Italy PM Renzi pledges to reverse Italy's fortunes during first 100 days in office Italy’s Prime Minister has presented a sweeping package of tax cuts and pledged to carry out an ambitious package of reforms during his first 100 12/03/2014
Sport Barcelona and PSG through to Champions League quarters Barcelona kept themselves on track for a third Champions League title in six seasons after the Catalans reached the quarter-finals at the expense of 12/03/2014
USA Obama discusses Crimea crisis with new Ukraine PM President Barack Obama warned Russia on Wednesday the West would be forced to apply a cost to Moscow if it fails to change course in its dispute with 12/03/2014
Turkey Turkey: clashes between police and protesters after funeral of teenager Berkin Elvan, Turkish police have used teargas and water cannon during clashes with anti-government protesters in central Istanbul on Wednesday. Earlier 12/03/2014
Ukraine Ukraine: 'Crimea referendum seems to be a foregone conclusion' For an update on what is happening in Simferopol, the capital of Crimea, we spoke with our correspondent there, Sergio Cantone. We asked him to 12/03/2014
economy Slovakia deflation puts more pressure on European Central Bank Slovakia has became the third eurozone country to slide into deflation. In February consumer prices were down 0.1 percent from January. They also 12/03/2014
USA Six dead, several missing after building collapse in New York Six people have died and at least 18 others have been injured in New York after an explosion caused two five-storey buildings to collapse. A number 12/03/2014
corporate E.ON and Enel are latest to suffer from European power crisis as renewables surge E.ON, Germany’s largest utility, is to shut a quarter of its power plants and cut costs. It has also halved the dividend paid to shareholders for 12/03/2014
Insight Pope Francis, one year on: 'We never imagined he'd have such energy' A year after his election, Pope Francis’ style has won him many admirers. There has been a change in the way the Catholic Church communicates, but 12/03/2014
Ukraine Kyiv poster exhibition calls for peace in Ukraine Posters carrying strong messages calling for peace in Ukraine line a street leading to Kyiv’s Independence Square. The colourful display faces onto 12/03/2014
Greece Greek public sector workers strike over job cuts Thousands of Greek public sector workers have been on strike today to protest against planned job cuts. Teachers, municipal workers and pensioners 12/03/2014
Turkey Turkish police fire water cannon on Istanbul protesters Turkish police fired water cannon to push back thousands of demonstrators close to Istanbul’s central Taksim square on Wednesday during a protest 12/03/2014
brussels bureau European Parliament calls for suspension of US data-sharing MEPs have threatened to block a free trade deal between the US and the EU if Washington fails to stop its mass spying activities. The call came in 12/03/2014
no comment Dog-surfing competition in Australia 500 riders from 3 nations – pro surfers, amateurs, tandem surfing stars and international backpackers who have never surfed before have descended 12/03/2014
no comment New York City building collapses after an explosion in Harlem The explosion struck a building at 116th Street and Park Avenue in the East Harlem neighborhood of New York, where witnesses said they were jolted 12/03/2014
no comment Ping pong playing robot The Zhejiang University in Hangzhou, China, presented a ping pong playing robot, named Kong Robot, 1.6 metres tall (5 foot 2) and weighing 55 kg (121 12/03/2014
Sport Olympic champion Mayer claims maiden World Cup race at finals Austrian Matthias Mayer continued his dazzling end-of-season form when won his maiden World Cup race in the men’s final downhill of the campaign at 12/03/2014
Sport Hoefl-Riesch crashes out of World Cup title contention Maria Hoefl-Riesch’s hopes of a second career overall World Cup title appear to be over after the German crashed out of the opening downhill at the 12/03/2014
Ukraine Crimea: Pro-Russian billboard campaign urges people to vote in referendum Billboards in Ukraine’s southern Crimea region urge people to vote in Sunday’s referendum and offer a choice between a map of the peninsula painted 12/03/2014
Syria UN Refugee head cautions distraction over Syria. The head of the UN’s refugee agency, Antonio Guterres has warned world leaders not to allow divisions over the crisis in Ukraine to distract them 12/03/2014
le mag Miranda Lambert duets with Carrie Underwood, Dan Croll is backed by grandma US country musician Miranda Lambert will release a new album in June. It will include a duet with Carrie Underwood, the singer described by music 12/03/2014
economy Top Japanese companies raise pay to help government anti-deflation push Responding to government pressure, big Japanese companies, like Toyota, Hitachi and Panasonic, have announced the most generous pay raises in 12/03/2014
Cinema Kermit and the Muppets turn to crime on tour in Europe Kermit the Frog is feared and fearless, an international criminal whose cunning and slippery ways defy the law! That’s the plot for the latest 12/03/2014
le mag Adam Lambert prepares for summer tour with Queen From appearing in the reality show ‘American Idol’ to fronting the rock band Queen on a US tour – Adam Lambert’s career is on the rise. Since 12/03/2014
USA New York building collapses after explosion, at least 6 dead A building has collapsed in New York after an explosion killing at least six people and leaving more than 20 people wounded. The blast happened 12/03/2014
brussels bureau G7 tells Russia to 'cease' Crimea actions Leaders of the Group of Seven economies have told Russia “to cease all efforts to change the status” of Crimea. The G7 also said they would not 12/03/2014
brussels bureau EU warns Russia over Crimea The president of European Commission had told MEPs that the EU will not accept Russia’s actions in Crimea. José Manuel Barroso made his comments 12/03/2014
hi-tech CeBit showcases 'datability' CeBit – the digital industry’s biggest trade fair – has opened its doors. German Chancellor Angela Merkel and British Prime Minister David Cameron 12/03/2014
economy Airline profit forecast cut as Ukraine crisis pushes up fuel costs Global airlines are likely to make less profit this year than previously hoped, the International Air Transport Association has warned. IATA said 12/03/2014