The European Union lost one of its stars on Friday night as Britain left the bloc to strike out as a sovereign, independent state.
This spurred the British anti-Brexit campaign group Led by Donkeys to laser-display one of the 12 gold stars of the EU flag on the cliffs of the southern coastal town of Dover with a message to keep the symbol safe until Britain one day returns to the continental grouping. On the prospect of this happening, no one can predict the future; the economist John Kenneth Galbraith once quipped that the only point of forecasting was to make astrology look reliable.
Meanwhile, the government in London is looking to shape the country’s destiny from a much different perspective.
From its viewpoint, the new autonomy enjoyed by the UK will mean securing trade deals that are better suited to the structure of the country's economy. It will mean faster, more clear-cut policymaking. It will grant more scope for independent, effective diplomacy.
Importantly, the UK will no longer operate under the shadow of encroachment on its national strategic interests. This means the behemoth that is the financial centre in the City of London will offer its traditional advantages unfettered by excessive regulation.
It is tempting to see, as the critics of Brexit do, this decision as a leap into a dark place where the forces of nationalism are stirring. But that would be to disregard the assurances coming from Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s government that a modernisation project is in the works to make the country work better for all its citizens.
So what are the prospects of remoulding Britain as a best-in-class international player?
A key test will be a forthcoming overhaul of the country’s sanctions policy. While the transition period of leaving the EU is in place until the end of 2020, this will be a gradualist endeavour. According to a notice issued by the UK treasury, British companies and other entities will continue to comply with the EU’s sanctions policies throughout the year. Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab used a speech to foreign correspondents in London last week to touch on this point. Lawyers specialising in this area expect human rights-related sanctions to be unilaterally imposed under what is called the "Magnitsky amendment" to Britain’s most recent sanctions act as soon as March.
Compliance with the British sanctions regime will be distinct from that of the EU, which could affect licences to operate in one place but not in another. But sanctions policy is an important issue because it will measure how closely aligned Britain is with its European neighbours. Brussels, Paris and Berlin can hug Britain tight and ensure London has little incentive to drift further away. A more nimble national decision-making process should be faster at imposing sanctions and tweaking its policies for strategic effect. And Europe could end up following the British lead in many instances.
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Last week, Mr Raab was at pains to showcase how the country had remained close to France and Germany with regard to its Iran policy. While the British Foreign Office maintains that keeping the 2015 deal restricting Iran’s nuclear programme is a must, there has already been some political divergence. Britain has not joined the policy of maximum pressure on Iran. However, Mr Johnson has thrown his weight behind a “Trump deal” with Iran that addresses the gamut of international concerns over Tehran’s policies.
Key questions are now crowding in on the British government machine.
Mr Raab was also on stage during the week with the US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo. As I watched the two men in close proximity, it was clear that the US and UK still have the relationship where they can finish each others sentences. However, the content changes between the first speaker and the second. The US has the superpower sway and is capable of maintaining its principles-based lines on Iran’s role as the “biggest state-sponsor of global terror”. So far London chooses to take a more managerial approach. The 2015 deal is the only game in town, according to Mr Raab. As long as the hardliners hold sway in Tehran, Mr Raab judges that the Trump deal is only a one-sided offer.
Officials have in the meantime announced a raft of negotiations with the UK’s biggest trade partners. But the same vivid dilemma will confront the country: does it have the heft to impose its negotiating lines?
The UK must be pragmatic in its dealings with the world. Finance, for example, is an area where it can be more cavalier, elsewhere not so much. Aligning with Europe in matters of sanctions and security will be a no-brainer. The US meanwhile could be boosted by importing British fin-tech expertise. As for services, they are so ill-defined within the framework of world trade that both a good and a bad deal could be on the table. Manufacturing exports should be tariff-free. Much else is essentially bald men fighting over a comb.
There is much uncertainty to come in the weeks and months after Brexit. Trade talks are likely to hog the headlines and the country’s diplomatic positions are up for grabs. In all this, what is now visible is the US charm offensive. The UK should take advantage of it.
Damien McElroy is the London bureau chief of The National
The specs
Engine: 3.8-litre twin-turbo flat-six
Power: 650hp at 6,750rpm
Torque: 800Nm from 2,500-4,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch auto
Fuel consumption: 11.12L/100km
Price: From Dh796,600
On sale: now
Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
A list of the animal rescue organisations in the UAE
Sole survivors
- Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
- George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
- Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
- Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.
