CANBERRA, Australia – The government has ordered Australia’s biggest supermarket chain to pull down a Website that has been widely accused of commercializing Australia’s Veterans’ Day near its centenary. Woolworths, which brands itself as “The Fresh Food People,” briefly launched a Website “Fresh in Our Memories” late Tuesday to commemorate …
Read More »Brazil's Petrobras to release audited financial earnings next week
SAO PAULO – Brazil’s troubled state-owned oil company says it will reveal its estimate on how much it lost in a sweeping kickback scheme when it releases an audited report of its financial earnings from last year’s third and fourth quarters. A statement released by Petrobras late Thursday said the …
Read More »Customs officials find 700 weapons, 2.2 tons of ammunition in a house in Germany
BERLIN – Customs officials say they have found about 700 weapons and 2.2 tons of ammunition in a house in western Germany, hoarded by a man who sold arms without a valid license. The head of the customs investigation office in Essen reported on last month’s find at an annual …
Read More »Portuguese media express outrage at politicians' proposed new rules on election coverage
LISBON, Portugal – Portugal’s leading media companies are in uproar over proposals by political parties that would require journalists to submit their election coverage plans to a central committee for approval. The country’s three main parties are working on a new law that aims to ensure fairness and impartiality in …
Read More »Samsung Electronics reports 39 percent plunge in 1Q profit as mobile profit shrinks
SEOUL, South Korea – Samsung Electronics Co. says its first-quarter net income has plunged 39 percent over a year earlier. The company reported Wednesday that its January-March income was 4.63 trillion won ($4.35 billion), compared with 7.49 trillion won one year earlier. That is lower than analysts’ consensus of 4.97 …
Read More »Oldest complete copy of Ten Commandments on rare display in Israel exhibit of ancient finds
JERUSALEM – The world’s oldest complete copy of the Ten Commandments is on rare display at Israel’s national museum in an exhibit of objects from pivotal moments in civilization. The 2,000-year-old Dead Sea Scroll belongs to a collection of the world’s most ancient biblical manuscripts discovered near the Dead Sea. …
Read More »China blacklists 4 tourists for misbehaving, including woman who threw hot noodles on flight
BEIJING – Chinese authorities have blacklisted four people for misbehaving while traveling, as Beijing seeks to improve the image of its tourists who are visiting the world’s touristy spots in increasingly large numbers but also are earning a reputation for rudeness. China National Tourism Administration this week released a list …
Read More »Rival armed groups in Central African Republic sign agreement to lay down arms, end conflict
BANGUI, Central African Republic – The United Nations says rival armed groups in Central African Republic have signed a deal to lay down their arms and end a conflict that has killed thousands. The world body said Sunday that 10 armed groups have agreed to “formally disarm, renounce armed struggle …
Read More »Experts say EU plan to combat human traffickers is dangerous, costly and tough to implement
BRUSSELS – Experts say the European Union’s plan to disrupt the business of human traffickers and destroy their boats in the Mediterranean is a short-term, dissuasive measure that is likely to be dangerous, costly, and tough to implement. Faced with a rising death toll in the Mediterranean, the EU wants …
Read More »Plane from Venezuela carrying more than a ton of cocaine crashes off Colombia's coast
BOGOTA, Colombia – A small plane from Venezuela with more than a ton of cocaine on board has crashed into the Caribbean while being pursued by Colombia’s air force. Video released by the air force shows how fighter jets intercepted the Hawker 800 aircraft after it entered Colombia’s air space …
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