LONDON: Prime Minister Theresa May said Monday that the postponed vote in Parliament on Britain's Brexit agreement with the European Union will be held the week of Jan. 14 — more than a month after it was originally scheduled and just 10 weeks before Britain leaves the EU.
But even as May insisted she could salvage her unpopular divorce deal, pressure was mounting for dramatic action — a new referendum or a vote among lawmakers — to find a way out of Britain's Brexit impasse and prevent the economic damage of a messy exit from the EU on March 29 with no agreement in place.
The British government and the EU sealed a divorce deal last month, but May postponed a parliamentary vote intended to ratify the agreement last week when it became clear legislators would overwhelmingly reject it.
She tried to win changes from the EU to sweeten the deal for reluctant lawmakers, but was rebuffed by the bloc at a summit in Brussels last week. May's authority also has been shaken after a no-confidence vote from her own party on Wednesday that saw more than a third of Conservative lawmakers vote against her.
May told lawmakers in the House of Commons on Monday that they would resume debate on the deal when Parliament comes back after its Christmas break the week of Jan. 7, with the vote held the following week.
"I know this is not everyone's perfect deal," May said. "It is a compromise. But if we let the perfect be the enemy of the good then we risk leaving the EU with no deal."
Opposition legislators — and many from May's Conservative Party — remain opposed to the deal, and accused May of deliberately wasting time by delaying the vote for several more weeks.
"The prime minister has cynically run down the clock trying to maneuver Parliament into a choice between two unacceptable outcomes: her deal and no deal," Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn said.
A growing number of politicians from across the political spectrum believe a new referendum may be the only way to break the political logjam over Brexit.
But May told lawmakers that staging another referendum would ride roughshod over voters' 2016 decision to leave the EU and "would say to millions who trusted in democracy that our democracy does not deliver."
May's deal is loathed both by pro-Brexit lawmakers, who think it keeps Britain bound too closely to the bloc, and pro-Europeans, who see it as inferior to staying in the EU.
The main concern for pro-Brexit lawmakers is a contentious insurance policy known as the "backstop," which would keep the U.K. tied to EU customs rules in order to guarantee the border between Ireland and Northern Ireland remains open after Brexit.
EU officials insisted at last week's summit that the withdrawal agreement cannot be renegotiated, although they also stressed that the backstop was meant only as a temporary measure of last resort.
May said she had had "robust" exchanges with other EU leaders in Brussels, but that the two sides were still holding talks about "further political and legal assurances" about the backstop.
European Commission chief spokesman Margaritis Schinas, however, said Monday that "at this stage, no further meetings with the United Kingdom are foreseen."
With Britain's departure from the bloc just three months away, it remains unclear whether the country will leave with a deal or crash out with no deal— a chaotic outcome that could see economic recession, gridlock at U.K. ports, planes grounded and shortages of essential goods.
The Cabinet will discuss "no-deal" planning at its weekly meeting on Tuesday, with details to be announced soon of 2 billion pounds ($2.5 billion) in government funding to absorb some of the potential economic shock.
Pro-EU Cabinet ministers, meanwhile, are seeking to work with opposition politicians to find a way out of the morass.
One suggestion is to give members of Parliament votes on a range of options — from leaving without a deal to holding a new referendum — to see if there is majority support for any course of action.
May's spokesman, James Slack, said Monday that the government had "no plans" to hold such an indicative vote. But the idea has support in Cabinet.
"We can't just have continuing uncertainty and I think Parliament should be invited to say what it would agree with," Business Secretary Greg Clark told the BBC.
He said that "I think businesses up and down the country would expect elected members to take responsibility, rather than just be critics."
Theresa May says postponed Brexit vote to be held week of Jan. 14
Theresa May says postponed Brexit vote to be held week of Jan. 14
Saudi Arabia, Indonesia sign deal on mineral exploration, mining
- Indonesia holds the world’s largest nickel reserves and rich deposits of other minerals
- Saudi and Indonesian export-import banks sign MoU to strengthen economic, trade ties
Jakarta: Saudi Arabia and Indonesia signed a preliminary agreement to enhance cooperation in the mining and minerals sector during Industry and Mineral Resources Minister Bandar Al-Khorayef’s visit to Jakarta on Thursday.
Indonesia holds the world’s largest nickel reserves and has rich deposits of other minerals, including copper and bauxite. In 2023, its mining sector accounted for about 11.9 percent of the country’s gross domestic product.
Al-Khorayef arrived in the Indonesian capital for a three-day visit on Tuesday for meetings with both officials and top industry executives.
On Thursday, he signed a memorandum of understanding with Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Bahlil Lahadalia to boost partnerships in the mining sector, which covers exchange of expertise and knowledge transfer between the two countries.
“The agreement aims to strengthen strategic cooperation and exchange of expertise between the two countries in the mining and minerals sector,” Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Industry and Mineral Resources said in a statement.
