French President Emmanuel Macron received US president-elect Donald Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the Elysee Palace on Saturday, hours before the reopening of Notre Dame cathedral – a symbolic moment for France that was attended by dozens of world leaders.
Mr Trump, who arrived 40 minutes late for his meeting with the French President, said that they had enjoyed a good relationship during his previous mandate as president and would discuss geopolitical instability. "We had a good time together, and we had a lot of success, really great success working together,” Mr Trump said alongside Mr Macron ahead of bilateral talks. "And it certainly seemed like the world is going a little crazy right now. And we'll be talking about that.”
The war in Ukraine was high on the agenda. Mr Trump, who takes office in January, has promised to end the war there in one day. Some analysts believe he may force Ukraine to offer concessions to Moscow.
"We all want this war to end as soon as possible and in a just way. We spoke about our people, the situation on the ground, and a just peace,” wrote Mr Zelenskyy on X.
"It's a great opportunity to anticipate what the positions of the president-elect will be” on Ukraine, said Patrick Martin Genier, Sciences Po University professor, speaking on BFMTV. "We know very well that he will be the centre of the negotiations, though we cannot talk about bilateral negotiations now because he cannot replace the Biden administration.”
Mr Trump landed on Saturday in Paris shortly before 7am and headed straight to the US embassy with a large convoy of cars. His visit is viewed as a diplomatic success by Mr Macron and may offer him an early opportunity to play the role of mediator between Europe and Washington. Mr Trump also held meetings with the UK's Prince William, according to Kensington Palace, and outgoing US first lady Jill Biden, who was attending after visiting Abu Dhabi and Doha. US President Joe Biden was not present.
Bad weather changes programme
Bad weather disrupted the reopening ceremony for Notre-Dame, forcing organisers to move events inside at the last minute. It officially reopened shortly after 7pm, when Archbishop of Paris Laurent Ulrich knocked its doors with his crosier, a long staff which symbolises a bishop as shepherd to his people. X owner Elon Musk, who was recently appointed by Mr Trump to co-lead government efficiency under his mandate, made a surprise appearance at the ceremony.
In a nod to France's secularism, Mr Macron was initially scheduled to speak outside the 800-year old site. "We have rediscovered what great nations can do: achieve the impossible,” Mr Macron said, speaking inside the cathedral where major historical events including the crowning of Henry IV of England in 1431 and of Napoleon in 1804 took place. "This cathedral was thus the happy metaphor of what a nation is, and what the world should be.”
About 1,500 people attended the ceremony, which will be followed by a Mass on Sunday after the blessing of the altar. The Elysee confirmed the presence of more than 40 heads of state, including Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and her Swedish counterpart Ulf Kristersson. European Parliament President Roberta Metsola and former US Secretary of State John Kerry were also present, as well as Mr Trump's special envoy to the Middle East, Massad Boulos. Listed among religious figures was Lebanon's Maronite Patriarch Bechara Boutros Rai. Pope Francis was represented by apostolic nuncio to France, Celestino Migliore.
Mr Migliore delivered a message from the Pope, who called for free access to the newly-rebuilt cathedral after there was talk to charge tourists for its entrance. "Notre-Dame will soon be visited and admired again by an immense crowd of people from all walks of life, backgrounds, religions, languages and cultures, many of them in search of the absolute and meaning in their lives,” the Pope said.
Thousands of people had started to gather in the streets surrounding the cathedral hours before the start of the event. For those who wanted to get close to the cathedral, which was closed off by a security perimeter, individual security checks were mandatory. About 6,000 policemen and gendarme were on duty at the event.
Standing in the crowd of thousands of onlookers was Randy Yaloz, president of Republicans Overseas France. Wearing a red Make America Great Again cap, he told The National that Mr Trump had made "the right move” by coming to Paris for the reopening of the cathedral. "Americans consider [Notre-Dame cathedral] the heart of Christianity in Europe and for them the burning down of Notre-Dame was a big shock,” he said. "Mr Trump, as a believer, as a practising Christian and also supportive of many Christians in America, had to be here to support Notre-Dame.”
When the cathedral burnt down under his previous tenure as US president, Mr Trump had expressed strong concern, saying it was "so horrible” to watch. Five years later, Mr Trump posted on his Truth Social page that Mr Macron had "done a wonderful job ensuring that Notre-Dame has been restored to its full level of glory, and even more so. It will be a very special day for all!”
Also in the crowd was Micherael Lapommeray, who said it was unthinkable to miss the ceremony. "As a Catholic, I think it was a duty for me to be here,” said Mr Lapommeray, a US citizen who lives in Paris. He said he would book a slot online to visit the cathedral as soon as it reopens to the public on December 16. "Notre-Dame is not just a religious symbol. It carries with it hundreds of years of French history and prestige.”
