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Agence France-Presse

From US first lady Melania Trump’s travails to German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s facial twitches, here are some of the moments that livened up this year’s G20 summit in Hamburg.

Mixed day for Melania
US first lady Melania Trump was due to go on a cruise tour with other spouses of G20 leaders, but was instead trapped at her residence as anti-globalisation demonstrators went on the rampage, smashing shop windows and burning cars.
When she finally emerged, her husband Donald was in talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
“There are so many issues on the table ... Just about everything got touched upon ... Neither one of them wanted to stop” talking, said US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson.
“I believe they even sent in the First Lady at one point to see if she could get us out of there, but that didn’t work either ... We did another hour. Clearly she failed,” he added.
Later that evening, Melania found herself sitting next to Putin who, having already kept her husband for two hours and 15 minutes in talks, appeared equally chatty with her.

Ivanka Trump, unelected, unqualified, daughter-in-chief, is representing the US at the G20 summit next to May, Xi, Merkel. Photo @LanaLukash pic.twitter.com/fvs0EMy8z7
— Brian Klaas (@brianklaas) July 8, 2017

<![CDATA[// ><!]]>

Ivanka steps in
For a moment at the G20 summit Saturday the United States was represented by another Trump, when the president’s daughter Ivanka took a seat at the table of world leaders.
The 35-year-old former fashion model sat around the table with Chinese leader Xi Jinping, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and British Prime Minister Theresa May, diplomats and the White House confirmed.
Ivanka had been at the back of the room but “briefly joined the main table when the president had to step out,” a White House officials said.
That quickly sparked a storm, with historian Anne Applebaum slamming what she called “an unelected, unqualified, unprepared New York socialite” being seen as “the best person to represent American national interests.”

Macron warms to Trump
If a video of France’s President Emmanuel Macron swerving away from Trump to greet other leaders was a key image from a Nato summit earlier this year, at the G20, there appeared to have been a clear rapprochement between the young leader and the US property tycoon.
Macron was at Trump’s side at “family photo” sessions of the leaders. He even inserted himself to the far right of the entire group at one photography session, saving the US leader from being at the edge of the picture.
At a concert of Beethoven’s Symphony Number 9, the former investment banker was seated next to the US billionaire.
And on Saturday morning, Macron was seen greeting Trump, leaning toward the US leader at one point, sparking questions on whether he offered him a peck on the cheek.
But journalists at the scene say it was more of a hug.

Who were they clapping for?
Trump, among the last to arrive at Hamburg’s Elbphilharmonie concert hall for a cultural evening, appeared to be greeted by a round of applause as he stepped out of his armoured vehicle.
The US leader returned a big smile.
It turned out that the applause was for Macron, who pulled up just behind Trump, German media reported.

This would be Hillary talking to Putin at the G20 too.

Merkel's eye roll is historic. pic.twitter.com/kDOysUca9p
— HRC persists (@HRCremembered) July 7, 2017

<![CDATA[// ><!]]>

Merkel rolls eyes at Putin
An animated encounter between Merkel and Putin has been making the rounds on social media, with much buzz and speculation about what the two leaders discussed.
Walking into the conference room, Merkel lifted a hand and traced what appeared to be movement of a projectile.
But Putin held up a finger, then offered his version of the same gesture, prompting the usually poker-faced German chancellor to roll her eyes.

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Angela Merkel

Five G20 moments: from Merkel’s epic eye-roll to Ivanka’s seat at the big table

German Chancellor Angela Merkel rolls her eyes as during a conversation with Russia's President Vladimir Putin. Photo: AP

epa06073659 French President Emmanuel Macron (R) and his wife Brigitte Macron (L) pose on the red carpet as they attend to a concert at the 'Elbphilharmonie' as part of the G20 summit in Hamburg, Germany, 07 July 2017. The G20 Summit (or G-20 or Group of Twenty) is an international forum for governments from 20 major economies. The summit is taking place in Hamburg from 07 to 08 July 2017. EPA/LUKAS BARTH

epa06074253 Russian President Vladimir Putin (L) talks to the wife of US first lady Melania Trump (R) as they attend a state banquet in the Elbphilarmonie concert Hall during the G20 Summit in Hamburg, Germany, 07 July 2017. The G20 Summit (or G-20 or Group of Twenty) is an international forum for governments from 20 major economies. The summit is taking place in Hamburg 07 to 08 July 2017. EPA/FELIPE TRUEBA / POOL

U.S. President Donald Trump arrives at the Elbphilharmonie concert hall during the G20 summit in Hamburg, Germany, July 7, 2017. REUTERS/Fabrizio Bensch

U.S. President Donald Trump, center, gets a hug from France's President Emmanuel Macron as Indonesian President Joko Widodo, right, look on as the leaders of the G20 nations gather for a family photo on the first day of the G-20 summit in Hamburg, northern Germany, Friday, July 7, 2017. The leaders of the group of 20 meet July 7 and 8. (Ryan Remiorz/The Canadian Press via AP)

Ivanka sits in for dad at G20 table as Melania schmoozes foreign leaders during Trump's trip

Ivanka Trump takes US president’s seat at G20 table, stirring controversy

Participants among them the daughter of the US President Ivanka Trump, front right, and World Bank Group President Jim Yong Kim, front left, and second row from left: , Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May, Australia's Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, US President Donald Trump, German Chancellor Angela Merkel, Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Norway's Prime Minister Erna Solberg, South Korea's President Moon Jae-in, Netherlands' Prime Minister Mark Rutte and Secretary-General of the United Nations Antonio Guterres attend the "Women's Entrepreneurship Finance Event" at the G20 Summit in Hamburg, Germany, Saturday, July 8, 2017. (Patrik Stollarz/Pool Photo via AP

the daughter of US President Donald Trump Ivanka Trump sits at the beginning of the third working session of the G20 meeting in Hamburg, northern Germany, on July 8, 2017. ?The G20 summit wraps up, with world leaders seeking to reach an agreement on a final joint statement despite divisions with US President Donald Trump over trade and climate change. / AFP PHOTO / AFP PHOTO AND POOL / LUDOVIC MARIN / SOLELY FOR REUTERS AND EPA

US President Donald Trump sits in front of his delegation with daughter Ivanka Trump, background centre, as he attends a working session at the G20 summit in Hamburg. Photo: AP

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