Italian banks win control of Telecom Italia
The deal with Telefonica of Spain ensures the Italian carrier will remain in domestic hands.

Iran will attend Iraq security meeting
Ahmadinejad ended weeks of uncertainty about Tehran's participation in the meeting.
- U.S. expects limited gains in Iraq
- One Washington job that goes begging: War czar
- Rice rejects binding language on Iraqi benchmarks
- Major problems found in Iraqi rebuilding effort

Kosovo leader expects independence by end of May
The prime minister that enough countries had invested efforts into ending one of the last chapters of the Balkans wars of the 1990s to warrant reintegrating Kosovo with Europe.

Israel, awaiting report on war, wonders if Olmert can hold on
The prime minister's support has been shaky since the Israeli war against Hezbollah last summer. A senior official said the prime minister did not intend to resign.

Election called in Ireland for May 24
Governing coalition's majority could be in jeopardy.

Hundreds of thousands rally against government in Istanbul
The protesters rallied against the government of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and what they said was his agenda to move Turkey away from the country's secular legacy.
- Secularists in Turkey boycott presidential vote in Parliament

In Wolfowitz case, paper trail leaves questions
Almost immediately after arriving at the World Bank, Paul Wolfowitz became consumed by negotiations over the status of his companion, an employee at the bank, documents show.

Accused in Washington escort case plans to name names
Tobias, who has in the past insisted that aid recipients denounce prostitution, says he paid only for massage services. His resignation comes as the escort-service owner threatens to implicate other customers.
- Head of Agency for International Development resigns after inquiry

Doctors increasingly acknowledge 'chemo brain'
The mental fog that follows chemotherapy in cancer patients is now being treated instead of being given the brushoff.

Abe only partly successful in defusing 'comfort women' issue
The prime minister offered a vaguely worded apology for the "extreme hardships" of Japan's sex slaves during World War II, but victims' advocates are dissatisfied.

France's moment of truth for femininity
Femininity and power are still incompatible in many parts of the world.

All the president's press
It's far from clear that the entire profession yet understands why it has lost the public's faith.

Language: Taking wraps off taking raps
What was the original fall?

Quiz shows are coming under the scrutiny of regulators across Europe
Allegations of fraud and deception circulating in Britain, the Netherlands and Germany recall the quiz show scandals that rocked 1950s America, but they have a decidedly digital bent.

Phone taps in Italy spark a rush for cellular encryption
High-profile eavesdropping cases stoke demand for tap-proof wireless communications technology.

The battle among Britain's free newspapers heats up
Two free sheets, The London Paper and London Lite, have accused each other of dumping copies of their rival papers into garbage bins, making it even harder for advertisers to know how many copies actually get read.

A second look at Sony hints at a turnaround
Despite its problems, Sony is, curiously, the land of the rising stock. If you look at the share performance of some of the biggest media companies over the last two years, you might be surprised to see Sony near the head of the pack.

Citigroup reworks its public image with new ad campaign
The bank's new $30 million campaign stresses utility and competence, promising customers to "get it done."