England

LONDON (Reuters) - Britain will place a “huge priority” on national security when considering Chinese telecoms firm Huawei’s role in the country’s 5G network, justice minister Robert Buckland said on Monday.

“National security comes first ... and I know that the NSC (National Security Council) and the whole of government will be placing a huge priority on our national security,” he told BBC radio.

An announcement on Huawei’s role would be made “as soon as practicable”, he said.

LONDON (Reuters) - Prime Minister Boris Johnson is set to ban Huawei from Britain’s 5G network in a landmark decision that will anger Beijing but win plaudits from President Donald Trump as the United States grapples with China’s rising economic and technological clout.

The United States has pushed Johnson to reverse his January decision to grant Huawei a limited role in 5G, while London has been dismayed by a crackdown in Hong Kong and by the perception that China did not tell the whole truth over coronavirus.

LONDON (Reuters) - Oil prices dropped on Monday on a record daily rise in global coronavirus cases with big spikes in infections over the weekend in the United States, while traders await an OPEC technical meeting expected to recommend an easing of supply cuts.

Brent crude LCOc1 fell 61 cents, or 1.4%, to $42.63 a barrel by 1127 GMT, though prices have been hovering around $42 for a couple of weeks. U.S. crude CLc1 was down 64 cents, or 1.6%, at $39.91.

(Reuters) - China’s Huawei Technologies has requested a meeting with UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson to work out a deal to delay its potential removal from the country’s 5G phone network, the Sunday Times newspaper reported on Sunday.

The Chinese telecoms equipment maker is seeking to delay its removal from the from the country's 5G telecoms networks until after elections in June 2025, in the expectation that the new government may reverse the decision, the newspaper reported. bit.ly/3iTYDRi

LONDON (Reuters) - Britain will spend 705 million pounds ($890 million) on border infrastructure to help keep trade flowing after its transition deal with the European Union expires at the end of the year, Cabinet Secretary Michael Gove said on Sunday.

The funding includes 470 million pounds to build port and inland infrastructure, including in the south-east of England to serve major freight crossings to France.

“There will be specific pieces of infrastructure that we put in place in order to smooth the flow of traffic,” Gove told the BBC’s Andrew Marr.

LONDON (AP) — Only five years ago, then-British Prime Minister David Cameron was celebrating a “golden era” in U.K.-China relations, bonding with President Xi Jinping over a pint of beer at the pub and signing off on trade deals worth billions.

Those friendly scenes now seem like a distant memory.

LONDON, July 10 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The UK is to resume arms sales to Saudi Arabia despite concerns they could be used against civilians in Yemen, in violation of international humanitarian law.

Sales were suspended last year after a legal challenge by campaigners.

A subsequent review found “isolated incidents” of possible violations but no pattern of non-compliance and “no clear risk” of future serious breaches.

LONDON (Reuters) - Britain’s National Cyber Security Centre is continuing its work looking into Huawei, a spokesman for Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Friday, responding to reports that culture minister Oliver Dowden would make a statement on Tuesday.

“It’s an ongoing process, the NCSC continue their work and when we can update further we will,” the spokesman told reporters.

LONDON (Reuters) - Oil prices dropped on Friday and were headed for weekly declines as inventories rose and record-breaking new coronavirus cases in the United States stoked concern about the pace of economic recovery and fuel demand.

Brent crude was down by 46 cents, or 1.1%, at $41.89 a barrel by 1130 GMT, and U.S. oil fell 51 cents, or 1.3%, to $39.11 a barrel.

Brent was set for a weekly decline of almost 2% and U.S. crude for a fall of almost 4%.

LONDON, July 9 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The UK government unveiled a package worth £30 billion to save jobs and help the young into work to kickstart the coronavirus-hit economy.

Delivering a mini-budget to parliament, Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak’s measures included bonuses to companies retaining staff and taking on apprentices, investment in ‘green’ jobs and allowing the whole country to enjoy discounted meals in restaurants.

“People need to know that although hardship lies ahead, no one will be left without hope,” said Sunak.