A trader at work in the Frankfurt stock exchange on March 8, 2013. Europe's main stock markets rebounded on Friday, with Paris jumping above 4,000 points for the first time since July 2011 as traders went ... More »European stocks rebound as Paris tops 4,000 points
Two teachers' unions have agreed to go back into talks on Croke Park II. More »Teaching unions to rejoin pay talks
GAZA (Reuters) - Egyptian police blocked the crossing into the Gaza Strip on Friday in protest against the kidnapping of seven of their colleagues by Islamist gunmen, witnesses said. Officers strung barbed wire across the Rafah border post and chained up the gates, leaving hundreds of Palestinians stranded on both sides of the fence, locals told Reuters. Gunmen abducted the seven police and soldiers on a road between the Sinai towns of el-Arish and Rafah on Thursday, demanding the release of imprisoned militants in exchange for the men. ... More »Protesting Egyptian police block Gaza crossing
By Alasdair and Fotheringham CHERASCO, Italy, May 17 - A series of small but challenging climbs late on Friday's stage of the 2012 Giro d'Italia could not stop Britain's Mark Cavendish taking his fourth stage win and second in two days. Italy's Vincenzo Nibali remained overall leader but it was sprinter Cavendish who stole the show again after compatriot and pre-race favourite Bradley Wiggins failed to start the 254 kilometre stage, the longest in this year's Giro. In a bunch sprint finish Cavendish outgunned Italy's Giacomo Nizzolo and Slovenia's Luka Mezgec. ... More »Even Cavendish surprised by fourth stage win
RIYADH (Reuters) - Several government websites in Saudi Arabia were sabotaged in a series of heavy cyber attacks from abroad in recent days, disabling them briefly until the attacks were repelled, the government said. An investigation traced the "coordinated and simultaneous attacks" to hundreds of Internet protocol addresses in a number of countries, an unnamed source at the Saudi Interior Ministry told state news agency SPA. ... More »Saudi Arabia says hackers sabotage government websites
By Brett Wolf ST. LOUIS, May 17 (Thomson Reuters Accelus) - U.S. authorities have seized two accounts linked to a major operator in the booming Bitcoin digital currency market, Tokyo-based exchange Mt. Gox. The move may prevent the firm from facilitating the purchase and sale of Bitcoins in U.S. dollars at a time when use of the currency and its value has mushroomed. Bitcoin, which unlike conventional money is bought and sold on a peer-to-peer network independent of any central authority, has grown popular among users who lack faith in the established banking system. ... More »U.S. authorities seize accounts of major Bitcoin operator
By Helen Murphy BOGOTA (Reuters) - Colombian President Juan Manuel Santos hinted on Friday that he would seek re-election next year to ensure continuity of his policies - including peace talks with Marxist FARC rebels - though he did not explicitly announce his candidacy. "I want clearly and firmly to see that the government's policies continue after August 7, 2014," Santos said, referring to the date a new administration would take office. "I want the peace policy re-elected, I want the housing policy re-elected, those that have reduced poverty - re-elected," he told reporters in Bogota. ... More »Colombian president hints he will run for re-election in 2014
By Paul Taylor PARIS (Reuters) - Turkey's achievement of investment-grade status crowns a decade of rapid growth, financial stability and political reform by a "tiger" economy on the seam of Europe and Asia, but the rising power still faces pitfalls in a dangerous neighbourhood. Moody's Investors Service raised its rating on Ankara's sovereign bonds to Baa3, or investment grade, from Ba1 late on Thursday, following in the footsteps of Fitch credit ratings agency, which took that step last November. ... More »Upgrade crowns Turkey's peaceful rise but pitfalls loom
(Reuters) - Tottenham Hotspur will still be able to attract top players even if they do not qualify for next year's Champions League, manager Andre Villas-Boas said on Friday. The north London club's hopes of qualifying are hanging in the balance with them needing to win their final Premier League match of the season at home to Sunderland on Sunday while hoping bitter rivals Arsenal fail to beat Newcastle United. ... More »Spurs minus Champions League still big draw - Villas-Boas
Middle East peace will prove impossible without Palestinian unity, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan warned Friday, suggesting Ankara could help reconcile the Fatah and Hamas parties. More »No peace deal without Palestinian unity: Turkey
