United Kingdom

LONDON (Reuters) - Oil prices slipped on Monday as the positive impact from COVID-19 vaccines and an OPEC+ deal on oil production cuts was undermined by surging coronavirus cases and heightened tensions between the United States and China.

Brent crude fell 76 cents, or 1.5%, to $48.49 a barrel by 0911 GMT. U.S. crude was down 82 cents, or 1.8%, at $45.44.

LONDON (Reuters) - Britain’s Queen Elizabeth and her husband Prince Philip may “let it be known” once they have received a vaccine against COVID-19, The Times newspaper reported, citing unnamed royal aides.

The 94-year-old monarch and her 99-year-old spouse are likely to be among the first to be offered a jab, with the government prioritising elderly people as it begins the rollout of the Pfizer vaccine that was approved on Dec. 2.

LONDON (Reuters) - The head of Britain’s medicines regulator, asked whether the COVID-19 vaccine rollout risked being disrupted if Britain and the European Union fail to reach a trade deal before the end of the Brexit transition period, said “we are ready”.

“We’ve practised, we are ready, we are fully prepared for any possible outcome,” said June Raine, head of the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), on BBC television.

LONDON/DUBLIN (Reuters) - British and European Union negotiators will meet in Brussels on Sunday in a last-ditch attempt to strike a post-Brexit trade deal before a transition agreement ends on Dec. 31.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen spoke on Saturday and instructed their teams to resume talks after they were paused on Friday.

(Reuters) - Britain is working on a plan to take control of one of Britain’s oldest steelmakers to secure the supply chain for the country’s nuclear submarine fleet, Sky News reported on Saturday.

The Ministry of Defence (MoD) had enlisted Deloitte to advise it on the talks with privately-owned Sheffield Forgemasters, Sky News said, citing steel industry sources.

The MoD could not immediately be reached for comment.

LONDON (AP) — British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and the European Union’s top official are set to discuss the state of play of post-Brexit trade discussions later Saturday after negotiators paused talks in light of their inability to bridge an array of differences.

With the discussions stuck over the same issues for months, Johnson and Ursula von der Leyen, the president of the EU’s executive European Commission, will see if there is a route to a deal.

04 Dec 2020; MEMO:  British advocacy groups have condemned France's decision to shut down anti-racism group Collective Against Islamophobia in France (CCIF), Anadolu Agency reports.

While announcing the move on Wednesday, Gerald Darmanin, France's interior minister, accused the CCIF of carrying out "Islamist propaganda" for several years, allegations the group has vehemently refuted.

London, Dec 5 (AP-PTI) A week of intense trade talks between Britain and the European Union ended in stalemate Friday, with negotiators stepping back while politicians decide whether major differences can be bridged to avoid a messy, economically disruptive rupture in less than a month.

LONDON (Reuters) - Brent crude oil futures rose to just under $50 a barrel on Friday as major producers agreed on a compromise to increase output slightly from January but continue the bulk of existing supply curbs to cope with coronavirus-hit demand.

Brent was up 53 cents at $49.24 a barrel by 1034 GMT after hitting its highest since early March at $49.92. West Texas Intermediate rose 47 cents to $46.11 a barrel. Both benchmarks are set for a fifth straight week of gains.

LONDON, Dec 3 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The Commonwealth has deployed a team of election observers to Ghana to keep watch during the country’s General Election slated for Monday next week.

The Commonwealth Observer Group is made up of politicians, diplomats and experts in law, human rights, gender and election administration from across member countries.

Commonwealth Secretary-General Patricia Scotland said the group was constituted following an invitation from the Electoral Commission of Ghana ahead of the Dec 7 election.