A century after Northern Ireland was founded to keep the region out of the new Irish nation, in a historic breakthrough, republican party Sinn Fein was confirmed on Saturday as the largest in the local assembly.
Northern Ireland was created in 1921 to keep the Protestants of the area out of the new state created in Dublin. With an unassailable lead, Sinn Fein now has the right to provide the leader, known as the First Minister, of an entity that it does not believe should exist.
Sinn Fein was confirmed as taking 27 seats amid a headline-stealing surge by a normally marginal centrist party, demonstrating the polarisation in the vote.
Sinn Fein's Michelle O'Neill will now expect the other main leaders — the Democratic Unionist Party's Jeffery Donaldson and Alliance's Naomi Long — to join with her in a new administration, though the unionist party has said it will not participate until a post-Brexit trade deal with the EU is overhauled.
With all 90 seats filled, behind Sinn Fein are the DUP with 25 seats and the Alliance Party at 17. The UUP took nine seats, while the SDLP won eight, and the TUV and People Before Profit secured one each, as did two independents.
In terms of straight first-preference votes, Sinn Fein was at 29 per cent, while the main unionist party, the DUP, took about 21 per cent.
"The people have told us during the course of this election that they expect us to work together. The people are right,” Ms O'Neill said.
"Today represents a very significant moment of change. It's a defining moment for our politics and for our people. Today ushers in a new era, which I believe presents us all with an opportunity to reimagine relationships in this society on the basis of fairness, on the basis of equality and on the basis of social justice."
Mr Donaldson said his party would continue to make its participation conditional.
“Let’s cross all the bridges when we get to them,” he said.
He also warned the unionist tradition that it must overcome internal divisions to fend off the surge from nationalists.
"There's a big lesson for unionism here," he said. "A divided unionism doesn't deliver additional seats at Westminster or indeed at Stormont. That's the reality of the situation. And therefore I think, as unionist leaders, we need to sit down and consider the outcome of this election and next time round let's be in a position where we're able to win seats because we're more united."
The symbolism of the shift of largest party has been felt across Belfast. With turnout a shade under the previous level after a lacklustre campaign, the counting exercise pointed on Friday to a dramatic outcome of the day-long tallying.
In the gloom of the steady rain outside central Belfast's City Hall, two tour guides gave competing accounts of the region's history at the separate pillars of the front gate.
On one side, a dozen people in all-weather clothes listened as the guide pointed out the landmarks of the surrounding square — the towering granite bank headquarters, the Linen Hall Library and the Victorian-era municipal headquarters. All are places built in the heyday of Protestant-dominated industrial growth.
At the other column, a similar number clustered around a tour guide who was discussing how the divisions in Northern Ireland started with the clearances of native Irish and the influx of Protestant loyalists to King James in the 17th century. In particular, the guide discussed the “myth” that thousands of Protestants were killed in a Catholic uprising in 1641 and the power of that claim to nurse anti-Irish grievances centuries later.
At the nearby Linen Hall Library, an exhibit of political posters from the 30 years of the Troubles, which culminated in the Good Friday Agreement of 1998, serves as a reminder of the depths of local divisions.
Robbie Baxter, a retired schoolteacher from a “Protestant and Unionist background”, feared the election was a threshold moment that could precede the destruction of the 1998 settlement.
Mr Baxter fears the outgoing largest party, the DUP, could refuse to work alongside Sinn Fein, as the Good Friday power-sharing arrangements stipulate.
The DUP has been a champion of the British exit from the EU and a fierce opponent of the Northern Ireland Protocol, which has kept the region in the bloc's trading zone but caused friction in commerce with the UK mainland.
“I think the DUP are being pulled in a direction they haven't gone before,” Mr Baxter told The National.
“I would like to see the Good Friday Agreement work. I think there were signs that it was beginning to work but instability has tipped into it and it is veering towards the edge.”
At a coffee shop not far from the library, Tony Marlow, a barista, agreed his customers were open to the new tastes the business offers but was less sure that their votes were ready to move in a new political direction.
Although he claimed to have been caught off guard by the move to leave the EU, he did not get around to voting this time before the polls closed.
“In the end, I felt like there was nobody good to vote for. I didn't want to vote for the DUP and I didn't want to vote for Sinn Fein, so it felt like my vote didn't really matter,” Mr Marlow said.
“All the other parties out there don't really have the support but I do fear a major drastic change could happen in this election, just like the way Brexit happened, which came out of nowhere for me.”
After the election, the Northern Ireland parties need to agree on a new programme for government within 24 weeks or face another vote.
