
The British government will remain committed to funding peace and reconciliation in Northern Ireland regardless of Brexit, the prime minister has said. Theresa May made the pledge in a letter to reassure the DUP. It comes amidst strains in the relationship over the border backstop.

Spanish-owned bank Santander is slashing its branch network by almost a fifth, putting 1,270 jobs at risk. The bank blamed the closures on changes in how customers are choosing to carry out their banking. It said branch transactions have fallen 23% in the last three years, while digital transactions have soared 99%.

Senior Barclays bankers paid Qatar £322m in secret fees during the financial crisis in return for bailout funds, a court heard on Wednesday. The case against four former executives has been filed by the UK's Serious Fraud Office over Barclays' £11.8bn rescue.

Brexit is driving a much heralded jobs boom and expansion in the financial services industry – in Luxembourg. According to lobby group Luxembourg for Finance, 47 banks, insurers, wealth managers and investment firms have plans to move some business activities to the Grand Duchy in order to cope with potential disruption from Britain’s impending departure from the European Union.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon and Prime Minister Theresa May have met for talks in London after clashing over a second Scottish independence vote. The Downing Street summit was part of what Mrs. May called an “enhanced role” for the Scottish government in Brexit.

Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon is heading to London for Brexit talks with Prime Minister Theresa May. Mrs. May is attempting to build support for her withdrawal plan and is holding talks with opposition parties and the Scottish and Welsh governments.

The International Monetary Fund has warned that escalating trade tensions could undermine global economic growth. In a new report on the world economic outlook, the IMF also warns of risks from a no-deal Brexit. For the world economy, the IMF is now predicting growth of 3.5% in 2019. In October, it forecast 3.7%.

The European Council President Donald Tusk told David Cameron to “get real” over his “stupid referendum” before the 2016 Brexit vote, a BBC documentary reveals. Mr Tusk tells the three-part show that he warned the then prime minister there was no “appetite for revolution in Europe” and he “could lose everything”.

Seventeen innovative new projects will receive UK Government funding through the Darwin Plus initiative, to help protect and enhance the environment in the UK Overseas Territories. The seventh round of funding under the initiative, worth around £3.75m, will be shared amongst 17 projects around the globe. The funding will support international nature and help to achieve many of the commitments in the UK Government’s 25 Year Environment Plan.

Events across the UK will celebrate the 50 years of dedication of submariners on the longest operation ever carried out by British armed forces. No mission has been longer – or more important – than the nuclear deterrent patrols performed around the clock by the Royal Navy over the past half-century.