German Chancellor Olaf Scholz appealed on Monday for an ambitious revamp of the European Union to take in as many as nine new members and stand taller against a hostile Russia.
In an almost hour-long speech in Prague, Mr Scholz urged the EU to rededicate its historic peace project to preventing war in its neighbourhood as well between its members.
He urged a long line of reforms to boost the EU's political and economic clout so that an expanded bloc can “help shape the 21st century in our European way”.
A potential 36-member union with members including Ukraine, Moldova and several Balkan states should act by majority decision so that one country's veto no longer stands in the way, he said.
“Ukraine is not Luxembourg. Portugal looks differently at the world's challenges to North Macedonia,” he said. “We have to make the EU fit for this big expansion.”
Many of Mr Scholz's talking points were in line with French President Emmanuel Macron's desire for a more “sovereign Europe”, and other officials' calls for more EU military muscle.
But the speech by a German chancellor sometimes accused of lacking vision or dynamism marks his biggest intervention since he turned a page on postwar pacifism in the days after war broke out.
“Bravo … finally a clear international commitment from the German government,” said Wolfgang Ischinger, a former chairman of the Munich Security Conference who has sometimes criticised Mr Scholz.
Mr Scholz's proposals include:
— Expanding the EU from 27 to 36 to include Ukraine, Moldova, Georgia, Montenegro, Albania, North Macedonia, Serbia, Kosovo and Bosnia and Herzegovina, which are at various stages of applying;
— Co-ordinating the purchase of military equipment by European armed forces to reduce costs and training time, and co-operating on air defence;
— Seeking new partnerships in Asia, Africa and Latin America as part of a “political and economic diversification” as Washington's focus turns to China;
— Finding common ground on migration policy by strengthening external border protection and admitting Croatia, Romania and Bulgaria to the Schengen zone;
— Rewriting debt and finance rules to overcome another subject of frequent disagreement in the EU, and making Europe's economy a leader in green technology;
— Reforming other EU institutions, so that members of a possible 36-member Commission share portfolios to prevent it becoming too bloated.
Mr Scholz said the European project, born in the ashes of the Second World War, had succeeded in making war unthinkable between its members.
“Today, it is up to us to renew this promise of peace, by enabling the European Union to ensure its security, its independence and its stability against threats from outside as well,” he said.
Ukraine was granted EU candidate status in June and the war there has revived interest in the long-stalled process for Balkan countries, amid concern they would otherwise fall into Russia's camp.
Mr Scholz said European unity was a “thorn in the side” of Russian President Vladimir Putin because it contradicted the Kremlin's belief that smaller countries could be pushed around.
He said he supported Mr Macron's idea of a looser European political community in which leaders of EU members, applicants and maybe third countries such as Britain would hold regular talks.
The first summit of that community is due to take place in October in the Czech Republic, which currently holds the EU's rotating presidency.
But Mr Scholz reassured applicants such as Ukraine that he did not see this as a substitute for an enlarged EU that would have to be reformed to cope with its larger size.
A move away from unanimity in key foreign policy decisions would be sure to raise doubts among smaller countries that fear any treaty change could dilute their power.
Bulgaria, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Poland, Romania, Slovenia and Sweden signed a joint paper in May pouring cold water on the proposal.
Ukraine crisis — in pictures
Mr Scholz addressed another concern of some EU members, especially in the east, by saying greater military clout would not lead to Nato being sidelined as Europe's main security protector.
But while praising US President Joe Biden, he said a future White House administration could focus more on China and that more European capability would only strengthen Nato.
His remark that Russia was positioning itself “for the foreseeable future” in opposition to the EU marked the latest break with his party's long-standing desire for conciliation with Moscow.
It comes as some voices on the German left call for a revival of peace talks with Russia as the six-month war takes its toll on European economies.
Mr Scholz said Mr Putin and other autocrats such as Belarus's Alexander Lukashenko would exploit any differences in the EU, meaning it needed to close ranks on the thorny issues of migration and finance.
“When, if not now, when Russia is trying to move the border between freedom and autocracy, can we lay the foundations for a bigger union of freedom, security and democracy?,” asked Mr Scholz.
“When, if not now will we create a sovereign Europe that can assert itself in a multipolar world?
