England

LONDON (Reuters) - Britain announces legislation on Wednesday for life outside the EU after throwing its trade talks with the bloc into jeopardy by announcing in advance that the new plans would break international law and “clarify” a deal it signed in January.

The announcement of the plans, which the government said would break international law “in a very specific and limited way”, has contributed to concerns Britain could be cast out of the European Union’s single market with no agreement on trade.

LONDON (Reuters) - Oil futures clawed back some of the losses they sustained in the previous session, but a rebound in COVID-19 cases in some countries undermined hopes for a steady recovery in global demand.

Brent crude LCOc1 was up 20 cents, or 0.5%, at $39.98 a barrel by 1119 GMT after dropping more than 5% on Tuesday to fall below $40 a barrel for the first time since June.

U.S. crude CLc1 was up 42 cents, or 1.1%, at $37.18 a barrel, having fallen nearly 8% in the previous session.

Both major oil benchmarks are trading close to three-month lows.

LONDON (Reuters) - Oil slid more than 3% towards $40 a barrel on Tuesday, its 5th session of decline, pressured by concerns that a recovery in demand could weaken as coronavirus infections flare up around the world.

Coronavirus cases rose in 22 of the 50 U.S. states, a Reuters analysis showed on the Labor Day holiday weekend. New infections are also increasing in India and Britain.

LONDON (AP) — The U.K.’s chief negotiator in post-Brexit trade talks called for “more realism” from the European Union before the start Tuesday of another round of discussions between the two sides.

With expectations of a breakthrough in the talks diminishing, there are concerns that they could collapse in the coming weeks. Though the U.K. left the bloc on Jan. 31, it is in a transition period that effectively sees it abide by EU rules until the end of this year. The two sides have been negotiating future trade ties over the past few months, but progress has been minimal.

LONDON (AP) — A British judge on Monday rejected a request by lawyers for WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange to delay his extradition hearing until next year to give his lawyers more time to respond to U.S. allegations that he conspired with hackers to obtain classified information.

The adjournment request came on the first day of a London court hearing where Assange is fighting American prosecutors’ attempt to send him to the U.S. to stand trial on spying charges.

LONDON (Reuters) - Julian Assange resumed his battle in a London court on Monday to avoid extradition to the United States to face criminal charges over the activities of his WikiLeaks website, after months of delay due to the coronavirus lockdown.

The U.S. authorities accuse Australian-born Assange, 49, of conspiring to hack government computers and of violating an espionage law in connection with the release of confidential cables by WikiLeaks in 2010-2011.

LONDON (Reuters) - Oil prices fell on Monday as Saudi Arabia made its deepest monthly price cuts to supply for Asia in five months and uncertainty over Chinese demand clouds the market’s recovery.

Brent crude LCOc1 was trading at $42.00 a barrel, down 66 cents or 1.5%, by 1208 GMT, after earlier sliding to $41.51, its lowest since July 30.

West Texas Intermediate U.S. crude CLc1 skidded 59 cents, or 1.5%, to $39.18 per barrel after hitting $38.55, its lowest since July 10.

LONDON, Sept. 7 (Xinhua) -- Britain has set a deadline on Oct. 15 for the European Union (EU) to agree on a trade deal, otherwise the island country would go ahead with the Brexit without a deal, several major media reported on late Sunday.

Britain ended its EU membership on Jan. 31 this year but is still following EU rules during the transition period until Dec. 31 to enable a permanent future trade deal to be reached.

LONDON/BRUSSELS (Reuters) - Britain will not blink first in Brexit trade negotiations with the European Union and is not scared of a no-deal exit at the end of the year, the country’s top Brexit negotiator warned the bloc on Sunday.

Britain left the EU on Jan. 31 but talks have so far made little headway on agreeing a new trade deal for when a status-quo transition arrangement ends in December.

LONDON (AP) — A man was killed and seven people injured in late-night stabbings in a busy nightlife area of the central England city of Birmingham, police said Sunday.

Police said they were searching for a lone suspect in what appeared to be random attacks.

Chief Superintendent Steve Graham of West Midlands Police said detectives were still investigating the motive but “there is absolutely no suggestion at all that this is terror-related.”