UK

Britain should not engage in free trade with countries that abuse human rights, but proposals that the country's courts should decide whether genocide has been committed by trade partners is flawed, foreign minister Dominic Raab said.

French drugmaker Valneva hopes its COVID-19 vaccine can start to be used in Britain between July and September, the company's chief executive was quoted as saying.

Billionaire Richard Branson's Virgin Orbit aims to reach space for the first time on Sunday by launching a rocket from mid-air, a key attempt after aborting the rocket's first test launch last year.

Rock producer Phil Spector, who changed the sound of pop music in the 1960s with his "Wall of Sound" recordings and was convicted of murder for the 2003 murder of a Hollywood actress, has died at age 81 of COVID-19, according to authorities and media reports.

Britain announced plans to hold the first in-person meeting of the G7 for nearly two years in June, inviting the leaders of major developed economies to a picturesque seaside village to discuss rebuilding from the pandemic and climate change.

British finance minister Rishi Sunak has proposed giving a one-off 500 pound ($679) grant to recipients of the country's main unemployment and wage support benefit instead of extending a temporary increase on the welfare payments, The Times reported on Saturday.

Britain's government said on Saturday it would give financial aid to airports before the end of March, after the industry called for urgent support as tighter COVID-19 rules for international travellers start on Monday.

Scottish fishermen have increasingly turned to fish auctions in Denmark in the first two weeks of the year to avoid having their deliveries to the European Union blocked by post-Brexit red tape.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Friday the government hoped to complete the vaccination programme for care home residents and workers by the end of month, acknowledging problems with infection rates in such settings.