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Boris Johnson Abandons Leadership Race in UK

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Boris Johnson Abandons Leadership Race in UK

On Sunday, former UK prime minister Boris Johnson withdrew from the race to become Britain’s next leader, stating that he had the backing of enough legislators to advance to the next round but considerably fewer than front-runner former finance minister Rishi Sunak.

Johnson stated, “There is a good likelihood that I would win the election among Conservative Party members, and I might be back in Downing Street on Friday.”

“However, over the course of the last several days, I’ve concluded that this is not the appropriate course of action. You cannot govern effectively without a cohesive party in the legislature.”

Johnson, who never formally launched his candidacy to return to Downing Street, spent the weekend persuading Conservative legislators to endorse him. On Sunday, he claimed to have the support of 102 Conservative lawmakers.

He needed 100 votes by Monday to go to the next round, which would have pitted him against Sunak in a vote by the 170,000 members of the Conservative Party.

Boris Johnson

Boris Johnson’s Downfall

Sunak, whose resignation as finance minister in July contributed to Johnson’s downfall, secured 142 declared supporters on Sunday, surpassing the threshold of 100 parliamentarians needed to advance to the next level, according to Reuters.

On Monday, he will be named leader of the Conservative Party and become prime minister unless Penny Mordaunt receives the required 100 votes to necessitate a runoff vote by party members. On Sunday, she had 24 avowed supporters.

Lord Frost, a former minister for Brexit and close associate of Boris Johnson, urged his party colleagues to support Mr. Sunak.

The Conservative peer tweeted: “Boris Johnson will forever be revered as a hero for achieving Brexit.

“However, we must proceed. It is unethical to risk repeating the chaos and disarray of the previous year.

“The Conservative Party must support a capable leader who can implement a conservative agenda. That individual is Rishi Sunak.

“As I stated in July, (Rishi) would be an exceptionally competent prime minister. He comprehends the issues, can operate the machine and is a wonderful individual. He would bring about a significant shift in ‘feel’ from the Boris years.’

“That is what we require now. Let’s get behind Rishi.”

Mr. Sunak received the support of his predecessor as chancellor, Sajid Javid, who endorsed Ms. Truss in the previous election and Mr. Johnson in 2019.

Mr. Javid stated that Mr. Sunak possesses the “values our party needs” to “move on from previous mistakes.”

Former minister Johnny Mercer supported him, stating that he could not put himself or his constituents through another Johnson administration given the “awful” lows of the last one.

“Boris is my friend, I adore him, and he’s a fantastic individual, but I don’t think I can put myself through that again. I do not believe I can ask my constituents or my employees to, “He stated on the BBC Radio 4 PM show.

“I adore Boris, and he has incredible talents for this country, but it is time for serious, competent, straightforward, and values-based leadership.”

BBC Reports Boris Johnson Abandons Leadership Race

Source: Reuters, VOR News

 

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Geoff Thomas is a seasoned staff writer at VORNews, a reputable online publication. With his sharp writing skills and deep understanding of SEO, he consistently delivers high-quality, engaging content that resonates with readers. Thomas' articles are well-researched, informative, and written in a clear, concise style that keeps audiences hooked. His ability to craft compelling narratives while seamlessly incorporating relevant keywords has made him a valuable asset to the VORNews team.

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A Russian strike on Kharkiv’s TV tower is part of an intimidation campaign, Ukraine’s Zelenskyy says

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AP - VOR News Image

Kiev, Ukraine — Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said a Russian missile assault that damaged a prominent skyline television tower in Kharkiv was part of the Kremlin’s effort to terrorize Ukraine’s second-largest city, which has been targeted more frequently in recent weeks.

The strike aimed to “make the terror visible to the whole city and to try to limit Kharkiv’s connection and access to information,” Zelenskyy stated in a Monday evening address.

zelenskyy

AP – VOR News Image

A Russian strike on Kharkiv’s TV tower is part of an intimidation campaign, Ukraine’s Zelenskyy says

The northeastern Kharkiv region borders the roughly 1,000-kilometer (600-mile) front line where Ukrainian and Russian forces have been fighting for more than two years, following Moscow’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. During an attrition war, the front line has remained relatively static, focusing primarily on artillery, drones, and trenches.

Since late March, Russia has increased pressure on Kharkiv, ostensibly to exploit Ukraine’s lack of air defense systems. It has battered the local power grid and struck apartment buildings.

On Monday, a Russian Kh-59 missile damaged Kharkiv’s 250-meter (820-foot) TV tower, severing it approximately in half and halting transmissions.

According to a Washington think group, Russia may consider launching a ground assault against Kharkiv.

“The Kremlin is conducting a concerted air and information operation to destroy Kharkiv City, convince Ukrainians to flee, and internally displace millions of Ukrainians ahead of a possible future Russian offensive operation against the city or elsewhere in Ukraine,” according to the Institute for the Study of War, which released an assessment of the situation.

The projected arrival in Ukraine of new military supplies from Western partners in the coming weeks may have spurred Russia to accelerate its attacks before the equipment arrives, the ISW said, adding that capturing Kharkiv would be “a significant challenge” for the Kremlin’s soldiers.

