Politics & Diplomacy May 5, 2013

U.K. anti-immigration party surges in vote

The anti-immigration U.K. Independence Party breaks through as a major political force in local elections, averaging a quarter of the vote and bloodying the ruling coalition's nose.

World May 1, 2013

Referendum flops, opening up Dubrovnik to golf

A referendum on a controversial €1 billion ($1.3 billion) project to build golf courses, villas and hotels above Croatia’s Adriatic resort of Dubrovnik has failed due to insufficient turnout, officials said Monday. Such an outcome paves the way for a project by Israeli businessman ...

Politics & Diplomacy May 1, 2013

Fringe independence party sends shivers down Tory spines

by Daniel Boffey

Landing on doormats across Somerset in recent weeks has been a Tory election leaflet the like of which locals have never seen before: “A vote for UKIP is a vote for the Lib Dems. UKIP has no plans or policies for Somerset. Only the ...

Politics & Diplomacy | ANALYSIS Apr 24, 2013

Rise of euro opponents alarms Merkel coalition

A new political party in Germany that is opposed to the euro is emerging as an election-year wild card and a potential threat to Chancellor Angela Merkel, whose coalition government is ruling with a narrow margin. The small Alternative for Germany (AfD) party, which ...

Politics & Diplomacy Apr 9, 2013

Global leaders pay tribute to 'iconic' Thatcher

Mikhail Gorbachev, Helmut Kohl and Bill Clinton were among the former friends and foes who paid tribute Monday to Margaret Thatcher, praising the fearlessness and fierce determination of an "iconic" leader.

Politics & Diplomacy Apr 4, 2013

Hollande ally charged over tax evasion

Former French Budget Minister Jerome Cahuzac was charged Tuesday in a tax fraud probe after he admitted having a foreign bank account, dealing a fresh blow to President Francois Hollande’s embattled government. Critics were quick to pounce on the scandal, demanding to know if ...

World | ANALYSIS Mar 31, 2013

U.S. takes lead on missile defense

by Walter Pincus

The United States has quietly taken on the huge task of trying to organize regional ballistic missile defense networks, not only among NATO countries, but also in East Asia and the Middle East. The United States is “leading from in front” on meeting possible ...

World Mar 26, 2013

New legislators rouse Italian politics

Mr. Smith went to Washington. Carlo Sibilia has come to Rome. The 27-year-old elevator salesman, who has no experience in political office, arrived in the Italian capital this month with 162 other freshman legislators from the Five Star Movement, a Web-based force whose success ...

Business Mar 23, 2013

Cyprus scrambles as ECB readies ax

The eurozone, a centerpiece of Europe’s efforts to knit its far-flung nations into a coherent whole, edged toward rupture Thursday as the European Central Bank said it was ready to pull the plug on Cyprus. The stark ultimatum came in a terse statement Thursday ...

Environment Mar 4, 2013

Green turns black as Europe burns up cheap U.S. coal

by Michael Birnbaum

Green-friendly Europe has a dirty secret: It is burning a lot more coal. Europe’s use of the fossil fuel spiked last year after a long decline, powered by a surge of cheap U.S. coal on global markets and by the unintended consequences of ambitious ...