In just over six months, Parisians will head to the polls to choose their next mayor. Among the frontrunners is acting Culture Minister Rachida Dati, a sharp-tongued, high-profile right-wing politician whose political ambitions remain undimmed despite an impending corruption trial linked to the fugitive tycoon Carlos Ghosn.
Recent polls show that despite her legal troubles, Ms Dati would lead the race if elections were held today. A protégé of the former president Nicolas Sarkozy, she rose to national prominence in 2007 when she became the first French politician of North African origin to become Justice Minister.
To this day, Ms Dati regularly references her modest upbringing – her father was a Moroccan bricklayer – as a symbol of her resilience and determination. Though she is now entrenched in the political establishment, few remain indifferent to her fearful reputation – last year, she said to a fellow minister via text message that she would “transform [his] dog into a kebab”.
Now, she hopes to use her mandate as district mayor in the very chic seventh arrondissement as a springboard to the capital's top political job. It's a powerful role in a hyper-centralised country, and one that helped propel Jacques Chirac to the presidency in 1995. A June poll shows that Ms Dati would come first in the first round of elections with 30 to 34 per cent of the votes.
If elected, she would become only the second woman to be elected mayor of Paris, following the Socialist Party's Anne Hidalgo, who has held the post since 2014. It would also reflect the rapid and relatively recent ascent of female politicians in the capital. Before 2014's all-female line-up, women had never had a real shot at being elected.
I was born fighting
Culture Minister,
Rachida Dati
At the time, Ms Dati had thrown her hat into the race but was lagging behind the leading contenders. Yet she was already an easily recognisable figure of the Sarkozy years – part of a deliberate effort by the former president to diversify his cabinet. He also appointed the Senegal-born Rama Yade as Secretary of State for Human Rights.
Speaking in 2014, Mr Sarkozy said that he had appointed Ms Dati Justice Minister because she represented “France in its diversity”, with her “Algerian and Moroccan father and mother”. He used similar rhetoric to justify the appointment of Ms Yade. His remarks were met with backlash in a country that officially eschews ethnic statistics and places a strong cultural emphasis on integration over identity politics.
Conquest of Paris
Today, Ms Dati's origins are rarely discussed publicly. She has become part of the political establishment, and now a frontrunner to lead one of the world's most iconic cities.
“The conquest of Paris has begun,” Ms Dati said on X on August 28, after she was endorsed as the official candidate of her party, Les Republicains. This came after what was widely described as a calculated power play in which she threatened to run against the party's candidate, the former prime minister Michel Barnier, in a by-election this month.
“I was born fighting,” Ms Dati recently told the television network LCI. “I fought when I was forced into a marriage. I never give up,” she added, referring to a marriage to an Algerian architect arranged by her family in 1992 that she had annulled soon after.
Locals in the seventh arrondissement, where she has been in power for 17 years, described her as engaged and accessible. “She may have a lot of baggage, but she's been a good mayor,” said Ronald, a 61-year university professor. The area is among the wealthiest in Paris, and encompasses the Eiffel Tower, the Hotel des Invalides and several prestigious ministerial buildings.
Law and order
Boosting Ms Dati's chances, her longtime rival, Ms Hidalgo, will step down after two mandates. Ms Hidalgo leaves behind her a divided left and growing public frustration over her policies, particularly her aggressive push to reduce car traffic in favour of cycling infrastructure. While few dispute the need to tackle pollution, complaints about congestion are widespread.
Even left-wing Parisians, like Monique, who lives near the busy Republique Square, admit Ms Hidalgo has failed to ensure that blue-collar workers do not feel excluded from the French capital. “Workers have refused refurbishment jobs on my flat because they knew they would not be able to find a parking spot,” she said. Yet Ms Dati offers “no real programme”, Monique said. “She's gone instead for old right-wing tropes – calling for more law and order.”
Just days after announcing her candidacy, Ms Dati publicly took aim at the city's leadership, accusing it of allowing unchecked migration. Her remarks came after an Afghan man was fatally stabbed by another Afghan over a watch in a northern Paris neighbourhood named “Little Kabul” for its high concentration of migrants and crime.
Looming over Ms Dati’s campaign, however, is a legal battle that could derail her ambitions. She stands accused of receiving €900,000 in payments from Renault-Nissan's Dutch subsidiary between 2010 and 2012 while serving as an MEP. Prosecutors allege she acted as an illegal lobbyist on behalf of the carmaker – a charge she vehemently denies. At the time, she had been hired by the company's chief executive Carlos Ghosn, who is now a fugitive in Lebanon.
Legal battle
After five years of investigation, France's national financial prosecutor's office in November 2024 requested a trial for Ms Dati and Mr Ghosn on charges including corruption and influence-peddling. Ms Dati's lawyers have argued that Mr Ghosn had no need to be represented by an MP, since he had direct access to the Elysee Palace.