Alliance more than doubled its seats and its leader, Ms Long, said all sides must work together.
“I think given all the challenges that we face, if we squander this opportunity people will not forgive us, so we need to get in there,” she said.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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
South Africa squad
Faf du Plessis (captain), Hashim Amla, Temba Bavuma, Quinton de Kock (wicketkeeper), Theunis de Bruyn, AB de Villiers, Dean Elgar, Heinrich Klaasen (wicketkeeper), Keshav Maharaj, Aiden Markram, Morne Morkel, Wiaan Mulder, Lungi Ngidi, Vernon Philander and Kagiso Rabada.
SERIE A FIXTURES
Friday (UAE kick-off times)
Sassuolo v Bologna (11.45pm)
Saturday
Brescia v Torino (6pm)
Inter Milan v Verona (9pm)
Napoli v Genoa (11.45pm)
Sunday
Cagliari v Verona (3.30pm)
Udinese v SPAL (6pm)
Sampdoria v Atalanta (6pm)
Lazio v Lecce (6pm)
Parma v Roma (9pm)
Juventus v Milan (11.45pm)
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
The specs: 2018 Harley-Davidson Fat Boy
Price, base / as tested Dh97,600
Engine 1,745cc Milwaukee-Eight v-twin engine
Transmission Six-speed gearbox
Power 78hp @ 5,250rpm
Torque 145Nm @ 3,000rpm
Fuel economy, combined 5.0L / 100km (estimate)
The 12
England
Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur
Italy
AC Milan, Inter Milan, Juventus
Spain
Atletico Madrid, Barcelona, Real Madrid
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%3Cp%3EAriana%E2%80%99s%20Persian%20Kitchen%3Cbr%3EDinner%20by%20Heston%20Blumenthal%3Cbr%3EEstiatorio%20Milos%3Cbr%3EHouse%20of%20Desserts%3Cbr%3EJaleo%20by%20Jose%20Andres%3Cbr%3ELa%20Mar%3Cbr%3ELing%20Ling%3Cbr%3ELittle%20Venice%20Cake%20Company%3Cbr%3EMalibu%2090265%3Cbr%3ENobu%20by%20the%20Beach%3Cbr%3EResonance%20by%20Heston%20Blumenthal%3Cbr%3EThe%20Royal%20Tearoom%C2%A0%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
What is the FNC?
The Federal National Council is one of five federal authorities established by the UAE constitution. It held its first session on December 2, 1972, a year to the day after Federation.
It has 40 members, eight of whom are women. The members represent the UAE population through each of the emirates. Abu Dhabi and Dubai have eight members each, Sharjah and Ras al Khaimah six, and Ajman, Fujairah and Umm Al Quwain have four.
They bring Emirati issues to the council for debate and put those concerns to ministers summoned for questioning.
The FNC’s main functions include passing, amending or rejecting federal draft laws, discussing international treaties and agreements, and offering recommendations on general subjects raised during sessions.
Federal draft laws must first pass through the FNC for recommendations when members can amend the laws to suit the needs of citizens. The draft laws are then forwarded to the Cabinet for consideration and approval.
Since 2006, half of the members have been elected by UAE citizens to serve four-year terms and the other half are appointed by the Ruler’s Courts of the seven emirates.
In the 2015 elections, 78 of the 252 candidates were women. Women also represented 48 per cent of all voters and 67 per cent of the voters were under the age of 40.
The details
Heard It in a Past Life
Maggie Rogers
(Capital Records)
3/5
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
BLACKBERRY
%3Cp%3EDirector%3A%20Matt%20Johnson%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3EStars%3A%20Jay%20Baruchel%2C%20Glenn%20Howerton%2C%20Matt%20Johnson%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3ERating%3A%204%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Profile of MoneyFellows
Founder: Ahmed Wadi
Launched: 2016
Employees: 76
Financing stage: Series A ($4 million)
Investors: Partech, Sawari Ventures, 500 Startups, Dubai Angel Investors, Phoenician Fund
Company%20profile
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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 currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The specs
Price: From Dh529,000
Engine: 5-litre V8
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Power: 520hp
Torque: 625Nm
Fuel economy, combined: 12.8L/100km
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
MATCH INFO
League Cup, last 16
Manchester City v Southampton, Tuesday, 11.45pm (UAE)
Monster Hunter: World
Capcom
PlayStation 4, Xbox One
The specs: 2017 Lotus Evora Sport 410
Price, base / as tested Dh395,000 / Dh420,000
Engine 3.5L V6
Transmission Six-speed manual
Power 410hp @ 7,000rpm
Torque 420Nm @ 3,500rpm
Fuel economy, combined 9.7L / 100km
Company profile
Date started: 2015
Founder: John Tsioris and Ioanna Angelidaki
Based: Dubai
Sector: Online grocery delivery
Staff: 200
Funding: Undisclosed, but investors include the Jabbar Internet Group and Venture Friends
Isle of Dogs
Director: Wes Anderson
Starring: Bryan Cranston, Liev Schreiber, Ed Norton, Greta Gerwig, Bill Murray, Jeff Goldblum, Scarlett Johansson
Three stars
FIGHT%20CARD
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Basquiat in Abu Dhabi
One of Basquiat’s paintings, the vibrant Cabra (1981–82), now hangs in Louvre Abu Dhabi temporarily, on loan from the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi.
