
Ballots closed in the race to become Britain's next prime minister on Monday, with the favorite Boris Johnson facing more defections by ministers over his Brexit plan. The country's new leader will take the reins this week and have just three months to attempt to resolve a three-year Brexit crisis that could damage economies on both sides of the Channel and determine the fate of generations of Britons.

Expectations of policy easing by major central banks such as the Federal Reserve propped up global stocks on Tuesday, while the pound sagged as Britain braced for a new prime minister who could pave the way for a no-deal exit from the European Union.

British finance minister Philip Hammond said on Sunday that he would resign if Boris Johnson became prime minister because he felt unable to support a leader happy to take the country out of the European Union without a deal.

The future head of the European Commission said she would be minded to grant Britain an extension to talks on its exit from the EU if London gave good grounds, adding that an orderly departure was important to launch future ties on a good footing.

Prime Minister Theresa May will urge her successor on Thursday to strengthen the bonds between England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, in a veiled criticism of those in her party who are widely thought to prefer Brexit to the union.

Brazil's Foreign Trade Secretary Marcos Troyjo says that Jair Bolsonaro's government was decisive in pulling off the free trade agreement between Mercosur and the European Union.

Prime minister Theresa May is to announce a review of UK government departments to make sure they work in the best interests of devolution. Mrs. May will make the announcement during a visit to Scotland this week in one of her final visits as prime minister.

Boris Johnson and Jeremy Hunt vowed to spend billions of pounds on public services, infrastructure and tax cuts on Sunday as the two men battling to become prime minister pitched themselves as the best candidate to take on the opposition Labour Party.

The EU's top leaders on Friday fired a Brexit warning to whoever wins the battle to become the next British prime minister, saying the existing divorce deal could not be changed.

Fervent Brexit campaigner Boris Johnson and foreign minister Jeremy Hunt emerged on Thursday as the only two candidates left in the race to become British prime minister, with the flamboyant Johnson odds-on favorite to win next month.