International

• Thursday, August 9th 2018 - 12:50 UTC

  Ex Chilean president Bachelet chosen as next UN human rights chief

  

  U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has chosen former Chilean President Michelle Bachelet to be the world body’s new human rights chief, the United Nations said on Wednesday. The 193-member U.N. General Assembly is due to meet on Friday to approve Bachelet’s appointment.

• Thursday, August 9th 2018 - 12:08 UTC

  Allies commemorate the centenary of the Battle of Amiens in France

  

  Members of the Armed Forces have led the UK and its allies in commemorating the centenary of the Battle of Amiens at an event in France on Wednesday. The Battle of Amiens was a major engagement in the First World War.

• Thursday, August 9th 2018 - 07:46 UTC

  Scotland challenges Mrs. May to set out a “Plan B” for Brexit

  

  Prime Minister Theresa May has been challenged to set out a “plan B” for Brexit during talks with Scottish First Minister Nicola Sturgeon in Edinburgh. Mrs. May was in Scotland to mark the signing of a “city deal” investment package for the south east region.

• Thursday, August 9th 2018 - 07:02 UTC

  Argentina expecting a bumper 2018/19 wheat crop of some 20m tons

  

  Argentine farmers are finishing this year's wheat sowing, helped by moist soils and cold weather that is prolonging the vegetative stage of crops, raising hopes of high yields and a record harvest, growers and analysts said on Wednesday. Cold Southern Hemisphere winter weather allows seedlings to grow more sprigs per plant. Harvesting starts in November.

• Thursday, August 9th 2018 - 06:55 UTC

  UK law enforcement agencies express concern over a “no-deal Brexit”

  

  A no-deal Brexit poses a risk to the public because the UK would lose access to EU-wide security powers and databases, police leaders have warned. Police and crime commissioners say law enforcement agencies “face a significant loss of operational capacity” if the arrangements stop.

• Thursday, August 9th 2018 - 06:38 UTC

  Pound falls below US$ 1.29 for the first time in almost a year

  

  The pound has fallen below US$1.29 for the first time in almost a year on continuing worries Britain will leave the EU without a trade deal. Sterling also hit a nine-month low against the euro, and was down against the yen and Swiss franc.

• Wednesday, August 8th 2018 - 10:08 UTC

  EU’s Blocking Statute enters in force to protect EU companies doing business with Iran

  

  European foreign affairs chiefs have pledged to protect firms against the impact of US sanctions for doing business with Iran. An EU “blocking statute” took effect on Tuesday to nullify US legal action against European firms in connection with Iran.

• Wednesday, August 8th 2018 - 09:50 UTC

  UK farmers call to make food security a priority for a post Brexit scenario

  

  British farmers have called on the government to make food security a top priority on the day the country’s cupboards would run bare if households relied only on British produce. A long-term decline in self-sufficiency that has stagnated at around 60% in recent years means around three quarters of the shortfall is imported from the rest of the European Union.

• Wednesday, August 8th 2018 - 09:41 UTC

  UK “bottom of the league” when improving life expectancy

  

  The UK has fallen to the “bottom of the league” when it comes to improving life expectancy, it has been warned. The country experienced one of the biggest slowdowns in increased life expectancy between 2011 and 2016, according to new analysis by the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

• Wednesday, August 8th 2018 - 07:44 UTC

  Trump warns “anybody doing business with Iran will NOT be doing business with the United States”

  

  President Donald Trump has issued a strong warning to anyone trading with Iran, following his re-imposition of sanctions on the country. “Anyone doing business with Iran will NOT be doing business with the United States,” the president tweeted.