VATICAN CITY – The following is the Vatican’s official English-language translation of Pope Francis “Urbi et Orbi” Easter message, which he delivered Sunday in Italian from the central balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica: “Jesus Christ is risen! Love has triumphed over hatred, life has conquered death, light has dispelled the …
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ROME – Italy’s financial police have released sobering statistics about the state of fraud and corruption in Italy’s public sector: Of the 4.6 billion euros ($5 billion) worth of public contracts checked last year, they found 1.5 billion euros in fraud and 2.6 billion euros wasted. The financial police released …
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RIYADH, Saudi Arabia – Saudi Arabia’s Defense Ministry says Houthi rebels in Yemen have fired a mortar round at a border post, killing three Saudi officers and wounding two others. An unnamed military official is quoted in a Defense Ministry statement Saturday as saying that the incident took place the …
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SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico – Legislators on Tuesday demanded quicker action to rescue Puerto Rico’s public power company, expressing dissatisfaction over the pace of a multimillion-dollar plan to improve its finances. Members of the island’s Senate Commission of Energy Affairs expressed concern the Electric Energy Authority might fall into receivership …
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CATANIA, Sicily – A judge in Sicily has confirmed the arrest warrants against the suspected captain and crew member of the smuggling boat that capsized in the Mediterranean migrant disaster. Mohammad Ali Malek, 27, from Tunisia and suspected crew mate Mahmud Bikhit, 25 of Syria, appeared in a Catania court …
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MAIDUGURI, Nigeria – Nigerian troops rescued nearly 300 girls and women during an offensive Tuesday against Boko Haram militants in the northeastern Sambisa Forest, the military said, but they did not include any of the schoolgirls kidnapped a year ago. The army announced the rescue on Twitter and said it …
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HALIFAX, Nova Scotia – Four British sailors charged with sexual assault in Halifax, Nova Scotia, will be transferred to a Canadian military base in Alberta where the British military has a presence. Simon Radford, Joshua Finbow, Craig Stoner and Darren Smalley were charged on April 16 for their role in …
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ANKARA, Turkey – Turkey’s top Muslim cleric says his office will return a luxury car after its purchase caused an uproar and accusations of extravagance. Mehmet Gormez, head of the government body that regulates religious affairs, was criticized after reports said his office had splurged on a new car that …
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BERLIN – A court session in the trial of a 93-year-old former Auschwitz death camp guard has been called off because he is sick. Presiding Judge Franz Kompisch said former SS Sgt. Oskar Groening was too sick to get out of bed and come to the Lueneburg state court Thursday …
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MEXICO CITY – Authorities in the Mexican border state of Chihuahua say they’re probing a shooting that seriously wounded a former police chief who had been targeted by drug cartels while cutting crime in violence-wracked Tijuana and Ciudad Juarez. Chihuahua chief prosecutor Jorge Gonzalez said two low-level drug dealers were …
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