Investors fret over Italian political uncertainty
MILAN (Reuters) – Investors shunned Italian government bonds and shares on Monday after Silvio Berlusconi pulled the rug from under Prime Minister Enrico Letta’s frail coalition government by ordering five center-right ministers to quit.
Analysis: From Syria to South China Sea, navies cruise back into vogue
LONDON (Reuters) – After a quarter century of Middle Eastern land wars and a sharp fall in big powers’ naval spending after the Cold War, sea power is back in vogue in response to the rise of China and Western reluctance to deploy ground troops in conf…
UK’s Osborne slams Labour over power freeze plan
MANCHESTER, England (Reuters) – British finance minister George Osborne criticized proposals by the opposition Labour party to cap utility bills, saying they would prompt companies to raise prices before any limit was imposed and hit investment over th…
South African miners rally as Amplats strikes enters fourth day
RUSTENBURG, South Africa (Reuters) – Around 2,000 striking South African miners from Anglo American Platinum rallied on Monday to protest planned job cuts at the world’s top producer of the precious metal.
Israel showcases Iranian spy case as Netanyahu visits U.S.
JERUSALEM (Reuters) – A man arrested on suspicion of being an Iranian spy appeared in an Israeli court on Monday and some Israeli analysts questioned the timing of the affair, suggesting it was being showcased as part of efforts to discredit Tehran’s n…
Malian army clashes with Tuareg rebels for second day in Kidal
BAMAKO (Reuters) – Malian troops clashed with Tuareg rebels in the northern desert town of Kidal for a second day on Monday, residents said, after the separatists ended a ceasefire with the new government last week.
Fresh blow for Indian government as ally convicted in ‘fodder scam’
NEW DELHI (Reuters) – A prominent lawmaker allied with the Indian government was found guilty of corruption on Monday, a fresh blow for an administration that was widely lambasted last week for trying to protect convicted politicians in the run-up to e…
Greece plans new anti-racism law amid Golden Dawn crackdown
ATHENS (Reuters) – The Greek government said on Monday it would soon present a bill targeting racist hate speech, part of a crackdown on the far-right Golden Dawn party after the killing of an anti-fascist rapper.
Australian PM skirts refugee issue in Indonesia talks
JAKARTA (Reuters) – Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott skirted the question of asylum seekers in talks on Monday in Indonesia, an issue which has threatened to overshadow his first visit overseas since taking office.
Mortar shell hits Chinese embassy in Syria: state media
BEIRUT (Reuters) – A mortar shell hit the Chinese embassy in Syria’s capital Damascus on Monday, damaging the building and wounding one person, Chinese state media reported.
