PARIS: French “yellow vests” prepared for a sixth Saturday of nationwide demonstrations, but numbers on the streets are falling fast as the police clear protest camps in the run-up to the Christmas holidays.
The protesters had been split Friday on whether to stage another large rally in Paris, or in the nearby town of Versailles, once home to king Louis XVI who lost his head to the revolutionary guillotine.
Fearing possible unrest, authorities said they were closing the Palace of Versailles and its gardens, a top tourist venue, on Saturday.
A Facebook event organized by “yellow vest” leader Eric Drouet listed 1,400 people as “participants” in the Versailles demonstration with a further 8,000 people saying they were “interested.”
Meanwhile shopkeepers in Paris, many of whom remained shuttered over the past two weekends to guard against looting and violence, were urged to exercise caution.
Further demonstrations were also planned in Lyon, Toulouse, Orleans and Brittany.
On Friday evening, the French Senate approved a raft of measures to help the working poor and pensioners, just hours after they had been adopted by the lower house of parliament. The measures should come into force early in 2019.
Earlier Friday Prime Minister Edouard Philippe visited the Haute-Vienne region of central France to discuss grievances of disgruntled rural-dwellers with local mayors.
Philippe was greeted by demonstrators shouting “Macron resign,” in a reference to President Emmanuel Macron.
Elsewhere, some “gilets jaunes” sought to keep pressure on the government to further boost spending power and give citizens more of a say in lawmaking by staging sporadic protests.
In Pfastatt, eastern France, 14 demonstrators trying to block access to a factory supplying parts to PSA Peugeot Citroen, Europe’s second-biggest carmaker, were arrested by police.
In the southwestern city of Toulouse, some 30 protesters held a rally lampooning Macron on his 41st birthday.
“We haven’t brought him any presents because he hasn’t given us any,” said one protester.
The number of protesters has however fallen significantly since last week, when Macron, a pro-business centrist, gave into some of their demands.
The interior ministry estimated the numbers taking part in various protests on Thursday at under 4,000, the lowest since demonstrations began on November 17, with 282,000 taking part on the first Saturday.
The number of traffic roundabouts occupied by protesters in yellow high-visibility vests over the past five weeks has also markedly dropped.
Some 300 have been cleared by police since mid-December, with 200 still occupied, the interior ministry said Friday.
Versailles closes ahead of ‘yellow vest’ protest as numbers fall
Versailles closes ahead of ‘yellow vest’ protest as numbers fall
- The protesters had been split Friday on whether to stage another large rally in Paris, or in the nearby town of Versailles
- Earlier Friday Prime Minister Edouard Philippe visited the Haute-Vienne region of central France to discuss grievances of disgruntled rural-dwellers with local mayors
Abu Dhabi’s Saadiyat Cultural District: A transformative, global, and diverse destination
When it comes to how we see the world and our place within it, our outlook is defined by a whole host of factors: geography and history are fundamental, as is our economic situation, not least because they impact our sense of self, purpose and ambition.
In a column for the Financial Times, journalist Janan Ganesh reflected on how different the world looks from the UAE and Europe, especially when it comes to the trends that define 21st century globalization. It is no longer tenable, Ganesh argued, to think of a globalist “as someone who knows London and Paris.”
Consider then, just how different the view is from Abu Dhabi, the capital of the UAE, where cross-cultural exchange and dialogue have been woven into the emirate’s history and heritage for millennia. Culture remains an integral and organic part of the community in Abu Dhabi, a legacy from the UAE’s founding father, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al-Nahyan, who set the cultural agenda in the 1950s through archaeological excavations near the ancient city of Al-Ain, where he also inaugurated the UAE’s first museum in 1971. That visionary legacy has positioned Abu Dhabi as a global center for cultural excellence and dialogue and led to the creation of the Saadiyat Cultural District Abu Dhabi.
Once completed, the diversity of Saadiyat Cultural District’s institutions will make the district one of the world’s most unique cultural platforms dedicated to intellectual exchange and transformative creativity. Home to museums, narratives, collections, and inspirational public programming, Saadiyat Cultural District has been created as a center where visitors can experience a journey of the world’s history and collective culture, seen from the perspective of the global south.