Instead, the Russian military command “may attempt to destroy Kharkiv City with air, missile, and drone strikes, prompting a large-scale internal displacement of Ukrainian civilians,” it stated.

The United States Senate returned to Washington on Tuesday to vote on $61 billion in war aid to Ukraine, following months of delays. Zelensky said US President Joe Biden informed him that the aid will include long-range and artillery capabilities.

“Four priorities are key: defense of the sky, modern artillery, long-range capacity, and to ensure that packages of American aid arrive as soon as possible,” he stated.

Also on Tuesday, Britain offered 500 million pounds ($620 million, 580 million euros) in fresh military supplies for Ukraine, including 400 vehicles, 60 boats, 1,600 missiles, and 4 million rounds of ammunition.

The shipment will also include British Storm Shadow long-range missiles, which have a range of around 150 miles (240 kilometers) and have been effective against Russian targets, according to the British government.

zelenskyy

AP – VOR News Image

A Russian strike on Kharkiv’s TV tower is part of an intimidation campaign, Ukraine’s Zelenskyy says

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak called Zelenskyy on Tuesday morning to confirm the additional aid. He made the announcement during a visit to Warsaw later that day, where he met with Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk and NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg.

However, the European Union delivered less positive news. EU countries with Patriot air defense systems provided no clear indication Monday that they would be willing to send them to Ukraine, which sorely needs at least seven of the missile batteries.

Ukraine’s army is also outnumbered in the conflict, and increasing the country’s mobilization has been a tricky matter.

Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba warned on Tuesday that authorities intend to crack down on young men of conscription age who have relocated abroad, with detailed measures to be announced soon.

“Staying abroad does not relieve a citizen of his or her duties to the homeland,” Kuleba said on the social networking platform X.

Meanwhile, Russia launched 16 Shahed drones and two Iskander-M ballistic missiles over Ukraine’s southern and central areas, the Ukrainian air force reported Tuesday morning. It stated that all but one of the drones were intercepted.

zelenskyy

AP – VOR News Image

A Russian strike on Kharkiv’s TV tower is part of an intimidation campaign, Ukraine’s Zelenskyy says

An nighttime attack in Odesa injured nine persons, according to Regional Governor Oleh Kiper. According to Kiper, the injured included two newborns and two children aged nine and twelve. Hennadii Trukhanov, the city mayor, reported that 58 flats in 22 buildings were destroyed.

Among other developments:

A Russian missile strike near Dnipro, Ukraine’s fourth-largest city, injured four people and sent them to the hospital, according to regional governor Serhii Lysak.

Russian forces launched a guided aerial bomb in Kostiantynivka, a city in the eastern Donetsk area, injuring five people riding in a car, according to authorities. Both of them were in critical condition.

SOURCE – (AP)

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Five Illegal Migrants Dead After Failed English Channel Crossing

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Five Illegal Migrants Dead After Failed English Channel Crossing

At least five illegal migrants have died while attempting to cross the English Channel from a region near Wimereux, France, according to local authorities.  Police were acting on a beach following the event on Tuesday morning, adding that there were numerous ‘lifeless bodies’.

The Coast Guard spokesperson stated that its agents were still operating at sea on Tuesday morning, following a ‘busy’ morning that included multiple crossing attempts.

The Channel between France and Britain is one of the world’s busiest maritime waterways. The currents are strong, making small boat crossings perilous. Human traffickers frequently overburden frail dinghies, leaving them barely afloat and vulnerable to waves as they attempt to reach British shores.

In December of last year, one person drowned, and another was critically injured when a boat carrying scores of migrants trying to reach the English coast crashed in the Channel.

Meanwhile, UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has declared that nothing will stop him from sending illegal migrants seeking asylum to Rwanda, following parliament’s approval of the disputed policy meant to deter migrants from traveling to Britain in small boats.

A French newspaper reported hours after the bill passed that at least five migrants had died while attempting to cross the English Channel. The French coast guard could not confirm the details but stated that there were multiple “lifeless bodies”.

Illegal Migrants Crisis

Tens of thousands of illegal migrants, many fleeing wars and poverty in Africa, the Middle East, and Asia, have arrived in Britain in recent years by crossing the Channel in small boats on dangerous journeys orchestrated by people smugglers.

For two years, Britain has sought to deport some of those entering in the hope of stemming the flow of migrants, claiming that crossings endanger lives and enrich criminal gangs.

“Our focus is now on getting flights off the ground, and I am clear that nothing will stand in our way of doing that and saving lives,” Sunak wrote in an email.

Once the bill becomes law, which is likely later this week, the government will be able to begin detaining asylum seekers, prompting fresh court challenges from charities, campaigners, and unions who believe that Rwanda is not a safe destination.

Steve Smith, the leader of the charity Care4Calais, which has previously fought the policy, stated that it will work hard to prevent any flights and sought to reassure illegal migrants in Britain.

“They can be assured that Care4Calais will not only stand in solidarity with them, we are committed to fighting for their safety here in the UK,” the spokesperson said.