By Alistair Smout LONDON (Reuters) - The FTSE top share index hit fresh five and a half year highs on Friday, as banks were buoyed by an upgrade, the prospect of the end of state ownership in the sector and rotation out of defensive stocks. The FTSE 100 closed up 35.26 points, or 0.5 percent, at 6,723.06, just 0.1 percent off October 2008's closing high and marking the index's fourth successive week of gains. Banks combined to add 18 points to the index, benefitting from an upgrade by UBS and led up by Lloyds and RBS. ... More »Banks lift FTSE to 5.5-year highs
Jamie Oliver has compared unhealthy packed lunches with child abuse and said the Government should do more to improve school meals. More »Unhealthy packed lunch 'is abuse'
Visiting German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle on Friday reaffirmed his country's friendship for Israel in "challenging times" for the region, as tensions mount over the Syrian conflict. More »German foreign minister reaffirms Israel 'friendship'
France said Friday it is opposed to having Iran attend a peace conference on Syria despite Damascus's ally Russia wanting Tehran's presence at the event expected in the first half of June. More »France opposed to Iran attending Syria conference
Bahrain's main opposition accused government troops of raiding the home of the country's leading Shiite cleric on Friday, and warned that authorities will bear responsibility for this "dangerous" act. More »Home of Bahrain's top Shiite cleric raided: opposition
By Rod Nickel WINNIPEG, Manitoba (Reuters) - Canada will put forward a list of U.S. products that it will target in retaliation over a dispute with its largest trading partner about country of origin labels on meat, Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz said on Friday. The dispute stems from a 2009 U.S. requirement that retail outlets label the country of origin for meat and other products, in an effort to give U.S. consumers more information about their food. Canada and Mexico complained that the rule caused a decline in U.S. ... More »Canada to target U.S. products in meat labels dispute
Hundreds of people marched on Cairo's Tahrir Square on Friday calling for Egypt's Islamist President Mohamed Morsi to resign and demanding early elections, AFP correspondents and local media reported. More »Hundreds march in Cairo demanding Morsi ouster
The father of a 20-month-old toddler who was found dead at a house has spoken of the loss of his "uniquely beautiful" daughter who meant the world to him. More »Tribute to 'beautiful' daughter
By Irene Klotz CAPE CANAVERAL, Florida (Reuters) - Back on Earth, Canadian astronaut and cyberspace tweeter Chris Hadfield is getting a rough re-introduction to gravity after a five-month stint aboard the International Space Station, the former commander told reporters during a video webcast from Houston. Hadfield became a social media rock star with his zero-gravity version of David Bowie's "Space Oddity" and a continuous stream of commentary on Twitter about his life in orbit. But living without gravity for five months has left him feeling dizzy, weak and prematurely aged. ... More »Canadian astronaut wrestles with gravity after spaceflight
Independence campaigners have hit out at Ukip leader Nigel Farage's attack on "anti-English" demonstrators whose protests led to him being barricaded in a pub during a campaign trip. More »Protesters reject Farage accusation
Twin bomb attacks on Friday killed at least 13 people outside mosques in northwest Pakistan, where the party of cricket star Imran Khan is forming a coalition government, officials said. More »Pakistan mosque bombs kill 13: officials
By Alasdair Fotheringham BUSSETO, Italy (Reuters) - A sick Bradley Wiggins withdrew from the Giro d'Italia on Friday to ensure he would be back to full strength for the Tour de France which starts on June 29. Pre-race favourite Wiggins and defending champion Ryder Hesjedal of Canada both pulled out of the Giro prior to the 13th stage citing illness. Wiggins, who in 2012 became the first Briton to win the Tour de France and then backed that up with time trial gold at the London Olympics, had been suffering with a chest infection. ... More »Ailing Wiggins, Hesjedal abandon Giro d'Italia
Over 60 people were injured when a two-car train derailed on Hong Kong's light railway in the north of the city, throwing passengers onto the floor, police said Friday. More »Hong Kong train accident: 62 injured
Michael Gove, education secretary, used a speech honouring former Cabinet member Keith Joseph to restate his commitment to "compassionate" Conservatism and his leader David Cameron, after his recent comments saying that he would vote to leave the EU. More »Gove makes amends for EU slip
The woman alleged to have had sex for money with then prime minister Silvio Berlusconi when she was just 17 testified in court for the first time on Friday at a trial of three friends accused of pimping for him. More »Berlusconi alleged call-girl testifies for first time