United Kingdom

LONDON, Oct 23 (Reuters) - British Foreign Secretary James Cleverly endorsed Boris Johnson's bid to return to 10 Downing Street as prime minister on Sunday.

"I know Boris has learned lessons from his time in No. 10 and will ensure the focus is on the needs of the country from day one," Cleverly said on Twitter.

"I will be supporting him to return to the role of PM."

LONDON (AP) — Former British Treasury chief Rishi Sunak was frontrunner Sunday in the Conservative Party’s race to replace Liz Truss as prime minister, as he garnered the public support of over 100 Tory lawmakers to forge ahead of his two main rivals — ousted former Prime Minister Boris Johnson and ex-Cabinet minister Penny Mordaunt.

Oct 21 (Reuters) - UK Chancellor Jeremy Hunt is set to propose a stealth rise in income tax after the next elections to fill a fiscal hole of 40 billion pounds ($45.21 billion), the Financial Times reported on Friday, citing two government sources briefed on his plan.

Hunt will extend the current freeze on income tax thresholds and allowances into the next UK parliament, raising around five billion pounds per year by 2027-28, the FT report said, citing government sources.

LONDON (AP) — In Romania, protesters blew horns and banged drums to voice their dismay over the rising cost of living. People across France took to the streets to demand pay increases that keep pace with inflation. Czech demonstrators rallied against government handling of the energy crisis. British railway staff and German pilots held strikes to push for better pay as prices rise.

LONDON (AP) — The lightning-fast race to replace Liz Truss as British Prime Minister got even wilder Saturday as former leader Boris Johnson jetted back to the U.K amid speculation he will run to reclaim his former job.

Johnson was ousted by a series of ethics scandals just three months ago, but boarded a flight back to London from his vacation in the Dominican Republic, days after the dramatic resignation of his successor, Liz Truss.

He remains a divisive figure among fellow Conservative lawmakers.

LONDON (AP) — Former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson -- ousted by ethics scandals just three months ago -- jockeyed to make a comeback Friday as one of several contenders seeking to replace Liz Truss, whose rapid downfall threw the country’s leadership into disarray at a time of severe economic challenges.

The governing Conservative Party has ordered a lightning-fast race that aims to finalize nominations Monday and install a new prime minister within a week.

21 October 2022; MEMO: The UK, on Thursday, announced new sanctions on Iranian individuals and businesses "responsible for supplying Russia with kamikaze drones used to bombard Ukraine", Anadolu News Agency reports.

Russia is using the drones "to attack both civilian targets and critical infrastructure in Kyiv and across Ukraine, with the intention of cutting off Ukrainian people from energy, heating and water," a statement from the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office said.

LONDON, Oct 20 (Reuters) - When Liz Truss was asked to come to parliament to explain the sacking of her good friend and finance minister, she sent Penny Mordaunt in her place, offering her potential successor a primetime opportunity to flex her political muscle.

In what only underlined the dwindling fortunes of Truss, Mordaunt took the lead role on Monday to explain why her boss had sacked Kwasi Kwarteng and replaced him with former health minister Jeremy Hunt who ripped up much of her economic plan.

LONDON, Oct 20 (Reuters) - A Russian fighter jet released a missile near an unarmed British spy plane patrolling in international airspace over the Black Sea on Sept. 29, UK defence minister Ben Wallace said, in an apparent accident and not a deliberate escalation of tensions.

Britain has condemned Russia for invading Ukraine and hit Moscow with punitive sanctions while giving military and civil support to Kyiv, and relations between the two countries are at historic lows.

LONDON, Oct 20 (Reuters) - Former British prime minister Boris Johnson is expected to stand in the Conservative Party leadership contest to replace Liz Truss, who said earlier on Thursday she would resign, the Times reported.

"He's taking soundings but is said to believe it is a matter of national interest," Times Political Editor Steven Swinford said on Twitter.