Man who slapped Macron to stand trial on Thursday

French President Emmanuel Macron. (File/AFP)
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Updated 10 June 2021
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Man who slapped Macron to stand trial on Thursday

  • Tarel’s attack on the president stunned the country
  • The unemployed 28-year-old said during interrogation that he had been close to the anti-government “yellow vest” protest movement

PARIS: Damien Tarel, the medieval martial arts enthusiast who slapped French President Emmanuel Macron across the face, will go before a judge in a fast-track trial on Thursday.

Tarel had acknowledged striking Macron while the president was on a visit to a professional training college, but told investigators it was not premeditated, local prosecutor Alex Perrin said in a statement.

The unemployed 28-year-old said during interrogation that he had been close to the anti-government “yellow vest” protest movement which shook the Macron presidency, and held ultra-right wing political beliefs.

“He maintained that he acted out of impulse and ‘without thinking’ to express his discontent,” Perrin said in a statement late on Wednesday.

Tarel’s attack on the president stunned the country. Macron later described it as an isolated incident and said violence and hate were a threat to democracy.

The president had been on a trip to the Drome region in the southeast to take the country’s pulse after the pandemic and with less than a year to go before the next presidential election.

Acquaintances of Tarel described a man who loved period role-play and was not a trouble-maker. The prosecutor said he was not a member of any political or militant group.

Tarel was arrested along with a second man from his hometown of Saint-Vallier. Police found weapons, a copy of Adolf Hitler’s autobiographical manifesto Mein Kampf and a red flag with golden sickle and mortar that is the international symbol of the communist movement in the second man’s home, Perrin said.

The second man will not face any charges related to the slapping but will be prosecuted for illegal possession of arms in 2022.


Saudi Arabia condemns continuous provocative practices carried out by extremists at Al-Aqsa Mosque

Updated 5 min 26 sec ago
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Saudi Arabia condemns continuous provocative practices carried out by extremists at Al-Aqsa Mosque

RIYADH: Saudi Arabia condemned on Sunday continuous provocative practices carried out by a group of extremists at Al-Aqsa Mosque under the protection of Israeli forces, Saudi Press Agency reported.

The Kingdom’s Foreign Ministry expressed regret at practices carried out by Israeli authorities that undermine international peace efforts and contradict international principles and norms regarding respecting religious sanctities.

The ministry reiterated the Kingdom’s firm position in support of Palestinian people and all efforts aimed at ending Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territories.

It also expressed its support for achieving a just and comprehensive solution to the Palestinian issue, enabling the Palestinian people to establish their independent Palestinian state on 1967 borders, with East Jerusalem as its capital.


Fathers of Noor Mukadam, Sara Inam call for expedited justice in daughters’ murder cases

Updated 8 min 18 sec ago
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Fathers of Noor Mukadam, Sara Inam call for expedited justice in daughters’ murder cases

  • The demand for quicker trials by fathers of the two high-profile murder victims highlights a stagnant justice system
  • The murders of Mukadam and Inam led to public outrage, calling into question the safety and rights of women in Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: The fathers of Noor Mukadam and Sara Inam, victims of two high-profile murders in Pakistan, held a news conference in the federal capital on Sunday, calling for expedited legal proceedings speedy justice in their daughters’ cases.
The media interaction was arranged exactly a year after Inam, a 37-year-old economist, was killed by her husband, Shahnawaz Amir, in suburban Islamabad.
The fathers of the two women not only pressed the judiciary for timely justice but also reignited the focus on the safety and rights of women in Pakistan which came under question after the two murders.
“It has been a year,” lamented Engineer Inam Rahim, Sara's father. “We were hoping this would take about six months since these were open-and-shut cases.”
He also asked the media not to forget about the murders and discuss them in newspapers and on television channels.
“We request you to continue to highlight these cases since that will raise our hopes of getting justice,” he continued, adding that his daughter was trapped by a husband whose main goal was her wealth and who eventually subjected her to brutal murder.
Shaukat Ali Mukadam, the father of Noor Mukadam who was murdered in July 2021, also called for a speedy trial.
“The courts will lose their credibility if such cases continue to remain pending in them,” he said.
His statement came as Zahir Jaffer, who was sentenced to death in his daughter’s murder case, filed an appeal with the Supreme Court of Pakistan in April 2023. The case has remained pending since then.


