French President Emmanuel Macron gained early backing on Thursday in his quest to reform the EU’s border-free Schengen area.
Germany and the European Commission came out in favour of Mr Macron’s idea of a Schengen Council to manage the zone’s external borders.
Austria and Finland also welcomed his calls to protect those frontiers and speed up a reform process that has been at a stalemate for years.
EU borders are under pressure from migration flows via Belarus, the Middle East and North Africa and crossings of the Mediterranean Sea.
Under fire from the nationalist right ahead of April’s presidential election in France, Mr Macron is trying to use his country’s six-month stint chairing EU meetings to drive forward the stalled reforms.
He pitched the Schengen Council idea to the EU’s 27 home affairs ministers at a meeting in Lille, where he told them there could be no visa-free travel within the bloc without better border control at its perimeter.
The risk of terrorism and uncontrolled migration “calls us to take more radical measures, to take back control of our borders and, through that, control our destiny”, he said.
Ministers were told the proposed council would be similar to the Eurogroup, in which the 19 eurozone countries discuss the management of the single currency.
As an informal steering committee for migration, the Schengen Council would not require changes to European treaties and could hold its first meeting as early as next month, French officials said.
Gerald Darmanin, the French interior minister, said it would allow the bloc to react more promptly to border crises such as the stand-off with Belarus.
Schengen countries also brought in a patchwork of emergency restrictions during the pandemic to stop coronavirus spreading across borders.
“What is perceived by all EU members is sometimes the difficulty of talking to each other, the slowness and the anticipation of the tools that can work when they are mobilised quickly,” Mr Darmanin said.
Ylva Johansson, the EU’s home affairs commissioner, said she “very much welcomed” Mr Macron’s idea of a dedicated Schengen group.
“I think President Macron showed strong leadership, especially in the area of Schengen and migration,” she said.
The EU’s biggest country, Germany, “will be on the side of the French proposal”, said Interior Minister Nancy Faeser.
“We think it is right and important to say that we should work more closely together in the Schengen area,” she said.
But beneath agreement on that point lie sharp differences in the handling of migration, which may prove trickier for France to resolve in its six-month presidency.
Ms Johansson has made no secret of her frustration at the deadlock surrounding a so-called new pact on asylum and migration, which she proposed in 2020.
Although some elements have been agreed, including the establishment of a dedicated EU asylum agency, other aspects such as the sharing out of asylum seekers within the bloc have yet to be agreed.
Nations at the external border are pushing for measures such as border walls and the compulsory relocation of asylum seekers, at which other states balk.
Austrian Interior Minister Gerhard Karner called for an “alliance of common sense” to bring in tougher measures and name-checked Greece, Lithuania and Poland as potential allies.
“We need stronger measures,” he said. “The countries at the external border are under a lot of pressure.”
“The aim must be to have as robust an external border as possible, so that we can have as open a Schengen area as possible.”
He welcomed France’s push for reform, saying Austria was under pressure from almost 40,000 asylum applications filed last year.
Ms Faeser, meanwhile, said Germany favoured setting up legal migration routes into the EU to prevent people drowning in the Mediterranean.
“Germany stands for an open and humane Europe,” she said.
PROFILE OF HALAN
Started: November 2017
Founders: Mounir Nakhla, Ahmed Mohsen and Mohamed Aboulnaga
Based: Cairo, Egypt
Sector: transport and logistics
Size: 150 employees
Investment: approximately $8 million
Investors include: Singapore’s Battery Road Digital Holdings, Egypt’s Algebra Ventures, Uber co-founder and former CTO Oscar Salazar
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
BMW M5 specs
Engine: 4.4-litre twin-turbo V-8 petrol enging with additional electric motor
Power: 727hp
Torque: 1,000Nm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 10.6L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh650,000
Recent winners
2002 Giselle Khoury (Colombia)
2004 Nathalie Nasralla (France)
2005 Catherine Abboud (Oceania)
2007 Grace Bijjani (Mexico)
2008 Carina El-Keddissi (Brazil)
2009 Sara Mansour (Brazil)
2010 Daniella Rahme (Australia)
2011 Maria Farah (Canada)
2012 Cynthia Moukarzel (Kuwait)
2013 Layla Yarak (Australia)
2014 Lia Saad (UAE)
2015 Cynthia Farah (Australia)
2016 Yosmely Massaad (Venezuela)
2017 Dima Safi (Ivory Coast)
2018 Rachel Younan (Australia)
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
Read more about the coronavirus
SPEC%20SHEET%3A%20APPLE%20M3%20MACBOOK%20AIR%20(13%22)
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Our legal consultants
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
The Byblos iftar in numbers
29 or 30 days – the number of iftar services held during the holy month
50 staff members required to prepare an iftar
200 to 350 the number of people served iftar nightly
160 litres of the traditional Ramadan drink, jalab, is served in total
500 litres of soup is served during the holy month
