The rector of the Great Mosque of Paris, Chems-Eddine Hafiz, and the archbishop of Algiers, Jean-Paul Vesco, have issued a joint appeal for reconciliation between France and Algeria after more than a year of escalating diplomatic tension.
“Our people must not be the collateral victims of diplomatic tension,” they wrote in an op-ed published at the weekend in French daily Le Monde. “Neither Algerian citizens in France, nor the French in Algeria, nor Muslims, nor Christians must bear the stigma of state-to-state rivalry.”
Both religious leaders hold dual French-Algerian citizenship. Relations between France and Algeria have historically been difficult, shaped by a painful colonial legacy. However, ties have further deteriorated in the past year after French President Emmanuel Macron supported Moroccan sovereignty in the Sahara region. The move angered Algeria.
Retaliatory expulsions of diplomats ensued, further aggravated by Algeria's refusal to take back Algerians deemed dangerous by France. Tension has recently sharpened over the fate of French-Algerian writer Boualem Sansal, 80, who was sentenced to five years in prison by an Algerian court in March over comments on the Sahara region. He was accused of “undermining national unity”.
Another case involved French football journalist Christophe Gleizes, who was sentenced to seven years in prison for “apology for terrorism”. Accusations have been rejected by their supporters, who say they are victims of diplomatic tension.
“We can only note that the current deterioration in relations between France and Algeria has its roots in a painful past, burdened by wounds that have not been spoken with the necessary truth,” Mr Hafiz and Mr Vesco wrote. “Words of reconciliation have been lacking. They would have opened the way to a peaceful future. They are still possible.”
At the start of his mandate in 2017, Mr Macron had hoped to launch a process of reconciliation over the legacy of the 1954-1962 Algerian war of independence, which cost hundreds of thousands of lives. Yet to this day, it remains a deeply sensitive and unresolved chapter in both nations' histories. About 10 per cent of France's population is believed to have links to Algeria.
“We are brothers,” Mr Hafiz and Mr Vesco said. “Being brothers in humanity means rejecting any boundaries that confine fraternity to ethnicity, religion or nation. It means choosing to live it as a universal, fragile, and demanding vocation.”
Their calls for fraternity contrast with recent decisions taken by politicians both in Paris and Algiers. In July, Interior Minister Bruno Retailleau, a vocal supporter of Mr Sansal, withdrew diplomatic privileges from 80 Algerian diplomats living in France. “It's only a start,” his entourage warned in French media. “We can go further.”
Mr Retailleau has long pushed for Paris to revoke a 1968 agreement that lays the foundation for Algerian immigration to France.
Mr Retailleau hoped that Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune would issue an amnesty on July 5 – Algeria's independence day, traditionally reserved for amnesties. This did not happen, despite public appeals and Mr Sansal's ill health.
Earlier this month, Mr Macron asked Prime Minister Francois Bayrou in a letter to suspend a 2013 agreement regarding visa exemptions for official and diplomatic passports. “We have no choice but to adopt a firmer approach,” Mr Macron said, pointing to growing migratory and security “difficulties”.
Algeria responded swiftly, accusing France of trying to “exonerate” itself of any blame in the stand-off. It also ended rent-free arrangements for France's diplomatic missions in Algeria. According to state news agency APS, the move will affect 61 locations, some of which had been leased to France for token sums.
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Building boom turning to bust as Turkey's economy slows
Deep in a provincial region of northwestern Turkey, it looks like a mirage - hundreds of luxury houses built in neat rows, their pointed towers somewhere between French chateau and Disney castle.
Meant to provide luxurious accommodations for foreign buyers, the houses are however standing empty in what is anything but a fairytale for their investors.
The ambitious development has been hit by regional turmoil as well as the slump in the Turkish construction industry - a key sector - as the country's economy heads towards what could be a hard landing in an intensifying downturn.
After a long period of solid growth, Turkey's economy contracted 1.1 per cent in the third quarter, and many economists expect it will enter into recession this year.
