ATHENS (Reuters) – Leftist leader Alexis Tsipras gave up his attempt to form a new government on Wednesday, pushing Greece closer to its second election in a few weeks, after voter rejection of an EU/IMF bailout plunged the country into crisis.

Last Sunday’s election, in which voters vented rage against mainstream parties over debt cutting measures imposed in exchange for the bailout, has caused deep political deadlock and brought European threats to eject Greece from the euro.

ATHENS (Reuters) – Leftist leader Alexis Tsipras gave up his attempt to form a new government on Wednesday, pushing Greece closer to its second election in a few weeks, after voter rejection of an EU/IMF bailout plunged the country into crisis.

Last Sunday’s election, in which voters vented rage against mainstream parties over debt cutting measures imposed in exchange for the bailout, has caused deep political deadlock and brought European threats to eject Greece from the euro.

By Barry Moody and Mike Peacock

(Reuters) – Greece sank deeper into crisis on Tuesday when the Leftist candidate for prime minister set conditions for a new coalition which the biggest party said would destroy the country.

Antonis Samaras, leader of the conservative New Democracy party which finished first in Sunday’s election, said Leftist Alexis Tsipras would drive Greece out of the euro with his demand that pledges made in exchange for an EU/IMF bailout be torn up.

By Barry Moody and Mike Peacock

(Reuters) – Greece sank deeper into crisis on Tuesday when the Leftist candidate for prime minister set conditions for a new coalition which the biggest party said would destroy the country.

Antonis Samaras, leader of the conservative New Democracy party which finished first in Sunday’s election, said Leftist Alexis Tsipras would drive Greece out of the euro with his demand that pledges made in exchange for an EU/IMF bailout be torn up.

ROME (Reuters) – The acquittal of four people for a bombing 38 years ago has left yet another atrocity from Italy’s “Years of Lead” unsolved and underlined the failures of a chaotic justice system.

An appeal court in the northern city of Brescia at the weekend confirmed the acquittal of two neo-fascists, an informer for the secret services and a former police general for a bombing that killed eight people and wounded 103 at an anti-fascist demonstration in the centre of the city in 1974.

ROME (Reuters) – Falsifying a one euro bus ticket in Italy is a criminal offence eligible for a full trial and two appeals that would cost the state many thousands of euros.

The U.S Supreme Court reviews around 100 appeals per year. The number for Italy’s top appeal court, serving a population a fifth the size? More than 80,000.

ROME (Reuters) – Falsifying a one euro ($1.33) bus ticket in Italy is a criminal offence eligible for a full trial and two appeals that would cost the state many thousands of euros.

The U.S. Supreme Court reviews around 100 appeals per year. The number for Italy’s top appeal court, serving a population a fifth the size? More than 80,000.

ROME/MADRID (Reuters) – Most of the people of southern Europe have stayed surprisingly stoical up to now in the face of some of the most painful budget cuts in living memory, but signs are stirring that patience may soon run out.

An unexpectedly broad general strike in Spain on Thursday and mounting opposition to Prime Minister Mario Monti in Italy are among indicators that resistance is growing in a region at the centre of concerns about a resurgence of the euro zone debt crisis.

ROME/MADRID (Reuters) – Most of the people of southern Europe have stayed surprisingly stoical up to now in the face of some of the most painful budget cuts in living memory, but signs are stirring that patience may soon run out.

An unexpectedly broad general strike in Spain on Thursday and mounting opposition to Prime Minister Mario Monti in Italy are among indicators that resistance is growing in a region at the centre of concerns about a resurgence of the euro zone debt crisis.

ROME (Reuters) – Storm clouds are gathering over Mario Monti’s efforts to transform the Italian economy, with his approval ratings dropping, mounting protests against his reforms and a damaging row with the parties that sustain him in parliament.

Monti shot out of the blocks after being appointed prime minister in November and quickly implemented tough austerity measures to fend off the debt crisis. But he now risks running into political quicksands that will slow down and weaken the much harder task of reviving a notoriously stagnant economy.