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Apple enjoyed Irish tax holiday from the start

By Poornima Gupta and Padraic Halpin SAN FRANCISCO/DUBLIN (Reuters) - Apple has operated almost tax-free in Ireland since 1980, welcomed by a government keen to bring jobs to what was then one of Europe's poorest countries, former company executives and Irish officials have said. Chief Executive Tim Cook faced criticism from a Senate subcommittee in Washington on Tuesday over the iPad and iPhone maker's tax practices, which had been shrouded from full view behind secretive tax-exempt Irish-based corporate entities.

Charges laid against three in Canada Revenue Agency fraud investigation

MONTREAL - Three people have been arrested and charged in an ongoing RCMP investigation into a multimillion-dollar corruption scheme at the Canada Revenue Agency. The charges are being laid against a chartered accountant and two former employees at the federal agency's Montreal office. The RCMP announced Thursday that the accused are suspected of participating in a scam where the functionaries pocketed hundreds of thousands in bribes, in exchange for helping to lighten people's tax loads.

Mobilicity takes first step to be acquired by Telus but approvals needed

Struggling wireless carrier Mobilicity has taken the first step in the process of being acquired by Telus in a $380-million deal that will ultimately need federal government approval. Debtholders of Mobilicity approved a plan on Thursday to sell the company to Telus Corp., which will go to court for approval of the deal early next week. An acquisition by Telus would provide continuing service for Mobilicity's 250,000 cellphone customers and jobs for its 150 employees, said Mobilicity president and chief operating officer Stewart Lyons.

300,000 displaced in Sudan's Darfur this year

A resurgence of fighting in Sudan's western Darfur region has driven 300,000 people from their homes so far this year, UN humanitarian aid chief Valerie Amos said on Thursday. She was speaking at the end of a three-day visit to Sudan during which she visited a camp for displaced people in Darfur. "The United Nations estimates that 300,000 people have fled fighting in all of Darfur in the first five months of this year, which is more than the total number of people displaced in the last two years put together," Amos said.

Ricoh to cut 13 % of French workforce

Japanese office equipment and digital camera maker Ricoh will cut 338 jobs in France, some 13 percent of its workforce in the country, union officials said Thursday. "The management told us it intends to cut 338 posts among the 2,500 the company has in France," said CGT union representative Thang Doan following a meeting with company officials. Hit hard by the 2008-09 global financial crisis and stiff competition, Ricoh announced two years ago that it planned to shed 10,000 jobs, a tenth of its global workforce, with the first major wave of cuts to take place in 2014.

U.S. Commerce nominee poised for swift Senate approval

By Doug Palmer WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Chicago billionaire Penny Pritzker on Thursday appeared on her way to becoming U.S. commerce secretary, after a top Republican lawmaker said she had answered most of his questions about her role in the failure of an Illinois bank and her family's use of an offshore tax haven.

Former Chrysler, Fisker CEO launches venture fund with Penske

By Deepa Seetharaman DETROIT (Reuters) - Tom LaSorda, the former chief executive of Chrysler Group LLC and Fisker Automotive, is launching a venture capital fund with racing magnate Roger Penske to invest in technology startups. The fund, IncWell LP, will provide initial investments ranging from $50,000 and $250,000. IncWell has "strong interests" in the areas of clean energy, medical, healthcare, transportation and information applications.

Bangladesh mulls homicide charges in deadly collapse

New Delhi, May 23 (EFE).- The commission investigating the building collapse that left 1,127 dead and more than 2,400 others hurt urged the Bangladeshi government to pursue homicide charges against the owners of the structure and of the five textile factories operating there, an official told Efe Thursday. The worst industrial disaster in the history of the South Asian nation was due to poor construction and the use of "extremely poor quality" materials, according to the panel's 400-page report on the April 24 tragedy.

Hobby Lobby appeal tests limits of federal birth-control coverage mandate

DENVER - In the most prominent challenge of its kind, Hobby Lobby Stores Inc. is asking a federal appeals court Thursday for an exemption from part of the federal health care law that requires it to offer employees health coverage that includes access to the morning-after pill. The Oklahoma City-based arts-and-crafts chain argues that businesses — not just the currently exempted religious groups — should be allowed to seek exception from that part of the health law if it violates their religious beliefs.

Toshiba buys Hamilton-based manufacturer of custom electric motors

HAMILTON - Toshiba International Corp. has agreed to buy the assets of Elettra Technology, a manufacturer of custom industrial electric motors that was born out of a former Canadian subsidiary of Westinghouse. Financial terms of the deal were not immediately available. Elettra's current employees will operate the business, which will be renamed Toshiba Industrial Products Canada and relocate its manufacturing to a larger, recently renovated plant in Hamilton, the companies said Thursday.
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