About 1,000 demonstrators gathered in Paris for a return to the streets of the yellow vest protest that is demanding an end to modernisation policies that they say favour the rich.
As two marches set off from different parts of Paris, police fired tear gas at one group and there were reports of vandalism, looting and some violence.
Police had arrested 222 people by mid-afternoon, many for carrying potential weapons. At least one car and rubbish bins were set on fire and street furniture toppled by demonstrators.
Before the pandemic lockdowns, the yellow vest movement, named after the high-vis jackets protesters wore, attracted tens of thousands to regular rallies against President Emmanuel Macron and his perceived prioritisation of business over ordinary families.
Questions are now being asked about the movement’s future after the weak turnout.
Stephane, a 48-year-old who had travelled from the Paris suburbs to join the rally, said the economic collapse caused by the pandemic will help their cause.
"[It] has been struggling for a few months but it will never die," he said. "As more people are laid off from their jobs, they'll increasingly wake up."
Michael, a 43-year old protester disagreed. "The movement is dead, I'll say that clearly, but we're here because we have nothing to lose. This is a kind of last stand.”
Hundreds of police were deployed at the Champs-Elysees avenue where authorities have banned demonstrations.
Officers checked the identity cards of passers-by and searched their bags, while many store fronts were boarded up in case of violence.
"We can't have destruction and chaos on the Champs-Elysees," Paris police chief Didier Lallement said Saturday morning. "There's a need for calm on this avenue which is a showcase for our country. So I banned the demonstrations."
Ahead of Saturday's protests, police had said they expected up to 5,000 people to attend, with 1,000 of them potentially violent.
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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Engine: 4.4-litre twin-turbo V-8 petrol enging with additional electric motor
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Destroyer
Director: Karyn Kusama
Cast: Nicole Kidman, Toby Kebbell, Sebastian Stan
Rating: 3/5
UAE release: January 31
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Know before you go
- Jebel Akhdar is a two-hour drive from Muscat airport or a six-hour drive from Dubai. It’s impossible to visit by car unless you have a 4x4. Phone ahead to the hotel to arrange a transfer.
- If you’re driving, make sure your insurance covers Oman.
- By air: Budget airlines Air Arabia, Flydubai and SalamAir offer direct routes to Muscat from the UAE.
- Tourists from the Emirates (UAE nationals not included) must apply for an Omani visa online before arrival at evisa.rop.gov.om. The process typically takes several days.
- Flash floods are probable due to the terrain and a lack of drainage. Always check the weather before venturing into any canyons or other remote areas and identify a plan of escape that includes high ground, shelter and parking where your car won’t be overtaken by sudden downpours.
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UAE gold medallists:
Omar Al Suweidi (46kg), Khaled Al Shehhi (50kg), Khalifa Humaid Al Kaabi (60kg), Omar Al Fadhli (62kg), Mohammed Ali Al Suweidi (66kg), Omar Ahmed Al Hosani (73), all in the U18’s, and Khalid Eskandar Al Blooshi (56kg) in the U21s.
SERIE A FIXTURES
Saturday (All UAE kick-off times)
Lecce v SPAL (6pm)
Bologna v Genoa (9pm)
Atlanta v Roma (11.45pm)
Sunday
Udinese v Hellas Verona (3.30pm)
Juventus v Brescia (6pm)
Sampdoria v Fiorentina (6pm)
Sassuolo v Parma (6pm)
Cagliari v Napoli (9pm)
Lazio v Inter Milan (11.45pm)
Monday
AC Milan v Torino (11.45pm)
Roll of honour: Who won what in 2018/19?
West Asia Premiership: Winners – Bahrain; Runners-up – Dubai Exiles
UAE Premiership: Winners – Abu Dhabi Harlequins; Runners-up – Jebel Ali Dragons
Dubai Rugby Sevens: Winners – Dubai Hurricanes; Runners-up – Abu Dhabi Harlequins
UAE Conference: Winners – Dubai Tigers; Runners-up – Al Ain Amblers
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PFA Team of the Year: David de Gea, Kyle Walker, Jan Vertonghen, Nicolas Otamendi, Marcos Alonso, David Silva, Kevin De Bruyne, Christian Eriksen, Harry Kane, Mohamed Salah, Sergio Aguero
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Number of Children: Four
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Loves: Sports
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Starring: Bruce Willis, Toni Collette, Hayley Joel Osment
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MATCH INFO
Euro 2020 qualifier
Fixture: Liechtenstein v Italy, Tuesday, 10.45pm (UAE)
TV: Match is shown on BeIN Sports
Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
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Difference between fractional ownership and timeshare
Although similar in its appearance, the concept of a fractional title deed is unlike that of a timeshare, which usually involves multiple investors buying “time” in a property whereby the owner has the right to occupation for a specified period of time in any year, as opposed to the actual real estate, said John Peacock, Head of Indirect Tax and Conveyancing, BSA Ahmad Bin Hezeem & Associates, a law firm.
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Director: Christian Schwochow
Starring: George MacKay, Jannis Niewohner, Jeremy Irons
Rating: 3/5
On Women's Day
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Samar Elmnhrawy: How companies in the Middle East can catch up on gender equality
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Justin Thomas: Challenge the notion that 'men are from Mars, women are from Venus'
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Stage result
1. Jasper Philipsen (Bel) Alpecin-Fenix 4:42:34
2. Sam Bennett (Irl) Bora-Hansgrohe
3. Elia Viviani (Ita) Ineos Grenadiers
4. Dylan Groenewegen (Ned) BikeExchange-Jayco
5. Emils Liepins (Lat) Trek-Segafredo
6. Arnaud Demare (Fra) Groupama-FDJ
7. Max Kanter (Ger) Movistar Team
8. Olav Kooij (Ned) Jumbo-Visma
9. Tom Devriendt (Bel) Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux
10. Pascal Ackermann (Ger) UAE Team Emirate
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Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
Range: 400km
Power: 134bhp
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Director: Tom Tykwer
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