World

‘Downton Abbey’ castle halts weddings due to Brexit, says owner

It is a problem the butler of “Downton Abbey” might have sympathized with.

Highclere Castle in southern England, where the early 20th century period drama about the lives of aristocrats and their servants was filmed, is facing a serious staffing crunch.

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The reason is the dearth of workers from the European Union, which has forced owner Fiona Carnarvon to mothball the castle’s main business of hosting larger weddings on the site of the Emmy- and Golden Globe-winning show.

“We have stopped being able to offer any weddings of any substantial size because of Brexit,” Carnarvon, a countess who owns Highclere with her husband, the eighth Earl of Carnarvon, said.

“There are no staff,” she said, speaking from the morning room at the Victorian castle that sits on a 5,000-acre estate.

It used to host around 25 weddings with more than 100 guests a season. Weddings with around 20 guests are still possible, but are a much smaller part of a business that the owners say can cost several thousands of pounds a day to run.

Revenues from other parts of Highclere’s business such as its gift shop – the house opens to the public during the summer months – have also fallen, which Carnarvon says reflects not just Brexit but also the hit to the hospitality industry from COVID-19 and the cost-of-living crisis.

Its staffing challenges in particular illustrate the still-unfolding impacts of Brexit on Britain’s labor market three years after the UK’s departure from the European Union, its biggest trading partner.

A vital workforce of EU students attending university in Britain who were available to work during weddings is no longer available, said Carnarvon.

“When we go to our usual agencies and try to find people, they are not there,” she said. “If we asked for 10, three might turn up … there’s nobody we haven’t asked.”

The number of EU students admitted to British universities fell 50 percent in 2021, and applications dropped 40 percent, partly due to uncertainty created by Brexit, university admissions service UCAS said last year.

Since leaving the European Union, Britain has faced worker shortages at various stages in areas such as manufacturing, construction and logistics.

With Britain still boasting higher rates of employment and lower unemployment than most EU countries, business groups have pushed the government to relax post-Brexit immigration rules.

Britain has relaxed the eligibility rules for work visas in a range of professions but the list does not include the hospitality sector.

Its Brexit-supporting Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has also pushed back against calls from businesses to liberalize immigration to address labor shortages, saying withdrawal from the bloc had helped bring more flexibility on business regulation and secure “proper control” of the country’s borders.

‘Wrapped in red tape’

Just outside Highclere Castle, in the grounds designed by 18th century landscape architect Capability Brown, dozens of chairs and a few tables lie stacked and unused.

They will remain unused during the spring, too, as Highclere has closed afternoon teas it offered to the public, said Carnarvon, due to the lack of staff.

Highclere’s gift shop has also stopped shipping to EU countries — about a third of the shop’s overall business — because of increased courier costs and paperwork in the aftermath of the EU departure, Carnarvon said.

Other trade from the Highclere estate, such as the export of horse feeds, has also fallen due to high paperwork and legal fees, she added.

“We are wrapped in red tape now in every piece of our business,” she said.

Weighed down by falling revenues and higher costs amid double-digit inflation, Highclere expects to just about break even this year, compared to profitable years prior to Brexit and the pandemic, Carnarvon said. Weddings made up 40 percent of the overall business at its height.

In some ways, the fortunes of Highclere Castle mirror the cutbacks to “Downton Abbey”, which the show depicts as losing a number of staff over the years, especially as World War One depletes the influence of the English aristocracy.

But while weddings have declined, Carnarvon, is optimistic about new streams of revenue, such as a 35 pounds ($42) a bottle gin, which she says is gaining traction in the US.

“It’s beginning, its nascent, but it’s a business which using our brand, can generate revenue to support us, hopefully, in the future,” she said.

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World

Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi meets with CEOs of leading Norwegian companies

H.H. Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, has met with a group of CEOs from leading Norwegian companies, as part of their participation in the UAE-Norway Investment Forum, held alongside his official visit to the Kingdom of Norway.

During the meeting, H.H. Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed underscored the UAE leadership’s commitment to strengthening economic cooperation with its international partners.

He highlighted that investment in innovation and knowledge is a cornerstone for achieving sustainable development, noting that enhancing collaboration with Norwegian companies across key sectors will open new avenues for mutual economic growth between the two countries.

The UAE-Norway Investment Forum, taking place in Oslo, aimed to highlight available investment opportunities and strengthen trade relations between the UAE and Norway, fostering shared interests and supporting innovation and knowledge-based economic visions.

