London, United Kingdom | AFP | Hopes for a second referendum on EU membership are rising in Britain amid heightened uncertainty over Brexit, but big hurdles remain — from the timing to legal complexities on both sides of the Channel. Prime Minister Theresa May is struggling to convince British lawmakers …
Read More »Russia poses bigger threat to UK than terror groups: army chief
London, United Kingdom | AFP | Russia “indisputably” now poses a bigger threat to Britain’s security than terrorist groups like Islamic State (IS) and Al-Qaeda, the head of the British army said in an interview published Saturday. General Mark Carleton-Smith warned Moscow had shown a willingness to use its military …
Read More »May back to Brussels on Saturday for last-ditch Brexit talks
London, United Kingdom | AFP | British Prime Minister Theresa May said she would return to Brussels for further EU divorce talks on Saturday — 24 hours ahead of a planned summit set to seal a Brexit deal. May made a lightning trip to Brussels on Wednesday to lobby EU …
Read More »‘Shocked’ UK warns UAE of repercussions over spy student sentence
London, United Kingdom | AFP | Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt warned of “repercussions” after a United Arab Emirates court on Wednesday sentenced British student Matthew Hedges to life in jail having convicted him of spying. “I am deeply shocked and disappointed,” said Hunt. “Today’s verdict is not what we expect …
Read More »UAE court sentences British student to life for spying
Dubai, United Arab Emirates | AFP | A United Arab Emirates court sentenced British student Matthew Hedges to life in jail on spying charges on Wednesday, prompting a “shocked” Britain to warn of repercussions for relations with its longstanding Gulf ally. Hedges, a 31-year-old PhD student, had protested his innocence …
Read More »May wins business support for draft Brexit deal
London, United Kingdom | AFP | British Prime Minister Theresa May on Monday won support from big business for her draft Brexit deal ahead of “intense negotiations” with Brussels in the coming week. May told the Confederation of British Industry (CBI), the UK’s main business lobby group, that she was “determined …
Read More »Bitcoin falls below $5,000 for first time since Oct 2017
London, United Kingdom | AFP | The value of bitcoin slipped Monday below $5,000 (4,367 euros) for the first time since October 2017 as volatility returned to the cryptocurrency market. Data compiled by Bloomberg showed the world’s most popular virtual currency losing about 10 percent of its value from Friday …
Read More »Intense week of talks ahead of Brexit showdown summit
Brussels, Belgium | AFP | European governments get their own say on Brexit this week as they debate future ties with London in the run-up to Sunday’s summit to sign Britain’s divorce papers. Ministers from the other 27 EU member states are in Brussels on Monday at the start of …
Read More »What next? Britain, Brexit and Theresa May
London, United Kingdom | AFP | Despite facing a fierce backlash to her draft Brexit deal, British Prime Minister Theresa May has vowed to fight on. Amid cabinet resignations and moves by her own MPs to oust her, the battle to save the EU withdrawal agreement and her own political …
Read More »Libya planning to extradite Manchester bomber’s brother: PM
London, United Kingdom | AFP | Libya is planning to extradite the brother of Manchester Arena bomber Salman Abedi to Britain by the end of the year, Libya’s UN-backed Prime Minister Fayez al-Sarraj told the BBC in an interview on Wednesday. Britain last year submitted a request to extradite Hashem …
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