International

Saturday, December 28th 2019 - 09:36 UTC
Fires in Australia threaten the water infrastructure that supplies Sydney

Australian authorities said on Friday that they are focused on protecting water plants, pumping stations, pipes and other infrastructure from intense bushfires surrounding Sydney, the country's largest city. Firefighters battling the blazes for weeks received a reprieve of slightly cooler, damper conditions over Christmas, but the respite is not expected to last long.
Saturday, December 28th 2019 - 09:32 UTC
Defrocked US cardinal paid for silence from Vatican officials, Washington Post reports

A US cardinal gave hundreds of thousands of dollars to powerful Catholic clerics including two popes while facing accusations of sexual harassment, The Washington Post reported on Friday.
Saturday, December 28th 2019 - 09:22 UTC
French transport strike enters fourth week with unions pledging to press on

The head of a hard-line French trade union on Friday vowed to press on with a crippling strike that has cast a shadow over Christmas celebrations, with the stoppages entering a fourth week and becoming the longest-lasting such action since the 1980s.
Friday, December 27th 2019 - 09:54 UTC
Mexico/Bolivia spat over embassy security ring: both sides willing to take the case to The Hague

Mexico's government said on Thursday it was appealing to the International Court of Justice to ensure its diplomatic facilities were respected in Bolivia following its decision to grant asylum to nine people there.
Friday, December 27th 2019 - 09:35 UTC
Top EU official writes a “love letter” to Britain, stressing “you will always be welcome to come back”

A top Brussels official has written a “love letter” to Britain expressing his grief at its decision to leave the European Union - and stressing it was always welcome back.
Friday, December 27th 2019 - 09:30 UTC
Scottish salmon producer defends his brand by going after the illegal food trade with forensic science

A high-end Scottish salmon producer is taking on the illegal food fraud trade with forensic science, ahead of a big push into the United States. Loch Duart has used the technology to launch sting operations on outlets suspected of selling inferior fish, falsely bearing the company's brand.
Friday, December 27th 2019 - 09:20 UTC
World's largest river cruise vessel to be launched in 2020 on the Yangtze River

The world's largest river cruise ship will launch spring of 2020 on China's Yangtze River, according to its maker Victoria Cruise Lines. The ship, named Victoria Sabrina, is operated by the New York-based Victoria Cruises and was created in conjunction with nine research and design firms, according to Victoria Cruises.
Friday, December 27th 2019 - 09:15 UTC
US stock markets at record highs on gains by tech giants

The tech-rich Nasdaq finished above 9,000 for the first time on Thursday, powering to its 10th straight record on gains by Amazon and other tech giants. The Nasdaq surged 69.51 points (0.78 percent) to finish the post-holiday session at 9,022.39.
Friday, December 27th 2019 - 09:10 UTC
Kylie Minogue invites Brits “to turn off the news and kick off your shoes” and come to Australia

Australian popstar Kylie Minogue has invited weary Britons to forget politics and “call on your friends in Australia” in a tourism campaign launched in Britain on Christmas Day.
Friday, December 27th 2019 - 09:10 UTC
Boat people with 71 illegal immigrants intercepted in the English Channel

Seventy-one migrants were intercepted on several boats in the English Channel overnight, with some needing hospitalization for hypothermia, French and British authorities said on Thursday.