The latter museum is not open physically, but has assembled a collection and puts together a series of events called Talking Art, such as this discussion, moderated by writer Chaedria LaBouvier.
It's something of a Basquiat season in Abu Dhabi at the moment. Last week, The Radiant Child, a documentary on Basquiat was shown at Manarat Al Saadiyat, and tonight (April 18) the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi is throwing the re-creation of a party tonight, of the legendary Canal Zone party thrown in 1979, which epitomised the collaborative scene of the time. It was at Canal Zone that Basquiat met prominent members of the art world and moved from unknown graffiti artist into someone in the spotlight.
“We’ve invited local resident arists, we’ll have spray cans at the ready,” says curator Maisa Al Qassemi of the Guggenheim Abu Dhabi.
Guggenheim Abu Dhabi's Canal Zone Remix is at Manarat Al Saadiyat, Thursday April 18, from 8pm. Free entry to all. Basquiat's Cabra is on view at Louvre Abu Dhabi until October
VEZEETA PROFILE
Date started: 2012
Founder: Amir Barsoum
Based: Dubai, UAE
Sector: HealthTech / MedTech
Size: 300 employees
Funding: $22.6 million (as of September 2018)
Investors: Technology Development Fund, Silicon Badia, Beco Capital, Vostok New Ventures, Endeavour Catalyst, Crescent Enterprises’ CE-Ventures, Saudi Technology Ventures and IFC
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The%20specs%3A%202024%20Panamera
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EEngine%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E2.9-litre%20twin-turbo%20V6%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPower%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E353hp%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETorque%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E500Nm%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ETransmission%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EEight-speed%20dual-clutch%20auto%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPrice%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFrom%20Dh408%2C200%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EOn%20sale%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Now%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
MATCH INFO
Syria v Australia
2018 World Cup qualifying: Asia fourth round play-off first leg
Venue: Hang Jebat Stadium (Malacca, Malayisa)
Kick-off: Thursday, 4.30pm (UAE)
Watch: beIN Sports HD
* Second leg in Australia scheduled for October 10
The 12 Syrian entities delisted by UK
Ministry of Interior
Ministry of Defence
General Intelligence Directorate
Air Force Intelligence Agency
Political Security Directorate
Syrian National Security Bureau
Military Intelligence Directorate
Army Supply Bureau
General Organisation of Radio and TV
Al Watan newspaper
Cham Press TV
Sama TV
Our legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants
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The biog
Born: Kuwait in 1986
Family: She is the youngest of seven siblings
Time in the UAE: 10 years
Hobbies: audiobooks and fitness: she works out every day, enjoying kickboxing and basketball
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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More from Neighbourhood Watch:
South Africa's T20 squad
Duminy (c), Behardien, Dala, De Villiers, Hendricks, Jonker, Klaasen (wkt), Miller, Morris, Paterson, Phangiso, Phehlukwayo, Shamsi, Smuts.
Schedule for Asia Cup
Sept 15: Bangladesh v Sri Lanka (Dubai)
Sept 16: Pakistan v Qualifier (Dubai)
Sept 17: Sri Lanka v Afghanistan (Abu Dhabi)
Sept 18: India v Qualifier (Dubai)
Sept 19: India v Pakistan (Dubai)
Sept 20: Bangladesh v Afghanistan (Abu Dhabi) Super Four
Sept 21: Group A Winner v Group B Runner-up (Dubai)
Sept 21: Group B Winner v Group A Runner-up (Abu Dhabi)
Sept 23: Group A Winner v Group A Runner-up (Dubai)
Sept 23: Group B Winner v Group B Runner-up (Abu Dhabi)
Sept 25: Group A Winner v Group B Winner (Dubai)
Sept 26: Group A Runner-up v Group B Runner-up (Abu Dhabi)
Sept 28: Final (Dubai)
