8 Tuesday, July 23, 2019 International UK leadership favorite Johnson hits more turmoil on last voting day Johnson doubles-down on pledge to take Britain out of EU

LONDON: Britain’s leadership contest “It is tragic that just when we could have Commanding lead entered its final yesterday with the favorite been the dominant intellectual and political An online poll of 1,199 Conservative Party Boris Johnson facing more defections from force throughout Europe, and beyond, we members conducted Friday and Saturday by ministers over his Brexit plan. The month-long have to spend every day working beneath the Conservative Home website put Johnson contest between former London mayor the dark cloud of Brexit,” he wrote in his res- on 73 percent. Bookmakers give Hunt around a Johnson and Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt is ignation letter to outgoing Prime Minister one in 20 chance of winning. The being decided by fewer than 200,000 grass- Theresa May. London newspapers were Conservatives command a razor-thin majority roots members of the governing Conservative filled with speculation that at least a half- in parliament’s lower House of Commons and Party. The winner will have three months to dozen lower-ranking ministers may also jump Johnson’s opponents-both within and outside resolve a three-year Brexit crisis that could ship over the coming days. But Johnson dou- the party-are keen to scupper his leadership. damage economies on both sides of the bled-down on his pledge to take Britain safe- Johnson’s pledge to take Britain out of the EU Channel and determine the fate of generations ly out of the EU with the help of a new tech- with our without a deal has upset pro-EU gov- of Britons. The voting window shuts at 5 pm. nological fix for avoiding a hard border with ernment ministers and frightened the markets. The new party leader will be announced on EU member Ireland. The pound is trading near a two-year low Tuesday and take over as prime minister on “They went to the Moon 50 years ago. against the dollar and the euro, and parlia- Wednesday. Surely today we can solve the logistical mentarians are plotting for ways to stop issues of the Irish border,” Johnson wrote in Johnson from taking Britain out of the EU Rocky road his weekly column for The Daily Telegraph. without a strategy for unwinding 46 years of Both candidates have had a rocky end to a Hunt has also faced criticism over his han- intricate ties. Conservatives MPs like campaign whose closing stages are being dling of Iran’s seizure of a British-flagged Hammond have hinted they are prepared to waged against a backdrop of a high-stakes tanker in the Gulf on Friday. Several minis- bring down their own government rather standoff with Iran in the Gulf. Finance ters accused him Sunday of devoting too than accept leaving the EU without an Secretary Philip Hammond announced Sunday much time to his leadership challenge and agreement. “I cannot accept the idea of LONDON: Conservative Party leadership candidate Boris Johnson, center, leaves his cam- that he would make a point of resigning not enough on his diplomatic duties. May leaving with no deal on October 31,” paign offices in Westminster in Central London on the eve of the announcement of the win- before Johnson becomes prime minister was due to chair a meeting of Britain’s Hammond said on Sunday. ner of the Conservative Party leadership contest. — AFP because of his threat to take Britain out of the COBRA emergencies committee to prepare Justice Secretary David Gauke also said EU by an October 31 deadline without a deal. a response to the standoff in what will be Sunday he would quit the government if Pro-EU Foreign Office minister Alan Duncan one of her final acts in office. Hunt is expect- Johnson became prime minister. May’s her weekly question-and-answer sessions. Elizabeth II. The head of state will then invite announced Monday that he was also quitting ed to update parliament on the situation in tumultuous three years in office will end once She will head from there to Buckingham the new Conservative leader to form an “in anticipation of the change on Wednesday”. the Gulf at around 1430 GMT. she appears in parliament on Wednesday for Palace to tender her resignation to Queen administration. — AFP

End in sight for US Puerto Rico governor heat wave that set to not seek reelection temperature records

SAN JUAN: Puerto Rico’s Governor Ricardo Rossello WASHINGTON: The United States sweltered in danger- announced Sunday that he will not seek reelection next ously hot weather on Sunday, with major cities including year after more than a week of protests demanding his New York, Philadelphia and Washington broiling in tem- resignation following the release of compromising chats. “I peratures that rose into triple digits. An oppressive heat have listened, and I am listening to you today,” Rossello wave stretching from the Midwestern plains to the Atlantic said in a video posted on Facebook. “I have made mistakes coast had nearly 150 million people struggling to stay cool and I have apologized.” in stifling heat that set records in a handful of states. “I admit that apologizing is not enough. In this case, I By Sunday afternoon, the National Weather Service announce that I will not seek reelection as governor next (NWS) said the high temperatures would soon be over, year,” he said, adding that he will also leave the presidency but the severe weather would continue. “The dangerous of the New Progressive Party. The politician, who advocates heat wave which enveloped much of the Midwest to the statehood for the US territory of Puerto Rico, had said in East Coast this weekend should finally break by Monday March that he would seek reelection in polls scheduled for as a cold front drops southward,” the agency said. November 2020. Rossello also said that he would face However it warned that “showers and