Strawberry sabotage is akin to 'terrorism'

SYDNEY - The piercing of supermarket strawberries with sewing needles is comparable to terrorism, Australia's prime minister said on Wednesday, as he demanded sentences of up to 15 years in response to a nationwide scare.

IN BRIEF (Page 12)

Friendly fire downs Russian Il-20 plane

BEIRUT/MOSCOW - Syria accidentally downed a Russian military aircraft with a crew of 15 onboard when its air defenses went into action against an alleged Israeli missile strike, the Russian army said on Tuesday.

End of the 'Scallop Wars': French and UK fishermen agree truce

The United Kingdom and France have reached a peace deal over the scallop wars between the two countries' fishing fleets.

Needle scare spreads across Australia

MELBOURNE - Public fears about sewing needles concealed inside strawberries on supermarket shelves have spread across Australia and New Zealand as growers turn to metal detectors and the Australian government launches an investigation to restore public confidence in the popular fruit.

Japan tycoon lands first SpaceX moon flight

HAWTHORNE, California - SpaceX, Elon Musk's space transportation company, on Monday named its first private passenger on a voyage around the moon as Japanese billionaire Yusaku Maezawa, the founder and chief executive of online fashion retailer Zozo.

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Professor speaks out on 'assault'

WASHINGTON - A college professor went public for the first time on Sunday to accuse US President Donald Trump's Supreme Court pick of sexually assaulting her in the 1980s, prompting calls to postpone the nomination vote.

Floodwaters rise as storm continues

GRIFTON, North Carolina - Catastrophic floods raised the threat of dam breaks and landslides across the southeastern United States on Monday, prolonging the agony caused by a killer hurricane that has left more than a dozen people dead and billions of dollars in damage.

Salesforce boss, wife buy Time magazine

WASHINGTON - Time Magazine is being sold by Meredith Corp to Marc Benioff, a co-founder of Salesforce, and his wife.

Idlib to further divide Ankara and Moscow

ISTANBUL - As global and regional powers are wrestling over how best to deal with rebels in their last major stronghold in the Syrian province of Idlib, Turkish analysts warn that the planned offensive risks further deepening divergences between Turkey and Russia.

Salisbury at center of third alert

The Southern English city of Salisbury was the subject of a major security scare on Sunday night amid fears of a possible poisoning at a local restaurant.