Al-Kholood boss Fabiano Flora eyes Al-Ittihad giant-killing in King’s Cup

“Of course, this is one of the biggest matches of my coaching career, Fabiano Flora said ahead of the King’s Cup clash.
Updated 23 min 18 sec ago
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Al-Kholood boss Fabiano Flora eyes Al-Ittihad giant-killing in King’s Cup

  • Sharing the spotlight with Karim Benzema, N’Golo Kante and Fabinho will give the second-tier club belief in its quest for promotion, says coach

Among a host of fascinating King’s Cup ties this week is the visit of star-studded Saudi Pro League leaders Al-Ittihad to second-tier side Al-Kholood on Tuesday.

While there is every chance that Nuno Espirito Santo will rest some of his big players, opposite number Fabiano Flora is hoping that the likes of Karim Benzema, N’Golo Kante, Fabinho and Jota will take to the field at Al-Kholood’s modest 8,000-capacity ground, which they share with Saudi Pro League side Al-Hazem.

“Of course, this is one of the biggest matches of my coaching career, Flora told Arab News ahead of the King’s Cup clash.

“Al-Ittihad is not just the biggest team in Saudi Arabia as the champions last season. This is a club that is one of the most important in Asia, too, and has the capacity to win the AFC Champions League.

“It is a tough game against Nuno because they have a great team with high-quality players. We know all of them — Benzema, Fabinho, Kante. It’s a big team and a big challenge, but at the same time it is a great experience for me and my players.”

Flora has admired the work done at Al-Ittihad by fellow Portuguese coach Nuno.

“Nuno has obviously had a great career now, working with big clubs and with big experience,” Flora said. “He has clear principles in the way he wants his team to play and from what I see, he tries to keep things simple for his players.

“Al-Ittihad are adaptable to different formations and tactics, but the football they play is not complex — they play effectively with simple processes. We know this will be a difficult game.”

Flora has been in charge of Al-Kholood for just three weeks, but has made an immediate impact, leading the club to three successive wins in the Saudi First Division since his arrival. Al-Ittihad will represent a different challenge entirely, but the 38-year-old insists his side are primed to cause a cup upset.

“It is still early days for me, but I think the team is improving and we feel ready to compete,” he said. “In the league we have beaten Al-Batin, who came from the Saudi Pro League last season, and also Al-Arabi, who have spent a lot of money to try to get promotion this year.

“We are in a good moment so let’s see. Everything is possible in football; with good organization, with a good mentality, I think we can play a very good match and we can compete with Al-Ittihad.”

Flora hopes that the experience of playing against the reigning Saudi Pro League champions will give Al-Kholood players the belief that they can gain promotion this season, although he recognizes that the Saudi First Division is hugely competitive.

“I came here because I believe we can do some something important. We know it is difficult for us because there has been some big investment from four or five teams this season, but we also know that there is quality in our team.”

Flora’s coaching career has been a globetrotting adventure that began in traditional surroundings at the academy of Serie A side Lazio, but has also taken in less-traditional footballing nations, including Myanmar, Madagascar and Timor-Leste.

“Working in different places gives you such a rich experience as a coach — you are not just learning about the tactical and technical side of the game but about society and culture, too. You become more adaptable as a coach.”

Managers such as Arrigo Sacchi, Jose Mourinho and Carlos Alberto Parreira have demonstrated that you do not need to have a professional football career to become a successful coach, and it is a blueprint that Flora is trying to follow.

“Of course, when you are a player and have lived inside the group, you understand the feelings players have in certain moments.

“But when you don’t play, you have more time to learn. This is a big difference. You start to think early on about football — how you can improve players, how you can improve as a coach — and you can study the game in more depth. As a player, you just don’t have this time.”

Flora spent a number of years at Lazio before working at Juventus when Antonio Conte was first-team coach.

“I learned a lot in in Italy; I think they stay one step in front of all coaches in the world in terms of their tactical approach,” Flora said.

“When you work in the youth leagues with these big clubs with a great history, of course I was able to connect with people like Filippo Inzaghi and Paolo Negro — important players who have had valuable experience. You learn from them and the way they think about football.”

Just 15 months ago, Flora’s colorful coaching career had taken him to Latvia, but on Monday he will test his tactical acumen against a world-class coach and a team bursting with talented players. It is an opportunity he is relishing.

“It’s a good feeling, of course, when you play against a big club with big players. When you are young or early in your career, you are always thinking about the future and whether these moments might come.

