A recent spike in migrant arrivals to the Italian island of Lampedusa has created a new sense of urgency for the 27 members of the EU to finalise years-long discussions on a migration pact.
Home affairs ministers were meeting in Brussels on Thursday to discuss a so-called crisis regulation that gives more flexibility and time to countries to process asylum applications when numbers are exceptionally high.
Concern is high not only over how to distribute the high numbers of arrivals but also their potential weaponisation: a surge in arrivals of mostly Iraqi migrants via Belarus in 2021 was widely viewed as an attempt by Belarusian authorities to destabilise the bloc.
The crisis regulation was part of a number of proposals made in 2020 by the European Commission, the bloc's legislative arm, to address imbalances in the distribution of asylum seekers.
It has only recently started to be discussed within the European Council, a body in which government representatives define key priorities for the union, where it had faced strong opposition from some politicians in Germany.
However, Chancellor Olaf Scholz appeared to overrule objections from within his own cabinet on Thursday by saying Germany "will not stand in the way" of a pact being adopted.
Germany's Foreign Affairs Minister Annalena Baerbock had criticised the crisis regulation on Sunday, claiming that it would create an incentive for large numbers of refugees to move to Germany.
Negotiations are expected to be difficult and officials said they were unsure whether a deal would be struck this week.
A similar home affairs meeting in June ended in an acrimonious row between member states, with Poland and Hungary refusing the obligation to share the hosting of asylum seekers.
Other countries opposing the crisis regulation reportedly include Poland, the Czech Republic, Hungary and Austria.
Disagreements threaten to derail further the adoption of the EU's new migration pact which has been under discussion for the past three years. Officials still hope it will be adopted before the next European elections in June.
The EU is on track to receive more than one million asylum seekers this year – the biggest number since 2015 and 2016 when it saw a huge influx of migrants, mainly Syrians fleeing the war in their country.
Top on the agenda of discussions between home affairs ministers is also an agreement signed in July with Tunisia which aims to curb the arrival of migrants by sea.
Earlier this month, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen travelled to Lampedusa in a show of solidarity with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.
More than 127,000 migrants have arrived in Italy so far this year, according to government data, almost double the figure for the same period last year.
Ms von der Leyen announced a 10-point plan to fight irregular migration, including an acceleration of the implementation of the commission's agreement with Tunisia.
Last week, the commission unlocked a first disbursement of $42 million to Tunisia as part of the agreement, which will in part be used to revamp search and rescue boats.
When Umm Kulthum performed in Abu Dhabi
Known as The Lady of Arabic Song, Umm Kulthum performed in Abu Dhabi on November 28, 1971, as part of celebrations for the fifth anniversary of the accession of Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan as Ruler of Abu Dhabi. A concert hall was constructed for the event on land that is now Al Nahyan Stadium, behind Al Wahda Mall. The audience were treated to many of Kulthum's most well-known songs as part of the sold-out show, including Aghadan Alqak and Enta Omri.
ELIO
Starring: Yonas Kibreab, Zoe Saldana, Brad Garrett
Directors: Madeline Sharafian, Domee Shi, Adrian Molina
Rating: 4/5
The biog
Title: General Practitioner with a speciality in cardiology
Previous jobs: Worked in well-known hospitals Jaslok and Breach Candy in Mumbai, India
Education: Medical degree from the Government Medical College in Nagpur
How it all began: opened his first clinic in Ajman in 1993
Family: a 90-year-old mother, wife and two daughters
Remembers a time when medicines from India were purchased per kilo
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
A cheaper choice
Vanuatu: $130,000
Why on earth pick Vanuatu? Easy. The South Pacific country has no income tax, wealth tax, capital gains or inheritance tax. And in 2015, when it was hit by Cyclone Pam, it signed an agreement with the EU that gave it some serious passport power.
Cost: A minimum investment of $130,000 for a family of up to four, plus $25,000 in fees.
Criteria: Applicants must have a minimum net worth of $250,000. The process take six to eight weeks, after which the investor must travel to Vanuatu or Hong Kong to take the oath of allegiance. Citizenship and passport are normally provided on the same day.
Benefits: No tax, no restrictions on dual citizenship, no requirement to visit or reside to retain a passport. Visa-free access to 129 countries.
UAE cricketers abroad
Sid Jhurani is not the first cricketer from the UAE to go to the UK to try his luck.
Rameez Shahzad Played alongside Ben Stokes and Liam Plunkett in Durham while he was studying there. He also played club cricket as an overseas professional, but his time in the UK stunted his UAE career. The batsman went a decade without playing for the national team.
Yodhin Punja The seam bowler was named in the UAE’s extended World Cup squad in 2015 despite being just 15 at the time. He made his senior UAE debut aged 16, and subsequently took up a scholarship at Claremont High School in the south of England.
ADCC AFC Women’s Champions League Group A fixtures
October 3: v Wuhan Jiangda Women’s FC
October 6: v Hyundai Steel Red Angels Women’s FC
October 9: v Sabah FA
Asia Cup Qualifier
Venue: Kuala Lumpur
Result: Winners play at Asia Cup in Dubai and Abu Dhabi in September
Fixtures:
Wed Aug 29: Malaysia v Hong Kong, Nepal v Oman, UAE v Singapore
Thu Aug 30: UAE v Nepal, Hong Kong v Singapore, Malaysia v Oman
Sat Sep 1: UAE v Hong Kong, Oman v Singapore, Malaysia v Nepal
Sun Sep 2: Hong Kong v Oman, Malaysia v UAE, Nepal v Singapore
Tue Sep 4: Malaysia v Singapore, UAE v Oman, Nepal v Hong Kong
Thu Sep 6: Final
Asia Cup
Venue: Dubai and Abu Dhabi
Schedule: Sep 15-28
Teams: Afghanistan, Bangladesh, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, plus the winner of the Qualifier
more from Janine di Giovanni
LA LIGA FIXTURES
Friday (UAE kick-off times)
Levante v Real Mallorca (12am)
Leganes v Barcelona (4pm)
Real Betis v Valencia (7pm)
Granada v Atletico Madrid (9.30pm)
Sunday
Real Madrid v Real Sociedad (12am)
Espanyol v Getafe (3pm)
Osasuna v Athletic Bilbao (5pm)
Eibar v Alaves (7pm)
Villarreal v Celta Vigo (9.30pm)
Monday
Real Valladolid v Sevilla (12am)
MATCH INFO
FA Cup final
Chelsea 1
Hazard (22' pen)
Manchester United 0
Man of the match: Eden Hazard (Chelsea)
The biog
Hobby: "It is not really a hobby but I am very curious person. I love reading and spend hours on research."
Favourite author: Malcom Gladwell
Favourite travel destination: "Antigua in the Caribbean because I have emotional attachment to it. It is where I got married."