thunderstorms... with impeachment proceedings being studied by the legislature heavy to excessive rainfall and severe weather possible” “with all the truth, force and in a responsible manner.” were expected across a swath of the east coast, and flash Former governor Alejandro Garcia Padilla told floods were a risk. Telemundo that Rossello “is buying time to see if the Around 95 million people were under a heat warning or protests die down.” On Sunday, hundreds of people gath- advisory for Sunday, down from Saturday’s 157 million. ered in front of the governor’s residence, chanting slogans Earlier in the day the NWS said “numerous stations” such as “They will not stop us” and holding signs that said stretching from Massachusetts in the north to North NEW YORK: People cool off on a hot afternoon in Flushing Meadows Park, in . — AFP “Ricky resign.” Protests erupted in Puerto Rico last week Carolina in the south “were reporting heat index values after the leak of hundreds of pages of text chats on the between 100-110” degrees, with the highest values found been scheduled for Sunday, was canceled for the first time said some inmates didn’t have summer clothing, only encrypted messaging app Telegram in which Rossello and in the southeast of the state of Virginia. Authorities urged since its founding in 2001. Life Time, which produces the long underwear provided by the group last winter. 11 other male administration members criticize officials, people on Sunday to stay hydrated, watch out for the sick race, donated more than 12 tons of water and Gatorade Top officials from the city’s Department of politicians and journalists. and elderly, stay inside as much as possible and not leave Endurance drink meant for competitors to be distributed Corrections were at the facility monitoring the In one exchange, chief financial officer Christian children or animals in cars. to New Yorkers in need, CBS reported. Meanwhile, the response to the heat wave to “protect health and safe- Sobrino makes homophobic references to Latin superstar “We’re almost near the end of the heat emergency. two-day OZY Fest-a food, comedy and music festival set ty of everyone in the facility,” de Blasio wrote on Ricky Martin. In another, a mocking comment is made Temperatures will start to go back down tonight,” New for -was also called off. In Washington, a pop- Twitter. The department said in a statement to AFP about bodies piled up in the morgue after Hurricane York Mayor tweeted, asking the city’s resi- ular weekly outdoor summer jazz concert at the National that extra staff were on hand to distribute summer Maria, which left nearly 3,000 dead. Rossello is also under dents to “keep hydrated and keep cool.” The NWS said it Gallery of Art Sculpture Garden was canceled. clothing, and clinics were open around the clock to pressure after US federal agents arrested contractors and had recorded all-time high temperatures on Saturday in treat heat-related symptoms. government officials-including former education secretary seven places in the US including Manchester, New Deadly conditions Those in units without air conditioning were given Julia Keleher-on corruption charges. Hampshire, Atlantic City, New Jersey and New York’s JFK “Sunday has been canceled. Stay indoors, nothing to access to fans, ice, water and “multiple cool showers.” Police fired tear gas at the crowd on Monday after a airport. US media has blamed the heat wave for at least six see here. Really, we got this,” The New York City Police Earlier in the week, the National Weather Service office in fire broke out near the government headquarters. Five deaths, including a hiker who had been found unconscious Department wrote on Twitter. The city had opened 500 the Midwestern city of Omaha baked a tray of biscuits- protesters were arrested. Local celebrity performers such on a trail outside Washington on Saturday and two people cooling centers for residents. At least three public defend- savory breakfast bread similar to scones-on the dashboard as rapper Benito Martinez (“Bad Bunny”), pop icon Martin who died earlier in the week in the eastern state of ers said on Twitter that inmates in New York’s notorious of a parked car. After nearly eight hours and with temper- and Rene Perez (“Residente”) urged their fellow Puerto Maryland. Rikers Island jail complex were suffering with no air con- atures on the pan reaching 185 degrees, the pastries were Ricans to turn out on Wednesday for a demonstration that In Arkansas, 32-year-old former NFL player Mitch ditioning, and that some guards had turned off fans as almost fully cooked. Climate data showed June was the drew thousands of people. — AFP Petrus died of heatstroke Thursday after working outside punishment, resulting in “deadly conditions.” hottest month on record worldwide, with a heat wave his family’s shop. The New York City Triathlon, which had The Brooklyn Defender Services legal aid group across Europe smashing national records.— AFP

of challenges in a country heavily dependent on Zelensky party foreign aid and scarred by years of war with implosion of the vessel as it dropped to Russia-backed separatists. The conflict has Lost French the seabed. But the discovery was ulti- killed 13,000 in five years. After more than a mately made by a boat belonging to pri- heads for absolute decade’s absence, an ally of Russian President vate US company Ocean Infinity, which Vladimir Putin, Viktor Medvechuk, will return to submarine found the Minerve 45 kilometers from majority in Ukraine the Ukrainian parliament. His pro-Moscow party Toulon at a depth of 2,370 meters, a sen- Opposition Platform-For Life came second in located in ior French naval officer told AFP. The the vote with 12.8 percent. The Russian leader is boat, the Seabed Constructor, arrived on KIEV: Ukraine’s comedian-turned-president godfather to Medvechuk’s daughter. Mediterranean the scene last Tuesday, the