The extent of corruption in Europe is “breathtaking” and it costs the EU economy at least 120bn euros (£99bn) annually, the European Commission says. EU Home Affairs Commissioner Cecilia Malmstroem has presented a full report on the problem. She said the true cost of corruption was “probably much higher” than 120bn. Three-quarters of Europeans surveyed for the Commission study said that corruption was widespread, and more than half said the […]

  STORY HIGHLIGHTS NEW: At least six are wounded, medical center says At least eight gunmen emerge from the ranks of the anti-government protests They open fire for about 30 minutes toward police and pro-government demonstrators Elections kick off Sunday, but anti-government protesters want to stop them Gunfire erupted during anti-government protests in Bangkok, Thailand on Saturday, witnesses said. At least six people were wounded, Erawan Medical Centre said. The […]

Mr Morsi was held in a glassed-in cage for his last court appearance Ousted Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi has arrived in court in the capital, Cairo, for the resumption of one of the four trials against him. Mr Morsi and 14 other figures from the Muslim Brotherhood are charged with inciting the killing of protesters near the presidential palace in 2012. At a hearing in another trial four days ago, […]

STORY HIGHLIGHTS President Barack Obama calls on the GOP to stop fighting his health care plan “America must move off a permanent war footing,” Obama says He asks Congress not to refight Obamacare battles The year of action. That’s what 2014 is all about for President Barack Obama, and it was the underlying theme of Tuesday night’s State of the Union address. “Let’s make this a year of action,” Obama […]

STORY HIGHLIGHTS The U.S. hasn’t determined whether the strike’s target was killed The target is described as a “senior leader” affiliated with al Qaeda and Al-Shabaab An October U.S. raid to capture an Al-Shabaab leader was aborted The U.S. military conducted an airstrike in southern Somalia on Sunday against a suspected militant leader, a U.S. military official told CNN. The target was described by the official as a “senior leader” […]

Obama sent “congratulations and best wishes” on behalf of the American people to the people of India on the occasion of India’s 65th Republic Day. In a message to President Pranab Mukherjee, Obama said, “On this date, we join the people of India in celebrating its inspiring democratic heritage.” “Our partnership has always been guided by our shared values and interests,” he added. “I look forward to working with you […]

People attend a demonstration in Madrid on June 16, 2013 against austerity policies and record high unemployment.   STORY HIGHLIGHTS Michael Marmot says austerity has increased youth unemployment in Europe Marmot argues that unemployment is bad for mental and physical health He says resulting social marginality, poverty and homelessness harm health Unemployment should be a key consideration in macro-economic policy, Marmot says Michael Marmot has led research groups on health […]

The less than gentle joke in Maharashtra is that Sharad Pawar “Saheb” has enough personal wealth to run Delhi for five years. Pawar disagrees The formal statement he has filed before the Election Commission on oath indicates that Pawar is so poor that he might barely manage to buy a mid size flat in one of the slightly better neighborhoods of Delhi He is worth just Rs 3.6 crores.  Even a casual chat […]

The police ordered a shutdown of four Metro stations from 9 am to 1 pm in the wake of AAP’s protest on Monday. NEW DELHI: Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal and seven of Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) MLAs on Monday will go ahead with ‘dharna’ in protest against the Delhi police despite prohibitory orders by the cops banning unlawful assembly in the area. However in a setback to the commuters […]

  India’s Foreign Minister Salman Khurshid has sought to downplay the row with Washington over an Indian diplomat who was arrested in the US. There was “no stand-off” with the US, he told reporters in Delhi, and predicted problems would be sorted out. The row erupted after the diplomat, Devyani Khobragade, was arrested in New York on charges of visa fraud and underpaying her housekeeper. She is now back in […]