“This includes the exchange of expertise and knowledge transfer in the fields of mineral exploration, extraction, geological surveying, sustainable mining practices, modern mining technologies, evaluation of mineral resources, and the development of mining industries and mineral materials.”
Al-Khorayef’s visit aims to attract more investment to the Kingdom and explore mutual investment opportunities in mining, food, pharmaceuticals and auto parts industries, in line with Saudi Vision 2030.
His various meetings in Jakarta included talks with Indonesia’s Industry Minister Agus Gumiwang Kartasasmita and State-Owned Enterprises Minister Erick Thohir, as well as senior officials from Indonesia’s state-owned mining industry holding company, MIND ID, state-owned pharmaceutical firm Bio Farma, and one of the world’s largest instant noodle makers, Indofood.
Indonesia is also keen to forge closer workforce cooperation, as Al-Khorayef and his delegation visited a training center unit under the Ministry of Industry on Thursday.
“We are ready to support the sending of skilled workers … to fulfill the workforce needs in Saudi Arabia,” Masrokhan, who heads the ministry’s Industrial Human Resources Development Agency, said in a statement.
During his trip, Al-Khorayef also witnessed the signing of a preliminary agreement between the Saudi Export-Import Bank and its Indonesian counterpart, aimed at strengthening economic and trade relations between the two countries.
Trade and investment relations between Saudi Arabia and Indonesia have been on the rise. Non-oil trade was worth about $3.3 billion in 2024, showing a 14.5 percent increase compared to 2020.
Top US, Indonesian diplomats discuss tariffs, defense in meeting
- The top diplomats also discussed US reciprocal tariffs on Indonesia
DUBAI: US Secretary of State Marco Rubio discussed tariffs and ways to deepen defense and security cooperation with Indonesia in a meeting with the Indonesian foreign minister on Wednesday, the US State Department said.
Rubio and Indonesian Foreign Minister Sugiono “discussed ways to deepen defense and security cooperation, including efforts to uphold freedom of navigation and overflight in the South China Sea in accordance with international law,” the State Department said in a statement.
The top diplomats also discussed US reciprocal tariffs on Indonesia, and Rubio “welcomed Indonesia’s efforts to introduce economic reforms toward a fair and balanced trade relationship,” the department added.
Qatari Emir arrives in Moscow to meet Putin
- Qatar has made a series of attempts to mediate between Russia and Ukraine
- Russia and Qatar said this week that the leaders would discuss efforts to find a peace deal to end the war in Ukraine
MOSCOW: Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani arrived in Moscow on Thursday, Russian state news agency TASS reported, for a visit that will include talks with President Vladimir Putin on Ukraine and Middle East issues.
Qatar has made a series of attempts to mediate between Russia and Ukraine, and has helped arrange the return of children from both countries who were separated from their parents during the war.
Russia and Qatar said this week that the leaders would discuss efforts to find a peace deal to end the war in Ukraine.
US President Donald Trump has repeatedly said he wants to end the “bloodbath,” but has yet to achieve a breakthrough. Moscow has said it is not easy to agree a settlement.
The Kremlin said Putin’s talks with the Qatari emir would also focus on regional issues.
Qatar’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Mohammed Al-Khulaifi told the TASS state news agency that discussions would touch on Ukraine, Syria, the Gaza Strip and energy such as liquefied natural gas (LNG).
Cartel recruitment at heart of Mexico’s missing persons crisis
- Jalisco New Generation Cartel lures recruits with fake job adverts, according to the government
- Disappearances have soared in Mexico since the government declared war on drug trafficking
GUADALAJARA, Mexico: When Rubi Cruz recognized her husband’s belongings among personal items found at a suspected Mexican drug cartel training camp, she feared the worst – that he had become a victim of forced recruitment.
The discovery of bones, shoes and clothing at a ranch in the western state of Jalisco has shone a spotlight on the ruthless tactics of violent criminal groups in a country where more than 120,000 people are missing.
Cruz’s husband Fermin Hernandez, then 33, was kidnapped in 2021 from his home in the town of Tala near the Izaguirre ranch by gunmen who shot him in the leg.
She spotted what she believes are his personal items, including a wallet and T-shirt, in images released by a civil society group that went to look for the remains of missing persons at the site last month.
“I felt a lot of pain, a lot of sadness,” the 31-year-old restaurant worker told AFP, her husband’s image and the words “your wife is looking for you” printed on her long-sleeved T-shirt.
According to the government, the Jalisco New Generation Cartel, one of the drug trafficking groups designated terrorist organizations by US President Donald Trump, lured recruits with fake job adverts.
They were given firearms and other training at the Izaguirre ranch, Security Minister Omar Garcia Harfuch said last month, based on the testimony of an alleged cartel recruiter who was arrested.
“They even took the lives of people who resisted the training or tried to escape,” he said.
Disappearances have soared in Mexico since the government declared war on drug trafficking groups in 2006.
Around 480,000 people have been murdered in a spiral of violence since then.
Veronica Cruz – of no relation to Rubi Cruz – fears her son Robert Reyes is also a victim of forced recruitment by a drug cartel.
