Lost confidence in him: Theresa May on sacking of Gavin Williamson
UK Defence Secretary Gavin Williamson has been sacked after he was allegedly found to be responsible for the leak of information from a top-level National Security Council meeting.
Williamson is accused of leaking information to newspaper Daily Telegraph about the meeting, which discussed allowing China’s Huawei limited access in the UK.
Prime Minister Theresa May in a letter confirming Williamson’s dismissal, said, “No other, credible version of events to explain the leak has been identified.” Her letter further said she had “lost confidence in his ability to govern”.
I did what I thought was best that time: Assange
WikiLeaks co-founder Julian Assange has been sentenced to 50 weeks in jail for bail breach.
He is guilty of breaching the Bail Act last month after his arrest at the Ecuadorian Embassy in London. In 2012, he took refuge in the embassy to avoid extradition to Sweden over allegations of sexual assault, which he has denied.
Assange told the court, “I did what I thought at the time was the best or perhaps the only thing that I could have done.”
Judge Deborah Taylor, ruling on the case, told Assange, “By hiding in the embassy, you deliberately put yourself out of reach, while remaining in the UK.” The judge claimed that this had directly affected the progress of the Swedish case against Assange.
As Assange was leaving the court, he raised his fist, acknowledging his supporters and, in response, they raised their fists too, showing solidarity with Assange. His supporters even raised slogans ‘Shame on you’ against the court.
Paris: 220 held after clashes between protesters and police
On the occasion of May Day, public marches and processions were briefly interrupted as clashes erupted between demonstrators and police. Police have reportedly arrested 220 people after black-clad youth hurled bricks at the security forces.
Members of the Yellow Vest movement and trade unions predominantly dominated May Day processions. But, some radical black-clad youths joined the demonstrations and sought to provoke the police.
In other news:
Venezuela crisis: Opposition leader Guaidó vows crippling strikes, BBC
Fed chair rules out immediate rate moves, Financial Times
Attorney General refuses House testimony on Mueller report, BBC