European leaders urged unity in the face of the realities of a Donald Trump America as they gathered in Hungary to discuss the Middle East, Ukraine and migration.
Forty-seven leaders came together for a meeting of the recently introduced European Political Community at the Puskas Arena, named after the Hungarian-Spanish football player Ferenc Puskas of the Magical Magyars Hungarian national team of the 1950s.
The undertone was that of sticking together in the likelihood of new trade tariffs promised by a more protectionist Trump America, alongside fears for the unity of the Nato alliance.
Several present had experienced Mr Trump's relationship with Europe that was tense and rocky for much of his first term and his return to power brings great uncertainty.
Stay united
Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, said European Union had “to be united” and that no member on “their own can manage the upcoming challenges”.
“It is in all our interests that the autocrats of this world get a very clear message that is not the right of might, that the rule of law is important,” she added.
Luxembourg’s Prime Minister Luc Frieden sounded a defiant note, raising Mr Trump’s “unpredictability and degree of volatility” while promising that “we will seek dialogue but we will not give up our principles”.
Worries over tariffs – Mr Trump has vowed to put 10 per cent on imported goods – has raised fears of a global trade war, that could significantly affect Europe’s battered economy.
“It should not be allowed to happen,” said Finland’s Prime Minister Petteri Orpo. “Let's now try to influence the US and Trump's future policy so that he understands the risks involved.”
Spend more
But there were those who appeared in lockstep with Mr Trump’s criticism of Nato countries not paying their defence dues, with the alliance’s new Secretary General Mark Rutte stating countries “will have to spend more”.
With Hungary’s neighbour Ukraine still fighting the Russian invasion, he said that spending needed to be “much more” than the two per cent minimum of gross domestic product agreed by Nato members.
This was a direct acknowledgement of Mr Trump’s demand for European allies to shoulder greater defence responsibilities after he previously told them to spend 4 per cent of GDP, a goal some Eastern European countries have embraced given Russia’s aggression.
Mr Rutte also expressed an eagerness to work with Mr Trump to “tackle shared threats” together.
He said that Russia's partnership with North Korea, which involves more than 10,000 North Korean troops in Ukraine, was “a threat, not only to the European part of Nato, but also to the US”.
‘Predators demand more’
In an indirect dig at Mr Trump, who promised to end the Ukraine war in “one day” once in office, Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, said that it would be “suicide for all Europe” if territorial concessions were made to Russia.
This would be unacceptable for Ukraine, he said, stating that “peace is a reward only for the strong” and that “unity is important for strength”.
But he added, following a conversation on Wednesday with the president-elect, that while no one knew “what his [Mr Trump's] specific actions will be” he hoped that “America will become stronger”.
“We are open to any constructive ideas to achieve a just peace for our country but it is up to Ukraine to decide what should and should not be on the agenda for ending this war.”
He said that European leaders should understand “that predators always demand more and more”.
“I trust the American society,” said European Council chief Charles Michel, as he and others urged Mr Trump to continue supporting Ukraine. “They know it is in their interest to show firmness when we engage with authoritarian regimes. If the United States were weak with Russia, what would it mean for China?”
Migration unity
Host Victor Orban, Hungary’s Prime Minister, led calls for a crackdown on illegal migration which he said had been caused by instability in North Africa and the Middle East.
He agreed with Britain’s Prime Minister Keir Starmer who called for “a major upgrade in international co-operation” to dismantle human trafficking gangs.
Britain will use the two-day summit to sign agreements with Serbia, North Macedonia and Kosovo increasing intelligence-sharing and co-operation in order to “break” the gangs.
But adding to the uncertainty hanging over the Budapest gatherings, Germany's three-party coalition government broke apart on Wednesday evening as Chancellor Olaf Scholz sacked his finance minister, paving the way for a general election.
“One thing is for sure, Europe is not strong without a strong Germany,” said European Parliament President Roberta Metsola.
Honeymoonish
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WHAT IS A BLACK HOLE?
