United Kingdom

26 Feb 2022; MEMO: Former head of the Labour Party Jeremy Corbyn has called for the immediate and unconditional recognition of the State of Palestine.

During a discussion in Parliament regarding the recognition of the State of Palestine on Thursday, Corbyn asserted: "We should support the immediate and unconditional recognition of the State of Palestine."

Corbyn also tweeted a video of his speech in Parliament in which he spoke about the abuses of the Israeli settlement policy.

LONDON, Feb 25 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Oil prices soared nearly $2 per barrel in early trade on Friday as Russia’s invasion of Ukraine continued to inflame global supply concerns as markets brace for the impact of trade sanctions on major crude exporter Russia.

Global benchmark Brent crude rose $1.99, or 2per cent, to $101.07 a barrel around 0155 GMT on Friday. U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude CLc1 climbed $1.89, or 2per cent to $94.70 a barrel.

LONDON, Feb 24 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Oil prices soared past $100 for the first time in more than seven years on Thursday after Russian President Vladimir Putin announced a “military operation” in Ukraine, apparently
realising fears he would invade.

  Brent surged to $100.04 a barrel after the announcement, as concerns grew about a full-scale conflict in eastern Europe. WTI hit $95.54.

  It came after Putin made a surprise statement on television to declare his intentions.

LONDON (AP) — All government-mandated coronavirus restrictions in England were lifted Thursday, including the legal requirement for people who test positive for COVID-19 to isolate at home.

Officials say that those who tested positive will still be advised to stay at home for at least five days. But from Thursday they are not legally obliged to do so, and those on lower incomes will no longer get extra financial support to make up for a loss of income due to isolation. The routine tracing of infected people’s contacts has also been scrapped.

LONDON, Feb 23 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Oil prices are climbing on fears that the Ukraine-Russia crisis will disrupt supply chains across the world.

Futures of Brent crude, the international benchmark, reached a seven-year high of almost $98 on Tuesday after Russia recognised breakaway rebel regions in Ukraine’s east as independent states.

The UK and several western allies have threatened sanctions on the country.

Russia is the second largest exporter of crude oil after Saudi Arabia.

It is also the world’s top producer of natural gas.

LONDON, Feb. 23 (Xinhua) -- Billions of dollars have been lost to fraud and error in Britain's support schemes in coping with the COVID-19 pandemic, an official report revealed Wednesday.

The Public Accounts Committee of the House of Commons, the lower house of British Parliament, said the total losses from fraud and error across all COVID-19 state-backed business schemes are expected to be at least 15 billion pounds (20.4 billion U.S. dollars).

LONDON (AP) — Britain promised to hit Russia with “powerful” sanctions over its military confrontation with Ukraine. But the slim sheaf of measures announced by Prime Minister Boris Johnson has disappointed allies and critics alike.

The U.K. has slapped asset freezes and travel bans on three wealthy Russians and sanctioned five Russian banks in response to President Vladimir Putin’s decision to recognize two breakaway regions of eastern Ukraine and to authorize sending in what he called “peacekeeping” troops.

LONDON, Feb 21 (Reuters) - Britain's elections watchdog asked the government on Monday to reconsider proposed changes to its oversight arrangements, warning they could impact its independence.

The government is hoping to pass wide-ranging legislation to update the laws around elections with what it calls the aim of protecting the health of Britain's democracy.

WINDSOR, England, Feb 21 (Reuters) - After the shame of Prince Andrew's U.S. sex abuse lawsuit and Prince Charles embroilment in a cash for honours scandal, Queen Elizabeth catching COVID-19 has rounded off a week of terrible news for the British royals.

Buckingham Palace said on Sunday the monarch, who turns 96 in two months, was suffering mild symptoms after testing positive for the virus. But growing health fears and scandals involving the family are threatening to overshadow national celebrations to mark her 70th anniversary on the throne.

LONDON, Feb. 19 (Xinhua) -- There have been more than 1 millon excess deaths in the United States during the COVID-19 pandemic, The Guardian said in a recent report.

The deaths are mainly attributable to COVID-19, as well as conditions that may have resulted from delayed medical care and overwhelmed health systems, the report quoted figures from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) as saying.