United Kingdom

LONDON (Reuters) - Oil prices fell on Thursday as Democrat Joe Biden edged closer to the White House in a nail-biting U.S. presidential election, though doubts remain over further huge stimulus to bolster the ecomony in the face of the coronavirus crisis.

Brent crude fell 17 cents, or 0.4%, to $41.06 a barrel by 1135 GMT and U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude was down 28 cents, or 0.7%, at $38.87. Both contracts had jumped about 4% on Wednesday.

LONDON (Reuters) - The Bank of England increased its already huge bond-buying stimulus by a larger-than-expected 150 billion pounds ($195 billion) as it braced for more economic damage from new coronavirus lockdowns and damage from Brexit, too.

On the day England began a four-week lockdown to curb a second wave of COVID-19, which is killing as many Britons each day as in May, the BoE said it was still looking into the pros and cons of taking interest rates negative, but gave no update on the process.

LONDON, Nov. 4 (Xinhua) -- Britain and the European Union (EU) admitted on Wednesday that wide divergences remain on some difficult issues as they concluded two weeks of intensive negotiations on post-Brexit relationship.

"Progress made, but I agree with @MichelBarnier that wide divergences remain on some core issues. We continue to work to find solutions that fully respect UK sovereignty," Britain's chief negotiator David Frost wrote on Twitter.

LONDON, Nov. 4 (Xinhua) -- British lawmakers on Wednesday voted in favor of the government's a month-long lockdown for England by 516 votes to 38, a majority of 478.

The vote outcome paved the way for the new measures, announced by British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Saturday in a bid to quell the surging coronavirus infections.

The approval came as scientists warned the British National Health Service (NHS) would be overwhelmed with thousands more deaths unless action is taken.

LONDON (Reuters) - Facebook Inc FB.O and Twitter Inc TWTR.N flagged some of President Donald Trump's posts on the U.S. election as votes were still being counted, in a real-time test of their rules on handling misinformation and premature claims of victory.

The two companies have been under fierce scrutiny over how they police rapidly spreading false information and election-related abuses of their platforms. In the weeks before Tuesday’s vote, both vowed action on posts by candidates trying to declare early victory.

LONDON (Reuters) - Britain looks on course to enter a double-dip recession this winter, as business surveys show economic growth almost halted last month even before the latest England-wide lockdown was announced, financial data company IHS Markit said.

The IHS Markit/CIPS services Purchasing Managers’ Index (PMI) fell to a four-month low of 51.4 in October from 56.1 in September, closer to the 50 mark that represents zero growth than an initial reading of 52.3.

LONDON (AP) — A half-million people in the English city of Liverpool will be regularly tested for COVID-19 in Britain’s first citywide trial of widespread, rapid testing that the government hopes will be a new weapon in combating the pandemic.

Testing will begin later this week at sites throughout the city using a variety of technologies, including new methods that can provide results in an hour or less, the government said in a statement Tuesday. Everyone who lives or works in the city in northwestern England will be offered the test, regardless of whether they have symptoms.

LONDON (Reuters) - Oil prices extended their rally on U.S. election day with a 3% gain as financial markets staged a broad recovery, but concerns over surging coronavirus cases around the world capped further gains.

Brent crude futures rose $1.13, or 2.9% to $40.10 a barrel at 1138 GMT on Tuesday, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude futures were up $1.13, or 3.1%, to $37.94 a barrel. Both benchmarks gained nearly 3% on Monday.

LONDON, Nov. 2 (Xinhua) -- British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Monday defended his decision to impose a new lockdown on England, the second of its kind since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in the country, saying that Britain could face a "medical and moral disaster" if nothing changes.

In a statement to the House of Commons (lower house of parliament), Johnson said there was "no alternative" but to impose national restrictions in the face of the grave situation.

LONDON (Reuters) - Britain and the United states are confident that ongoing trade talks are heading towards a comprehensive agreement, the British trade ministry said on Monday.

The two sides have now finished their fifth round of talks aimed at securing a trade deal which in Britain is seen as one of the big prizes on offer after the country left the European Union in January and began negotiating its own bilateral deals.