A protester blows bubbles next to gendarmes and police during a Yellow Vest anti-government demonstration in Bordeaux. AFP
A protester blows bubbles next to gendarmes and police during a Yellow Vest anti-government demonstration in Bordeaux. AFP
A protester blows bubbles next to gendarmes and police during a Yellow Vest anti-government demonstration in Bordeaux. AFP
A protester blows bubbles next to gendarmes and police during a Yellow Vest anti-government demonstration in Bordeaux. AFP

Fresh casualties as France's 'yellow vest' protests march


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"Yellow vest" protesters marched in cities across France for a 16th straight week on Saturday in a bid to keep up pressure on French President Emmanuel Macron in demonstrations again marred by vandalism and violence.

In Paris, a man was reportedly hit in the face by a rubber bullet fired by a controversial riot control weapon, while in the southwestern city of Bordeaux an MP accused police of assaulting him.

About 39,300 people protested nationwide, including 4,000 in Paris, according to the interior ministry – down from the 46,600 turnout announced the previous weekend.

The official figures are regularly disputed by protest organisers, who argue the government is trying to portray the movement as losing support.

But at least one demonstrator in the capital appeared to acknowledge their numbers were falling.

"We are less numerous than usual, but we are there anyway and that's essential," said pensioner Murielle, adding: "We won't give up because the situation is not going to improve, that's for sure."

Regarding the possible police shooting of a man with a defence ball-launcher, known by the French abbreviation LBDs, Paris police chief Michel Delpuech said "an internal administrative investigation has been opened".

The weapons fire 40-millimetre rubber projectiles, considered non-lethal, but have been blamed for serious injuries to a number of demonstrators.

Macron last week rejected a call from rights watchdog the Council of Europe to suspend their use.

Elsewhere in the country, in Bordeaux, an MP from the far-left France Unbowed party, Loic Prud'homme, said police had assaulted him with batons on the edges of a march and that he had filed a formal complaint.

The local regional governor insisted police had intervened to stop protesters taking an unauthorised route and had done their job correctly.

In the western city of Nantes, police fired rubber bullets, tear gas and water cannon to disperse demonstrators, some of whom hurled projectiles including petrol bombs and bottles containing acid.

"There has been a lot of damage... bus shelters, a bank branch, a travel agency, a business," said Claude d'Harcourt, a regional governor for the Nantes area.

There was also trouble in Nice, Strasbourg and Lille, where protesters marched carrying signs and banners, including "Macron accomplice of the worst scum, finance" and "stop capitalist militias".

Police used teargas elsewhere in the country, including at protests in Bordeaux, Morlaix, Arles and Lyon.

"Those who are still in the street today will never give up, it's the hard core," said one demonstrator at the Lyon protest, a farmer from the region.

On Friday, Mr Macron had repeated a call for calm after weeks of "unacceptable" outbreaks of violence.

The protests have also seen spates of vandalism with monuments defaced, businesses damaged and cars set alight.

Mr Macron has pledged €10 billion (Dh 41.5bn) in response to anger over the high cost of living, including tax cuts for some pensioners and measures to boost low wages.

He has also spearheaded a "grand national debate" by way of the internet and town hall meetings to gather opinions on how the country could be reformed.

This week's demonstrations had been billed by organisers as a prelude to a "big month" of protests to mark four months of the "yellow vest" movement and the end of the debates championed by Mr Macron.

Many yellow vest activists dismissed the debates as a platform for Mr Macron rather than a forum for real discussion.

The protests, which have no organised leadership and are named after the fluorescent vests that French drivers must keep in vehicles, began on November 17 over increasing fuel taxes – later reversed by the government.

They quickly grew into a broader anti-government rebellion over anger towards Mr Macron.

Eleven people have died in events linked to the protests since they began.

The number of those attending the weekly rallies has dropped since 282,000 turned out on November 17.

MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW

Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman

Director: Jesse Armstrong

Rating: 3.5/5

Analysis

Maros Sefcovic is juggling multiple international trade agreement files, but his message was clear when he spoke to The National on Wednesday.

The EU-UAE bilateral trade deal will be finalised soon, he said. It is in everyone’s interests to do so. Both sides want to move quickly and are in alignment. He said the UAE is a very important partner for the EU. It’s full speed ahead - and with some lofty ambitions - on the road to a free trade agreement. 

