Latest United Kingdom government News

EU aspirant Moldova prepares to host major international summit

May. 31, 2023 11:12 AM EDT

CHISINAU, Moldova (AP) — European leaders started gathering in Moldova Wednesday on the eve of a sprawling summit aiming to show a united front in the face of Russia's war in Ukraine and underscore support for the Eastern European country’s ambitions to draw closer to the West and keep Moscow...

UK hails first post-Brexit trade deals with Australia, New Zealand, but impact likely small

May. 31, 2023 08:43 AM EDT

LONDON (AP) — The U.K. government hailed an era of cheaper Australian wine and New Zealand kiwi fruit as free-trade agreements with the two Southern Hemisphere nations took effect Wednesday. U.K. Business and Trade Secretary Kemi Badenoch said that the start of the first all-new...

UK government fights demand to hand over Boris Johnson's messages to COVID-19 inquiry

May. 30, 2023 15:18 PM EDT

LONDON (AP) — As Britain’s prime minister, Boris Johnson established an independent public inquiry into his government’s handling of the COVID-19 pandemic. Now the inquiry wants to see, in full, what Johnson wrote to other U.K. officials as the outbreak raged — but the...

Biden to host UK Prime Minister Sunak next week for talks on Ukraine, climate

May. 30, 2023 12:04 PM EDT

WASHINGTON (AP) — President Joe Biden will host British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak at the White House next week for talks on Ukraine, climate issues and more. Sunak is slated to visit Washington on June 7-8 and will also meet with U.S. lawmakers and business leaders in addition to...

Hong Kong court rejects publisher Jimmy Lai's bid to terminate his national security trial

May. 29, 2023 07:56 AM EDT

HONG KONG (AP) — A Hong Kong court on Monday rejected a jailed publisher’s request to terminate his national security trial, pressing ahead with a landmark case seen as part of Beijing's crackdown on the city's pro-democracy movement. Jimmy Lai, the 75-year-old founder of the...

Today in History: May 28, Dionne quintuplets are born

May. 28, 2023 00:01 AM EDT

Today in History Today is Sunday, May 28, the 148th day of 2023. There are 217 days left in the year. Today’s Highlight in History: On May 28, 1863, the 54th Massachusetts Volunteer Infantry Regiment, made up of freed Blacks, left Boston to fight...

Ukraine claims Russia is plotting 'a provocation' at nuclear plant, offers no evidence

May. 27, 2023 16:35 PM EDT

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Ukraine's military intelligence has claimed, without offering evidence, that Russia is plotting a “large-scale provocation” at a nuclear power plant it occupies in the southeast of the country with the aim of disrupting a looming Ukrainian counteroffensive. ...

UK police free man involved in Downing Street collision — then arrest him on unrelated charge

May. 27, 2023 08:12 AM EDT

LONDON (AP) — A man who was taken into custody after his car crashed into the gates of the British prime minister’s residence in central London was released in that case — but then immediately rearrested on charges of making indecent images of children, police said Saturday. ...

OpenAI boss downplays fears ChatGPT maker could leave Europe over AI rules

May. 26, 2023 11:37 AM EDT

LONDON (AP) — OpenAI CEO Sam Altman on Friday downplayed worries that the ChatGPT maker could exit the European Union if it can't comply with the bloc's strict new artificial intelligence rules, coming after a top official rebuked him for comments raising such a possibility. ...

Credit Suisse owes millions to Georgia's billionaire ex-prime minister, court says

May. 26, 2023 10:54 AM EDT

LONDON (AP) — Credit Suisse owes former Georgian Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili hundreds of millions of dollars for failing to protect the billionaire's money in a trust pilfered by a manager, a Singapore court ruled Friday, the latest scandal for the Swiss bank whose yearslong problems...