The district is already home to Louvre Abu Dhabi, the first universal museum in the Arab world showcasing artworks from different cultures side by side and telling a story of human connections. Nearby, Berklee Abu Dhabi offers music, and performing arts educational programs for talents throughout the wider region.
Manarat Al-Saadiyat serves as a center for creative artistic expression and is home to two significant initiatives in Abu Dhabi’s cultural calendar: Abu Dhabi Art and Culture Summit Abu Dhabi, both of which harness Abu Dhabi’s role as a global cultural hub, showcasing the city to the world and bringing international perspectives to the capital. The Abrahamic Family House welcomes people to connect, explore, and reflect, while deepening their understanding of our common humanity through mutual dialogue and knowledge exchange.
With construction at 76 percent, Saadiyat Cultural District will soon be home to the Zayed National Museum, the national museum of the UAE that celebrates the nation’s rich history and culture and honors Sheikh Zayed’s legacy. It will also host the Natural History Museum Abu Dhabi, which will take visitors on a 13.8-billion-year journey through the story of our universe and planet. Additionally, teamLab Phenomena Abu Dhabi will offer visitors an experiential journey into the future, transcending the limits of their imagination, and Guggenheim Abu Dhabi will establish itself as the region’s pre-eminent museum for contemporary art and culture.
More than a cultural destination, Saadiyat Cultural District is a global platform, emanating from a rich cultural heritage, celebrating traditions, and advancing equitable culture. It is a place of opportunity, exchange and innovation coupled with an impact-focused mission to champion creativity and promote a diverse global cultural landscape.
With over 200 nationalities and known trading links stretching back for millennia, Saadiyat Cultural District embodies a vision of the future informed by a profound sense of commitment and responsibility. It is reaffirming Abu Dhabi’s position as a beacon of cultural innovation and intellectual exchange, connecting the UAE’s rich heritage with the world’s diverse cultures, to enhance mutual understanding and position Abu Dhabi as a vital player on the global cultural stage.
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Babar holds key for success as unpredictable Pakistan gear up for World Cup
- Pakistan has experienced massive changes in its cricket board since T20 World Cup 2022
ISLAMABAD: The return of tried and tested Babar Azam as captain for the Twenty20 World Cup belies the massive changes in Pakistan cricket over the last 18 months.
Since Babar’s team lost the T20 World Cup final to England in November 2022, the Pakistan Cricket Board has had four chairmen, the selection panel has been overhauled, and the experiment with Shaheen Shah Afridi as skipper was quickly aborted.
A new head coach for the limited-overs formats joined the squad in England just weeks ahead of the June 1-29 World Cup in the US and Caribbean.
And to top it off, Pakistan will be the last team to confirm its 15-member World Cup squad as it continues to experiment with various combinations.
Babar is urging supporters to be patient, and there’s a plan in place for success.
Babar stepped down from all-formats captaincy during the tenure of Zaka Ashraf as head of the PCB after Pakistan failed to qualify for the semifinals of the 50-over World Cup in India last year.
But he was reinstated as T20 captain by Mohsin Naqvi — the fourth PCB chairman in less than 14 months — ahead of home series against New Zealand in April after Afridi lost the series in New Zealand 4-1.
Allrounder Imad Wasim and fast bowler Mohammad Amir came out of international retirement in the hope that their experience of playing in the Caribbean Premier League will benefit Pakistan in the West Indies.
South African Gary Kirsten, who was appointed last month as head coach, will gain some first-hand knowledge of the Pakistan squad during a four-match series in England that both teams are using to rehearse for the World Cup.
All these off-the-field happenings have impacted Pakistan’s preparations for the tournament.
It badly lost the away series to New Zealand, scraped to a drawn 2-2 series at home against the Black Caps and lost a T20 series against Afghanistan 2-1. A shock loss to Ireland in Dublin preceded back-to-back wins and 2-1 series result.
And so unpredictable Pakistan enters another world tournament as a team to watch because of its rich history in the T20 World Cup. It has featured in three finals, winning the title in 2009, and also reached the semifinals three other times.
One of Kirsten’s coaching tips has already resonated with the players.
