On the eve of more divisive votes in Parliament over Brexit, the British government on Wednesday downplayed a report that it plans to offer lawmakers a choice between backing Prime Minister Theresa May's unpopular divorce deal and a delay to the U.K.'s exit from the European Union.

With Brexit less than eight weeks away, it's becoming clear that the British economy is stalling as firms struggle with the uncertainty over what will happen. Hot on the heels of the news that carmaker Nissan is scrapping plans to build a new SUV in its plant in northeast England, a survey on Tuesday showed that the British economy as a whole is almost flat lining.

The U.K.'s COVID-19 vaccination program is beginning to break the link between infection and serious illness or death, according to the latest results from an ongoing study of the pandemic in England.