Ending the Channel Crossings

Stopping the influx is a government goal, but some argue that deporting people to Rwanda rather than dealing with asylum applicants at home is harsh. They raise concerns about the East African country’s own human rights record, as well as the possibility of returning asylum seekers to countries where they face torture.

Sunak’s new bill stipulates that several existing UK human rights regulations will not apply to the initiative and that British judges must recognize Rwanda as a safe destination in an attempt to overturn a Supreme Court verdict declaring the scheme illegal.

It also restricts people’s choices for an appeal to only extreme instances.

Sunak announced on Monday that the first flights would take off in 10 to 12 weeks. He stated that an airfield was on standby, airplane slots had been prepared, 500 workers were ready to accompany migrants, and courts had been reserved to hear appeals.

Charities and rights groups say they will try to stop individual deportations, and the trade union that represents border force staff promises to contest the new legislation “within days” of the first asylum applicants being informed they will be deported to Rwanda.

Source: CTNNews

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Ukraine, Israel Aid Back On Track As House Pushes Toward Weekend Votes

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AP - VOR News Image

WASHINGTON – With rare bipartisan support, the House advanced Friday on a $95 billion foreign aid plan for Ukraine, Israel, Taiwan, and humanitarian aid, as a coalition of members helped it cross a procedural hurdle and reach final votes this weekend. Friday’s vote delivered an unusual outcome in the generally hyper-partisan House, with Democrats voting 316-94 in support of Republican Speaker Mike Johnson’s plan. The final House approval might come this weekend, when the package is delivered to the Senate.

It was a success for Speaker Mike Johnson’s strategy, which he put into action last week after agonizing over the legislation for two months. Nonetheless, Johnson has spent the past 24 hours making the rounds on conservative media, attempting to salvage support for wartime funding, particularly for Ukraine as it faces a critical moment in its battle with Russia, but also for his own job, as the restive right flank threatens to oust him over the effort.

ukraine

aawsat – VOR News Image

Ukraine, Israel Aid Back On Track As House Pushes Toward Weekend Votes

“There’s a lot of misinformation about what we’re doing here and why,” Johnson said to The Mark Levin Show’s conservative host.

“Ukrainians urgently require lethal aid right now. “We cannot allow Vladimir Putin to roll through another country and take it,” he stated of the Russian president’s invasion of Ukraine. “These are very serious matters with global implications.”

After months of delay, the House moved slowly but methodically this week after Johnson decided to move forward. President Joe Biden quickly endorsed the speaker’s plan, and Donald Trump, the Republican assumed presidential nominee who opposes most foreign aid to Ukraine, has not slowed the speaker’s progress.

“The world is watching what Congress does,” the White House stated. “Passing this legislation would send a powerful message about the strength of American leadership at a pivotal moment.”

In an extremely rare move, members of the House Rules Committee banded together late Thursday in a near-midnight vote, with four Democrats supporting a procedural step, to push the package past the Republican majority’s three hardline holdouts and send it to the House floor for debate, 9-3. It was a moment unlike any other in recent House history.

Johnson will need to rely on Democrats again on Friday to pass the next procedural vote and block Republican amendments that might kill the plan. One proposed by extreme Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene would cut Ukraine’s funding to zero.

ukraine

ap – VOR News Image

Ukraine, Israel Aid Back On Track As House Pushes Toward Weekend Votes

Greene has filed a “motion to vacate” the speaker from office, which has at least one Republican co-sponsor, Rep. Thomas Massie of Kentucky. It may initiate a bid to oust Johnson from the speaker’s office if she calls it up for a vote, similar to how Republicans removed Kevin McCarthy from the job last November.

With one of the most slender House majorities in modern history, Johnson can only afford to lose one or two Republican votes to pass any legislation. That dynamic has pushed him into the arms of Democrats as he seeks votes to enact the legislation.

Johnson cannot tailor the plan as the ultra-conservatives seek without risking losing Democratic support. It has prompted him to abandon severe security measures to control migrants at the US-Mexico border, among other goals.

At best, Johnson has been able to divide a Senate-passed version of the bill into different portions, as House Republicans prefer, and the final votes will be on various measures — for Ukraine, Israel, and Indo-Pacific partners.

The plan would also include a fourth clause, which incorporates several Republican demands that Democrats support or are ready to accept. Proposals include allowing the United States to seize frozen Russian central bank assets to rebuild Ukraine, imposing sanctions on Iran, Russia, China, and fentanyl trafficking criminal organizations, and potentially banning the video app TikTok if its Chinese owner does not sell its stake within a year.

ukraine

Bloomberg – VOR News Image

Ukraine, Israel Aid Back On Track As House Pushes Toward Weekend Votes

Passing each package, which is set to be voted on Saturday, would require Johnson to establish intricate bipartisan coalitions, with Democrats assuring Ukraine funding is authorized but some left-leaning progressives refusing to support military aid for Israel due to the destruction of Gaza.

The components would then be automatically stitched back together into a single package and delivered to the Senate, where hardliners are plotting procedural measures to postpone final passage.

SOURCE – (AP)

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