United Kingdom

LONDON (Reuters) - Prime Minister Boris Johnson would not agree that Britain is a racist country but acknowledges there is still more to do to combat cases of discrimination and racism, his spokesman said on Monday.

“The PM doesn’t doubt that there continues to be discrimination and racism but would not agree that this is a racist country. We have made very significant progress on this issue but there remains more to do,” the spokesman told reporters.

“The PM is absolutely committed to continuing efforts to stamp out racism and discrimination.”

LONDON (Reuters) - Oil slipped on Monday after Saudi Arabia said an extension of output cuts by OPEC+ nations would not include extra voluntary cuts by a trio of Gulf producers.

Brent crude LCOc1 was down 14 cents, or 0.3%, at $42.16 per barrel, by 1210 GMT, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude CLc1 fell 41 cents, or 1%, to $39.14 a barrel.

LONDON (Reuters) - China’s Huawei Technologies has launched a British advertising blitz to highlight its role in building the country’s broadband and mobile networks ahead of a UK security review that could see further restrictions on its activities.

Vice President Victor Zhang said Huawei had been in Britain for 20 years, during which time it had helped build the 3G and 4G mobile networks, and was committed to continuing to develop the connectivity the country needs.

LONDON, June 8 (NNN-AGENCIES) — New rules requiring all people arriving in the UK to self-isolate for 14 days have come into effect.

Those arriving by plane, ferry or train – including UK nationals – will have to provide an address where they will self-isolate and face fines of up to £1,000 if they do not follow the rules.

Home Secretary Priti Patel said the laws were designed “to prevent a second wave” of coronavirus.

But some industries have warned they will be severely impacted by the rules.

LONDON (AP) — Thousands of people took to the streets of European cities Sunday to show their support for the Black Lives Matter movement, with protesters in the English port of Bristol venting their anger at the country’s colonial history by toppling a statue of a 17th-century slave trader.

Demonstrators attached ropes to the statue of Edward Colston before pulling it down to cheers and roars of approval from the crowd.

LONDON (Reuters) - The United States has evidence China is trying to slow down or sabotage the development of a COVID-19 vaccine by Western countries, Republican senator Rick Scott said on Sunday.

“We have got to get this vaccine done. Unfortunately we have evidence that communist China is trying to sabotage us or slow it down,” he said during an interview on BBC TV.

“China does not want us ... to do it first, they have decided to be an adversary to Americans and I think to democracy around the world.”

LONDON (Reuters) - Anti-racism protests attended by thousands of people in London and other major British cities “undoubtedly” risk causing an increase in the number of COVID-19 cases again, British health minister Matt Hancock said on Sunday.

Thousands of people attended protests on Saturday to voice their anger at police brutality after the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis, ignoring government advice to avoid large gatherings due to the risk from coronavirus.

LONDON (Reuters) - Fourteen police officers were injured in “shocking and completely unacceptable” assaults during anti-racism protests in central London on Saturday, London police chief Cressida Dick said on Sunday.

After a largely peaceful day, small numbers of protesters briefly clashed with mounted police on Saturday after thousands gathered to voice their anger at police brutality after the killing of George Floyd in Minneapolis.

LONDON (Reuters) - Britain’s failure to impose a nationwide lockdown to tackle the spread of the coronavirus sooner has cost many lives, one of the government’s scientific advisers said on Sunday.

Britain is one of the worst-hit countries in the world, with a death toll of more than 50,000 from COVID-19, according to a Reuters tally this week based on official sources.

LONDON, June 7 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Three opinion polls released in Britain showed support falling for Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s Conservative Party, as public confidence in the government’s handling of the coronavirus pandemic declines.

However, the figures are unlikely to be an immediate concern for Johnson, who does not need to hold an election until 2024 after winning a comfortable parliamentary majority in December.