“Gary told us, don’t play for the name on the back of your jersey but for the badge in front of your shirt,” Afridi told a PCB podcast. “And that stayed with me.”
The depth in its pace bowling, with the likes of Afridi, fit-again Haris Rauf, Naseem Shah and Amir, can pose a threat to any team. But Pakistan’s top-order batting was still unsettled going into the series in England. Left-hander Saim Ayub is yet to fire in his role after selectors decided to separate the successful T20 opening pair of Babar and Mohammad Rizwan.
Babar has faced criticism for not pushing the scoring rate in the T20 power play, particularly while batting first. Pakistan has mostly aimed for totals in the 170-180 range while other teams have crossed 200 on regular basis.
Political tensions between Pakistan and India means there hasn’t been a bilateral series for over a decade, but the ICC tournaments always attracts a huge TV audience when the archrivals meet.
Pakistan and India will play a group game on June 9 at a newly built 34,000-capacity Nassau County International Cricket Stadium in New York that will be the center of attention for South Asian communities.
Both teams are expected to advance to the Super 8 stage from a group that also contains tournament co-host US, Canada and Ireland.
Babar has twice gone close to lifting the trophy as captain, losing to eventual champion Australia in the 2021 semifinals and to England in the final in the Melbourne final the following year.
And for that, he’ll get the distinction of becoming the first player to lead a country in three successive T20 World Cups and will be aiming for third time lucky if his Pakistan lineup can reach the June 29 decider in Barbados.
Saudi aid agency distributes 9,000 shelters, non-food items among Pakistan’s flood-hit families
- The relief kits containing solar panels, blankets, kitchen sets, water coolers and soaps will benefit 63,000 individuals
- These items have been distributed among people of Upper Dir, Lower Chitral, Swat, Gwadar, Chaghi and Pishin districts
ISLAMABAD: The King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KSRelief) announced on Wednesday it has distributed 9,000 shelters and non-food items to flood-affected families in Pakistan’s two western provinces to meet the needs of people affected by recent rains.
The death toll from rain-related incidents in Pakistan’s Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) provinces surged to 78 last month.
Heavy rains in these provinces inundated the streets of several districts, damaging thousands of houses. The casualties included at least 33 children and 15 women, while many others were also injured and displaced.
“These relief kits, containing vital items such as shelters, solar panels, blankets, plastic mats, kitchen sets, water coolers, and antibacterial soap provided comprehensive support to 63,000 individuals,” KSRelief said in a statement.
The Saudi aid agency added the “vital assistance during this critical time” would benefit flood victims in Upper Dir, Lower Chitral, Swat, Charsada and Dera Ismail Khan districts of KP and Gwadar, Chaghi and Pishin districts of Balochistan.
“This initiative was executed in close collaboration with the National Disaster Management Authority and the respective provincial governments of KP and Balochistan through the Hayat Foundation,” the statement concluded.
Jeddah Superdome to host return of WWE King and Queen of the Ring
- Likes of Cody Rhodes, Logan Paul and Becky Lynch will take part in the action this weekend
JEDDAH: WWE is set to return to Saudi Arabia with the double-header of SmackDown and King and Queen of the Ring this weekend at Jeddah’s Superdome.
The action will kick off on May 24 with the Kingdom’s inaugural SmackDown event, which will be broadcast live globally.
WWE superstars will battle it out in the semifinals of the the King and Queen of the Ring, with the finals taking place on May 25.
The Superdome, the world’s largest pillarless structure of its kind, will host the first King of The Ring event to take place since 2015, and the first crowning of a Queen of The Ring since the inaugural Queen’s Crown Tournament, which took place at WWE Crown Jewel in Riyadh in 2021.
The match card for this weekend includes:
Undisputed WWE Championship: Cody Rhodes (c) vs. Logan Paul
WWE King and Queen of the Ring is set to be headlined by Cody Rhodes and Logan Paul in a Championship vs. Championship match. Rhodes will be mounting a defense of his new Undisputed WWE Championship after he solidified his reign at WWE Backlash: France.
