European parliament will not vote on Brexit before UK MPs
October 22, 2019, 8:01 am

European parliament will not vote on Brexit before UK MPs

The European Parliament formalized the decision to wait for the UK ratification at a meeting of party leaders on Monday evening, Sassoli said. (File photo AFP)

The European Parliament will not vote to ratify the new Brexit withdrawal deal until the British legislative chamber has done so, officials said on Monday.

This would mean it is unlikely that MEPs will back the deal this week while the European Parliament sits in Strasbourg, and they will need to hold a special session later in Brussels.

If a vote is needed before October 31, currently scheduled to be Brexit day, this would mean meeting next week. But members insisted a session could be arranged quickly in any case.

The European Parliament formalized the decision to wait for the UK ratification at a meeting of party leaders on Monday evening.

“The European Parliament will be the final actor to have its say on the withdrawal agreement. This will follow the UK parliament’s examination and approval of the agreement,” speaker David Sassoli said after the meeting.

He added that the European Parliament’s constitutional affairs committee would now examine the deal, and that MEPs would hold more talks on Thursday.

“We are on track, we are doing our duty, and we will meet again on Thursday to discuss the latest progress,” he said.

The head of the parliament’s Brexit steering committee, Guy Verhofstadt, earlier confirmed that waiting for UK ratification would also be the cross-party advice to the party leaders.

“It’s now up to the UK Parliament to make their choice,” he said.

The European Parliament had penciled in Thursday to approve the agreement struck between Britain and the EU executive at a Brussels summit last week.

But some British MPs are resisting Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s efforts to ratify the deal quickly, and there will be no vote in Westminster before Tuesday.

source:AFP

Canada votes as Trudeau, clouded by scandals, tries to hold power ISIS attack kills two security forces near northern Iraqi oilfields

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.”