LONDON (AP) — The Latest on Britain's historic vote to leave the European Union (all times local):

7:30 p.m.

Britain has voted to leave the EU but London wants to stay — and some are suggesting the capital city should go its own way.

While 52 percent of British electors voted to leave the European Union, a majority of voters in London wished to remain.

After the result, Mayor Sadiq Khan issued a statement telling the 1 million EU citizens in London "you are very welcome here."

Some Londoners urged the mayor to declare independence, rallying on social media under the hashtag #londependence.

Columnist Holly Baxter wrote in The Independent that "London didn't vote for this, and Londoners should go it alone." And former Labour government adviser Spencer Livermore tweeted "Independence for London within the EU should now be our goal. We would have a GDP twice as large as Singapore."

Khan didn't go that far, but he said that it was "crucial that London has a voice at the table" during Britain's exit negotiations with the EU.

 

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6:15 p.m.

Talk about procrastinating: Google says a leading question in the U.K. on Friday was, "What is the EU?"

"What is the EU?" was perhaps something to consider — and Google — before Britons voted themselves out of the European Union. Yet it's the second-highest question on the European Union among U.K. Google users since the results of the country's referendum were announced.

"What is the EU?" will certainly mean something different now that one of its most powerful and largest members has decided to leave.

Among other questions U.K. users pondered Friday, at least when it comes to the EU, include "What does it mean to leave the EU?" and "What will happen now (that) we've left the EU?"

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5:40 p.m.

Britain's ambassador to the United Nations says the United Kingdom will remain "a world power" and "a diplomatic power" despite the vote to leave the European Union.

Matthew Rycroft told several reporters at U.N. headquarters in New York on Friday that "this is a significant moment for the UK, for the British people and for the UK's role in the world."

"The fundamentals of the UK's strength in the world will endure," Rycroft stressed, pointing to "our economy, our world-class diplomacy, armed forces, our commitment to international development, helping the world's poorest, and above all here at the United Nations our permanent seat on the Security Council."

 

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5:15 p.m.

Amid the anxiety over Britain's vote to leave the European Union, the Irish are managing some laughter to relieve the tension of a looming break-up.

Ireland's premier drag queen, Panti Bliss, says she observed perfect comic timing when traveling through Dublin Airport arrivals after flying Friday from London.

As passengers neared the immigration checkpoint, she said, a passports official advised the newcomers: "All EU passports this way."

After a long pause, the official clarified to much laughter: "Including the U.K.!"

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4:20 p.m.

NATO's chief says Britain's defense secretary has called to reassure him his country remains fully engaged in the alliance the vote to pull out of the European Union.

NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg told reporters: "I spoke with Michael Fallon this morning and he assured me on behalf of the British government that they will continue to be committed, they will continue to contribute."

Britain's commitments to NATO include being a lead nation in 2017 for a new high-readiness joint task force and supplying the core for one of the four multinational battalions being created to help defend the Baltic states and Poland.

Stoltenberg said Britain opting to leave the EU makes for "a more unpredictable situation," and that it is more crucial than ever for NATO to be strong and united.

He added: "But now it is a fact that the U.K. will leave (the EU). So then we have to look forward and find out how we can in the best possible way respond to that."

 

 

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