ROME, March 7 (Reuters) – World food prices held steady in
February as falling wheat and sugar offset gains in vegetable
oils and dairy prices, the United Nations’ food agency said,
forecasting a more than 4 percent rise in wheat output in 2013.

Global grain prices have eased in recent months due to
optimism that forthcoming harvests will replenish supplies after
producers were hit by the worst U.S. drought in more than 50
years, which sent food prices surging in mid-2012.

CASTEL GANDOLFO, Italy (Reuters) – The Italian hilltop town of Castel Gandolfo, summer host to popes for centuries, took on a new mission on Thursday as it became the temporary home of the first “pope emeritus”.

Pope Benedict will spend the first few months of his retirement in the papal summer residence, a complex of villas boasting lush gardens, a farm and stunning views over Lake Albano in the volcanic crater below the town.

VATICAN CITY (Reuters) – With Pope Benedict’s abdication on Thursday, the most prominent living speaker of Latin will retire into the shadows, after doing much during his eight-year pontificate to give the language of ancient Rome a new lease of life.

Benedictus, his name in Latin, set up the “Pontifical Academy of Latinity” to promote its use inside the Roman Catholic Church and beyond and chose to deliver his abdication speech in Latin, in what was considered a model of clarity.

ROME (Reuters) – Italy’s stunned political parties looked for a way forward on Tuesday after an election that gave none of them a parliamentary majority, posing the threat of prolonged instability and European financial crisis.

The results, notably by the dramatic surge of the anti-establishment 5-Star Movement of comic Beppe Grillo, left the center-left bloc with a majority in the lower house but without the numbers to control the powerful upper chamber, the Senate.

ROME, Feb 24 (Reuters) – Italians began voting on Sunday in
one of the most closely watched elections in years, with markets
nervous about whether it can produce a strong government to pull
Italy out of recession and help resolve the euro zone debt
crisis.

Some of the first people to cast their ballots expressed
fears that no clear winner would emerge, leading to political
stalemate and a coalition that may not govern for long.

ROME (Reuters) – Italians vote on Sunday in one of the most closely watched elections in years with markets nervous about whether it will produce a strong government to pull Italy out of recession and help resolve the euro zone debt crisis.

A huge final rally by anti-establishment-comedian-turned-politician Beppe Grillo on Friday before a campaigning ban kicked in has highlighted public anger at traditional parties and added to uncertainty about the election outcome.

ROME (Reuters) – Italy pressed citizens to get out and vote in one of the most closely watched elections in years on Sunday and Monday, with markets on edge at the prospect of a political stalemate that could reignite the debt crisis.

A campaigning ban kicked in the day before the vote but center-right leader Silvio Berlusconi, on trial for a sex crime, broke the rules to launch an attack on magistrates, saying on Saturday that claims he held “Bunga Bunga” parties were a sham.

ROME (Reuters) – Italy pressed citizens to get out and vote in one of the most closely watched elections in years on Sunday and Monday, with financial markets on edge at the prospect of a political stalemate that could reignite the euro zone debt crisis.

A campaigning ban kicked in at midnight on Friday after leaders held final rallies. Comedian-turned-politician Beppe Grillo stole the spotlight in Rome by attracting an estimated half a million people to hear his tirades against corrupt politicians and bankers.

ROME/ZURICH (Reuters) – Italy’s Health Ministry said on Saturday that tests had found no trace of horse DNA in minced beef meals by Swiss food giant Nestle that were removed from sale on Monday.

Nestle removed the ready-made beef ravioli and tortellini sold under its Buitoni brand from shelves in Italy and Spain and halted production of the meals after its own tests had found more than 1 percent horse DNA in the products.