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A8 WORLD NEWS
Wednesday 11 december 2019
Johnson dodges UK's health woes, wants to talk about Brexit

By DANICA KIRKA way the newspaper had
MIKE CORDER verified the story.
JILL LAWLESS "I would be happy to meet
Associated Press you over a coffee to offer
LONDON (AP) — With two you an explanation as to
days until polling day, British how sophisticated and cor-
Prime Minister Boris Johnson rosive the proliferation of
sought Tuesday to get his fake news is, and what to
election campaign back do to guard against being
onto Brexit after coming conned by it," he wrote.
under fire for his lack of The controversy about the
empathy for looking away photo comes amid a cam-
from an image of a child paign marred by mislead-
sleeping on a hospital floor ing social media images
while seeking treatment. and attack ads.
The story of 4-year-old Jack Britain's electoral laws, like
Williment-Barr has over- those of most countries,
shadowed campaigning were largely written be-
for Thursday's general elec- fore the dawn of the inter-
tion as Johnson and his net, meaning social me-
Conservatives hunt for cru- dia campaigns are mostly
cial last-minute votes. The unregulated and open to
opposition Labour Party A vehicle brandishing an election campaign poster for the Liberal Democrats party, drives in exploitation. With no con-
has painted Jack's plight — Trafalgar Square in London, Tuesday, Dec. 10, 2019. straints, such as the strict
a sick child forced to lie for Associated Press rules that govern broad-
hours on a floor because casters, Britain's political
no hospital bed was free held more than two years lion times. In the clip of the ists, including the politi- parties have pushed the
— as a symptom of Britain's early in a bid to break Brit- interview, ITV reporter Joe cal editors of the BBC and boundaries of truth, trans-
ailing health system, which ain's political impasse over Pike said to Johnson: "You ITV, tweeted a claim by parency and reality.
has suffered under years of Brexit. Opinion polls give refuse to look at the photo. anonymous Conservative The Labour Party found it-
Conservative government the Conservatives a lead You've taken my phone officials that a party work- self embarrassed, mean-
austerity measures. over Labour, but all parties and put it in your pocket, er had been punched by while, by the leak of a
As Labour kept up its relent- are nervous about the ver- prime minister." a protester while Britain's phone recording to the
less focus on problems with dict of a volatile electorate Johnson then removed the health secretary visited the right-wing political web-
the National Health Ser- that is weary after years of phone from his pocket and hospital. When footage site Guido Fawkes in which
vice, Johnson's Conserva- wrangling over Brexit. looked at the screen. emerged showing that no the party's health spokes-
tive Party tried to focus vot- Johnson's clumsy reaction "It's a terrible, terrible photo. assault had taken place, man suggested that the
ers' minds on the prospect to Jack's plight was a late And I apologize obviously they apologized — but a party would lose Thursday's
of an uncertain result and misstep in a largely gaffe- to the families and all those media storm was already vote because voters "can't
divided Parliament, which free campaign. A video who have terrible experi- raging. Some social me- stand Corbyn."
would endanger John- of the prime minister briefly ences in the NHS," he said. dia users circulated claims Jonathan Ashworth said
son's plan to lead Britain declining to look at a cell- The incident quickly be- that the photo of Jack, first his unguarded remarks
out of the European Union phone photo of Jack on came caught up in a storm published by the Yorkshire were merely banter with
on Jan 31. All 650 seats in a journalist's phone — and of social media claim, Evening Post, was staged. a Conservative friend and
the House of Commons then placing the phone counterclaim and conspir- Editor James Mitchinson claimed he had been tru-
seats are up for grabs in in his pocket — has been acy. tweeted his reply to one ing to "psych him out like
this election, which is being viewed more than a mil- Several prominent journal- such reader, explaining the football managers do."q
Greece sends letters to UN over Turkey-Libya deal

By ELENA BECATOROS despite the objections of tional Law of the Sea on
Associated Press Greece, Egypt and Cy- maritime delimitation be-
ATHENS, Greece (AP) — prus, which lie between cause, first and foremost,
Greece has sent two let- the two geographically. Turkey and Libya have
ters to the United Nations All three countries have neither overlapping mari-
explaining its objections to blasted the deal as being time zones, nor common
a maritime boundary deal contrary to international boundaries and, conse-
between Turkey and Libya law, and Greece expelled quently, there is no legal
and asking for the matter the Libyan ambassador basis to lawfully conclude
to be taken up by the U.N. last week over the issue. a maritime delimitation
Security Council, the gov- Government spokesman agreement."
ernment spokesman said Stelios Petsas said Greece The boundaries set out
Tuesday. sent one letter to the U.N. in the deal "are fictitious,
The country's foreign min- Greek foreign Minister Nikos Dendias arrive for a meeting to secretary general and one unlawful, arbitrary and
brief political party representatives on developments for the
ister also convened a maritime boundary deal between Turkey and Libya in Athens, to the head of the U.N. Se- provocative, and openly
meeting in Athens to brief on Tuesday, Dec. 10, 2019. curity Council on Monday infringe on Greece's sover-
political party leaders on Associated Press night detailing Greece's eign rights in that maritime
developments. The deal, position. area, thus seriously endan-
endorsed by Turkey's par- ticularly over drilling rights give Turkey and Libya ac- The letters state the agree- gering regional peace
liament last week, has fu- for gas and oil exploration. cess to an economic zone ment "blatantly violates and stability," the letters
eled regional tension, par- The agreement would across the Mediterranean the rules of the Interna- said. q