Britain

The Associate Press reports: British authorities are exploring the possibility of creating a new digital currency that Treasury chief Rishi Sunak [photo] touted as “Britcoin.” The Bank of England and the Treasury said Monday that they will work together to assess the benefits of a central bank digital currency, at a time when cash payments are generally on the decline, …

Reuters reports: People queued up outside retailers across England on Monday to release their pent-up shopping fever and some grabbed a midnight pint or even an early haircut as England’s shops, pubs, gyms and hairdressers reopened after three months of lockdown. After imposing the most onerous restrictions in Britain’s peacetime history, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said the reopening was a …

NBC News reports: Prince Philip, Queen Elizabeth II’s husband and the longest-serving consort of any British monarch, has died at age 99. Philip spent 65 years supporting the queen, retiring from his public role in 2017 and staying largely out of the view since. In his active years, he helped set a new course for the monarchy under a young …

The Associated Press reports: Crowds from Protestant and Catholic communities hurled bricks, fireworks and gasoline bombs at police and each other overnight in Belfast, as a week of street violence escalated. Police and politicians tried Thursday to calm the volatile situation in Northern Ireland, where Britain’s exit from the European Union has unsettled an uneasy political balance. The focus of …

The BBC reports: A council breached human rights when it banned adverts for an evangelical Christian event, a court has ruled. Blackpool Borough Council and Blackpool Transport Services removed bus adverts in 2018 for an event in the resort featuring preacher Franklin Graham. Judge Claire Evans said the move disregarded “the right to freedom of expression”. Despite protests and an …

The Verge reports: The Bank of England has revealed the design for the UK’s new £50 note featuring computer scientist and codebreaker Alan Turing. Turing was selected to appear on the note in July 2019 in recognition of his groundbreaking work in mathematics and computer science, as well as his role in cracking the Enigma code used by Germany in …

CNBC reports: Piers Morgan is leaving ITV’s “Good Morning Britain” morning show after facing backlash for comments he made about Meghan Markle on Monday. The news comes shortly after U.K. broadcasting regulator Ofcom said it was investigating Morgan after more than 41,000 people complained. “Following discussions with ITV, Piers Morgan has decided now is the time to leave Good Morning …

Reuters reports: A British chain of holiday parks was until recently using an “undesirable guest list” to stop people with Irish surnames from making bookings, an anti-discrimination watchdog said on Tuesday. The list used internally at Pontins and obtained by The I newspaper included surnames commonly found in Ireland and within the Irish diaspora in Britain, such as Doherty, Gallagher, …

The BBC reports: The Queen has urged the public to “think about other people” and get a Covid jab when they are offered one. The monarch, 94, and the Duke of Edinburgh, 99, received their first doses of the vaccine in January. In a video call with health leaders delivering the Covid vaccine across the UK, the Queen was asked …

The Associated Press reports: U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Monday was setting out a road map for lifting one of Europe’s strictest national lockdowns — but the millions of Britons eager for a haircut or an evening out still face a long wait. Johnson is expected to announce a plan to ease coronavirus restrictions in increments, starting by reopening …

The Hill reports: British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Friday lauded the work of President Biden in his first few weeks in the White House, remarking that America is back “as leader of the free world,” in helping to unite the West. “As you’ve seen and heard earlier, America is unreservedly back as the leader of the free world and …

The BBC reports: The Duke of Edinburgh was admitted to hospital on Tuesday evening “as a precautionary measure” after feeling unwell, Buckingham Palace has said. Prince Philip, 99, was taken to the King Edward VII Hospital in London, the statement added. A palace source told the BBC that he travelled by car to the hospital, where he was admitted as …

The New York Times reports: Beset by declining ratings, upheaval in its on-air ranks and a multibillion-dollar defamation suit related to its election coverage, Fox News is staggering out of the Trump era — blamed by many for seeding the poisonous political culture that brought a violent mob into the halls of the United States Capitol. Yet in Britain, where …

The New York Times reports: People flying into England from South Africa, Brazil and 31 other countries deemed by Britain to be hot spots for coronavirus variants will be required starting Monday to complete a 10-day quarantine in a government-sanctioned hotel, costing nearly $2,500 for a single adult. Scotland is requiring all international air passengers, no matter where from, to …

The Guardian reports: The US government has appealed a UK judge’s ruling against the extradition of the WikiLeaks co-founder Julian Assange, according to a Justice Department official. The appeal made clear that Joe Biden intends to have Assange stand trial on espionage- and hacking-related charges over WikiLeaks’ publication of hundreds of thousands of US military and diplomatic documents. The Justice …

The Washington Post reports: Britain, besieged by a more contagious coronavirus strain and alarmed by the potential of new and imported variants, is about to launch the toughest travel restrictions in Europe, including mandatory hotel quarantines and 10-year prison terms for those who lie on entry forms. The government has already has shut down almost all travel by international visitors …

ABC News reports: A British official says the country is not considering issuing so-called “immunity passports” for those who have been given the coronavirus vaccine but they could ask their doctor for written proof of their vaccine status if they need to travel. Vaccines Minister Nadhim Zahawi said Sunday that vaccine passports would be discriminatory and officials did not want …

The BBC reports: Captain Sir Tom Moore has died with coronavirus. The 100-year-old, who raised almost £33m for the NHS, was taken to Bedford Hospital after requiring help with his breathing on Sunday. His daughter Hannah Ingram-Moore said he had been treated for pneumonia over the past few weeks and last week tested positive for Covid-19. The Army veteran won …

The Sunday Times reports: The Queen will lead a post-Brexit charm offensive by hosting Joe Biden and other world leaders at Buckingham Palace before the G7 summit in Cornwall in June. She will be joined at the “soft power” reception in June by the Prince of Wales, the Duchess of Cornwall and the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge under plans …

The BBC reports: Captain Sir Tom Moore has been admitted to hospital with coronavirus, his daughter has said. The 100-year-old, who raised almost £33m for the NHS, was taken to Bedford Hospital after requiring help with his breathing, Hannah Ingram-Moore said on Twitter. She said he had been treated for pneumonia over the past few weeks and last week tested …