London, United Kingdom | AFP | Energy giant Royal Dutch Shell on Thursday said its net profit edged higher to $6 billion in the first quarter, with gains capped by cooler oil prices and a dip in production. Profit after tax climbed two percent compared with the first three months …
Read More »Pop superstar Adele splits from husband
London, United Kingdom | AFP | Global superstar Adele, one of the world’s top recording artists, has split from her husband, UK media reported Saturday, citing the British singer’s representatives. Pop diva Adele, 30, married charity entrepreneur Simon Konecki in 2016 after five years together. They have a son, Angelo, …
Read More »Britain’s shame, and still not sorry: The 1919 Amritsar massacre
Amritsar, India | AFP | The Amritsar massacre, 100 years ago this Saturday in which British troops opened fire on thousands of unarmed protestors, remains one of the darkest hours of British colonial rule in India. Known in India as the Jallianwala Bagh massacre, it is still an emotive subject …
Read More »Assange: a decade of stunning leaks of US secrets
Washington, United States | AFP | The US government has regarded WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange as a dangerous national security threat ever since he and his organization opened a decade-long effort to expose US secrets — from military files to embarrassing Democratic Party emails during the 2016 election. But Assange’s …
Read More »TV lets it all hang out in naked attack on bad body image
Cannes, France | AFP | Reality television shows like “Big Brother” and “Love Island” have been blamed for helping create the Instagram aesthetic of perfect, bronzed hairless bodies. But a new show is trying to repair the damage unrealistic standards are doing to people’s body image. “Naked Beach” is …
Read More »British police arrest WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange
London, United Kingdom | AFP | WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange’s nearly seven-year stay at Ecuador’s embassy in London came to an abrupt end on Thursday when police entered the building and arrested him after Ecuador withdrew his asylum. Assange has been living at the embassy in London’s plush Knightsbridge …
Read More »Five pivotal moments behind Brexit chaos
London, United Kingdom | AFP | Britain’s decision to hold a referendum on leaving the European Union three years ago has ended up in political chaos that few could have predicted then. Here are five pivotal moments that led to this: – January 23, 2013 – Then prime minister David …
Read More »UK issues passports without ‘European Union’ on cover
London, United Kingdom | AFP | Britain has begun issuing passports with the words “European Union” removed from the front cover — despite Brexit being delayed and its political leaders deadlocked over how to extricate the country from the bloc. The interior ministry said Saturday that a longstanding decision to start introducing passports without reference …
Read More »Britain scrambles for Brexit consensus as EU leaders hold out hope for deal
London, United Kingdom | AFP | Britain’s government redoubled its efforts Thursday to find common ground with the opposition as German Chancellor Angela Merkel said she still hoped a chaotic Brexit could be avoided next week. Downing Street hailed a second consecutive day of cross-party negotiations between senior ministers and their …
Read More »Ready or not? Britain’s ‘no deal’ planning
London, United Kingdom | AFP | If Britain’s political system fails to break its Brexit logjam, the country is faced with the prospect of crashing out of the European Union on April 12. Here are the main ways Britain would be affected: – Business planning – Around 80 percent of …
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