United Kingdom

LONDON, Jan 15 (NNN-Xinhua) — Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon hit back at British Prime Minister Boris Johnson after he rejected paving the way for a new independence referendum for Scotland.

Prime Minister Johnson has written to the Scottish National Party l(SNP) leader saying that she and her predecessor Alex Salmond had made a personal promise that the first referendum in 2014 would be a once-in-a-generation vote.

Scottish voters backed remaining as part of the UK by 55 to 45 in the 2014 referendum.

London, Jan 14 (AFP/PTI) British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Tuesday rejected a request by Scotland's devolved government for powers to hold another referendum on independence.

In a letter to First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, the leader of the Scottish National Party, Johnson noted that a previous referendum held in 2014 had been billed as a "once in a generation" vote.

Scots voted then by 55 percent to 45 percent against breaking away from the rest of the United Kingdom, and Johnson said Edinburgh had agreed to abide by that decision.

LONDON, Jan 14 (NNN-AGENCIES) – British Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, said during a visit to Belfast, Northern Ireland, that, he hopes and is “confident” to secure a zero-tariff, zero-quota agreement with the European Union (EU).

Addressing concerns over possible checks on goods crossing the Irish Sea after Brexit, Johnson told reporters that, “I cannot see any circumstances whatever, in which there would be any need for checks on goods going from Northern Ireland to GB (Great Britain).”

LONDON, Jan. 13 (Xinhua) -- British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said Monday during a visit to Belfast, Northern Ireland that he hopes and is "confident" to secure a zero-tariff, zero-quota agreement with the European Union (EU).

Addressing concerns over possible checks on goods crossing the Irish Sea after Brexit, Johnson told reporters that "I cannot see any circumstances whatever in which there would be any need for checks on goods going from Northern Ireland to GB (Great Britain)."

LONDON, Jan 13 (NNN-ANADOLU) — The leaders of France, Germany and the UK on Sunday jointly called on Iran to return to full compliance with its 2015 nuclear deal with world powers and to refrain from further violence, reported Anadolu Agency.

In a statement issued by the office of French President Emmanuel Macron, they also said they “remain committed” to the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). 

“We urge Iran to reverse all measures inconsistent with the agreement and to return to full compliance,” they said.

LONDON, Jan. 12 (Xinhua) -- Britain and Germany on Sunday reaffirmed their commitment to upholding the Iran nuclear deal despite pressure from the United States.

A Downing Street spokesperson said British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and German Chancellor Angela Merkel discussed via phone "shared interests in ensuring Iran never acquires a nuclear weapon, and reaffirmed their continued commitment to preserving the JCPoA (Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action)," the spokesperson said in a press release.

LONDON (Reuters) - Irish foreign minister Simon Coveney said on Sunday the European Union would not be rushed in negotiations with Britain to thrash out their post-Brexit relationship.

“The European Union will approach this on the basis of getting the best deal possible - a fair and balanced deal to ensure that the UK and the EU can interact as friends in the future - but the EU will not be rushed on this,” he told the BBC.

LONDON, Jan 10 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Britain’s parliament finally approved Brexit on Thursday, allowing it to become the first country to leave the European Union later this month, ending years of arguments that toppled two governments and splintered society.

The House of Commons erupted in cheers after MPs ratified Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s divorce deal with Brussels by 330 votes to 231, turning the page on an extraordinary era of political drama and chaos.

LONDON (Reuters) - Oil slipped towards $65 a barrel on Friday as the threat of war in the Middle East receded and investors focused on rising U.S. inventories and other signs of ample supply.

Crude is now below where it was before a U.S. drone strike killed Iranian general Qassem Soleimani on Jan. 3. Iran responded with a missile attack on Iraqi air bases hosting U.S. forces this week that left no casualties.

“Immediate escalation has been avoided,” said Olivier Jakob, oil analyst at Petromatrix. “There has been some de-escalation, but the return of risk is still there.”

LONDON, Jan. 9 (Xinhua) -- Britain was on course Thursday to finally end its membership of the European Union (EU) in just three weeks time.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson's fast-track race to "get Brexit done" cleared its final hurdle in the House of Commons when his European Union Withdrawal Bill cleared its final hurdle by a vote of 330 to 231.

The bill will now be debated in the House of Lords next week, but given its clear run in the Commons, it is not expected to face any tough opposition, and is almost certain to win Royal Assent from Queen Elizabeth within days.