United Kingdom

30 May 2019; DW: A lawyer for Wikileaks founder Julian Assange says that his client was too ill to appear in court via video link. This comes as June 12 is set as the next date in a hearing on his potential extradition to the US.

LONDON, May 29 (Xinhua) -- Boris Johnson, front-runner in the race to replace Theresa May as Britain's next prime minister, heard Wednesday he is to face a court hearing on claims he lied during the campaign in the run up to the 2016 Brexit referendum.

The papers presented to the court in London claim that Johnson repeatedly lied and misled the British public as to the cost of EU membership, expressly stating, endorsing or inferring that it was 350 million British pounds (441.9 million U.S. dollars) a week.

LONDON (AP) — The race to succeed Prime Minister Theresa May is becoming a battle over whether Britain should leave the European Union without a divorce agreement — or whether that would cause economic and political mayhem.

May’s Conservatives are reeling after the upstart Brexit Party won Britain’s election for European Parliament seats. The Conservatives came a humiliating fifth.

27 May 2019; AFP: Anti-EU populist Nigel Farage's Brexit Party triumphed on Sunday and the ruling Conservatives endured a historic blow in European Parliament elections in which Britain was never meant to vote.

The pro-EU Liberal Democrats and the Greens capitalised on their demands for second Brexit vote and made major gains in an election dominated by debates over Britain's place in Europe.

LONDON (AP) — British Environment Secretary Michael Gove on Sunday became the eighth lawmaker to enter the race to succeed Prime Minister Theresa May, as other contenders staked out uncompromising positions on Brexit.

Gove said Sunday that “I can confirm that I will be putting my name forward to be prime minister of this country” when May steps down as Conservative leader on June 7.

Other candidates for the top job include former Brexit Secretary Dominic Raab, Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt and ex-House of Commons leader Andrea Leadsom.

26 May 2019; DW: A crowdfunding campaign to sue the British government over the denial of votes to UK-based European nationals has hit its initial target. Hundreds registered complaints after their names were crossed off voter lists.

The British government is facing a potential legal challenge over the denial of votes to EU citizens, after many claimed to have been turned away from polling stations by officials.

London, May 25 (PTI) In another setback to Vijay Mallya, the UK High Court has directed the embattled liquor tycoon to pay British beverage giant Diageo over USD 135 million in relation to a collateral arrangement.

Diageo is seeking a total of USD 175 million from the 63-year-old businessman and was successful in one aspect of that claim as it was awarded a "summary judgment" by Justice Robin Knowles, who dismissed Mallya's reliance on an alleged oral promise from Diageo dating back to February 2016.

LONDON (AP) — Prime Minister Theresa May’s announcement that she will leave 10 Downing Street has set off a fierce competition to succeed her as Conservative Party leader — and as the next prime minister. These are some of the most prominent names on a list of contenders that is expected to grow in the coming days.

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BORIS JOHNSON

The former foreign secretary has made no secret of his desire to take the top job when May departs.

LONDON (AP) — European Commission chief Jean-Claude Juncker says that he considers British Prime Minister Theresa May as “a woman of courage for whom he has great respect.” 

European Union spokeswoman Mina Andreeva said that Juncker watched May’s announcement that she will step down as Conservative Party leader on June 7 “with emotion” and added it was “without personal joy.”

She said Juncker will “equally respect and establish working relations” with May’s successor. Britain currently faces an Oct. 31 deadline to leave the EU.  

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24 May 2019; DW: Rights groups have condemned the chaos, saying UK authorities have failed to guarantee the vote. Britons in the EU's 27 other countries also experienced irregularities, including postal votes "gone missing."

Hundreds — if not thousands — of non-British EU citizens were turned away from polling stations on Thursday after being told they were not registered to vote in the United Kingdom for the election of the European Parliament.