United Kingdom

LONDON (Reuters) - Meghan’s father Thomas Markle said on Tuesday that he did not think the British royal family was racist, and hoped that an alleged remark from a family member about the darkness of the skin of Meghan’s son was just a “dumb question”.

Meghan said that her son Archie, now aged one, had been denied the title of prince because there were concerns within the royal family about “about how dark his skin might be when he’s born”.

LONDON (Reuters) - Oil prices rose towards $69 a barrel on Tuesday as investors focused on prospects for tighter supply due to extended OPEC+ output curbs and amid growing hopes of a recovery in demand.

Crude it its highest level since the start of the pandemic on Monday after Yemen’s Houthi forces fired drones and missiles at Saudi oil sites on Sunday. Saudi Arabia said it thwarted the strike and prices slipped as supply fears eased.

LONDON, March 8 (Xinhua) -- British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said Monday that the increased risk of coronavirus transmission is "inevitable" as schools reopened and millions of children returned to classrooms across England.

"We do accept, of course, there will be increased risk of transmission, that's inevitable," Johnson said at a press briefing at Downing Street. But he added that "the greater risk is keeping children out of school longer."

LONDON (Reuters) - Meghan, the wife of Prince Harry, accused Britain’s royal family of raising concerns about how dark their son’s skin might be and pushing her to the brink of suicide, in a tell-all television interview that will send shockwaves through the monarchy.

The 39-year-old, whose mother is Black and father is white, said she had been naive before she married into royalty in 2018, but that she ended up having suicidal thoughts and considering self harm after pleading for help but getting none.

LONDON (Reuters) - The reopening of England’s schools to all pupils on Monday will mark the first step back towards normality, and is only possible because of the efforts of the public to bring COVID-19 infection rates down, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said.

Johnson has announced a roadmap for lifting lockdown measures that sees schools open first, followed in later stages by the gradual easing of restrictions on mixing with other people and the re-opening of non-essential shops and other venues.

LONDON (Reuters) - Oil prices jumped more than 2% on Friday, hitting their highest in nearly 14 months after OPEC and its allies agreed not to increase supply in April as they await a more substantial recovery in demand.

Brent crude futures were up $1.52, or 2.3%, at $68.26 a barrel by 1008 GMT and U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures climbed $1.30, or 2%, to $65.13 as both remained on track for weekly gains.

04 Mar 2021; MEMO: Amnesty International has welcomed the International Criminal Court (ICC) decision to open an investigation into serious crimes under international law alleged to have been committed in the Occupied Palestinian Territories.

LONDON (Reuters) - OPEC and other oil producers, a group known as OPEC+, are considering rolling over production cuts into April instead of raising output as oil demand recovery remains fragile due to the coronavirus, three OPEC+ sources told Reuters.

OPEC+ ministers hold a full meeting on Thursday.

The market has been expecting OPEC+ to ease production cuts by around 500,000 barrels per day (bpd) from April.

OPEC leader Saudi Arabia has also been expected to end its voluntary production cut of an additional 1 million bpd.

LONDON, Mar 1 (NNN-AGENCIES) – An additional tax will be added, to outbound flights from London’s Heathrow Airport, the largest airport in Britain, from Apr, adding pressure on many families, who want to travel abroad after a year of COVID-19 restrictions, local media reported.

LONDON (Reuters) - Oil prices rose more than $1 on Monday, supported by optimism over COVID-19 vaccinations, a U.S. stimulus package and growing factory activity in Europe despite restrictions imposed to curb the coronavirus.

Brent crude was up $1.08 or 1.7% to $65.50 per barrel by 0959 GMT, and U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude jumped $1.04 or 1.7% to $62.54 a barrel.

Both contracts finished February 18% higher.