-wam

World

At the Indonesia International Book Fair 2024, TRENDS inaugurates 10th global office, releases four books

As part of its Asian research tour, partnership with Aletihad News Center, and
primary sponsorship of the Indonesia International Book Fair 2024, TRENDS
Research & Advisory inaugurated its office in Jakarta, marking its 10th location
worldwide. It also released four books in Indonesian.
The inauguration event was attended by ambassadors of the UAE, Bahrain, and
Jordan to Indonesia, chairpersons of the UAE and Indonesian Publishers’
Associations, the Director of TRENDS’ Jakarta office, and a group of researchers
and academics.
Speaking at the event, Dr. Mohammed Abdullah Al-Ali, CEO of TRENDS
Research & Advisory, stated that TRENDS’ international offices—set to reach 15
by the end of 2024—aim to enhance the Center’s research efforts and deepen its
role in disseminating knowledge, thus serving as a global knowledge bridge.
He emphasized, “At TRENDS, we believe in the importance of cooperation
between think tanks and prioritize this endeavor. We believe the TRENDS office in
Jakarta will enhance the exchange of knowledge and ideas between think tanks in
Asia and the Middle East, opening new horizons for collaboration in various
fields.”

Four books in Indonesian
As part of the Jakarta office’s inaugural activities, four books were released in
Indonesian, including the 11th and 12th books of the Muslim Brotherhood
Encyclopedia and Global Trends in AI and Automation and the Future of
Competition between Man and Machine: An Analytical Forward-looking Vision.

Hostility to Arab states
The 11th book of the Muslim Brotherhood Encyclopedia, The Concept of the State
According to the Muslim Brotherhood, highlights its hostile stance toward Arab
states since its inception. The group views them as an obstacle to its ascent to
power. It opposed the modern principles upon which these states were built,
considering them incompatible with the group’s unique interpretation of Islam,
which it claimed to embody exclusively.

Exclusion of nonconformists
The 12th book, The Muslim Brotherhood: Rejection of Tolerance and Exclusion of
Nonconformists, examines the Muslim Brotherhood’s stance towards
nonconformists, individuals, and entities. The book reveals the group’s binary view
of the world, categorizing others as allies or adversaries. It ties these relationships
to the Brotherhood’s internal power struggles and self-serving interests.

Global Trends in AI
The third book, Global Trends in AI, explores significant developments in AI and
its impact on various aspects of life, including the economy, society, and
governance. It also offers a comprehensive analysis of technological advancements
in AI, its applications across sectors, the ethical and social challenges it presents,
and its future trajectory.

Automation

The fourth book, Automation and the Future of Competition between Man and
Machine: An Analytical Forward-looking Vision, addresses the growing challenges
faced by the human workforce in the face of widespread automation and AI
applications. The book concludes that while automation presents a significant
challenge to the labor market, it simultaneously creates new opportunities. It
emphasizes the importance of preparing for this shift through skills development,
continuous education, and adopting economic and social policies that support the
workforce.

Prominent pavilion and active presence
The TRENDS’ pavilion at the Indonesia International Book Fair has attracted
numerous visitors, including academic researchers and officials, such as the
ambassadors of the UAE, Bahrain, Qatar, Jordan, and Turkey. Additionally,
chairpersons of Arab and Indonesian publishers’ associations, authors, publishers,
and students visited the pavilion. All were impressed with and praised TRENDS’ diverse, valuable publications. They also commended TRENDS’ active
international presence and ability to address global developments with rigorous
analytical research.
Dr. Mohammed Abdullah Al-Ali honored the esteemed guests, including
ambassadors of the UAE and Bahrain to Indonesia, Wedha Startesti Yudha,
Chairperson of the Indonesia International Book Fair Committee, Arys Hilman
Nugraha, Chairman of the Indonesian Publishers Association, and others,
presenting them with TRENDS’ publications and commemorative shields.
Additionally, he awarded TRENDS’ Research Medal to Ni Made Ayu Martini
Indonesian Deputy Minister of Marketing, Tourism and Creative Economy
It is worth noting that during its current Asian research tour, TRENDS announced
the launch of the TRENDS Research Medal, awarded to individuals who make
significant contributions to the development of scientific research and promote collaboration with TRENDS in strengthening a culture of research across various fields.

World

US determined to prevent full-scale war in Middle East, Joe Biden tells UNGA79

US President Joe Biden highlighted the US Administration’s determination to prevent a wider war that engulfs the entire Middle East region, noting that a diplomatic solution “remains the only path to lasting security to allow the residents from both countries to return to their homes on the border safely”.

In remarks he made today before the 79th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA79), the US President said, “Full-scale war is not in anyone’s interest,” adding that a diplomatic solution is still possible.

He also touched on “the rise of violence against innocent Palestinians on the West Bank”, and the need to “set the conditions for a better future”, which he said featured “a two-state solution, where the world — where Israel enjoys security and peace and full recognition and normalised relations with all its neighbours, where Palestinians live in security, dignity, and self-determination in a state of their own”.

President Biden underscored the ceasefire and hostage deal put forth by Qatar and Egypt, which the UN Security Council endorsed. He said, “Now is the time for the parties to finalise its terms, bring the hostages home,” adding that this would help ease the suffering in Gaza, and end the war.

-WAM