International

• Tuesday, September 29th 2020 - 08:17 UTC

  Playing football can improve mental health: new research

  

  By Mark Llewellyn, Alecia Cousins, and Philip Tyson (*) – Playing football is a good way to get physically fit. But our new study shows that a regular kickabout can also lead to improved mental health, social confidence, and a sense of purpose.

• Monday, September 28th 2020 - 09:20 UTC

  Coronavirus global death toll passed one million on Saturday

  

  The global death toll from the novel coronavirus, which emerged less than a year ago in China and has swept across the world, passed 1 million on Sunday. The pandemic has ravaged the global economy, inflamed geopolitical tensions, and upended lives, from Indian slums and Brazil's jungles to America's biggest city New York.

• Monday, September 28th 2020 - 09:05 UTC

  OPEC is sixty, and feels old, exhausted and in need of more partners

  

  OPEC faces a critical moment in its 60-year history with the coronavirus crushing crude demand and prices, discord among its members, and threats from a world seeking cleaner fuels.

• Monday, September 28th 2020 - 09:00 UTC

  Islands Games in Guernsey postponed because of coronavirus

  

  Next year's Island Games in Guernsey have been postponed because of coronavirus, the International Island Games Association has confirmed. The event, which was due to be held between 3-9 July 2021, has not been canceled altogether but a decision is yet to be made on when it will now take place.

• Monday, September 28th 2020 - 08:30 UTC

  Libya's Hariga port resumes loading export oil after an eight month blockade

  

  An oil tanker is expected to load crude at Libya's Marsa el-Hariga terminal this week, the first since a blockade by eastern forces in January slashed the OPEC member's oil production to a trickle.

• Monday, September 28th 2020 - 08:00 UTC

  British government pledges stockpiles of protective items for health workers

  

  The British government said it would have large stockpiles in place to provide a continuous flow of protective items, such as masks, to health workers tackling the COVID-19 pandemic, after criticism earlier in the year that supplies were too low.

• Saturday, September 26th 2020 - 08:26 UTC

  Referendum in New Zealand to legalize recreational marihuana

  

  A referendum next month on legalizing recreational cannabis has divided opinion in New Zealand with ruling party politicians staying clear of the contentious issue ahead of a general election they are likely to win.

• Saturday, September 26th 2020 - 08:25 UTC

  Sacked cardinal proclaims innocence and begs the Pope to be allowed to defend himself

  

  One of the Vatican's most influential cardinals proclaimed his innocence on Friday after being pushed out by Pope Francis following news reports of the prelate allegedly directing church funds to family members.

• Saturday, September 26th 2020 - 08:24 UTC

  Bottled water king Zhong, the richest man in China ahead of Ma's Alibaba

  

  A businessman who spun his wealth from bottled water and vaccines has usurped tech tycoon Jack Ma as China's richest man, the Bloomberg Billionaires Index showed this week.

• Saturday, September 26th 2020 - 08:22 UTC

  Pope wants Covid-19 vaccine preferential treatment for the poor and weakest

  

  The poor and weakest members of society should get preferential treatment when a vaccine for the coronavirus is ready, Pope Francis told the United Nations on Friday. Speaking from the Vatican in a video address to the UN General Assembly, Francis said the worldwide pandemic had highlighted the urgent need to promote public health and ensure access to vaccines.