Fires were intentionally set to destroy our infrastructure, and engineering teams are already on site to address the issue," the company said in a statement on Friday. "We will reroute some trains at normal speed, but many connections will have to be canceled." These incidents are causing significant concern among the organizers of the Summer Games in Paris, as hundreds of thousands of people are expected in the capital this evening. Images of overcrowded train stations in Paris were posted on social media after the majority of rail services were halted. "I condemn these criminal acts in the strongest terms, as they will impact the travel plans of many people," said Transport Minister Patrice Vergriete, adding that rail services will be affected through the weekend.