For Sophie Sardegna, 51, the cathedral was more a symbol of national pride than a spiritual symbol. "I've seen the pictures of the work that has been done, and I think it's even more beautiful than before. There's more light and more joy,” she said.
Biog:
Age: 34
Favourite superhero: Batman
Favourite sport: anything extreme
Favourite person: Muhammad Ali
Bookshops: A Reader's History by Jorge Carrión (translated from the Spanish by Peter Bush),
Biblioasis
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League final:
Who: Real Madrid v Liverpool
Where: NSC Olimpiyskiy Stadium, Kiev, Ukraine
When: Saturday, May 26, 10.45pm (UAE)
TV: Match on BeIN Sports
JAPAN SQUAD
Goalkeepers: Masaaki Higashiguchi, Shuichi Gonda, Daniel Schmidt
Defenders: Yuto Nagatomo, Tomoaki Makino, Maya Yoshida, Sho Sasaki, Hiroki Sakai, Sei Muroya, Genta Miura, Takehiro Tomiyasu
Midfielders: Toshihiro Aoyama, Genki Haraguchi, Gaku Shibasaki, Wataru Endo, Junya Ito, Shoya Nakajima, Takumi Minamino, Hidemasa Morita, Ritsu Doan
Forwards: Yuya Osako, Takuma Asano, Koya Kitagawa
LIVERPOOL%20TOP%20SCORERS
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COMPANY%20PROFILE%20
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'O'
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EAuthor%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Zeina%20Hashem%20Beck%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPages%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20112%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPublisher%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Penguin%20Books%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EAvailable%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Now%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
In numbers
- Number of children under five will fall from 681 million in 2017 to 401m in 2100
- Over-80s will rise from 141m in 2017 to 866m in 2100
- Nigeria will become the world’s second most populous country with 791m by 2100, behind India
- China will fall dramatically from a peak of 2.4 billion in 2024 to 732 million by 2100
- an average of 2.1 children per woman is required to sustain population growth
MATCH INFO
AC Milan v Inter, Sunday, 6pm (UAE), match live on BeIN Sports
Can NRIs vote in the election?
Indians residing overseas cannot cast their ballot abroad
Non-resident Indians or NRIs can vote only by going to a polling booth in their home constituency
There are about 3.1 million NRIs living overseas
Indians have urged political parties to extend the right to vote to citizens residing overseas
A committee of the Election Commission of India approved of proxy voting for non-resident Indians
Proxy voting means that a person can authorise someone residing in the same polling booth area to cast a vote on his behalf.
This option is currently available for the armed forces, police and government officials posted outside India
A bill was passed in the lower house of India’s parliament or the Lok Sabha to extend proxy voting to non-resident Indians
However, this did not come before the upper house or Rajya Sabha and has lapsed
The issue of NRI voting draws a huge amount of interest in India and overseas
Over the past few months, Indians have received messages on mobile phones and on social media claiming that NRIs can cast their votes online
The Election Commission of India then clarified that NRIs could not vote online
The Election Commission lodged a complaint with the Delhi Police asking it to clamp down on the people spreading misinformation
Gulf Men's League final
Dubai Hurricanes 24-12 Abu Dhabi Harlequins
Q&A with Dash Berlin
Welcome back. What was it like to return to RAK and to play for fans out here again?
It’s an amazing feeling to be back in the passionate UAE again. Seeing the fans having a great time that is what it’s all about.
You're currently touring the globe as part of your Legends of the Feels Tour. How important is it to you to include the Middle East in the schedule?
The tour is doing really well and is extensive and intensive at the same time travelling all over the globe. My Middle Eastern fans are very dear to me, it’s good to be back.
You mix tracks that people know and love, but you also have a visually impressive set too (graphics etc). Is that the secret recipe to Dash Berlin's live gigs?
People enjoying the combination of the music and visuals are the key factor in the success of the Legends Of The Feel tour 2018.
Have you had some time to explore Ras al Khaimah too? If so, what have you been up to?
Coming fresh out of Las Vegas where I continue my 7th annual year DJ residency at Marquee, I decided it was a perfect moment to catch some sun rays and enjoy the warm hospitality of Bab Al Bahr.
More from Rashmee Roshan Lall
Where can I submit a sample?
Volunteers can now submit DNA samples at a number of centres across Abu Dhabi. The programme is open to all ages.
Collection centres in Abu Dhabi include:
- Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC)
- Biogenix Labs in Masdar City
- Al Towayya in Al Ain
- NMC Royal Hospital in Khalifa City
- Bareen International Hospital
- NMC Specialty Hospital, Al Ain
- NMC Royal Medical Centre - Abu Dhabi
- NMC Royal Women’s Hospital.