1. Black holes are objects whose gravity is so strong not even light can escape their pull
2. They can be created when massive stars collapse under their own weight
3. Large black holes can also be formed when smaller ones collide and merge
4. The biggest black holes lurk at the centre of many galaxies, including our own
5. Astronomers believe that when the universe was very young, black holes affected how galaxies formed
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Specs – Taycan 4S
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Power: 571bhp
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Specs – Panamera
Engine: 3-litre V6 with 100kW electric motor
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Power: 455bhp
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
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Director: Laila Abbas
Starring: Yasmine Al Massri, Clara Khoury, Kamel El Basha, Ashraf Barhoum
Rating: 4/5
About Proto21
Date started: May 2018
Founder: Pir Arkam
Based: Dubai
Sector: Additive manufacturing (aka, 3D printing)
Staff: 18
Funding: Invested, supported and partnered by Joseph Group
Traits of Chinese zodiac animals
Tiger:independent, successful, volatile
Rat:witty, creative, charming
Ox:diligent, perseverent, conservative
Rabbit:gracious, considerate, sensitive
Dragon:prosperous, brave, rash
Snake:calm, thoughtful, stubborn
Horse:faithful, energetic, carefree
Sheep:easy-going, peacemaker, curious
Monkey:family-orientated, clever, playful
Rooster:honest, confident, pompous
Dog:loyal, kind, perfectionist
Boar:loving, tolerant, indulgent
THE SPECS
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Company profile
Name: Infinite8
Based: Dubai
Launch year: 2017
Number of employees: 90
Sector: Online gaming industry
Funding: $1.2m from a UAE angel investor
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In the UAE’s arid climate, small shrubs, bushes and flower beds usually require about six litres of water per square metre, daily. That increases to 12 litres per square metre a day for small trees, and 300 litres for palm trees.
Horticulturists suggest the best time for watering is before 8am or after 6pm, when water won't be dried up by the sun.
A global report published by the Water Resources Institute in August, ranked the UAE 10th out of 164 nations where water supplies are most stretched.
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What are the influencer academy modules?
- Mastery of audio-visual content creation.
- Cinematography, shots and movement.
- All aspects of post-production.
- Emerging technologies and VFX with AI and CGI.
- Understanding of marketing objectives and audience engagement.
- Tourism industry knowledge.
- Professional ethics.
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Director: Brady Corbet
Stars: Adrien Brody, Felicity Jones, Guy Pearce, Joe Alwyn
Rating: 3.5/5
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Bantamweight
Siyovush Gulmamadov (TJK) v Rey Nacionales (PHI)
Lightweight
Alexandru Chitoran (ROM) v Hussein Fakhir Abed (SYR)
Catch 74kg
Tohir Zhuraev (TJK) v Omar Hussein (JOR)
Strawweight (Female)
Weronika Zygmunt (POL) v Seo Ye-dam (KOR)
Featherweight
Kaan Ofli (TUR) v Walid Laidi (ALG)
Lightweight
Leandro Martins (BRA) v Abdulla Al Bousheiri (KUW)
Welterweight
Ahmad Labban (LEB) v Sofiane Benchohra (ALG)
Bantamweight
Jaures Dea (CAM) v Nawras Abzakh (JOR)
Lightweight
Mohammed Yahya (UAE) v Glen Ranillo (PHI)
Lightweight
Alan Omer (GER) v Aidan Aguilera (AUS)
Welterweight
Mounir Lazzez (TUN) Sasha Palatnikov (HKG)
Featherweight title bout
Romando Dy (PHI) v Lee Do-gyeom (KOR)
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MO
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More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
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When: The one-off Test starts on Friday, May 11
What time: Each day’s play is scheduled to start at 2pm UAE time.
TV: The match will be broadcast on OSN Sports Cricket HD. Subscribers to the channel can also stream the action live on OSN Play.
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Date started: March 2013
Founder: Hussam Hammo
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Funding: $6m
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If you go...
Fly from Dubai or Abu Dhabi to Chiang Mai in Thailand, via Bangkok, before taking a five-hour bus ride across the Laos border to Huay Xai. The land border crossing at Huay Xai is a well-trodden route, meaning entry is swift, though travellers should be aware of visa requirements for both countries.
Flights from Dubai start at Dh4,000 return with Emirates, while Etihad flights from Abu Dhabi start at Dh2,000. Local buses can be booked in Chiang Mai from around Dh50
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