We also talked about US-EU tariffs. He answered that both sides need to talk more and more often, but he is prepared to defend Europe's position and said diplomacy should be a guiding principle through the current moment. 

 

COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Sole survivors
  • Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
  • George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
  • Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
  • Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.
Euro 2020

Group A: Italy, Switzerland, Wales, Turkey 

Group B: Belgium, Russia, Denmark, Finland

Group C: Netherlands, Ukraine, Austria, 
Georgia/Kosovo/Belarus/North Macedonia

Group D: England, Croatia, Czech Republic, 
Scotland/Israel/Norway/Serbia

Group E: Spain, Poland, Sweden, 
N.Ireland/Bosnia/Slovakia/Ireland

Group F: Germany, France, Portugal, 
Iceland/Romania/Bulgaria/Hungary

COMPANY PROFILE
Name: ARDH Collective
Based: Dubai
Founders: Alhaan Ahmed, Alyina Ahmed and Maximo Tettamanzi
Sector: Sustainability
Total funding: Self funded
Number of employees: 4
Top investing tips for UAE residents in 2021

Build an emergency fund: Make sure you have enough cash to cover six months of expenses as a buffer against unexpected problems before you begin investing, advises Steve Cronin, the founder of DeadSimpleSaving.com.

Think long-term: When you invest, you need to have a long-term mindset, so don’t worry about momentary ups and downs in the stock market.

Invest worldwide: Diversify your investments globally, ideally by way of a global stock index fund.

Is your money tied up: Avoid anything where you cannot get your money back in full within a month at any time without any penalty.

Skip past the promises: “If an investment product is offering more than 10 per cent return per year, it is either extremely risky or a scam,” Mr Cronin says.

Choose plans with low fees: Make sure that any funds you buy do not charge more than 1 per cent in fees, Mr Cronin says. “If you invest by yourself, you can easily stay below this figure.” Managed funds and commissionable investments often come with higher fees.

Be sceptical about recommendations: If someone suggests an investment to you, ask if they stand to gain, advises Mr Cronin. “If they are receiving commission, they are unlikely to recommend an investment that’s best for you.”

Get financially independent: Mr Cronin advises UAE residents to pursue financial independence. Start with a Google search and improve your knowledge via expat investing websites or Facebook groups such as SimplyFI. 

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Key facilities
  • Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
  • Premier League-standard football pitch
  • 400m Olympic running track
  • NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
  • 600-seat auditorium
  • Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
  • An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
  • Specialist robotics and science laboratories
  • AR and VR-enabled learning centres
  • Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Roll%20of%20Honour%2C%20men%E2%80%99s%20domestic%20rugby%20season
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Results

2pm: Al Sahel Contracting Company – Maiden (PA) Dh50,000 (Dirt) 1,200m; Winner: AF Mutakafel, Tadhg O’Shea (jockey), Ernst Oertel (trainer)

2.30pm: Dubai Real Estate Centre – Maiden (TB) Dh60,000 (D) 1,200m; Winner: El Baareq, Antonio Fresu, Rashed Bouresly

3pm: Shadwell – Rated Conditions (TB) Dh100,000 (D) 1,950m; Winner: Lost Eden, Andrea Atzeni, Doug Watson

3.30pm: Keeneland – Handicap (TB) Dh84,000 (D) 1,000m; Winner: Alkaraama, Dane O’Neill, Musabah Al Muhairi

4pm: Keeneland – Handicap (TB) Dh76,000 (D) 1,800m; Winner: Lady Snazz, Saif Al Balushi, Bhupat Seemar

4.30pm: Hive – Conditions (TB) Dh100,000 (D) 1,600m; Winner: Down On Da Bayou, Royston Ffrench, Salem bin Ghadayer

5pm: Dubai Real Estate Centre – (TB) Handicap Dh64,000 (D) 1,600m; Winner: Lahmoom, Royston Ffrench, Salem bin Ghadayer

Greatest of All Time
Starring: Vijay, Sneha, Prashanth, Prabhu Deva, Mohan
Director: Venkat Prabhu
Rating: 2/5