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WORLD NEWS Tuesday 11 June 2019

Greek president OKs request for early election on July 7

By NICHOLAS PAPHITIS gers for the smooth course
Associated Press of the economy.”
ATHENS, Greece (AP) — “This would have endan-
Greece is on track for a gered the efforts and sacri-
general election July 7, fices of the Greek people,”
three months ahead of he added.
schedule, after the coun- Tsipras has said he will stay
try’s president accepted on in office until the elec-
a request Monday by left- tions, and is expected to
wing Prime Minister Alexis appoint caretaker ministers
Tsipras to dissolve parlia- to a handful of key cabinet
ment in the wake his heavy posts.
defeat in European parlia- Markets welcomed the
mentary elections. prospect of the vote. On
During a brief meeting with Monday, Greek stocks
President Prokopis Pav- surged 3.3 percent to a
lopoulos, Tsipras said he 13-month high.
wanted the early election A more important gauge
to avoid months of cam- perhaps of investor senti-
paigning that might have ment is the fact that the in-
endangered the bailed- terest rate on the country’s
out country’s economy. benchmark 10-year bond
In last month’s European Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras, right, leaves from the Presidential Palace after his meeting with has dropped sharply since
vote, Tsipras’ governing Greek President Prokopis Pavlopoulos, in Athens, on Monday, June 10, 2019. a visibly shaken Tsipras first
Syriza party lost by more Associated Press announced, late on May
than 9 percentage points handouts Tsipras had an- Opinion polls point to New European elections “con- 26, he would hold early
to the main opposition, nounced earlier that had Democracy winning the ditions were such that .... elections. This means inves-
conservative New Democ- alarmed bailout creditors upcoming election com- there would have been an tors see a much lower risk
racy party. who feared the spending fortably. extended campaign pe- than earlier in placing their
That defeat came de- would derail the country’s Tsipras told Pavlopoulos riod, and I estimated that money in Greek govern-
spite a raft of new welfare shaky finances. that following the May 26 this might engender dan- ment debt.q

New Zealand plans to withdraw all Iraq troops by next June

By NICK PERRY New Zealand’s Defense now it’s time to bring them
Associated Press Minister Ron Mark said home and look at the con-
WELLINGTON, New Zealand Australia also planned to tribution our defense force
(AP) — New Zealand an- downsize its presence in can make elsewhere.”
nounced Monday that it Iraq, although he didn’t Mark said that New Zealand
will withdraw all of its troops offer any details. Australia would downsize alongside
from Iraq by next June. had not made any formal Australia and that both
New Zealand has a small announcements about its countries were working on
contingent of 95 so-called plans by Monday after- “exiting and having an exit
noncombat personnel noon. New Zealand Prime plan.” But when pressed,
deployed at the Taji Mili- Minister Jacinda Ardern he declined to offer more
tary Complex northwest of said it would reduce the details. Ardern said it was
Baghdad, where they are number of troops to 75 not up to New Zealand to
tasked with training Iraqi by July and then to 45 by announce Australia’s long-
security forces. January before they were term plans in Iraq, but she
The training mission is a joint all withdrawn. “I think they added that Australia had
operation with Australia, In this May 17, 2019, file photo, New Zealand’s Prime Minister have done an incredible been kept informed of New
which has about 300 troops Jacinda Ardern speaks during a joint press conference at the job, but their job is coming Zealand’s decision and
Istana or presidential palace in Singapore.
stationed at Taji. Associated Press to an end,” she said. “And was supportive.q