“You want to believe it will happen so when it does, this feels like a great reward for the decisions you have made, the places you have coached, the challenges you have taken. Really, I feel a great satisfaction and I am looking forward to this match.”


Speaker lineup for World Tourism Day in Riyadh revealed

During the event, tourism leaders will deliver speeches and panel discussions will focus on three UNWTO core themes.
Updated 33 min 54 sec ago
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Speaker lineup for World Tourism Day in Riyadh revealed

  • Over 500 officials, leaders, and experts from 120 countries will attend, highlighting the importance of the day in shaping the future of global tourism

RIYADH: The speaker lineup for this year’s World Tourism Day in Riyadh on Sept. 27-28 has been revealed.

Over 500 officials, leaders, and experts from 120 countries will attend, highlighting the importance of the day in shaping the future of global tourism.

The diverse range of speakers reflects the industry’s commitment to celebrating achievements and finding solutions to key challenges.

The speaker lineup includes Saudi Tourism Minister Ahmed Al-Khateeb, UNWTO Secretary-General Zurab Pololikashvili, Saudi Investment Minister Khalid Al Falih and Saudi Deputy Tourism Minister Princess Haifa bint Mohammed Al-Saud.

Other notable speakers are South African Tourism Minister Patricia de Lille, Croatian Tourism and Sports Minister Nikolina Brnjac, Turkish Culture and Tourism Minister Mehmet Ersoy, Spanish State Secretary Rosa Ana Morillo Rodriguez, World Travel and Tourism Council CEO Julia Simpson, Global Tourism Economy Forum Secretary-General Pansy Ho, Saudia CEO Ibrahim Koshy, MSC Cruises CEO Pierfrancesco Vago, Travelport CEO Greg Webb, Virtuoso CEO Matthew Upchurch, and OYO CEO Ritesh Agarwal.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said: “Tourism is a powerful force for progress and mutual understanding. But in order to deliver its full benefits, this force must be protected and nurtured.

“On this World Tourism Day, we recognize the vital need for green investments to build a tourism sector that delivers for people and planet. So let us all do more to harness the full potential of sustainable tourism. Because investing in sustainable tourism is investing in a better future for all.”

World Tourism Day will be held under the theme “Tourism and Green Investments” with the aim of fostering global collaboration in examining investment opportunities to strengthen the resilience of the tourism industry and steer the sector toward an investment-led and sustainably focused future.

During the two-day event, tourism leaders will deliver keynote speeches and panel discussions will focus on three UNWTO core themes: people, planet and prosperity.

Participants will explore the power of tourism and the sector’s role in bridging cultures, preserving the environment, and promoting a more harmonious and interconnected world.

At the two-day event, Saudi Arabia will hand over the chair to Georgia, which will host the event next year.


UAE FM meets UN secretary general on sidelines of UNGA assembly

Updated 24 September 2023
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UAE FM meets UN secretary general on sidelines of UNGA assembly

  • Discussions focused on partnerships in humanitarian aid, renewable energy, climate action

LONDON: UAE Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al-Nahyan met UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on the sidelines of the 78th Session of the UN General Assembly in New York, Emirates News Agency reported.

Discussions focused on UAE-UN partnerships in a variety of sectors, including humanitarian aid, renewable energy, climate action and sustainable development.

Sheikh Abdullah and Guterres reviewed the outcomes of the UAE’s membership of the UN Security Council from 2022 to 2023, as well as its contributions to international peace and security, and humanitarian response operations and initiatives aimed at tackling global challenges.

The meeting discussed the UAE’s preparations for hosting the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change in November in Dubai.

Sheikh Abdullah said that the UAE recognized the need to expedite the global response to climate change to achieve peace and security, and that the country looked forward to leveraging climate challenges into opportunities that drove sustainable and economic development.

The two officials also addressed developments in the Middle East, exchanged views on a number of regional and global issues of mutual interest, as well as challenges to international peace and security.

Guterres thanked the UAE for its strengthened engagement with the UN and its hosting of COP28.

The meeting was attended by several UAE officials, including Reem bint Ibrahim Al-Hashimy, minister of state for international cooperation, Lana Zaki Nusseibeh, permanent representative to the UN, Mohamed Issa Abu Shehab, deputy permanent representative to the UN, and Majid Al Suwaidi, special representative of COP28.