Group pushes for Britain to exit EU single market

LONDON • Senior members of Britain's ruling Conservative Party are supporting a new group to lobby for a so-called "hard Brexit" and persuade Prime Minister Theresa May to leave the European Union's (EU) lucrative single market, media reported yesterday.

The new group, called Leave means Leave, will press for Britain to break all ties with the EU, with its leader, property investor Richard Tice, saying only that would fulfil the wishes of Britons, who voted for Brexit at a June referendum. REUTERS

Former president Chirac in hospital

PARIS • Former French president Jacques Chirac, 83, was hospitalised yesterday with a lung infection, the second time in a year the frail elder statesman has received hospital care.

Mr Chirac, who led France from 1995 to 2007, was "hospitalised this morning at Pitie-Salpetriere (hospital in Paris) to be treated for a lung infection," his son-in-law Frederic Salat-Baroux said, adding he would remain there "in the coming days".

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE

Putin's party set to gain more power in parliament

MOSCOW • The ruling United Russia party is expected to win even greater dominance over Russia's Lower House in a parliamentary election yesterday, showing that support for President Vladimir Putin is holding up despite sanctions and a deep economic slowdown.

The election for the Duma, or Lower House, is being seen as a dry run for Mr Putin's expected presidential campaign in 2018. It is also a test of how well the Kremlin can oversee trouble-free elections.

United Russia has 238 of 450 Duma seats and also dominates the regional parliaments.

REUTERS