“Europe is our future, and that future is in our hands.”
Jetour T1 specs
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Boulder shooting victims
• Denny Strong, 20
• Neven Stanisic, 23
• Rikki Olds, 25
• Tralona Bartkowiak, 49
• Suzanne Fountain, 59
• Teri Leiker, 51
• Eric Talley, 51
• Kevin Mahoney, 61
• Lynn Murray, 62
• Jody Waters, 65
Rooney's club record
At Everton Appearances: 77; Goals: 17
At Manchester United Appearances: 559; Goals: 253
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
PREMIER LEAGUE STATS
Romelu Lukaku's goalscoring statistics in the Premier League
Season/club/appearances (substitute)/goals
2011/12 Chelsea: 8(7) - 0
2012/13 West Brom (loan): 35(15) - 17
2013/14 Chelsea: 2(2) - 0
2013/14 Everton (loan): 31(2) - 15
2014/15 Everton: 36(4) - 10
2015/16 Everton: 37(1) - 18
2016/17 Everton: 37(1) - 25
Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
Ziina users can donate to relief efforts in Beirut
Ziina users will be able to use the app to help relief efforts in Beirut, which has been left reeling after an August blast caused an estimated $15 billion in damage and left thousands homeless. Ziina has partnered with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees to raise money for the Lebanese capital, co-founder Faisal Toukan says. “As of October 1, the UNHCR has the first certified badge on Ziina and is automatically part of user's top friends' list during this campaign. Users can now donate any amount to the Beirut relief with two clicks. The money raised will go towards rebuilding houses for the families that were impacted by the explosion.”
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How much do leading UAE’s UK curriculum schools charge for Year 6?
- Nord Anglia International School (Dubai) – Dh85,032
- Kings School Al Barsha (Dubai) – Dh71,905
- Brighton College Abu Dhabi - Dh68,560
- Jumeirah English Speaking School (Dubai) – Dh59,728
- Gems Wellington International School – Dubai Branch – Dh58,488
- The British School Al Khubairat (Abu Dhabi) - Dh54,170
- Dubai English Speaking School – Dh51,269
*Annual tuition fees covering the 2024/2025 academic year
MATCH INFO
Uefa Nations League
League A, Group 4
Spain v England, 10.45pm (UAE)
In numbers: China in Dubai
The number of Chinese people living in Dubai: An estimated 200,000
Number of Chinese people in International City: Almost 50,000
Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2018/19: 120,000
Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2010: 20,000
Percentage increase in visitors in eight years: 500 per cent
COMPANY PROFILE
Founders: Alhaan Ahmed, Alyina Ahmed and Maximo Tettamanzi
Total funding: Self funded
Rock in a Hard Place: Music and Mayhem in the Middle East
Orlando Crowcroft
Zed Books
APPLE IPAD MINI (A17 PRO)
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Dirham Stretcher tips for having a baby in the UAE
Selma Abdelhamid, the group's moderator, offers her guide to guide the cost of having a young family:
• Buy second hand stuff
They grow so fast. Don't get a second hand car seat though, unless you 100 per cent know it's not expired and hasn't been in an accident.
• Get a health card and vaccinate your child for free at government health centres
Ms Ma says she discovered this after spending thousands on vaccinations at private clinics.
• Join mum and baby coffee mornings provided by clinics, babysitting companies or nurseries.
Before joining baby classes ask for a free trial session. This way you will know if it's for you or not. You'll be surprised how great some classes are and how bad others are.
• Once baby is ready for solids, cook at home
Take the food with you in reusable pouches or jars. You'll save a fortune and you'll know exactly what you're feeding your child.
History's medical milestones
1799 - First small pox vaccine administered
1846 - First public demonstration of anaesthesia in surgery
1861 - Louis Pasteur published his germ theory which proved that bacteria caused diseases
1895 - Discovery of x-rays
1923 - Heart valve surgery performed successfully for first time
1928 - Alexander Fleming discovers penicillin
1953 - Structure of DNA discovered
1952 - First organ transplant - a kidney - takes place
1954 - Clinical trials of birth control pill
1979 - MRI, or magnetic resonance imaging, scanned used to diagnose illness and injury.
