Quick view

Silvio Berlusconi has caused outrage among political rivals by sending letters to millions of Italians promising to reimburse tax they paid in 2012, in a final drive for votes before elections this weekend. The official-looking envelopes read: “Important notice: reimbursement of IMU 2012,” referring to an unpopular property tax brought in by the technocrat government of Mario Monti. “The refund will be available either through a transfer into your bank account, or to you personally at the counter of the post office,” the letters say. Democratic Party leader Pier Luigi Bersani, whose centre-left coalition was leading in the last opinion polls published before a pre-election blackout, called the letter a “scam”.

Anti-austerity strike brings Greece to a halt

Greek workers held a nationwide strike against wage cuts and high taxes on Wednesday, keeping ferries stuck in ports, schools shut and hospitals with only emergency staff. The two biggest labour unions brought much of crisis-hit Greece to a standstill during the 24-hour protest against austerity policies which they say deepen the hardship of people struggling through the country’s worst peacetime downturn. Representing 2.5 million workers, the unions have gone on strike repeatedly since a debt crisis erupted in late 2009, testing the government’s will to impose the painful conditions of an international bailout in the face of growing public anger.

Undeclared horse meat found in Czech Republic

The Czech Republic has become the latest country to detect horse meat in food products labelled as beef in

... contd.