Politics

• Friday, October 16th 2020 - 09:20 UTC

  Switzerland bans the export of five toxic chemicals, including paraquat

  

  Starting from next year, Switzerland will not allow the export of five hazardous plant protection products already banned in the European country. The Swiss government approved the amendment to the law on chemical substances this week as part of measures to reduce risks associated with toxic chemicals. It added that the move is intended to help protect health and the environment in importing countries, particularly in the developing world.

• Friday, October 16th 2020 - 09:01 UTC

  Critical Friday for post-Brexit talks: EU insists Johnson must make concessions

  

  The negotiations between Britain and the European Union over their future relationship are lurching toward a crisis after European Union leaders told Boris Johnson he must make concessions only hours before the prime minister is due to decide whether to walk away.

• Friday, October 16th 2020 - 07:22 UTC

  Queen Elizabeth II in her first major engagement since UK's coronavirus lockdown

  

  Queen Elizabeth II carried out her first major engagement since the United Kingdom's coronavirus lockdown began in March, visiting the Porton Down military research facility on Thursday. The lab in south-west England was involved in dealing with the 2018 Novichok nerve agent attack on a Russian ex-spy in the nearby city of Salisbury.

• Friday, October 16th 2020 - 06:07 UTC

  New Zealand Ardern ready to step down if she loses Saturday general election

  

  New Zealand Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern said on Thursday that she will step down as leader of the center-left Labour Party if opinion polls prove to be wrong and she loses Saturday's general election.

• Thursday, October 15th 2020 - 09:58 UTC

  Argentina is in deep recession and needs a credible roadmap, IMF chief

  

  “Argentina faces very dramatic challenges, the country is in deep recession and social conditions are worsening”, was the response of IMF chief Kristalina Georgieva when asked about the difficult challenges faced by Argentina and if the current government has the political will and consensus to move forward with a plan to restore confidence.

• Thursday, October 15th 2020 - 09:34 UTC

  Macron orders night curfew for Paris and eight other cities, a third of French population

  

  President Emmanuel Macron on Wednesday ordered a nighttime curfew for Paris and eight other French cities to contain the spread of COVID-19 after daily new infection rates reached alarming record levels.

• Thursday, October 15th 2020 - 09:30 UTC

  Support for Scottish independence rises to record high, 58%

  

  Support for Scottish independence from the United Kingdom has risen to a record high of 58%, an Ipsos Mori poll released on Wednesday suggested. The poll of 1,045 adults aged over 16 across Scotland, conducted from Oct 2 to 9, saw only 42% back staying in the union once undecided voters were stripped out.

• Thursday, October 15th 2020 - 09:22 UTC

  Johnson waiting for the EU summit before taking any decision on post-Brexit talks

  

  Britain's Prime Minister Boris Johnson declared himself disappointed in the progress of post-Brexit trade talks on Wednesday, but he will wait for news from an EU summit before deciding whether to pull the plug.

• Thursday, October 15th 2020 - 08:58 UTC

  Germany pledges half billion Euros to aid Holocaust survivors, exposed to Covid-19

  

  Germany has agreed to provide more than a half-billion Euros to aid Holocaust survivors struggling under the burdens of the coronavirus pandemic, the organization that negotiates compensation with the German government said on Wednesday.

• Thursday, October 15th 2020 - 08:38 UTC

  Rape and sexual abuse of altar boys who serve Mass in St Peter's Basilica

  

  A Vatican court heard graphic descriptions of sexual abuse on Wednesday as two priests went on trial, one charged with repeatedly raping an altar boy in a youth seminary and the other of covering up the attacks.