United Kingdom

LONDON (Reuters) - Exports and imports from Britain to the European Union plunged during the first month of the country’s new trade relationship with the bloc, according to data published on Friday with some heavy caveats.

Exports of goods to the EU, excluding non-monetary gold and other precious metals, slumped by 40.7% in January, the Office for National Statistics said. Imports fell by 28.8%

The ONS had previously warned that the hit to trade from the COVID-19 pandemic would make it difficult to identify a Brexit impact from new customs arrangements in January’s data.

LONDON (AP) — Prince William insisted Thursday that his family is not racist as he became the first British royal to speak out about accusations of bigotry made by Prince Harry and Meghan, his brother and sister-in-law.

William made the comments in response to questions shouted at him by reporters during a visit to an East London school. While members of the royal family often ignore such queries, William used the opportunity to address the explosive allegations that have rocked the monarchy.

LONDON (AP) — The head of a major British press organization has resigned over his response to Meghan and Harry’s television interview — the second senior U.K. media figure to leave amid a heated debate over the royal couple’s allegations of racism and bias.

Ian Murray said he was stepping down as executive director of the Society of Editors after issuing a statement that many felt downplayed the problem of racism in the media. —

LONDON, March 10 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The UK has promised to return to Nigeria £4.2m which was stolen by a former governor.

Former Delta State Governor James Ibori was convicted of money laundering in the UK in 2012.

Prosecutors say he stole an estimated £117m from the oil-rich state.

This is the first time that money recovered from criminals will be returned to Nigeria since an agreement was signed in 2016, the UK authorities say.

LONDON (Reuters) - Oil prices were steady on Wednesday, supported by an OECD forecast for the global economic recovery and by OPEC+ output curbs, but held in check by rising U.S. inventories.

Brent crude fell 2 cents, or less than 0.1%, to $67.50 a barrel by 0943 GMT.

U.S. West Texas Intermediate crude rose 11 cents, or 0.2%, at $64.12 a barrel.

LONDON (AP) — Buckingham Palace said Tuesday that allegations of racism made earlier this week by Prince Harry and Meghan were “concerning” and would be addressed privately by the royal family.

The comments, made in a statement issued on behalf Queen Elizabeth II, are the first from the palace since the two-hour television interview with Meghan and Harry rocked the royal family.

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.