The teenager disappeared a year ago after traveling to Jalisco, lured by an offer of work painting houses.
Robert’s mother, 42, believes he was also at the Izaguirre ranch because he once sent a message from the area.
She had tried to keep him away from the neighborhood’s gangs and drugs, but said she never imagined her son would be forced to join a cartel.
At the age of 16, the high school dropout traveled from his home in a suburb near Mexico City to Jalisco a year ago to earn money to buy a motorcycle, disobeying his mother.
Weeks later, he called his sister, crying.
“I’m a hitman. My friend was just killed... If I don’t get out of here, I’ll watch over you from heaven,” he said, according to his mother.
Later, a man who said he was Robert’s friend wrote to his sister via social media to tell her that he had died in a shootout.
“I thought hitmen wanted to do that work. I never thought cartels were taking people away,” his mother said.
The government says it has taken down dozens of social media pages recruiting for criminal groups.
But on video-sharing app TikTok, jobs are still offered in Jalisco with “meals and lodging,” featuring nicknames for the Jalisco New Generation Cartel.
Jalisco state accounts for 12 percent of the roughly 127,000 missing people in Mexico, mainly young men.
Many disappearances are linked to forced recruitment because gangs need armies to control their territory and to generate illicit income, according to Jorge Ramirez, a researcher at the University of Guadalajara.
The victims are often poor young people without access to education, he said.
In 2024, around 30 young people were reported to have disappeared after attending what they believed would be job interviews in the Jalisco state capital Guadalajara.
Despite her fears, Rubi Cruz still hopes to find her husband alive.
Veronica Cruz’s optimism has waned, but she still wants answers.
“Maybe I’m not looking for justice, but I want to know where my son is – whatever it takes,” she said.
Trump tariffs threaten the survival of the centuries-old Kashmiri carpet industry
- Carpet exports from India to the United States are valued at approximately $1.2 billion
- The steep 28 percent tariff means these carpets will become more expensive in the US market
SRINAGAR: Mohammad Yousuf Dar and his wife, Shameema, sit cross-legged before their loom, deftly tying consecutive knots to create the floral patterns of the famed Kashmiri carpets that are now threatened by the Trump administration’s sweeping tariffs.
Genuine hand-knotted Kashmiri carpets are typically made from pure silk, and sometimes pure wool, which is more challenging. Generations of artisans have for centuries handed down the craft to ensure its survival, and while the carpets are sold for quite a sum, most craftspeople can barely make ends meet.
“I just help my husband so that we have a modicum of decent income to run our household,” Shameema, 43, said as she and Mohamad rhythmically plucked at the colorful silk threads in their dimly lit workshop in Indian-controlled Kashmir’s main city, Srinagar. They periodically glance at a yellowed scrap of paper, known as Taleem, or instructions, showcasing the pattern they are working on in an ancient shorthand of symbols and numbers and a cryptic color map.
Both learned the craft at the ages of 9 and 10, respectively.
The industry has survived decades of conflict over the disputed region between nuclear rivals India and Pakistan and withstood the fickleness of fashion to stay in demand, adorning mansions and museums alike.
However, Kashmiri traders say that US President Donald Trump’s tariffs on American imports can deal a hard blow to an already threatened business that is vying to survive amid mass-produced carpets, which are less costly, and artisans abandoning the industry.
Although the tariffs were primarily aimed at major exporters like China, they’ve inadvertently ensnared traditional handicraft industries from regions like Kashmir, which depend on US and European markets for survival.
Carpet exports from India to the US alone are valued at approximately $1.2 billion, out of a total global export value of $2 billion, according to official data.
Mohamad, 50, said he is the only weaver left out of over 100 who shifted to other jobs some two decades back in his neighborhood in Srinagar city’s old downtown.
“I spend months knotting a single rug,” he said, “but if there is no demand, our skills feel worthless,” he added.
Still, thousands of families in Kashmir rely on this craft for their livelihood and the steep 28 percent tariff imposed means the imported carpets will become significantly more expensive for American consumers and retailers.
“If these carpets are going to be more expensive in America, does that mean our wages will rise too?” Mohamad asked.
Not likely.
The increased cost to consumers in the US doesn’t translate into higher wages for weavers, experts say, but rather often leads to reduced orders, lower incomes, and growing uncertainty for the artisans.
This price hike could also push buyers toward cheaper, machine-made alternatives, leaving Kashmiri artisans in the lurch.
Insiders say that unless international trade policies shift to protect traditional industries, Kashmir’s hand-knotted legacy may continue to fray until it disappears.
Wilayat Ali, a Kashmiri carpet supplier, said his trading partner, who exports the carpets to the US, Germany and France, has already canceled at least a dozen orders already in the making.
“The exporter also returned some dozen carpets,” he said.
“It boils down to the hard arithmetic of profit and loss,” Ali explained. “They don’t see thousands of knots in a carpet that takes months to make.”
