European Union chief Ursula von der Leyen and Prime Minister Boris Johnson can agree on one thing: the EU and the UK are heading for a no-deal split.
Mr Johnson chaired a meeting with Cabinet Office Minister Michael Gove, one of his key Brexit advisers, and others on Friday to assess the country's preparedness for leaving the European Union without a trade deal.
Senior officials in charge of Brexit planning also attended, the BBC reported.
Ms von der Leyen told the EU's 27 leaders in Brussels on Friday that the bloc was unlikely to get a trade deal with the UK by Sunday's deadline.
"Situation is difficult. Main obstacles remain," an EU official said of Ms von der Leyen's message to EU leaders.
"The probability of a no deal is higher than of a deal."
Mr Johnson has also put business and the public on notice to prepare to leave the EU without a deal.
Speaking in Blyth in north-east England on Friday, Mr Johnson said a no-deal Brexit was "very, very likely".
He said: "I’ve got to tell you that from where I stand now here in Blyth, it’s looking it’s looking very, very likely that we’ll have to go for a solution that I think would be wonderful for the UK to be able to do exactly what we want from from January the 1st.
"Obviously, it would be different from what we’d set out to achieve. But I’ve no doubt that this country can get ready and as I say, come out on World Trade (Organisation) terms."
The day before Mr Johnson said there was a “strong possibility” the UK would not strike a deal with its largest trading partner.
The warnings came as Irish Prime Minister Michael Martin insisted “97 per cent of the deal had been agreed”.
Mr Martin pleaded with both sides to reach agreement because there are “no winners and losers” in a no-deal situation.
Ireland is the EU member state most at risk from Britain crashing out of the bloc without a deal.
Mr Martin said: "Dialogue is key and both teams have given themselves a deadline of this Sunday, and I think the key to unlocking this is to stand back and look at the overall picture here.
“There can be no winners or losers in these negotiations from now on. There has to be a common purpose in terms of getting a deal over the line because it makes sense to get a trading deal.
However, Mr Johnson said the bloc’s demand that the UK follow future changes in EU rules was a major obstacle.
“There’s now the strong possibility we will have a solution that’s much more like an Australian relationship with the EU than a Canadian relationship with the EU,” Mr Johnson said.
“Looking at where we are, I do think it’s vital that everybody now gets ready for that Australian option.”
Shadow Foreign Secretary Lisa Nandy said the opposition Labour party was prepared to support a deal.
She told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "A deal is better than no deal. It represents a floor not a ceiling of what we can achieve for this country.
“But what we can’t have is a situation where the government is actively doing harm to our businesses and preventing them from thriving and doing well.”
The “Australian option” is Downing Street’s code for no deal.
In that scenario, the UK would fall back on the rules of the World Trade Organisation and face tariffs, as well as quotas, when the transition ends on December 31.
Former Australian premier Malcolm Turnbull told BBC’s Question Time that his country doesn’t have a “satisfactory” trade relationship with the EU.
“Be careful what you wish for: Australia’s relationship with the EU is not one, from a trade point of view, that Britain I think would want,” he said.
“There are very big barriers to Australian exports, agricultural products in particular. There’s a lot of friction in the system in terms of services. So there’s a lot to aim for.”
The pound extended its decline after Johnson’s intervention. His remarks couldn’t come at a more delicate time as EU leaders meet in Brussels after seeing off a threat by Hungary and Poland to block a $2.2 trillion stimulus package.
Earlier on Thursday, the EU published its contingency plans in case trade talks collapse.
The bloc aims to maintain basic air and road links between EU nations and the UK, while also allowing access to each other's fishing waters.
The European Commission said there was "significant uncertainty" about whether a deal would be in place by January 1.
"Our responsibility is to be prepared for all eventualities, including not having a deal in place," Ms von der Leyen said.
Among the contingency measures in place for no deal are:
the provision of "certain air services" between the UK and EU for six months, provided the UK does the same
basic connectivity for road freight and passenger transport for six months, provided the UK does the same
the possibility of reciprocal fishing access for UK and EU vessels in each other's waters for one year, or until an agreement is reached
After Mr Johnson arrived in Brussels on Wednesday evening for a dinner with the head of the EU, Downing Street said there were still "very large gaps" in the talks.
"The PM and VDL agreed to further discussions over the next few days between their negotiating teams," a senior No 10 source said, adding that by Sunday "a firm decision should be taken about the future of the talks".
Ms Von der Leyen tweeted: “We had a lively and interesting discussion on the state of play on outstanding issues. We understand each other’s positions. They remain far apart.
"The teams should immediately reconvene to try to resolve these issues. We will come to a decision by the end of the weekend.”
Sole survivors
- Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
- George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
- Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
- Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.
Libya's Gold
UN Panel of Experts found regime secretly sold a fifth of the country's gold reserves.
The panel’s 2017 report followed a trail to West Africa where large sums of cash and gold were hidden by Abdullah Al Senussi, Qaddafi’s former intelligence chief, in 2011.
Cases filled with cash that was said to amount to $560m in 100 dollar notes, that was kept by a group of Libyans in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.
A second stash was said to have been held in Accra, Ghana, inside boxes at the local offices of an international human rights organisation based in France.
