MOSCOW – Russia’s space agency expects the International Space Station to stay in orbit through 2024, and plans to create its own space outpost with its segment of the station after that. Roscosmos’ scientific council concluded Tuesday that several Russian modules could eventually be undocked to “perform the task of …
Read More »South Korean court strikes down adultery ban
SEOUL, South Korea – A South Korean court on Thursday abolished a 62-year-old law that criminalized extramarital affairs, and the stock price of a prominent condom maker immediately shot up 15 percent. The Constitutional Court’s ruling that the law suppressed personal freedoms could affect many of the more than 5,400 …
Read More »Afghan official says annual flooding in the north has killed 5, damaged 400 houses
KABUL, Afghanistan – An Afghan official says at least five people have died in heavy flooding in the northern province of Baghlan. Jawed Basharat, spokesman for the provincial police chief, says the flooding hit three different districts on Monday, including Puli Khamri, the provincial capital. He says none people were …
Read More »North Korea aid faces 'significant underfunding,' UN report says
Humanitarian aid for North Korea faces “significant underfunding” while more than half of the country’s population faces food insecurity, a new United Nations report said Wednesday. The report also said that U.S. sanctions forced some U.N. agencies to suspend programs and operations last year. U.N. humanitarian chief Valerie Amos tweeted …
Read More »Britain's Prince Harry plans weeklong visit to New Zealand in May, with stop at remote island
WELLINGTON, New Zealand – Britain’s Prince Harry is planning a weeklong visit to New Zealand next month that will include a stop on remote Stewart Island, population 378. New Zealand Prime Minister John Key on Monday announced the visit, which will be Harry’s first to the South Pacific nation. Harry …
Read More »Australia says refugees held in Nauru will be resettled soon in Cambodia under new agreement
CANBERRA, Australia – Refugees rejected by Australia will soon fly from the Pacific atoll of Nauru to be resettled in Cambodia, the Australian government said Thursday. Australian Broadcasting Corp. reported that a charter flight on Monday will fly the first refugees to be resettled in Phnom Penh under a bilateral …
Read More »Spanish company finds gas in Algerian region of infamous terrorist attack
MADRID, Spain – The Spanish oil company Repsol has announced new gas finds in southeastern Algeria in a region made infamous by a 2013 attack on a gas complex by al-Qaida-linked militants. Repsol’s consortium, which included Enel, GDF-Suez and a 51 percent stake for Algerian state oil company Sonatrach, found …
Read More »Puerto Rico development bank warns of imminent government shutdown amid fiscal problems
SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – Puerto Rico’s Government Development Bank says it is very likely the U.S. territory’s government could be forced to shut down in the next three months due to a lack of funds. The bank issued the warning in a letter sent Tuesday to Gov. Alejandro Garcia …
Read More »3 young women jailed in Russia for twerking next to monument
Three young women in Russia were sentenced to jail Saturday for making a video showing them twerking next to a memorial. Russia celebrates the 70th anniversary of the Allies’ victory in the World War II next month, an emotionally charged holiday the Kremlin has been using for propaganda purposes. The …
Read More »Brazil executives linked to Petrobras case freed from prison, remain under house arrest
RIO DE JANEIRO – Top executives from several big Brazilian construction and engineering firms have been released from prison but will remain under house arrest for their alleged role in a massive kickback scheme at state-run oil company Petrobras. The chief executive officer of the UTC Engenharia firm and the …
Read More »