Sreesanth's India bowling career
Tests 27, Wickets 87, Average 37.59, Best 5-40
ODIs 53, Wickets 75, Average 33.44, Best 6-55
T20Is 10, Wickets 7, Average 41.14, Best 2-12
How%20champions%20are%20made
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Kanguva
Director: Siva
Stars: Suriya, Bobby Deol, Disha Patani, Yogi Babu, Redin Kingsley
SHADOWS%20AND%20LIGHT%3A%20THE%20EXTRAORDINARY%20LIFE%20OF%20JAMES%20MCBEY
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Sreesanth's India bowling career
Tests 27, Wickets 87, Average 37.59, Best 5-40
ODIs 53, Wickets 75, Average 33.44, Best 6-55
T20Is 10, Wickets 7, Average 41.14, Best 2-12
LOVE%20AGAIN
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Match info
Manchester City 3 (Jesus 22', 50', Sterling 69')
Everton 1 (Calvert-Lewin 65')
All or Nothing
Amazon Prime
Four stars
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cyl turbo
Power: 201hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 320Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 6-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 8.7L/100km
Price: Dh133,900
On sale: now
About Takalam
Date started: early 2020
Founders: Khawla Hammad and Inas Abu Shashieh
Based: Abu Dhabi
Sector: HealthTech and wellness
Number of staff: 4
Funding to date: Bootstrapped
The bio
Academics: Phd in strategic management in University of Wales
Number one caps: His best-seller caps are in shades of grey, blue, black and yellow
Reading: Is immersed in books on colours to understand more about the usage of different shades
Sport: Started playing polo two years ago. Helps him relax, plus he enjoys the speed and focus
Cars: Loves exotic cars and currently drives a Bentley Bentayga
Holiday: Favourite travel destinations are London and St Tropez
Match info
Manchester United 1 (Van de Beek 80') Crystal Palace 3 (Townsend 7', Zaha pen 74' & 85')
Man of the match Wilfried Zaha (Crystal Palace)
FULL%20FIGHT%20CARD
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MATCH INFO
Cricket World Cup League Two
Oman, UAE, Namibia
Al Amerat, Muscat
Results
Oman beat UAE by five wickets
UAE beat Namibia by eight runs
Namibia beat Oman by 52 runs
UAE beat Namibia by eight wickets
UAE v Oman - abandoned
Oman v Namibia - abandoned
The specs: 2019 Subaru Forester
Price, base: Dh105,900 (Premium); Dh115,900 (Sport)
Engine: 2.5-litre four-cylinder
Transmission: Continuously variable transmission
Power: 182hp @ 5,800rpm
Torque: 239Nm @ 4,400rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 8.1L / 100km (estimated)
Results
7pm: Wathba Stallions Cup – Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 (Dirt) 1,600m; Winner: RB Kings Bay, Abdul Aziz Al Balushi (jockey), Helal Al Alawi (trainer)
7.30pm: Maiden (PA) Dh 70,000 (D) 1,600m; Winner: AF Ensito, Fernando Jara, Mohamed Daggash
8pm: Maiden (PA) Dh70,000 (D) 1,400m; Winner: AF Sourouh, Tadhg O’Shea, Ernst Oertel
8.30pm: Maiden (PA) Dh70,000 (D) 1,800m; Winner: Baaher, Fabrice Veron, Eric Lemartinel
9pm: Maiden (PA) Dh70,000 (D) 2,000m; Winner: Mootahady, Antonio Fresu, Eric Lemartinel
9.30pm: Handicap (TB) Dh70,000 (D) 2,000m; Winner: Dubai Canal, Tadhg O’Shea, Satish Seemar
10pm: Al Ain Cup – Prestige (PA) Dh100,000 (D) 2,000m; Winner: Harrab, Bernardo Pinheiro, Majed Al Jahouri
Kandahar%20
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Ric%20Roman%20Waugh%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStars%3A%C2%A0%3C%2Fstrong%3EGerard%20Butler%2C%20Navid%20Negahban%2C%20Ali%20Fazal%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%202.5%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder MHEV
Power: 360bhp
Torque: 500Nm
Transmission: eight-speed automatic
Price: from Dh282,870
On sale: now
Jetour T1 specs
Engine: 2-litre turbocharged
Power: 254hp
Torque: 390Nm
Price: From Dh126,000
Available: Now
'Skin'
Dir: Guy Nattiv
Starring: Jamie Bell, Danielle McDonald, Bill Camp, Vera Farmiga
Rating: 3.5/5 stars