Ms Dati, a lawyer by training, has insisted she fulfilled her job as a legal consultant defending Renault-Nissan's interests in the Middle East, and has clashed with judges investigating her for allegedly failing to allow her to defend herself properly. A hearing in Paris at the end of the month will determine a date for the trial. The National has reached out to her office to inquire about the trial and her political programme for Paris.
There is reportedly little to show for Ms Dati's work for Mr Ghosn. Even close advisers to Mr Ghosn, such as Mouna Sepehri, have said that they could not remember what she was doing. “Mr Ghosn asked us to think about what we could entrust her with," Ms Sepehri told investigators, according to France Inter radio. "I always told Mr Ghosn the truth, namely that the legal department could not find a line of work for Ms Dati."
French judges have shown they can be tough with politicians. In a separate corruption case, the far-right leader Marine Le Pen was rendered ineligible for five years – effectively barring her from running for president in 2027. Ms Le Pen has appealed, but much to her fury the decision has sparked speculation about her being replaced in the electoral race by her young protégé, Jordan Bardella.
Despite her mounting troubles, Ms Dati remains protected by President Emmanuel Macron, who has described her as “unsinkable”. Few think that a corruption trial will be enough to stop Ms Dati, who has drawn comparisons with US President Donald Trump for her attacks on judges and journalists.
“There are limits not to be crossed,” the Le Monde daily recently warned in an editorial, after Ms Dati clashed with the national financial prosecutor. “There is a hint of Trumpism in the way Rachida Dati is leading her political fight.”
Asked in an interview whether she could imagine going to prison one day, Ms Dati appeared nonplussed. “It hasn't even occurred to me,” she said.
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Perera (capt), Mendis, Gunathilaka, de Silva, Nissanka, Shanaka, Bandara, Hasaranga, Udana, Dananjaya, Dickwella, Chameera, Mendis, Fernando, Sandakan, Karunaratne, Fernando, Fernando.
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- Mastery of audio-visual content creation.
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- All aspects of post-production.
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APPLE IPAD MINI (A17 PRO)
Display: 21cm Liquid Retina Display, 2266 x 1488, 326ppi, 500 nits
Chip: Apple A17 Pro, 6-core CPU, 5-core GPU, 16-core Neural Engine
Storage: 128/256/512GB
Main camera: 12MP wide, f/1.8, digital zoom up to 5x, Smart HDR 4
Front camera: 12MP ultra-wide, f/2.4, Smart HDR 4, full-HD @ 25/30/60fps
Biometrics: Touch ID, Face ID
Colours: Blue, purple, space grey, starlight
In the box: iPad mini, USB-C cable, 20W USB-C power adapter
Price: From Dh2,099
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The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.
Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on
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Infiniti QX80 specs
Engine: twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter V6
Power: 450hp
Torque: 700Nm
Price: From Dh450,000, Autograph model from Dh510,000
Available: Now
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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
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- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
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- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
The years Ramadan fell in May
Opening weekend Premier League fixtures
Weekend of August 10-13
Arsenal v Manchester City
Bournemouth v Cardiff City
Fulham v Crystal Palace
Huddersfield Town v Chelsea
Liverpool v West Ham United
Manchester United v Leicester City
Newcastle United v Tottenham Hotspur
Southampton v Burnley
Watford v Brighton & Hove Albion
Wolverhampton Wanderers v Everton
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Uefa Nations League
League A, Group 4
Spain v England, 10.45pm (UAE)
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Zayed Sustainability Prize
Know your camel milk:
Flavour: Similar to goat’s milk, although less pungent. Vaguely sweet with a subtle, salty aftertaste.
Texture: Smooth and creamy, with a slightly thinner consistency than cow’s milk.
Use it: In your morning coffee, to add flavour to homemade ice cream and milk-heavy desserts, smoothies, spiced camel-milk hot chocolate.
Goes well with: chocolate and caramel, saffron, cardamom and cloves. Also works well with honey and dates.
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1. Fasting
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Our legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
The bio:
Favourite holiday destination: I really enjoyed Sri Lanka and Vietnam but my dream destination is the Maldives.
Favourite food: My mum’s Chinese cooking.
Favourite film: Robocop, followed by The Terminator.
Hobbies: Off-roading, scuba diving, playing squash and going to the gym.
