United Kingdom

LONDON, Feb. 12 (Xinhua) -- British Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt on Tuesday asked Europe Union (EU) leaders to compromise on Brexit in order to secure "friendly relations" between Britain and its neighboring Republic of Ireland and to protect peace in Northern Ireland.

The foreign secretary made the remarks before traveling to France and Poland for talks with ministers, raising the threat of a no-deal Brexit or "Brexit paralysis" if the EU and Britain were unable to strike a deal.

LONDON; 12 Feb 2019; AA: Turkey is a center for multiculturalism and it is the precursor of the European Union, a representative for the Catholic congregation in Turkey said.

"I suggest [European countries] to follow the example of Ottomans and Turkey" in multiculturalism, said Rinaldo Marmara, spokesman for Istanbul's Catholic Episcopal Church.

LONDON (AP) — Mounting uncertainty over Brexit is weighing heavily on the British economy, which slowed last year to its weakest growth rate since the aftermath of the global financial crisis, official figures showed Monday.

The Office for National Statistics said that the British economy grew by a quarterly rate of only 0.2 percent during the fourth quarter, down from the 0.6 percent tick recorded in the previous three-month period. Output actually fell in the month of December, by 0.4 percent from November, though monthly data are known to be volatile.

LONDON (AP) — Zookeepers say a group of chimpanzees used branches weakened by a storm to make a ladder and escape from their enclosure at the Belfast Zoo.

Video filmed Saturday by visitors to the Northern Ireland zoo showed several primates scaling a wall and perching atop it, with one walking down a path outside the enclosure.

10 Feb 2019; DW: The 97-year-old spouse of Queen Elizabeth was involved in a car crash when he was driving out of the 20,000-acre (8,093-hectare) Sandringham estate in the east of England in January.

"After careful consideration the Duke of Edinburgh has taken the decision to voluntarily surrender his driving licence," a statement from Buckingham Palace announced on Saturday.

Wayanad (Kerala), Feb 9 (PTI) Ollie Pope is normally averse to copying any other cricketer's style, but the young England batsman Saturday admitted that India captain Virat Kohli is someone who he doesn't mind imitating.

The 20-year-old Surrey batsman was in awe of Kohli's batting technique and said watching him, especially in the Nottingham Test where India beat England by a whopping 203 runs, was a treat to his eyes.

09 Feb 2019; DW: The outspoken Brexit campaigner has said he will stand as a candidate for the European Parliament if Britain's departure from the EU is delayed. He called Theresa May's withdrawal agreement, "the worst deal in history."

Former UK Independence Party (UKIP) leader and prominent Brexit supporter Nigel Farage announced Friday that a new "Brexit Party" has been formed with his approval

DUBLIN, Feb. 8 (Xinhua) -- British Prime Minister Theresa May arrived here on Friday night for talks with her Irish counterpart Leo Varadkar, local media RTE reported.

According to the report, May arrived at Farmleigh House, an official Irish state guest house in the western part of Dublin, at about 8:30 p.m. local time where she will hold a two-hour talk with Varadkar over a private dinner.

There will be no joint press conference after their meeting, noted the report.

LONDON (AP) — The British and Irish leaders were meeting Friday to discuss the Irish border — and mend fences — amid rising tensions between Britain and the European Union over Brexit.

British Prime Minister Theresa May was due to dine with Irish premier Leo Varadkar in Dublin to press her case for changes to Britain’s divorce deal with the EU. Britain’s Parliament rejected the agreement last month, largely over concerns about a provision designed to ensure an open border between the U.K.’s Northern Ireland and EU member Ireland.

07 Feb 2019; DW: British Prime Minister Theresa May will attempt to negotiate the Irish backstop with EU representatives in Brussels. It comes after Donald Tusk said there was a 'special place in hell' for those that promoted Brexit.

British Prime Minister Theresa May was to return to Brussels on Thursday in an attempt to reopen talks on the Brexit divorce agreement with the European Union.