Last week marked an important occasion in France, as Bastille Day, the country's national day, was celebrated on July 14. This week is significant for a different reason, with President Sheikh Mohamed having arrived in Paris on a two-day state visit to bolster the already strong relations between France and the UAE.
That Sheikh Mohamed chose France as the destination for his first state visit since being elected UAE President carries a special symbolic weight. Sheikh Mohamed called France "a close strategic ally of the UAE" yesterday, adding that "our countries enjoy longstanding partnerships across many fields. We look forward to further collaborations and strengthening ties towards a prosperous future".
French President Emmanuel Macron was the first western leader to visit the UAE to offer condolences in person after the passing of Sheikh Khalifa. Sheikh Mohamed, who visited France in September last year, received a warm welcome during the official ceremony in Paris on Monday.
It was a fitting gesture considering that the two nations share mutual respect and a depth of understanding that has been enriched over the decades.
Ever since the UAE Founding Father, the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan's first official visit to Paris, in 1951, to agree on offshore oil drilling rights, there has been growing co-operation on a number of fronts leading to strong political, cultural, trade and economic ties between the two countries. Today, France's annual exports to the UAE are worth Dh12.5 billion, while Paris imports about Dh3.7bn worth of oil from the Emirates each year. The two countries are also invested in a 10-year bilateral roadmap of a strategic partnership signed in 2020.
For years, both France and the UAE have emphasised such values as tolerance and peaceful co-existence. They have regularly co-ordinated on myriad geopolitical affairs and actively sought peaceful political solutions to conflicts, whether in Libya, Yemen, or most recently in Ukraine. Given that the Middle East's stability is of utmost importance to both countries, they have also expressed concerns about the start-stop nature of the Iran nuclear talks.
With each passing decade, bilateral ties have grown much deeper. Indeed, the number of sectors the two countries have co-operated on is extensive, be it oil and gas, fintech, trade and investment, cyber security, space or clean energy.
An unmissable visual manifestation of their cultural partnership is Louvre Abu Dhabi, which opened in 2017. Education also plays an important role, with seven schools located in Abu Dhabi teaching up to 10,000 students in the French language. Sorbonne University Abu Dhabi, which was established as a branch of Paris’s College of Sorbonne in 2006, is one of several landmark institutions in both countries that attest to their ever deepening cultural and social bonds.
Given the pace of climate change, the Paris Agreement is a big talking point. At the Cop28 climate summit, to be held in the UAE next year, it is likely to headline much of the agenda of participating countries.
The state visit is an important one. In several key areas in which France and the UAE work together, there is much to honour. In the meeting of the two leaders at the Elysee Palace, it is the strength of a key relationship that will have been reaffirmed.
How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
The National Archives, Abu Dhabi
Founded over 50 years ago, the National Archives collects valuable historical material relating to the UAE, and is the oldest and richest archive relating to the Arabian Gulf.
Much of the material can be viewed on line at the Arabian Gulf Digital Archive - https://www.agda.ae/en
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Director: Alfonso Cuaron
Stars: Cate Blanchett, Kevin Kline, Lesley Manville
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THE DETAILS
Director: Milan Jhaveri
Producer: Emmay Entertainment and T-Series
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Our legal columnist
Name: Yousef Al Bahar
Advocate at Al Bahar & Associate Advocates and Legal Consultants, established in 1994
Education: Mr Al Bahar was born in 1979 and graduated in 2008 from the Judicial Institute. He took after his father, who was one of the first Emirati lawyers
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The low down on MPS
What is myofascial pain syndrome?
Myofascial pain syndrome refers to pain and inflammation in the body’s soft tissue. MPS is a chronic condition that affects the fascia (connective tissue that covers the muscles, which develops knots, also known as trigger points).
What are trigger points?
Trigger points are irritable knots in the soft tissue that covers muscle tissue. Through injury or overuse, muscle fibres contract as a reactive and protective measure, creating tension in the form of hard and, palpable nodules. Overuse and sustained posture are the main culprits in developing trigger points.
What is myofascial or trigger-point release?
Releasing these nodules requires a hands-on technique that involves applying gentle sustained pressure to release muscular shortness and tightness. This eliminates restrictions in connective tissue in orderto restore motion and alleviate pain. Therapy balls have proven effective at causing enough commotion in the tissue, prompting the release of these hard knots.
Concrete and Gold
Foo Fighters
RCA records
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OPINIONS ON PALESTINE & ISRAEL
If you go
Where to stay: Courtyard by Marriott Titusville Kennedy Space Centre has unparalleled views of the Indian River. Alligators can be spotted from hotel room balconies, as can several rocket launch sites. The hotel also boasts cool space-themed decor.
When to go: Florida is best experienced during the winter months, from November to May, before the humidity kicks in.
How to get there: Emirates currently flies from Dubai to Orlando five times a week.
Citadel: Honey Bunny first episode
Directors: Raj & DK
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Wicked
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Film: In Syria
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UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
The specs
Engine: 1.5-litre turbo
Power: 181hp
Torque: 230Nm
Transmission: 6-speed automatic
Starting price: Dh79,000
On sale: Now
Sonchiriya
Director: Abhishek Chaubey
Producer: RSVP Movies, Azure Entertainment
Cast: Sushant Singh Rajput, Manoj Bajpayee, Ashutosh Rana, Bhumi Pednekar, Ranvir Shorey
Rating: 3/5
Kanguva
Director: Siva
Stars: Suriya, Bobby Deol, Disha Patani, Yogi Babu, Redin Kingsley
The specs
Engine: Dual 180kW and 300kW front and rear motors
Power: 480kW
Torque: 850Nm
Transmission: Single-speed automatic
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Cricket World Cup League 2
UAE squad
Rahul Chopra (captain), Aayan Afzal Khan, Ali Naseer, Aryansh Sharma, Basil Hameed, Dhruv Parashar, Junaid Siddique, Muhammad Farooq, Muhammad Jawadullah, Muhammad Waseem, Omid Rahman, Rahul Bhatia, Tanish Suri, Vishnu Sukumaran, Vriitya Aravind
Fixtures
Friday, November 1 – Oman v UAE
Sunday, November 3 – UAE v Netherlands
Thursday, November 7 – UAE v Oman
Saturday, November 9 – Netherlands v UAE
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
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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The drill
Recharge as needed, says Mat Dryden: “We try to make it a rule that every two to three months, even if it’s for four days, we get away, get some time together, recharge, refresh.” The couple take an hour a day to check into their businesses and that’s it.
Stick to the schedule, says Mike Addo: “We have an entire wall known as ‘The Lab,’ covered with colour-coded Post-it notes dedicated to our joint weekly planner, content board, marketing strategy, trends, ideas and upcoming meetings.”
Be a team, suggests Addo: “When training together, you have to trust in each other’s abilities. Otherwise working out together very quickly becomes one person training the other.”
Pull your weight, says Thuymi Do: “To do what we do, there definitely can be no lazy member of the team.”
Electoral College Victory
Trump has so far secured 295 Electoral College votes, according to the Associated Press, exceeding the 270 needed to win. Only Nevada and Arizona remain to be called, and both swing states are leaning Republican. Trump swept all five remaining swing states, North Carolina, Georgia, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin, sealing his path to victory and giving him a strong mandate.
Popular Vote Tally
The count is ongoing, but Trump currently leads with nearly 51 per cent of the popular vote to Harris’s 47.6 per cent. Trump has over 72.2 million votes, while Harris trails with approximately 67.4 million.
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Almnssa
Started: August 2020
Founder: Areej Selmi
Based: Gaza
Sectors: Internet, e-commerce
Investments: Grants/private funding
