
World Bank President, Jim Yong Kim has made the surprise announcement that he is stepping down after six years in the post. His resignation will take effect from 1 February. Mr Kim, 59, was not due to leave until 2022, after he was re-elected for a second five-year term in 2017.

Ryanair has won the dubious honor of the UK's least-liked short-haul airline for the sixth year running. The results from a Which survey of airline passengers ranked Ryanair at the bottom of 19 carriers flying from the UK. A Ryanair spokesperson said the airline's success was not reflected in the survey.

The head of Brazil's environmental protection agency has resigned following criticism from the country's newly inaugurated far-right President Jair Bolsonaro.

More than 200 MPs from different political parties have signed a letter to Prime Minister Theresa May, urging her to rule out a no-deal Brexit. The MPs - including both Leave and Remain supporters - have been invited to meet the prime minister on Tuesday.

Oil prices regained more ground on Wednesday, pushed higher after equity markets rebounded from an initial selloff at the start of 2019 trading. The price gains are not entirely convincing. WTI and Brent posted strong gains, each up more than 3 per cent by midday in New York, but come largely after U.S. equity markets shook off an earlier bout of pessimism.

United Kingdom Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies will, for the first time, be able to design and mint their own versions of the new 12-sided £1 coin. The iconic £1 coin has long been recognized around the world and Brits living in UK territories may soon be able to spend unique versions of the new pound, replacing the older coins currently in use, reports the UK Treasury in an official release.

The British Government is to use up to 150 trucks in a major test of its plans for UK border disruption in the event of a no-deal Brexit. A “live test” on Monday will examine the proposal to use Manston airfield near Ramsgate as a mass “HGV holding facility” to alleviate congestion on the roads to the Channel ports, the Department for Transport has confirmed.

The fast pace of Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro continued on Friday, with current central bank Governor Ilan Goldfajn telling newspaper Valor Economico that the new administration is likely to empower the central bank to approve the entrance of new foreign lenders into Brazil.

Brazil President Jair Bolsonaro on Friday called for minimum retirement ages significantly lower than those proposed by his predecessor, sparking concerns among investors that he will back watered-down pension reform legislation.

More than half of grassroots Conservative members want Theresa May’s Brexit deal to be ditched in favour of no deal, a survey has found. About 57% of the rank and file are convinced that leaving the EU without a deal is better than their own leader’s Brexit plan, according to a poll funded by the Economic and Social Research Council.