The country has been hit by high inflation and a currency crisis in August. The lira lost 28 per cent of its value against the dollar in 2018 and markets are still unconvinced by the readiness of the government under President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to tackle underlying economic issues.
The villas close to the town centre of Mudurnu in the Bolu region are intended to resemble European architecture and are part of the Sarot Group's Burj Al Babas project.
But the development of 732 villas and a shopping centre - which began in 2014 - is now in limbo as Sarot Group has sought bankruptcy protection.
It is one of hundreds of Turkish companies that have done so as they seek cover from creditors and to restructure their debts.
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
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KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
Zayed Sustainability Prize
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'The worst thing you can eat'
Trans fat is typically found in fried and baked goods, but you may be consuming more than you think.
Powdered coffee creamer, microwave popcorn and virtually anything processed with a crust is likely to contain it, as this guide from Mayo Clinic outlines:
Baked goods - Most cakes, cookies, pie crusts and crackers contain shortening, which is usually made from partially hydrogenated vegetable oil. Ready-made frosting is another source of trans fat.
Snacks - Potato, corn and tortilla chips often contain trans fat. And while popcorn can be a healthy snack, many types of packaged or microwave popcorn use trans fat to help cook or flavour the popcorn.
Fried food - Foods that require deep frying — french fries, doughnuts and fried chicken — can contain trans fat from the oil used in the cooking process.
Refrigerator dough - Products such as canned biscuits and cinnamon rolls often contain trans fat, as do frozen pizza crusts.
Creamer and margarine - Nondairy coffee creamer and stick margarines also may contain partially hydrogenated vegetable oils.
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Aldar Properties Abu Dhabi T10
*November 15 to November 24
*Venue: Zayed Cricket Stadium, Abu Dhabi
*Tickets: Start at Dh10, from ttensports.com
*TV: Ten Sports
*Streaming: Jio Live
*2017 winners: Kerala Kings
*2018 winners: Northern Warriors
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Zayed Sustainability Prize
Key figures in the life of the fort
Sheikh Dhiyab bin Isa (ruled 1761-1793) Built Qasr Al Hosn as a watchtower to guard over the only freshwater well on Abu Dhabi island.
Sheikh Shakhbut bin Dhiyab (ruled 1793-1816) Expanded the tower into a small fort and transferred his ruling place of residence from Liwa Oasis to the fort on the island.
Sheikh Tahnoon bin Shakhbut (ruled 1818-1833) Expanded Qasr Al Hosn further as Abu Dhabi grew from a small village of palm huts to a town of more than 5,000 inhabitants.
Sheikh Khalifa bin Shakhbut (ruled 1833-1845) Repaired and fortified the fort.
Sheikh Saeed bin Tahnoon (ruled 1845-1855) Turned Qasr Al Hosn into a strong two-storied structure.
Sheikh Zayed bin Khalifa (ruled 1855-1909) Expanded Qasr Al Hosn further to reflect the emirate's increasing prominence.
Sheikh Shakhbut bin Sultan (ruled 1928-1966) Renovated and enlarged Qasr Al Hosn, adding a decorative arch and two new villas.
Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan (ruled 1966-2004) Moved the royal residence to Al Manhal palace and kept his diwan at Qasr Al Hosn.
Sources: Jayanti Maitra, www.adach.ae
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Three ways to limit your social media use
Clinical psychologist, Dr Saliha Afridi at The Lighthouse Arabia suggests three easy things you can do every day to cut back on the time you spend online.
1. Put the social media app in a folder on the second or third screen of your phone so it has to remain a conscious decision to open, rather than something your fingers gravitate towards without consideration.
2. Schedule a time to use social media instead of consistently throughout the day. I recommend setting aside certain times of the day or week when you upload pictures or share information.
3. Take a mental snapshot rather than a photo on your phone. Instead of sharing it with your social world, try to absorb the moment, connect with your feeling, experience the moment with all five of your senses. You will have a memory of that moment more vividly and for far longer than if you take a picture of it.
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