1998 - The first adult live-donor liver transplant is carried out
Our legal consultants
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
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Day 3, Abu Dhabi Test: At a glance
Moment of the day Just three balls remained in an exhausting day for Sri Lanka’s bowlers when they were afforded some belated cheer. Nuwan Pradeep, unrewarded in 15 overs to that point, let slip a seemingly innocuous delivery down the legside. Babar Azam feathered it behind, and Niroshan Dickwella dived to make a fine catch.
Stat of the day - 2.56 Shan Masood and Sami Aslam are the 16th opening partnership Pakistan have had in Tests in the past five years. That turnover at the top of the order – a new pair every 2.56 Test matches on average – is by far the fastest rate among the leading Test sides. Masood and Aslam put on 114 in their first alliance in Abu Dhabi.
The verdict Even by the normal standards of Test cricket in the UAE, this has been slow going. Pakistan’s run-rate of 2.38 per over is the lowest they have managed in a Test match in this country. With just 14 wickets having fallen in three days so far, it is difficult to see 26 dropping to bring about a result over the next two.
Conservative MPs who have publicly revealed sending letters of no confidence
- Steve Baker
- Peter Bone
- Ben Bradley
- Andrew Bridgen
- Maria Caulfield
- Simon Clarke
- Philip Davies
- Nadine Dorries
- James Duddridge
- Mark Francois
- Chris Green
- Adam Holloway
- Andrea Jenkyns
- Anne-Marie Morris
- Sheryll Murray
- Jacob Rees-Mogg
- Laurence Robertson
- Lee Rowley
- Henry Smith
- Martin Vickers
- John Whittingdale
THE BIO
Ambition: To create awareness among young about people with disabilities and make the world a more inclusive place
Job Title: Human resources administrator, Expo 2020 Dubai
First jobs: Co-ordinator with Magrudy Enterprises; HR coordinator at Jumeirah Group
Entrepreneur: Started his own graphic design business
Favourite singer: Avril Lavigne
Favourite travel destination: Germany and Saudi Arabia
Family: Six sisters
RUGBY CHAMPIONSHIP FIXTURES
September 30
South Africa v Australia
Argentina v New Zealand
October 7
South Africa v New Zealand
Argentina v Australia
UAE gold medallists:
Omar Al Suweidi (46kg), Khaled Al Shehhi (50kg), Khalifa Humaid Al Kaabi (60kg), Omar Al Fadhli (62kg), Mohammed Ali Al Suweidi (66kg), Omar Ahmed Al Hosani (73), all in the U18’s, and Khalid Eskandar Al Blooshi (56kg) in the U21s.
Test
Director: S Sashikanth
Cast: Nayanthara, Siddharth, Meera Jasmine, R Madhavan
Star rating: 2/5
Last 10 winners of African Footballer of the Year
2006: Didier Drogba (Chelsea and Ivory Coast)
2007: Frederic Kanoute (Sevilla and Mali)
2008: Emmanuel Adebayor (Arsenal and Togo)
2009: Didier Drogba (Chelsea and Ivory Coast)
2010: Samuel Eto’o (Inter Milan and Cameroon)
2011: Yaya Toure (Manchester City and Ivory Coast)
2012: Yaya Toure (Manchester City and Ivory Coast)
2013: Yaya Toure (Manchester City and Ivory Coast)
2014: Yaya Toure (Manchester City and Ivory Coast)
2015: Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang (Borussia Dortmund and Gabon)
2016: Riyad Mahrez (Leicester City and Algeria)
Know before you go
- Jebel Akhdar is a two-hour drive from Muscat airport or a six-hour drive from Dubai. It’s impossible to visit by car unless you have a 4x4. Phone ahead to the hotel to arrange a transfer.
- If you’re driving, make sure your insurance covers Oman.
- By air: Budget airlines Air Arabia, Flydubai and SalamAir offer direct routes to Muscat from the UAE.
- Tourists from the Emirates (UAE nationals not included) must apply for an Omani visa online before arrival at evisa.rop.gov.om. The process typically takes several days.
- Flash floods are probable due to the terrain and a lack of drainage. Always check the weather before venturing into any canyons or other remote areas and identify a plan of escape that includes high ground, shelter and parking where your car won’t be overtaken by sudden downpours.
