The UK does not have to go through with Brexit, EU president Donald Tusk told the European parliament on Tuesday, suggesting that the bloc would be happy to welcome the country back into the fold if it chose not to leave.
But Mr Tusk stressed the 27 nations in the European Union must remain united in their talks with British prime minister Theresa May and her government or else the union would face ruin.
“We have managed to build and maintain unity among the 27 [remaining EU members], but ahead of us is still the toughest stress test,” he said, referring to Britain’s impending exit in March 2019. “If we fail it, the negotiations will end in our defeat.”
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Read more:
Tony Blair calls for a second vote on Brexit
EU hopes to open Brexit trade talks in December
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Mr Tusk surprised many by suggesting that there was still the possibility of the UK not leaving the EU. “It is in fact up to London how this will end — with a good deal, no deal or no Brexit. But in each of these scenarios we will protect our common interests only by being together.”
During last week’s summit between Britain and the EU, European leaders were seen to have given the beleaguered Mrs May a helping hand by agreeing to start preparations for the next round of talks while maintaining that not enough progress had been made on three key initial areas to move on just yet.
Mrs May’s offered in a speech in Florence last month that Britain would continue to pay contributions to the EU budget for two years after Brexit, totalling around €20 billion (Dh96.4bn).
But without a clear and exact commitment to a figure, European capitals are demanding a detailed breakdown of the proposed settlement before agreeing to start talks about the future trading relationship between the UK and the EU.
As well as the financial settlement, the EU wants progress on the rights of three million European citizens living in Britain and the issue of the Irish border.
Elsewhere in his address, Mr Tusk stressed the ties that bound the EU member states together. “We are a cultural community, which doesn't mean that we are better or worse — we are simply different from the outside world. Our openness and tolerance cannot mean walking away from protecting our heritage.”
“We have the right and obligation to care for what distinguishes us from other cultures — not in order to be against someone, but to be ourselves. Without a feeling of superiority, but with a feeling of justified pride,” the former Polish prime minister told MEPs.
COMPANY PROFILE
Founders: Alhaan Ahmed, Alyina Ahmed and Maximo Tettamanzi
Total funding: Self funded
Our legal consultants
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
Email sent to Uber team from chief executive Dara Khosrowshahi
From: Dara
To: Team@
Date: March 25, 2019 at 11:45pm PT
Subj: Accelerating in the Middle East
Five years ago, Uber launched in the Middle East. It was the start of an incredible journey, with millions of riders and drivers finding new ways to move and work in a dynamic region that’s become so important to Uber. Now Pakistan is one of our fastest-growing markets in the world, women are driving with Uber across Saudi Arabia, and we chose Cairo to launch our first Uber Bus product late last year.
Today we are taking the next step in this journey—well, it’s more like a leap, and a big one: in a few minutes, we’ll announce that we’ve agreed to acquire Careem. Importantly, we intend to operate Careem independently, under the leadership of co-founder and current CEO Mudassir Sheikha. I’ve gotten to know both co-founders, Mudassir and Magnus Olsson, and what they have built is truly extraordinary. They are first-class entrepreneurs who share our platform vision and, like us, have launched a wide range of products—from digital payments to food delivery—to serve consumers.
I expect many of you will ask how we arrived at this structure, meaning allowing Careem to maintain an independent brand and operate separately. After careful consideration, we decided that this framework has the advantage of letting us build new products and try new ideas across not one, but two, strong brands, with strong operators within each. Over time, by integrating parts of our networks, we can operate more efficiently, achieve even lower wait times, expand new products like high-capacity vehicles and payments, and quicken the already remarkable pace of innovation in the region.
This acquisition is subject to regulatory approval in various countries, which we don’t expect before Q1 2020. Until then, nothing changes. And since both companies will continue to largely operate separately after the acquisition, very little will change in either teams’ day-to-day operations post-close. Today’s news is a testament to the incredible business our team has worked so hard to build.
It’s a great day for the Middle East, for the region’s thriving tech sector, for Careem, and for Uber.
Uber on,
Dara
How to donate
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TV: World Cup Qualifier 2018 matches will be aired on on OSN Sports HD Cricket channel
The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
From Zero
Artist: Linkin Park
Label: Warner Records
Number of tracks: 11
Rating: 4/5
Vaccine Progress in the Middle East
Company%20profile
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Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
Electoral College Victory
Trump has so far secured 295 Electoral College votes, according to the Associated Press, exceeding the 270 needed to win. Only Nevada and Arizona remain to be called, and both swing states are leaning Republican. Trump swept all five remaining swing states, North Carolina, Georgia, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Wisconsin, sealing his path to victory and giving him a strong mandate.
Popular Vote Tally
The count is ongoing, but Trump currently leads with nearly 51 per cent of the popular vote to Harris’s 47.6 per cent. Trump has over 72.2 million votes, while Harris trails with approximately 67.4 million.
Hamilton’s 2017
Australia - 2nd; China - 1st; Bahrain - 2nd; Russia - 4th; Spain - 1st; Monaco - 7th; Canada - 1st; Azerbaijan - 5th; Austria - 4th; Britain - 1st; Hungary - 4th; Belgium - 1st; Italy - 1st; Singapore - 1st; Malaysia - 2nd; Japan - 1st; United States - 1st; Mexico - 9th
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Key fixtures from January 5-7
Watford v Bristol City
Liverpool v Everton
Brighton v Crystal Palace
Bournemouth v AFC Fylde or Wigan
Coventry v Stoke City
Nottingham Forest v Arsenal
Manchester United v Derby
Forest Green or Exeter v West Brom
Tottenham v AFC Wimbledon
Fleetwood or Hereford v Leicester City
Manchester City v Burnley
Shrewsbury v West Ham United
Wolves v Swansea City
Newcastle United v Luton Town
Fulham v Southampton
Norwich City v Chelsea