EA Sports FC 26
Publisher: EA Sports
Consoles: PC, PlayStation 4/5, Xbox Series X/S
Rating: 3/5
Profile of Foodics
Founders: Ahmad AlZaini and Mosab AlOthmani
Based: Riyadh
Sector: Software
Employees: 150
Amount raised: $8m through seed and Series A - Series B raise ongoing
Funders: Raed Advanced Investment Co, Al-Riyadh Al Walid Investment Co, 500 Falcons, SWM Investment, AlShoaibah SPV, Faith Capital, Technology Investments Co, Savour Holding, Future Resources, Derayah Custody Co.
How to protect yourself when air quality drops
Install an air filter in your home.
Close your windows and turn on the AC.
Shower or bath after being outside.
Wear a face mask.
Stay indoors when conditions are particularly poor.
If driving, turn your engine off when stationary.
if you go
The flights
Air Astana flies direct from Dubai to Almaty from Dh2,440 per person return, and to Astana (via Almaty) from Dh2,930 return, both including taxes.
The hotels
Rooms at the Ritz-Carlton Almaty cost from Dh1,944 per night including taxes; and in Astana the new Ritz-Carlton Astana (www.marriott) costs from Dh1,325; alternatively, the new St Regis Astana costs from Dh1,458 per night including taxes.
When to visit
March-May and September-November
Visas
Citizens of many countries, including the UAE do not need a visa to enter Kazakhstan for up to 30 days. Contact the nearest Kazakhstan embassy or consulate.
All Blacks line-up for third Test
J Barrett; I Dagg, A Lienert-Brown, N Laumape, J Savea; B Barrett, A Smith; J Moody, C Taylor, O Franks, B Retallick, S Whitelock, J Kaino, S Cane, K Read (capt).
Replacements: N Harris, W Crockett, C Faumuina, S Barrett, A Savea, TJ Perenara, A Cruden, M Fekitoa.
Timeline
2012-2015
The company offers payments/bribes to win key contracts in the Middle East
May 2017
The UK SFO officially opens investigation into Petrofac’s use of agents, corruption, and potential bribery to secure contracts
September 2021
Petrofac pleads guilty to seven counts of failing to prevent bribery under the UK Bribery Act
October 2021
Court fines Petrofac £77 million for bribery. Former executive receives a two-year suspended sentence
December 2024
Petrofac enters into comprehensive restructuring to strengthen the financial position of the group
May 2025
The High Court of England and Wales approves the company’s restructuring plan
July 2025
The Court of Appeal issues a judgment challenging parts of the restructuring plan
August 2025
Petrofac issues a business update to execute the restructuring and confirms it will appeal the Court of Appeal decision
October 2025
Petrofac loses a major TenneT offshore wind contract worth €13 billion. Holding company files for administration in the UK. Petrofac delisted from the London Stock Exchange
November 2025
180 Petrofac employees laid off in the UAE
Our legal columnist
Name: Yousef Al Bahar
Advocate at Al Bahar & Associate Advocates and Legal Consultants, established in 1994
Education: Mr Al Bahar was born in 1979 and graduated in 2008 from the Judicial Institute. He took after his father, who was one of the first Emirati lawyers
Key figures in the life of the fort
Sheikh Dhiyab bin Isa (ruled 1761-1793) Built Qasr Al Hosn as a watchtower to guard over the only freshwater well on Abu Dhabi island.
Sheikh Shakhbut bin Dhiyab (ruled 1793-1816) Expanded the tower into a small fort and transferred his ruling place of residence from Liwa Oasis to the fort on the island.
Sheikh Tahnoon bin Shakhbut (ruled 1818-1833) Expanded Qasr Al Hosn further as Abu Dhabi grew from a small village of palm huts to a town of more than 5,000 inhabitants.
Sheikh Khalifa bin Shakhbut (ruled 1833-1845) Repaired and fortified the fort.
Sheikh Saeed bin Tahnoon (ruled 1845-1855) Turned Qasr Al Hosn into a strong two-storied structure.
Sheikh Zayed bin Khalifa (ruled 1855-1909) Expanded Qasr Al Hosn further to reflect the emirate's increasing prominence.
Sheikh Shakhbut bin Sultan (ruled 1928-1966) Renovated and enlarged Qasr Al Hosn, adding a decorative arch and two new villas.
Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan (ruled 1966-2004) Moved the royal residence to Al Manhal palace and kept his diwan at Qasr Al Hosn.
Sources: Jayanti Maitra, www.adach.ae
The President's Cake
Director: Hasan Hadi
Starring: Baneen Ahmad Nayyef, Waheed Thabet Khreibat, Sajad Mohamad Qasem
Rating: 4/5
Wicked: For Good
Director: Jon M Chu
Starring: Ariana Grande, Cynthia Erivo, Jonathan Bailey, Jeff Goldblum, Michelle Yeoh, Ethan Slater
Rating: 4/5
How to apply for a drone permit
- Individuals must register on UAE Drone app or website using their UAE Pass
- Add all their personal details, including name, nationality, passport number, Emiratis ID, email and phone number
- Upload the training certificate from a centre accredited by the GCAA
- Submit their request
What are the regulations?
- Fly it within visual line of sight
- Never over populated areas
- Ensure maximum flying height of 400 feet (122 metres) above ground level is not crossed
- Users must avoid flying over restricted areas listed on the UAE Drone app
- Only fly the drone during the day, and never at night
- Should have a live feed of the drone flight
- Drones must weigh 5 kg or less
More coverage from the Future Forum
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.
