UK

A review into the 2m social distancing rule in England will conclude “within the coming days”, Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden has said. It comes amid warnings many businesses will not survive under the current guidance as the government prepares to ease more restrictions on 4 July. Pubs, restaurants and hotels …

Britain’s foreign secretary has drawn criticism after he suggested in an interview that taking a knee appeared to be from “Game of Thrones” and was a symbol of subjugation. Dominic Raab told talkRADIO Thursday that he understood the frustration driving the Black Lives Matter movement, before adding: “I’ve got to …

President Emmanuel Macron visits London on Thursday to mark the 80th anniversary of General de Gaulle’s appeal to the French resistance and to discuss Brexit with Prime Minister Boris Johnson. Macron, who will be hosted by heir-to-the-throne Prince Charles, will mark de Gaulle’s June 18, 1940 “Appel” from BBC headquarters …

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has been involved in a minor car crash after a protester ran in front of a car as it left Parliament in London. A protester forced one of the cars in Mr Johnson’s convoy to brake suddenly, and the vehicle following behind hit the boot …

Judges of the International Criminal Court (ICC) should be able to work independently without fear of sanctions, the UK’s foreign secretary said in an apparent jab at Washington, which threatened the body for probing US troops. “The UK strongly supports the International Criminal Court in tackling impunity for the worst …

London’s mayor called on people to stay away from central London on Saturday as the capital prepared for a potential confrontation between anti-racism protesters and far-right groups. Statues of historical figures including Winston Churchill, which have been at the forefront of demonstrations by anti-racism groups, were boarded up on Friday …

The United Kingdom has officially told the European Union it will not seek an extension to the post-Brexit transition period beyond December 31 this year. The country left the bloc in January, but remains under EU rules until the end of the year, as new terms are thrashed out between …

A statue of former British Prime Minister Winston Churchill opposite parliament and the Cenotaph war memorial in central London were boarded up for protection before three days of demonstrations planned in the capital. The World War II leader’s statue on Parliament Square was sprayed with graffiti declaring Churchill a racist …

Two London police officers have been attacked in an incident caught on film by members of the public, sparking condemnation from the UK’s Home Secretary and the city’s mayor. Videos posted to social media appeared to show a male officer being pinned to the ground and kicked before a female …

In the latest blow to post-Brexit trade talks, the European Union’s chief negotiator has accused the UK of making excessive demands on the bloc. In an unusually strident intervention, Michel Barnier has told the UK he will not countenance “cherry picking” in bilateral negotiations on a future trade deal. Barnier …

The UK’s economy is likely to be the worst affected among developed countries due to coronavirus, a major think tank has warned. The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) said Britain’s economy was likely to slump by 11.5% in 2020 – above the slumps expected for other developed nations …

About 64,000 more people than usual have died in the United Kingdom during this year’s coronavirus pandemic, an expert from the Office for National Statistics said on Tuesday. Epidemiologists say excess mortality – deaths from all causes that exceed the five-year average for the time of year – is the …

Following attacks on scores of 5G phone masts across the UK, it seems the British judiciary has finally decided to crack down. In the first case of its kind a suspect has been convicted for setting fire to the equipment box of a phone mast in the north-western English town …

For someone who died nearly three centuries ago, Edward Colston has become a symbol for the Black Lives Matter movement in Britain. The toppling of his statue in Bristol, a city in the southwest of England, on Sunday by anti-racism protesters was greeted with joyous scenes, recognition of the fact …

The United Kingdom’s death toll from confirmed cases of COVID-19 rose by 55 to 40,597 as of 1600 GMT on June 7, the lowest rise since a lockdown was imposed by Prime Minister Boris Johnson in March, according to government data published on Monday. The last time such a low …

Britain’s Prince Andrew has reportedly been summoned by the US Justice Department to answer questions about his relationship with deceased Jeffrey Epstein. The pair were friends for over a decade. The Southern District Court of New York has asked Prince Andrew to testify in the ongoing criminal investigation into Epstein’s …

Fourteen police officers were injured in “shocking and completely unacceptable” assaults during anti-racism protests in central London on Saturday, London police chief Cressida Dick said on Sunday. After a largely peaceful day, small numbers of protesters briefly clashed with mounted police on Saturday after thousands gathered to voice their anger …

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson will soon set out plans to “rebuild Britain” in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic, amid reports he wants to ease lockdown restrictions quickly to save millions of jobs. Mr. Johnson is expected to use a major speech to effectively re-launch the Conservatives’ domestic agenda …

Almost £7bn has been raised to immunise 300 million children at a virtual global vaccine summit hosted by the UK. Prime Minister Boris Johnson said up to eight million lives would be saved as a result of the funds pledged at the Gavi vaccine summit on Thursday. The money will …

Thousands of protesters have amassed in London’s Hyde Park in an anti-racism demonstration calling for justice over the death of George Floyd. Chants of “black lives matter”, “no justice, no peace” and “we will not be silent” rang out as protesters waited for the demonstration to begin. Star Wars actor …