Europe

World News

Confidence In Cyprus Banks Falters As Government Proposes Deposit Tax

5:54pm March 18, 2013

by Jim Zarroli

Cyprus is facing a run on its banks after the government proposed taxing bank deposits. The government has put off a vote on the plan in a bid to calm things down. Banks are set to re-open on Thursday after a bank holiday was declared on Monday.

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Napoleon's Ring To Josephine Up For Auction

12:38pm March 18, 2013

When Napoleon Bonaparte proposed to Josephine, he gave her an engagement ring: a diamond and sapphire set side by side — both tear-shaped. Josephine shed many tears when her beloved divorced her, so he could produce an heir. Still, on his death bed, Napoleon's last word was: Josephine.

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Diners eat at Fouquet's restaurant, a landmark on the Champs Elysees in Paris for more than a century. Traditional cafes and shops are steadily giving way to large global chains.

World News

As Global Chains Move In, The Champs Elysees Gets A New Look

6:49pm March 14, 2013

by Eleanor Beardsley

Some Parisians worry that an avenue once considered the most beautiful in the world is starting to take on the character of an American shopping strip.

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The New York City Zara store on Fifth Avenue.

World News

The Reclusive Spanish Billionaire Behind Zara's Fast Fashion Empire

8:18pm March 12, 2013

by Lauren Frayer

Amancio Ortega has just bumped Warren Buffett off his No. 3 spot on Forbes' list of billionaires. The Spanish entrepreneur's clothing chain has become highly popular around the world, but do you know the man behind the label?

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World News

Bolshoi Dancer Confesses To Masterminding Attack

6:53am March 07, 2013

In Russia, a prominent dancer with the fabled Bolshoi Ballet has confessed to ordering an attack on the company's director. The director suffered third degree burns after acid was thrown onto his face. For more on the scandals at the Bolshoi, Renee Montagne talks to writer Christina Ezrahi, author of Swans of the Kremlin: Ballet and Power in Soviet Russia.

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John Kerry, A 'Recovering Politician,' Settles Into Diplomatic Role

8:44pm March 06, 2013

by Michele Kelemen

John Kerry's first trip as secretary of state took him to Europe — where he spent time growing up as the son of a diplomat. Kerry, who also had stops in the Middle East, says he can't speak as freely now as when he was a senator.

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German Man Caught Impersonating A Cardinal

11:18am March 06, 2013

The world is speculating furiously about who will be the next Pope. The wait was too much for one German man, who tried to sneak into a closed-door meeting of cardinals. He was thrown out by the Swiss Guard after someone noticed his crucifix was too short and his sash was just a purple scarf.

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French workers burn tires outside the Goodyear tire factory in Amiens, France, on Tuesday, after Titan CEO Maurice Taylor criticized French workers in a letter addressed to Industrial Renewal Minister Arnaud Montebourg.

U.S. Boss Offers Blunt Critique; French Workers Give Fiery Response

8:01pm March 01, 2013

by Eleanor Beardsley

The Illinois-based Titan tire company was weighing the purchase of an ailing factory in France. But in a leaked letter, Titan's CEO said the deal was off because the workers were unproductive and the unions "crazy." A war of words has ensued.

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Without A Pope, Cardinals Are Running The Vatican

6:37am March 01, 2013

The Vatican is now under the control of the cardinals who will elect a new leader of the Catholic Church. On Thursday, Pope Benedict gave up his ring, cape and red papal shoes and became pope emeritus.

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Delays, Problems Plague Berlin's New Airport

6:29am March 01, 2013

The new Berlin International Airport was scheduled to open for business in October 2011, but they missed that deadline. Trouble with safety equipment caused delays. But one system is working: All the airport lights are on. Work crews, however, can't seem to turn the lights off.

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