Traders in the City of London watch as Prime Minister Theresa May makes a statement to the House of Commons announcing the government's intention to delay the "meaningful" vote on the Brexit withdrawal agreement. AFP
Traders in the City of London watch as Prime Minister Theresa May makes a statement to the House of Commons announcing the government's intention to delay the "meaningful" vote on the Brexit withdrawaShow more

Theresa May's Brexit vote postponement proves that breaking up is hard to do



Two-and-a-half years after Britain voted to leave the European Union by the slightest of margins, the separation process looks more fraught than ever. Prime Minister Theresa May – dogged by rebellion within her own Conservative party and now with her leadership hanging by a thread – has suffered her greatest humiliation yet, calling off a parliamentary vote on her doomed Brexit deal. The leader of the Labour opposition Jeremy Corbyn declared that the government was in "complete chaos" and Conservative MPs were plotting a vote of no confidence against her.

Just three months before Britain is scheduled to formally leave the EU, everything is still up for grabs. Britain could, as those agitating for a second referendum prefer, remain in the EU. The European Court of Justice has ruled that the UK could cancel Brexit without EU permission. Equally, Britain could crash out without a deal, potentially triggering economic disaster. The UK parliament could accept Mrs May's deal, or an iteration of it. She could just as easily be ousted or resign before the week is out.

Addressing a raucous House of Commons, Mrs May tried to assure MPs that her deal offers the best outcome for Britain, by respecting the outcome of the referendum, protecting the economy and averting a hard border between the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland. But it is her solution to the latter, the so-called Northern Irish “backstop”, which would have lost her today’s aborted vote. Mrs May will now return to Brussels to re-examine the issue, but with so little trust in her leadership, MPs’ concerns will not be assuaged. Meanwhile, Brussels has dismissed the idea of renegotiating. “This deal is the best and only deal possible,” said Mina Andreeva, European Commission spokeswoman. Ireland’s Prime Minister, Leo Varadkar, also ruled out changes to the backstop.

It speaks to the hazards of detaching Britain from the world’s largest trading bloc, for which there is no historical or legal precedent. The ostensibly simple matter of preserving an open border in Ireland could now derail the whole process. It is unclear when – and, indeed, if – MPs will vote on a Brexit deal. Mrs May now finds herself in even deeper trouble. In the midst of all this, British voters on both sides of the debate see a government in disarray, stumbling from one disaster to another, holding the economic future of the nation in the balance. And every day the clock ticks down to March 29, 2019, when, short of a second referendum or a dramatic government climbdown, Britain will exit the European Union.

Emergency

Director: Kangana Ranaut

Stars: Kangana Ranaut, Anupam Kher, Shreyas Talpade, Milind Soman, Mahima Chaudhry 

Rating: 2/5

Formula Middle East Calendar (Formula Regional and Formula 4)
Round 1: January 17-19, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
 
Round 2: January 22-23, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
 
Round 3: February 7-9, Dubai Autodrome – Dubai
 
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Vidaamuyarchi

Director: Magizh Thirumeni

Stars: Ajith Kumar, Arjun Sarja, Trisha Krishnan, Regina Cassandra

Rating: 4/5

 

Game Changer

Director: Shankar 

Stars: Ram Charan, Kiara Advani, Anjali, S J Suryah, Jayaram

Rating: 2/5

A Long Way Home by Peter Carey
Faber & Faber

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Cry Macho

Director: Clint Eastwood

Stars: Clint Eastwood, Dwight Yoakam

Rating:**

The bio

Favourite book: Peter Rabbit. I used to read it to my three children and still read it myself. If I am feeling down it brings back good memories.

Best thing about your job: Getting to help people. My mum always told me never to pass up an opportunity to do a good deed.

Best part of life in the UAE: The weather. The constant sunshine is amazing and there is always something to do, you have so many options when it comes to how to spend your day.

Favourite holiday destination: Malaysia. I went there for my honeymoon and ended up volunteering to teach local children for a few hours each day. It is such a special place and I plan to retire there one day.

German intelligence warnings
  • 2002: "Hezbollah supporters feared becoming a target of security services because of the effects of [9/11] ... discussions on Hezbollah policy moved from mosques into smaller circles in private homes." Supporters in Germany: 800
  • 2013: "Financial and logistical support from Germany for Hezbollah in Lebanon supports the armed struggle against Israel ... Hezbollah supporters in Germany hold back from actions that would gain publicity." Supporters in Germany: 950
  • 2023: "It must be reckoned with that Hezbollah will continue to plan terrorist actions outside the Middle East against Israel or Israeli interests." Supporters in Germany: 1,250 

Source: Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution

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Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais

Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants

MATCH INFO

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Liverpool v Red Star Belgrade
Anfield, Liverpool
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%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%20name%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EAlmouneer%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%202017%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounders%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Dr%20Noha%20Khater%20and%20Rania%20Kadry%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EEgypt%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ENumber%20of%20staff%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E120%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestment%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EBootstrapped%2C%20with%20support%20from%20Insead%20and%20Egyptian%20government%2C%20seed%20round%20of%20%3Cbr%3E%243.6%20million%20led%20by%20Global%20Ventures%3Cbr%3E%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Our legal consultant

Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais

Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.

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