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WORLD NEWS Saturday 25 May 2019
Terror probe after 'low force' blast in French city of Lyon

Associated Press had been shattered. It was
LYON, France (AP) — A "low the windows ... that super-
force" blast hit a busy pe- ficially injured the people
destrian street Friday in the who were 1, 2 or 3 meters
French city of Lyon, injuring (yards) away," Broliquier
seven people as it shat- said.
tered the glass from a re- "But the fridge itself wasn't
frigerated shop cooler in a that damaged, which
bakery, a local official said. means the device had
France's anti-terrorist office low force," Broliquier said,
opened an inquiry into the downplaying the incident.
blast and the anti-terrorism "It's not the apocalypse ...
prosecutor, Remy Heitz, There's no danger. There's
went to Lyon. The interior no risk."
minister also was on site, He said authorities had
and soldiers secured the cordoned off the street
area. but had not evacuated
France is jittery over a spate residents. Authorities would
of attacks in recent years, not confirm French media
some of them deadly, car- reports that the blast was
ried out by people ranging caused by an exploding
from extremist attackers to Soldiers of French anti terrorist plan "Vigipirate Mission", secure the area, near the site of a sus- package. French Presi-
mentally unstable individu- pected bomb attack in central Lyon, Friday May, 24, 2019. dent Emmanuel Macron
als. Five people were killed Associated Press called the explosion an "at-
Dec. 11 in an attack on the tack" during a live interview
Christmas Market in Stras- district, Denis Broliquier, as blurry image of a man on a Lyon's central Presqu'ile about the European Par-
bourg, in eastern France. saying that an image of the bicycle that they said was area, which lies between liament elections that run
The alleged killer, Cherif man who deposited a sack the suspect. the Rhone and Saone rivers through Sunday.
Chekatt — killed by police or suitcase that apparently Broliquier, the district may- that run through France's The mayor and Macron
— had pledged allegiance exploded was captured by or, told BFMTV he arrived third-largest city. sent their sympathies to
to the Islamic State group. surveillance cameras. minutes after the 5:30 p.m. "What I saw was a refriger- the injured, some of whom
French media quoted the Two news TV stations, BFM- explosion at the bakery ated cooler in the Brioche were taken to the hospital
mayor of Lyon's second TV and CNews, showed a chain Brioche Doree in Doree, whose windows and others just went home.

May to quit as party leader June 7, opening race for new PM

By JILL LAWLESS new prime minister to lead
Associated Press that effort."
LONDON (AP) — Theresa Her departure will trigger
May announced Friday a party leadership contest
that she will step down as in which any Conservative
U.K. Conservative Party lawmaker can run. The ear-
leader on June 7, admit- ly front-runner is Boris John-
ting defeat in her attempt son, a former foreign secre-
to take Britain out of the Eu- tary and strong champion
ropean Union and sparking of Brexit.
a contest to become the Conservative lawmakers
country's next prime minis- increasingly see May as an
ter. obstacle to Britain's EU exit,
She will stay as caretaker although her replacement
prime minister until the new will face the same issue: a
leader is chosen, a pro- Parliament deeply divided
cess likely to take several over whether to leave the
weeks. The new Conserva- EU, and how close a rela-
tive leader would then be- tionship to seek with the
come prime minister with- bloc after it does.
out the need for a general Pressure on May reached
election. critical point this week as
Her voice breaking, May House of Commons Leader
said in a televised state- Britain's Prime Minister Theresa May makes a statement outside at 10 Downing Street in London, Andrea Leadsom quit and
ment outside 10 Downing Friday May 24, 2019. several Cabinet colleagues
St. that she would soon be Associated Press expressed doubts about
leaving a job that it has her Brexit bill.
been "the honor of my life consumed by the attempt March 29. Britain is currently people a choice you have With her authority draining
to hold." to deliver on that verdict. due to leave the EU on Oct. a duty to implement what away by the hour, May on
May became prime minis- Now she has bowed to re- 31, but Parliament has yet they decide," May said. Thursday delayed plans to
ter the month after Britons lentless pressure from her to approve divorce terms. "I have done my best to do publish the EU withdrawal
voted in June 2016 to leave party to quit over her failure "I feel as certain today as I that. ... But it is now clear to bill — her fourth attempt to
the European Union, and to take Britain out of the EU did three years ago that in me that it is in the best in- secure Parliament's back-
her premiership has been on the scheduled date of a democracy, if you give terests of the country for a ing for her Brexit blueprint.q