NATIONAL

Monday's video conference with European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen and European Council chief Charles Michel will review progress in the talks.

Local council leaders said they would take down the life-sized statue in the English south coast town of Poole to 'minimise the risk of any public disorder'.

Protesters sat with raised fists for nearly nine minutes in tribute to George Floyd, who died in police custody in Minnesota on May 25.

The action won some support, including from the city's mayor.

The UK government also intends to reopen all stores on June 15.

The demonstration is the latest in London since Floyd, an African-American, died last week after a police officer in Minneapolis knelt on his neck.

Ireland is currently the only country with an exemption, and business leaders and airlines have condemned the blanket approach.

The letter addressed to Boris Johnson was signed by Malcolm Rifkind, Margaret Beckett, William Hague, Jeremy Hunt, David Miliband, David Owen and Jack Straw.

From Monday, the government will partially reopen schools in England and allow up to six people from different households to meet outside.

Johnson's attempts to navigate Britain through a health disaster are being complicated by the cross-country travels of his top aide Dominic Cummings.

The British government has so far rejected calls to sack Cummings over allegations he broke coronavirus lockdown rules.

Cummings left his London home shortly after he was diagnosed with the virus on March 30.

The partial lifting of restrictions comes despite concern over Britain's death toll from the virus -- the second highest in the world.

Queen Elizabeth II's second son and Sarah, bought the plush holiday home in the Verbier ski resort in southwest Switzerland in 2014.

Britain is banking on contact tracing, including via a smartphone app, to monitor transmission rates to prevent a second wave of infection.

Dominic Raab, the foreign secretary told the BBC on Sunday that his return would be a "boost for the government and a boost for the country".

The NHS staff in Britain comprises an international mix of Spanish nationals, people from Germany, Italy, Portugal, Philippines and India along with Britons.

Parvin, who has been designing clothing for the royal family since 2007, joins other British designers in making PPE essentials for coronavirus relief.

Sunday saw Queen Elizabeth II made a rare televised national address to thank healthcare workers on the frontline of the fight against the virus.

UK ministers have been put on the back foot as criticism over the lack of testing grows.

The British Horseracing Authority announced on Tuesday the sport would be suspended until the end of April.

Any early release would be subject to a risk assessment from the Parole Board.

McArthur said that 22 percent of Britain's online gamblers using credit cards are "problem gamblers."

Top of Johnson's to-do list is a bill to ratify the terms of Britain's exit from the European Union.

Johnson had promised to forge a Canada-style free trade agreement with the EU.

The first indication of the overall result will come in an exit poll at 2200 GMT

Johnson's Brexit deal includes plans for a transition phase until December 31, 2020

Johnson has held a double-digit lead over Labour in opinion polls for weeks.

Labour has promised to negotiate a softer Brexit deal with the EU and then hold a second referendum