World

What has changed? Pro-Brexit Conservatives question UK PM Sunak’s deal

A small group of pro-Brexit Conservative lawmakers are swimming against the tide of almost universal approval for a new deal between Britain and the EU on trade rules for Northern Ireland, questioning whether it fundamentally changes anything.

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After more than three years of wrangling over the so-called Northern Ireland protocol that sets the post-Brexit trade rules for the British province, most politicians are relieved that Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has offered a way to solve the row.

But for a handful of Brexit supporters, there is skepticism that the amended version of the protocol, unveiled by Sunak as the Windsor Framework, does little more than tweak an earlier deal they had wanted rewritten to ensure Northern Ireland follows laws made in London, rather than in Brussels.

Sunak is gambling that the changes he negotiated with the European Union will secure the widespread support he needs to help him reset relations with the bloc, and the US, and cement his authority over his party.

Members of the pro-Brexit European Research Group (ERG) say they will wait for their lawyers to go through the fine print before offering a verdict. But some said, after an ERG meeting on Tuesday, they felt the new deal was being “oversold”.

“The protocol is virtually untouched. It amounts to a handbook on how the protocol should be applied,” said a lawmaker present at Tuesday’s meeting.

“Not to say it’s not an improvement in practical terms, it’s just that the substance is little changed,” the lawmaker said on Wednesday on condition of anonymity. “There is a lot of concern that doesn’t reflect the euphoria of Monday.”

Three members of the ERG said they were concerned by several elements of the deal, including the so-called Stormont brake to give Northern Ireland more say over accepting EU laws, as well as state aid rules and the role of the bloc’s main court.

Different presentations

Sunak, who announced the new deal alongside European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen in the town of Windsor on Monday, says he has rewritten the protocol, easing trade restrictions between Britain and Northern Ireland, handing sovereignty back to the province and protecting its place in the United Kingdom.

But critics say the two sides are offering contradictory presentations of the deal – London says the Windsor Framework replaces the Northern Ireland protocol, Brussels says the “new arrangements” fall within the framework of the protocol.

Sunak has said he will listen to concerns and answer any questions about the deal, but his foreign minister, James Cleverly, said the government does not want to make any further changes to the “finely balanced document”.

Other Conservatives have praised the new deal, saying at a separate meeting on Tuesday that the framework seemed to be “universally backed”.

This strength of feeling could convince Sunak he can ignore members of the ERG, who once had the power to unseat prime ministers but have seen their support dwindle since Britain left the EU in 2020.

Several ERG members are now in Sunak’s team of top ministers and two former chairs of the group – Chris Heaton-Harris and Steve Baker – are ministers in the Northern Ireland Office who all back the deal.

“My sense is everybody realizes this is as good as we’re going to get,” Baker told reporters on Tuesday. “This is what is available … it really wouldn’t be sensible to drop it.”

The ERG has said it will follow the lead of Northern Ireland’s biggest unionist party, the Democratic Unionist Party, which felt sacrificed by the Conservative group when their protests at the protocol were overridden in late 2019.

The group then fell in line with former prime minister Boris Johnson, who agreed a deal which essentially drew a border down the Irish Sea, a move the DUP felt undermined Northern Ireland’s position in the United Kingdom.

It is something, some members of the ERG say, they do not want to repeat.

Britain, EU reach agreement on Northern Ireland post-Brexit trade: Source

EU Chief Von Der Leyen to meet King Charles on UK trip

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