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Brexit in limbo as UK PM pushes for election

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Friday told opposition leader Jeremy Corbyn to "man up" and accept a snap election as EU members delayed a decision on how long to postpone next week's Brexit deadline.
Senior diplomats told AFP they would decide by late Monday or early Tuesday next week, shortly before Britain is currently scheduled to break away from the bloc on Thursday.
At home, Johnson wants to call an election for December 12 that he hopes will give him a majority to pass the divorce deal he struck with EU leaders last week.
But his government is struggling to secure the two-thirds majority it needs in a parliamentary vote, scheduled for Monday, to force the election.
The stand-off extends the uncertainty that has dragged on ever since the 2016 referendum in which Britain voted by 52 percent in favour of leaving the European Union.
Corbyn has said his Labour Party will withhold support until a no-deal Brexit is definitively taken off the table, which would require a major reworking of the deal Johnson struck with the EU.
"Time for Corbyn (to) man up. Let's have an election on December 12," Johnson told television stations.
"What I'm saying to Jeremy Corbyn and the Labour Party is that they have the opportunity now to get this thing done."
Senior European diplomats who attended a meeting on Friday in Brussels confirmed member states had agreed in principle that some kind of delay was in order.
They agreed that their capitals could decide on its length by written procedure, rather than by holding a leaders' crisis summit in Brussels next week.
But, with France pushing for a shorter delay to keep the pressure on Westminster, and Germany and Ireland backing a three-month pause until January 31, the decision is not done.
"Depending on how things evolve in the UK, we've given ourselves until the start of next week," a senior diplomat said.
"It's clear that if a decision is taken in the UK on whether or not to hold an election -- the date of the election will weigh on the consultations," he said.
In Paris late Friday, the presidency insisted France's position remained unchanged -- "that there has to be a good reason to extend the deadline, that it could not be automatic and that discussions were continuing."
The uncertainty weighed on the British pound, which dropped against the dollar and euro on Friday.
In the meantime, Johnson has put on pause his efforts to ratify the withdrawal agreement -- after MPs rejected a bid to speed it through in just three days -- leaving Brexit in limbo.
Johnson's Conservative cabinet colleagues, however, backed him on his demands to press on with plans for a vote regardless.
"We cannot keep on having delay after delay after delay," finance minister Sajid Javid told Sky News.
When the EU ambassadors last met on Wednesday, Germany and Ireland backed postponing Britain's departure until January 31, France sought a shorter delay and others were on the fence.
Johnson's government, meanwhile, has scrapped plans to present its new budget next month, with Javid arguing that it had been planned with the October 31 departure date in mind.
His finance ministry accepted the government was set to fail in its plan to leave by the deadline, announcing it had also "paused" production of the new Brexit 50 pence coins bearing the October 31 date.
"We have paused production of the Brexit coin and will take a final decision in due course," a ministry source told the Daily Telegraph.
source:AFP
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BENEFIT Sponsors BuildHer...
- April 23, 2025
BENEFIT, the Kingdom’s innovator and leading company in Fintech and electronic financial transactions service, has sponsored the BuildHer CityHack 2025 Hackathon, a two-day event spearheaded by the College of Engineering and Technology at the Royal University for Women (RUW).
Aimed at secondary school students, the event brought together a distinguished group of academic professionals and technology experts to mentor and inspire young participants.
More than 100 high school students from across the Kingdom of Bahrain took part in the hackathon, which featured an intensive programme of training workshops and hands-on sessions. These activities were tailored to enhance participants’ critical thinking, collaborative problem-solving, and team-building capabilities, while also encouraging the development of practical and sustainable solutions to contemporary challenges using modern technological tools.
BENEFIT’s Chief Executive Mr. Abdulwahed AlJanahi, commented: “Our support for this educational hackathon reflects our long-term strategic vision to nurture the talents of emerging national youth and empower the next generation of accomplished female leaders in technology. By fostering creativity and innovation, we aim to contribute meaningfully to Bahrain’s comprehensive development goals and align with the aspirations outlined in the Kingdom’s Vision 2030—an ambition in which BENEFIT plays a central role.”
Professor Riyadh Yousif Hamzah, President of the Royal University for Women, commented: “This initiative reflects our commitment to advancing women in STEM fields. We're cultivating a generation of creative, solution-driven female leaders who will drive national development. Our partnership with BENEFIT exemplifies the powerful synergy between academia and private sector in supporting educational innovation.”
Hanan Abdulla Hasan, Senior Manager, PR & Communication at BENEFIT, said: “We are honoured to collaborate with RUW in supporting this remarkable technology-focused event. It highlights our commitment to social responsibility, and our ongoing efforts to enhance the digital and innovation capabilities of young Bahraini women and foster their ability to harness technological tools in the service of a smarter, more sustainable future.”
For his part, Dr. Humam ElAgha, Acting Dean of the College of Engineering and Technology at the University, said: “BuildHer CityHack 2025 embodies our hands-on approach to education. By tackling real-world problems through creative thinking and sustainable solutions, we're preparing women to thrive in the knowledge economy – a cornerstone of the University's vision.”
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