The specs
AT4 Ultimate, as tested
Engine: 6.2-litre V8
Power: 420hp
Torque: 623Nm
Transmission: 10-speed automatic
Price: From Dh330,800 (Elevation: Dh236,400; AT4: Dh286,800; Denali: Dh345,800)
On sale: Now
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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Terminator: Dark Fate
Director: Tim Miller
Starring: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Linda Hamilton, Mackenzie Davis
Rating: 3/5
It Was Just an Accident
Director: Jafar Panahi
Stars: Vahid Mobasseri, Mariam Afshari, Ebrahim Azizi, Hadis Pakbaten, Majid Panahi, Mohamad Ali Elyasmehr
Rating: 4/5
AGL AWARDS
Golden Ball - best Emirati player: Khalfan Mubarak (Al Jazira)
Golden Ball - best foreign player: Igor Coronado (Sharjah)
Golden Glove - best goalkeeper: Adel Al Hosani (Sharjah)
Best Coach - the leader: Abdulaziz Al Anbari (Sharjah)
Fans' Player of the Year: Driss Fetouhi (Dibba)
Golden Boy - best young player: Ali Saleh (Al Wasl)
Best Fans of the Year: Sharjah
Goal of the Year: Michael Ortega (Baniyas)
COMPANY PROFILE
Company name: BorrowMe (BorrowMe.com)
Date started: August 2021
Founder: Nour Sabri
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: E-commerce / Marketplace
Size: Two employees
Funding stage: Seed investment
Initial investment: $200,000
Investors: Amr Manaa (director, PwC Middle East)
QUALIFYING RESULTS
1. Max Verstappen, Netherlands, Red Bull Racing Honda, 1 minute, 35.246 seconds.
2. Valtteri Bottas, Finland, Mercedes, 1:35.271.
3. Lewis Hamilton, Great Britain, Mercedes, 1:35.332.
4. Lando Norris, Great Britain, McLaren Renault, 1:35.497.
5. Alexander Albon, Thailand, Red Bull Racing Honda, 1:35.571.
6. Carlos Sainz Jr, Spain, McLaren Renault, 1:35.815.
7. Daniil Kvyat, Russia, Scuderia Toro Rosso Honda, 1:35.963.
8. Lance Stroll, Canada, Racing Point BWT Mercedes, 1:36.046.
9. Charles Leclerc, Monaco, Ferrari, 1:36.065.
10. Pierre Gasly, France, Scuderia Toro Rosso Honda, 1:36.242.
Eliminated after second session
11. Esteban Ocon, France, Renault, 1:36.359.
12. Daniel Ricciardo, Australia, Renault, 1:36.406.
13. Sebastian Vettel, Germany, Ferrari, 1:36.631.
14. Antonio Giovinazzi, Italy, Alfa Romeo Racing Ferrari, 1:38.248.
Eliminated after first session
15. Antonio Giovinazzi, Italy, Alfa Romeo Racing Ferrari, 1:37.075.
16. Kimi Raikkonen, Finland, Alfa Romeo Racing Ferrari, 1:37.555.
17. Kevin Magnussen, Denmark, Haas Ferrari, 1:37.863.
18. George Russell, Great Britain, Williams Mercedes, 1:38.045.
19. Pietro Fittipaldi, Brazil, Haas Ferrari, 1:38.173.
20. Nicholas Latifi, Canada, Williams Mercedes, 1:38.443.
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The alternatives
• Founded in 2014, Telr is a payment aggregator and gateway with an office in Silicon Oasis. It’s e-commerce entry plan costs Dh349 monthly (plus VAT). QR codes direct customers to an online payment page and merchants can generate payments through messaging apps.
• Business Bay’s Pallapay claims 40,000-plus active merchants who can invoice customers and receive payment by card. Fees range from 1.99 per cent plus Dh1 per transaction depending on payment method and location, such as online or via UAE mobile.
• Tap started in May 2013 in Kuwait, allowing Middle East businesses to bill, accept, receive and make payments online “easier, faster and smoother” via goSell and goCollect. It supports more than 10,000 merchants. Monthly fees range from US$65-100, plus card charges of 2.75-3.75 per cent and Dh1.2 per sale.
• 2checkout’s “all-in-one payment gateway and merchant account” accepts payments in 200-plus markets for 2.4-3.9 per cent, plus a Dh1.2-Dh1.8 currency conversion charge. The US provider processes online shop and mobile transactions and has 17,000-plus active digital commerce users.
• PayPal is probably the best-known online goods payment method - usually used for eBay purchases - but can be used to receive funds, providing everyone’s signed up. Costs from 2.9 per cent plus Dh1.2 per transaction.
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
The bio
Date of Birth: April 25, 1993
Place of Birth: Dubai, UAE
Marital Status: Single
School: Al Sufouh in Jumeirah, Dubai
University: Emirates Airline National Cadet Programme and Hamdan University
Job Title: Pilot, First Officer
Number of hours flying in a Boeing 777: 1,200
Number of flights: Approximately 300
Hobbies: Exercising
Nicest destination: Milan, New Zealand, Seattle for shopping
Least nice destination: Kabul, but someone has to do it. It’s not scary but at least you can tick the box that you’ve been
Favourite place to visit: Dubai, there’s no place like home