Conservative government

Britain's economy rebounded slightly in January, data showed Wednesday, sparking hope of an end to recession in a boost to embattled Prime Minister Rishi Sunak ahead of elections.

Gross domestic product grew 0.2 percent following a slight 0.1-percent decline in December according to a statement from the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

A last-minute amendment tabled by the Conservative government to extend postal voting rights to expatriates in national elections was rejected by the entire opposition.

Former conservative premier Antonis Samaras is expected to vote against an amendment included a government bill that allows migrants to obtain a three-year residency and work permit, Kathimerini understands.

Samaras "does not hide" when he disagrees on an issue and "it is self-evident" that he will not choose to be absent, but will reject the amendment, the same source said.

Alexis Tsipras, the former leader of SYRIZA, expressed his concern about the deep divisions within the leftist party following the election of Stefanos Kasselakis in a meeting with him on Wednesday, sources close to the former prime minister said.

As a wealth of British theater and opera maestros cross the Channel to perform at French festivals this summer, many are worried about the state of live arts back home.

The combined impact of Brexit, the COVID-19 pandemic, rising inflation and a Conservative government that sees live arts as a low priority have all taken their toll.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson said Tuesday he paid a fine from police for attending a lockdown-breaching birthday party in his official residence, making him the first British leader to be sanctioned for breaking the law while in office.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said Wednesday that laws requiring people in England with COVID-19 to self-isolate could be lifted by the end of the month, bringing an end to all domestic coronavirus restrictions.

A U.K. parliamentary committee on Dec. 1 criticized government plans to deter migrants and refugees from trying to reach Britain in small boats, saying the measures would endanger lives without stopping dangerous journeys across the English Channel like the one that killed 27 people last week.

British PM Boris Johnson is set to announce today how his government plans to control the coronavirus during the fall and winter, news wires reported. At a news conference he is expected to say that mask-wearing, work-from-home advice and social distancing rules that were lifted in July could return if cases climb.

Norway's left-wing opposition headed by Labour Party leader Jonas Gahr Store won Sept. 13's general election after a campaign dominated by questions about the future of the key oil industry in Western Europe's largest producer.

The left-wing unseated a center-right coalition headed by Conservative Prime Minister Erna Solberg since 2013.