AP PHOTOS: Police and military secure the city before the Olympic Games

The head of the Paris Olympics boldly declared that the French capital would be “the safest place in the world” when the Games open. Tony Estanguet’s confident prediction from a year ago seems less far-fetched ahead of Friday’s opening ceremony. Squadrons of police patrol the streets of Paris and fighter jets and soldiers are on standby. An imposing security cordon of metal fences designed to resemble an Iron Curtain has been erected on both sides of the Seine, which will play a starring role in the opening spectacle. France’s massive police and military deployment comes largely because the July 26-August 11 Games face unprecedented challenges. The city has been repeatedly the target of bloody extremist attacks and international tensions are high due to the wars in Ukraine and Gaza.