London / Bloomberg Irish banks are acting immorally, and ripping off their customers. At least, that’s what politicians are saying before the nation’s Feb. 26 general election. Bankers remain a prime target for politicians, seeking to win over voters still angered by what the IMF described as the world’s costliest banking crisis since the Great Depression. Fianna Fail, once the …

Washington / AP Russia seeks permission to start flying surveillance planes equipped with high-powered digital cameras amid warnings from US intelligence and military officials that such overflights help Moscow collect intelligence on the United States. Russia and the United States are signatories to the Open Skies Treaty, which allows unarmed observation flights over the entire territory of all 34 member …

Bloomberg The European Union and the U.S. suggested to the Republic of Macedonia to postpone the snap vote planned for April 24 in order to ensure fair campaigning and elections in the former Yugoslav republic. The country, which seeks to join the EU, hasn’t achieved an agreement on media reforms “to ensure a more level playing field,” according to the …