200 kilograms of meat is used for various dishes
350 kilograms of onion is used in dishes
5 minutes – the average time that staff have to eat
Jetour T1 specs
Engine: 2-litre turbocharged
Power: 254hp
Torque: 390Nm
Price: From Dh126,000
Available: Now
CONFIRMED%20LINE-UP
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UAE%20athletes%20heading%20to%20Paris%202024
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MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League, Group B
Barcelona v Inter Milan
Camp Nou, Barcelona
Wednesday, 11pm (UAE)
MATCH INFO
Maratha Arabians 107-8 (10 ovs)
Lyth 21, Lynn 20, McClenaghan 20 no
Qalandars 60-4 (10 ovs)
Malan 32 no, McClenaghan 2-9
Maratha Arabians win by 47 runs
Timeline
1947
Ferrari’s road-car company is formed and its first badged car, the 125 S, rolls off the assembly line
1962
250 GTO is unveiled
1969
Fiat becomes a Ferrari shareholder, acquiring 50 per cent of the company
1972
The Fiorano circuit, Ferrari’s racetrack for development and testing, opens
1976
First automatic Ferrari, the 400 Automatic, is made
1987
F40 launched
1988
Enzo Ferrari dies; Fiat expands its stake in the company to 90 per cent
2002
The Enzo model is announced
2010
Ferrari World opens in Abu Dhabi
2011
First four-wheel drive Ferrari, the FF, is unveiled
2013
LaFerrari, the first Ferrari hybrid, arrives
2014
Fiat Chrysler announces the split of Ferrari from the parent company
2015
Ferrari launches on Wall Street
2017
812 Superfast unveiled; Ferrari celebrates its 70th anniversary
Ticket prices
- Golden circle - Dh995
- Floor Standing - Dh495
- Lower Bowl Platinum - Dh95
- Lower Bowl premium - Dh795
- Lower Bowl Plus - Dh695
- Lower Bowl Standard- Dh595
- Upper Bowl Premium - Dh395
- Upper Bowl standard - Dh295
Apple%20Mac%20through%20the%20years
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The Voice of Hind Rajab
Starring: Saja Kilani, Clara Khoury, Motaz Malhees
Director: Kaouther Ben Hania
Rating: 4/5
The low down on MPS
What is myofascial pain syndrome?
Myofascial pain syndrome refers to pain and inflammation in the body’s soft tissue. MPS is a chronic condition that affects the fascia (connective tissue that covers the muscles, which develops knots, also known as trigger points).
What are trigger points?
Trigger points are irritable knots in the soft tissue that covers muscle tissue. Through injury or overuse, muscle fibres contract as a reactive and protective measure, creating tension in the form of hard and, palpable nodules. Overuse and sustained posture are the main culprits in developing trigger points.
What is myofascial or trigger-point release?
Releasing these nodules requires a hands-on technique that involves applying gentle sustained pressure to release muscular shortness and tightness. This eliminates restrictions in connective tissue in orderto restore motion and alleviate pain. Therapy balls have proven effective at causing enough commotion in the tissue, prompting the release of these hard knots.
Company%20profile
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'THE WORST THING YOU CAN EAT'
Trans fat is typically found in fried and baked goods, but you may be consuming more than you think.
Powdered coffee creamer, microwave popcorn and virtually anything processed with a crust is likely to contain it, as this guide from Mayo Clinic outlines:
Baked goods - Most cakes, cookies, pie crusts and crackers contain shortening, which is usually made from partially hydrogenated vegetable oil. Ready-made frosting is another source of trans fat.
Snacks - Potato, corn and tortilla chips often contain trans fat. And while popcorn can be a healthy snack, many types of packaged or microwave popcorn use trans fat to help cook or flavour the popcorn.
Fried food - Foods that require deep frying — french fries, doughnuts and fried chicken — can contain trans fat from the oil used in the cooking process.
Refrigerator dough - Products such as canned biscuits and cinnamon rolls often contain trans fat, as do frozen pizza crusts.
Creamer and margarine - Nondairy coffee creamer and stick margarines also may contain partially hydrogenated vegetable oils.
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cyl turbo
Power: 201hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 320Nm at 1,750-4,000rpm
Transmission: 6-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 8.7L/100km
Price: Dh133,900
On sale: now
Empty Words
By Mario Levrero
(Coffee House Press)
'The worst thing you can eat'
Trans fat is typically found in fried and baked goods, but you may be consuming more than you think.
Powdered coffee creamer, microwave popcorn and virtually anything processed with a crust is likely to contain it, as this guide from Mayo Clinic outlines:
Baked goods - Most cakes, cookies, pie crusts and crackers contain shortening, which is usually made from partially hydrogenated vegetable oil. Ready-made frosting is another source of trans fat.
Snacks - Potato, corn and tortilla chips often contain trans fat. And while popcorn can be a healthy snack, many types of packaged or microwave popcorn use trans fat to help cook or flavour the popcorn.
Fried food - Foods that require deep frying — french fries, doughnuts and fried chicken — can contain trans fat from the oil used in the cooking process.
Refrigerator dough - Products such as canned biscuits and cinnamon rolls often contain trans fat, as do frozen pizza crusts.
Creamer and margarine - Nondairy coffee creamer and stick margarines also may contain partially hydrogenated vegetable oils.