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UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE FIXTURES
All kick-off times 10.45pm UAE ( 4 GMT) unless stated
Tuesday
Sevilla v Maribor
Spartak Moscow v Liverpool
Manchester City v Shakhtar Donetsk
Napoli v Feyenoord
Besiktas v RB Leipzig
Monaco v Porto
Apoel Nicosia v Tottenham Hotspur
Borussia Dortmund v Real Madrid
Wednesday
Basel v Benfica
CSKA Moscow Manchester United
Paris Saint-Germain v Bayern Munich
Anderlecht v Celtic
Qarabag v Roma (8pm)
Atletico Madrid v Chelsea
Juventus v Olympiakos
Sporting Lisbon v Barcelona
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Starring: Saja Kilani, Clara Khoury, Motaz Malhees
Director: Kaouther Ben Hania
Rating: 4/5
Zayed Sustainability Prize
COMPANY%20PROFILE%20
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EName%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Haltia.ai%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%202023%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ECo-founders%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Arto%20Bendiken%20and%20Talal%20Thabet%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Dubai%2C%20UAE%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EIndustry%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20AI%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ENumber%20of%20employees%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2041%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFunding%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20About%20%241.7%20million%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Self%2C%20family%20and%20friends%26nbsp%3B%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Moral education needed in a 'rapidly changing world'
Moral education lessons for young people is needed in a rapidly changing world, the head of the programme said.
Alanood Al Kaabi, head of programmes at the Education Affairs Office of the Crown Price Court - Abu Dhabi, said: "The Crown Price Court is fully behind this initiative and have already seen the curriculum succeed in empowering young people and providing them with the necessary tools to succeed in building the future of the nation at all levels.
"Moral education touches on every aspect and subject that children engage in.
"It is not just limited to science or maths but it is involved in all subjects and it is helping children to adapt to integral moral practises.
"The moral education programme has been designed to develop children holistically in a world being rapidly transformed by technology and globalisation."
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The Greatest Royal Rumble card as it stands
The Greatest Royal Rumble card as it stands
50-man Royal Rumble - names entered so far include Braun Strowman, Daniel Bryan, Kurt Angle, Big Show, Kane, Chris Jericho, The New Day and Elias
Universal Championship Brock Lesnar (champion) v Roman Reigns in a steel cage match
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Raw Tag Team Championship (currently vacant) Cesaro and Sheamus v Matt Hardy and Bray Wyatt
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UAE v Gibraltar
What: International friendly
When: 7pm kick off
Where: Rugby Park, Dubai Sports City
Admission: Free
Online: The match will be broadcast live on Dubai Exiles’ Facebook page
UAE squad: Lucas Waddington (Dubai Exiles), Gio Fourie (Exiles), Craig Nutt (Abu Dhabi Harlequins), Phil Brady (Harlequins), Daniel Perry (Dubai Hurricanes), Esekaia Dranibota (Harlequins), Matt Mills (Exiles), Jaen Botes (Exiles), Kristian Stinson (Exiles), Murray Reason (Abu Dhabi Saracens), Dave Knight (Hurricanes), Ross Samson (Jebel Ali Dragons), DuRandt Gerber (Exiles), Saki Naisau (Dragons), Andrew Powell (Hurricanes), Emosi Vacanau (Harlequins), Niko Volavola (Dragons), Matt Richards (Dragons), Luke Stevenson (Harlequins), Josh Ives (Dubai Sports City Eagles), Sean Stevens (Saracens), Thinus Steyn (Exiles)
The story of Edge
Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, established Edge in 2019.
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Edge has an annual revenue of $5 billion and employs more than 12,000 people.
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World Cricket League Division 2
In Windhoek, Namibia - Top two teams qualify for the World Cup Qualifier in Zimbabwe, which starts on March 4.
UAE fixtures
Thursday, February 8 v Kenya; Friday, February 9 v Canada; Sunday, February 11 v Nepal; Monday, February 12 v Oman; Wednesday, February 14 v Namibia; Thursday, February 15 final
DUBAI%20BLING%3A%20EPISODE%201
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He became the first Emirati to climb Mount Everest in 2011, from the south section in Nepal
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He carries dried camel meat, dried dates and a wheat mixture for the final summit push
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POSSIBLE ENGLAND EURO 2020 SQUAD
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A cheaper choice
Vanuatu: $130,000
Why on earth pick Vanuatu? Easy. The South Pacific country has no income tax, wealth tax, capital gains or inheritance tax. And in 2015, when it was hit by Cyclone Pam, it signed an agreement with the EU that gave it some serious passport power.
Cost: A minimum investment of $130,000 for a family of up to four, plus $25,000 in fees.
Criteria: Applicants must have a minimum net worth of $250,000. The process take six to eight weeks, after which the investor must travel to Vanuatu or Hong Kong to take the oath of allegiance. Citizenship and passport are normally provided on the same day.
Benefits: No tax, no restrictions on dual citizenship, no requirement to visit or reside to retain a passport. Visa-free access to 129 countries.
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