WWE Women’s Championship: Becky Lynch (c) vs. Liv Morgan
Women’s World Champion Becky Lynch will put her title on the line against Liv Morgan. Lynch won the title in a battle royal after Rhea Ripley was forced to vacate the title after suffering an injury from Morgan backstage. Lynch last eliminated Morgan in the battle royal, but The Liv Morgan Revenge Tour continues with her latest shot at dethroning the champion.
Intercontinental Champion Sami Zayn vs. Chad Gable vs. Bronson Reed (Triple Threat Match)
Sami Zayn will put the Intercontinental Title on the line in a Triple Threat Match against Chad Gable and “Big” Bronson Reed at WWE King and Queen of the Ring. After ending Gunther’s historic title reign at Wrestlemania 40, Zayn was challenged by Gable despite his help in ending the longest Intercontinental Title reign in WWE history. Reed also attacked Zayn and Gable to set his own claim to the title. As a result, all three will battle for the championship.
Queen of the Ring final
There is just one match left until the Queen of the Ring Final, and Bianca Belair and Nia Jax will battle it out to make it there. Belair bested Candice LeRae and Tiffany Stratton, setting up a meeting with Jax, who took out Naomi and Jade Cargill in the tournament.
Belair and Jax have never faced each other one-on-one and with the crown just inches away, each Superstar will be out to prove herself. The winner will face Lyra Valkyria, who won her place in the final after Monday Night Raw this week, in a match against Iyo Sky.
King of the Ring final
On Friday Night SmackDown, Randy Orton and Tama Tonga will compete for a position in the King of the Ring final against Gunther, who defeated Jey Uso in the semifinal match on Monday Night Raw.
Orton made his way into the semifinal after taking out AJ Styles and Carmelo Hayes, while Tama Tonga bested Angelo Dawkins and LA Knight. Before this year, Orton had not yet won a single King of the Ring Match in his career. Now he is set on making his promise to eliminate The Bloodline to advance to the final match on Saturday night.
Death of Iran’s president has delayed talks with UN nuclear watchdog, Grossi says
- The International Atomic Energy Agency faces a range of challenges in Iran
- Nuclear watchdog has been trying to expand its oversight of Iran’s atomic activities
HELSINKI: The deaths of Iran’s president and foreign minister in a helicopter crash have caused a pause in the UN nuclear watchdog’s talks with Tehran over improving cooperation with the agency, the watchdog’s chief Rafael Grossi told Reuters on Wednesday.
“They are in a mourning period which I need to respect,” International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) chief Grossi said in Helsinki, where he spoke at a nuclear conference.
“But once this is over, we are going to be engaging again,” he said, describing it as a “temporary interruption that I hope will be over in a matter of days.”
Grossi said the IAEA was planning to continue technical discussions with Iran but they had not yet taken place due to last weekend’s helicopter crash that killed President Ebrahim Raisi and Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian.
The IAEA faces a range of challenges in Iran, from Tehran’s recent barring of many of the most experienced uranium-enrichment experts on its inspection team to Iran’s continued failure to explain uranium traces found at undeclared sites despite a years-long IAEA investigation.
The IAEA has been trying to expand its oversight of Iran’s atomic activities while the country’s uranium-enrichment program continues to advance. Iran is enriching uranium to up to 60 percent purity, close to the 90 percent of weapons-grade, which no other country has done without developing nuclear weapons.
Tehran says its aims are entirely peaceful.
Iran currently has about 140 kg of uranium enriched to up to 60 percent, Grossi said. According to an IAEA definition, that is theoretically enough, if enriched further, for three nuclear bombs. The IAEA’s last quarterly report in February said Iran had 121.5 kg, enough for two bombs.
Iran is still producing about nine kg a month of uranium enriched to up to 60 percent, Grossi said. It is also enriching to lower levels at which it has enough material for potentially more bombs.
Grossi, who two weeks ago said he wanted to start to see concrete results on improved cooperation from Iran soon, repeated that hope but said a more wide-ranging deal would require “a bit more time.”
For now, his team had not made progress on the main issues, he said.
“It is high time there is some concrete issuance and if not resolution, some clarification of what is this,” Grossi said of the uranium traces at undeclared sites.
“And I would say, confidence in many parts of the world (in Iran on the nuclear issue) is growing thinner.