officer said on Volodymyr Zelensky is set to control an Medvechuk told AFP that peace in eastern condition of anonymity. The Seabed absolute majority in parliament, ushering in a Ukraine can only happen “with Russia’s help” Constructor was also successful in locat- generational shift in the ex-Soviet country’s and that restoring relations with Moscow is PARIS: A private search vessel has ing Argentina’s lost San Juan submarine in political arena. The 41-year-old became “vital” for Kiev. Former president Petro located a French submarine that went November 2018 which had disappeared Ukraine’s youngest ever post-Soviet leader Poroshenko’s European Solidarity party and missing in the western Mediterranean in the Atlantic Ocean a year earlier. when he took office two months ago and has KIEV: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky gives a speech at his Servant of the People party’s former prime minister Yulia Tymoshenko’s more than 50 years ago, officials said promised to stamp out corruption and end a Naval mystery election headquarters in Kiev. —AFP party Batkivshyna (Fatherland) also entered yesterday, raising hopes the mystery separatist war. His newly created Servant of The cause of the accident involving the parliament with 8.6 and 8 percent of the vote over the disappearance can finally be the People party-named after a sitcom in Minerve has never been announced. respectively, results showed. Analyst Anatoliy solved. “It’s a success, a relief and a which he played a president-took around 42 new political force, the Golos (Voice) party of Experts have speculated that it could have Oktysyuk said that while it may appear that technical feat,” Defense Minister percent of the weekend vote, with 50 percent rock star Svyatoslav Vakarchuk. Florence Parly wrote on Twitter, after been due to a problem with its rudder, a of votes counted. The singer’s party, also packed with young all power is in Zelensky’s hands, he faces a collision with another boat, the explosion tough opposition from both Poroshenko and the wreck was discovered off the south- Media projections yesterday showed this professionals like Zelensky’s, made it to parlia- ern French port of Toulon. “I am thinking of a missile or torpedo, or a fault with its Medvedchuk. “He will be in a difficult situa- puts the party on track to pick up more than half ment with six percent of the vote, according to of the families who have waited for this oxygen supply systems. The 1960s were tion. They will create serious problems for deadly times for submarine crews, with a of the parliament’s 450 seats, the best showing the latest results. Servant of the People party moment for so long.” host of accidents reported around the by any party in Ukraine’s post-1991 history. The chief Dmitry Razumkov said yesterday that the him,” he said. The Minerve submarine was lost off world. In April 1963, the nuclear-powered result is the culmination of a stunning turn- party was “open for dialogue” with forces that The comedian’s victory in April was seen as a France’s southern coast with 52 sailors USS Thresher sank with 129 people around in Ukrainian politics and will bring a host share a similar “basic vision for our country.” rejection of the country’s traditional elite for on board on January 17, 1968. Despite of newcomers into parliament and government. Speaking shortly after exit polls were released failing to end the separatist conflict, revive the aboard off Cape Cod, while 99 lives were multiple search efforts over the years, it lost in the USS Scorpion when it sank in One of the many young and politically inexperi- Sunday, Zelensky said his primary goals were to economy or tackle widespread corruption. had never been found. Parly announced a enced future lawmakers that will enter parlia- bring peace and tackle corruption. Faced with a hostile parliament after his win, the Atlantic five years later. new search mission at the beginning of Also in 1968, the Soviet K-129 sub- ment is Zhan Beleniuk, a 28-year-old Olympic “Our main priorities-and I repeat this for Zelensky quickly called a snap election and 2019, backed by the latest technology marine armed with three nuclear missiles wrestler with Rwandan roots. every Ukrainian-are to end the war, return our vowed to bring in a new generation of politi- and naval vessels, following fresh was lost in the North Pacific. It was Four other parties-including one openly sup- prisoners and defeat the corruption that persists cians to lead the country. demands from the families of deceased found by the US in a covert operation in ported by the Kremlin-passed the five percent in Ukraine,” he said at his party’s election head- Twenty-six seats in Ukraine’s parliament, the sailors to find the remains of their loved threshold to enter the assembly, the results 1974. The year 1968 was also marked by quarters. He also said he was looking for a “new Verkhovna Rada, will be left empty as they rep- ones. Tides and currents in the western the disappearance of The Dakar, an showed. At 49.8 percent, the turnout was the face and a specialist in the economy” to become resent Crimea, annexed by Russia, or territories Mediterranean were modeled by the lowest of any election in Ukraine’s post-inde- Israeli vessel carrying out its maiden the next prime minister. controlled by separatists. Sporadic fighting team, while data from the time of the voyage with 69 men on board. It disap- pendence history. It was initially thought continues along the frontlines, with four accident was also re-analyzed, including peared and was only found off the Greek Zelensky would have to form a coalition. The Pro-Russia party second Ukrainian soldiers killed by sniper fire and mine seismic reports indicating the likely island of Crete in 1999. — AFP president had indicated a preference for another Ukraine’s new government will face a long list blasts since Friday. — AFP