AUSTRALIA

Great white sharks will now be protected under California’s Endangered Species Act starting on Friday. The state Fish and Game Commission approved the designation in February, forbidding the hunting, pursuing, catching, capturing or killing of the animal.

Canada started the process of phasing out its one-cent coin. What are America's plans for the future of its penny?

Myanmar President Thein Sein embarked on his first official European trip on Monday to strengthen ties and discuss the nation’s internal reforms, which have been marred by sectarian violence.

Scientists say they've found traces of a hidden microcontinent they've dubbed Mauritia.

Pioneering thrash-metal band Slayer has chosen to boot longtime drummer Dave Lombardo in advance of its tour of Australia.

At least 3 million people died from starvation and malnutrition during a famine in the Indian province of Bengal.

“How stupid do you think we are?” Titan's CEO asked France's government when it asked him to invest in a plant.

The project will be undertaken by private companies and eventually serve 400,000 commuters daily.

This week's highlights: FOMC and MPC minutes, Italy elections and the appointment of a new BoJ governor.

Prisoner X, identified as Australian Ben Zygier, may have been about to turn double agent on Israel for his home country.

See the first-prize winners of the 2013 World Press Photo awards.

Police in Papua New Guinea have arrested 100 people for last week's witch burning and rescued two more women.

After the popularity of Evasi0n, will Apple consider an open mobile operating system in iOS 7?

Anheuser-Busch InBev has agreed to sell its Mexican beer brands. Meanwhile, there's trouble brewing in Australia.

In Japan, Valentine's Day is slightly different than in the West: it's the women who give gifts, and it's mostly chocolates.

The emu is Australia’s national bird and an important symbol for the country.

The identity of Israel’s Prisoner X had been revealed as Ben Zygier on Australia’s “Foreign Correspondent” program and Israel has lifted a gag order to confirm his identity. Israel also revealed that Australia’s Foreign Affairs Minister knew of Prison X’s existence as early as February 2010.

The Australian government is moving forward with legislation to formally recognize the indigenous Aboriginal people as the country’s first inhabitants.

MacGyver has nothing on Daniela Holmqvist, a rookie Swedish golfer who used a tee as a scalpel to get venom out of her leg after she was bitten by a black widow spider.

Israel reportedly had a prisoner so secret that he was never referred to by name and any media reports of “Prisoner X” were immediately discredited. In an upcoming Australian program, the identity of Prisoner X is revealed as an Aussie citizen who was a Mossad agent.

Baby smugglers have been active Indonesia since at least the mid-1990s.