Former Italian PM Berlusconi acquitted in Unipol takeover case
MILAN (Reuters) – An appeals court on Monday acquitted former Italian prime minister Silvio Berlusconi due to the statute of limitations in a case related to a 2005 attempt by insurer Unipol to take over bank Banca Nazionale del Lavoro (BNL).
Guinness record-setting mural gives Damascenes diversion from war
DAMASCUS (Reuters) – A group of Syrian artists in Damascus has created the world’s biggest mural made of recycled materials, a rare work aimed at brightening public space in a city sapped by war and sanctions.
Erdogan targets enemies after poll triumph
ANKARA (Reuters) – Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan looked a step closer to a presidential bid and to gaining the upper hand in a bitter power struggle on Monday, casting strong local election results as a mandate to hunt down enemies within the s…
Libya releases three rebels who boarded tanker at rebel port: official
TRIPOLI (Reuters) – Libya has released three rebel fighters who had boarded a tanker loading oil at a rebel-held port before it was returned to Tripoli by the U.S. navy, an official said on Monday.
Chile’s Bachelet pushes ahead with tax hikes despite investment risk
SANTIAGO (Reuters) – President Michelle Bachelet on Monday announced a tax overhaul including higher corporate taxes, saying the changes would help Chile make progress in addressing inequality without hurting growth, despite worries about the impact on…
PM Orban’s party firmly leads in poll, far-right gains
BUDAPEST (Reuters) – Public support for Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s ruling center-right party has increased among all voters before the April 6 election and far-right Jobbik also managed to boost its standing, pollster Szazadveg reported on Monday.
China summons Manila envoy over South China Sea legal case
BEIJING (Reuters) – China summoned the Philippines ambassador on Monday to lodge a strong complaint over Manila’s seeking of international arbitration in a festering territorial dispute over the South China Sea.
Greek police ban protests during EU meetings in Athens
ATHENS (Reuters) – Greek police have banned protests in Athens when the Greek capital hosts a meeting of European Union finance ministers on Tuesday and Wednesday, citing security reasons.
Turkish military fires into Syria after rocket hits mosque
ANKARA (Reuters) – The Turkish military fired back into Syria on Monday in retaliation for mortar shells and a rocket from over the border that hit a mosque in the town of Yayladagi, the provincial governor’s office and local media said.
Croatia sentences former army chief to jail for graft
ZAGREB (Reuters) – A Croatian court sentenced the country’s former army chief to prison on Monday, saying he and five others had manipulated real estate prices in deals that eventually cost Croatia 61.2 million kuna ($11 million).
