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world news Diahuebs 7 Juli 2022

2 key UK Cabinet ministers quit Boris Johnson’s government

(AP) — Two of Britain’s “I recognize this may be my ries of government scandals
most senior Cabinet min- last ministerial job, but I and a vote of no confidence
isters resigned on Tuesday, believe these standards are last month. He survived, but
a move that could spell worth fighting for and that 41% of Conservatives voted
the end of Prime Minister is why I am resigning,” he to remove him from office.
Boris Johnson’s leadership added.
after months of scandals. The prime minister’s shift-
Both Sunak and Javid have ing responses to months of
Treasury chief Rishi Sunak been seen as possible leader- allegations about lockdown-
and Health Secretary Sajid ship contenders within the breaking parties in govern-
Javid resigned within min- Conservative Party if John- ment offices that ultimately
utes of each other after a day son is forced out. Their de- resulted in 126 fines, includ-
in which the prime minister partures were a huge blow to ing one levied against John-
was forced to acknowledge the prime minister, because son, fueled persisting con-
he had to change his story both were in charge of two of cerns about his leadership.
on the way he handled alle- the biggest issues facing Brit-
gations of sexual misconduct ain — the cost of living cri- Two weeks later, Conserva-
by a senior member of his sis and the aftermath of the tive candidates were badly plaints that he groped two who has been badly affected
government. coronavirus pandemic. beaten in two special elec- men at a private club. by it. I want to make abso-
tions to fill vacant seats in lutely clear that there’s no
“It is with enormous regret Their exits were followed Parliament, adding to the Minutes before the resigna- place in this government for
that I must tell you that I Tuesday by two other Con- discontent within Johnson’s tions of Javid and Sunak were anybody who is predatory or
can no longer, in good con- servatives: Bim Afolami, who party. announced, Johnson told re- who abuses their position of
science, continue serving in quit as the party’s vice-chair porters that Pincher should power,” Johnson said Tues-
this government,” Javid said while live on TV, and Andrew The latest crisis came after have been fired from the day.
in his resignation letter. “I Murrison, who resigned as a Johnson was hit by allega- government after a previous
am instinctively a team player trade envoy to Morocco. tions he failed to come clean 2019 incident. Keir Starmer, leader of the
but the British people also over what he knew about main opposition Labour
rightly expect integrity from Other senior Cabinet minis- previous sexual misconduct Asked if it was an error to ap- Party, said “it’s clear that this
their government.’’ ters, including Foreign Sec- allegations against a lawmak- point Pincher to the govern- government is now collaps-
retary Liz Truss and Defense er who was appointed to a se- ment, Johnson said “I think it ing.”
Sunak said “the public right- Secretary Ben Wallace, indi- nior position. was a mistake and I apologize
ly expect government to be cated they would be staying. for it. In hindsight it was the “Only a real change of gov-
conducted properly, compe- The lawmaker, Chris Pinch- wrong thing to do.” ernment can give Britain the
tently and seriously. ” Johnson’s authority had al- er, resigned as deputy chief fresh start it needs,” Starmer
ready been shaken by a se- whip Thursday amid com- “I apologize to everybody said.

EU chief warns of danger of complete cut-off of Russian gas

(AP) — European Com- The EU has already imposed pandemic response. which runs under the Baltic tories and generate electric-
mission chief Ursula von sanctions on Russia, includ- Sea from Russia to Germany. ity — in its own sanctions for
der Leyen said Wednesday ing on some energy supplies, Energy, and the prospect of a The company said equip- fear of seriously harming the
that the 27-nation Euro- and is steering away from winter without enough heat- ment maintenance was af- European economy. Before
pean Union needs to make Kremlin-controlled deliver- ing for homes or power to fected by Western sanctions. the war in Ukraine, it relied
emergency plans to pre- ies. But the head of the EU’s keep factories going, could on Russia for 25% of its oil
pare for a complete cut- executive branch said the bloc now pose a similar challenge European Union countries and 40% of its natural gas.
off of Russian gas in the needed to be ready for shock to EU solidarity and a source already agreed last month
wake of the Kremlin’s war disruptions coming from for populist-spawned divi- that all natural gas storage in To slash its use of Russian
in Ukraine. Moscow, and said the first sion. the 27-nation bloc should be energy, the European Com-
plans would be presented by topped up to at least 80% ca- mission has been diversifying
“It is obvious: (Russian the middle of the month. “It is very important to have pacity for next winter to avoid suppliers.
President Vladimir) Putin a European overview and a shortages during the cold sea-
continues to use energy as “If worst comes to worst, coordinated approach to a son. The new regulation also In the meantime, the average
a weapon. This is why the then we have to be prepared,” potential complete cut off of says underground gas storage monthly import of Russian
Commission is working on a she said, hoping to avoid the Russian gas,” von der Leyen on EU soil will need to be pipeline gas is declining by
European emergency plan,” chaotic scenes, and the my- said. A dozen members have filled to 90% capacity before 33% compared with last year,
she told legislators in Stras- country-first attitude that already been hit by reduc- the 2023-24 winter. von der Leyen said as she
bourg, France. some member states showed tions or full cuts in gas sup- called for a speedy transition
early on in the COVID-19 plies as the political stand- Von der Leyen said that the toward renewable sources of
off with Moscow over the storage stood at 55% a week energy.
Ukraine invasion intensifies. ago, adding that liquefied
natural gas deliveries from “Some say, in the new securi-
Highlighting the potential the United States had already ty environment after Russia’s
challenges ahead, Germany tripled. aggression, we have to slow
said last week it suspects that down the green transition.
Russia may not resume natu- The war in Ukraine has This transition would come
ral gas deliveries to Europe prompted the 27-nation bloc at the ‘the cost of basic secu-
through the Nord Stream 1 to rethink its energy policies rity,’ they say. The opposite is
pipeline after planned main- and sever ties with Russian true. If we all do nothing but
tenance work in July, com- fossil fuels. Member coun- compete about limited fossil
plicating the outlook for this tries have agreed to ban 90% fuels, the prices will further
winter. of Russian oil by year-end in explode and fill Putin’s war
addition to a ban on imports chest,” she said. “Renewables
Russian state-owned en- of Russian coal that will start are home-grown. They give
ergy giant Gazprom blamed in August. us independence from Rus-
a technical problem for sian fossil fuels. They are
the reduction in gas flow- The EU has not included gas more cost-efficient. And they
ing through Nord Stream 1, — a fuel used to power fac- are cleaner.”