Bloomberg Banca Monte dei Paschi di Siena SpA is attempting to sell shares on the market while the government prepares a plan to inject as much as 15 billion euros ($15.7 billion) into Italian banks should the fundraising fail, according to a person with knowledge of the matter. Italy’s Treasury plans to participate in the share sale, which may …

  Berlin / AFP Better known for its electronic music and street art, Berlin is now also home to a budding graphic novel scene in a country that has treated illustrated stories as children’s literature. Hardly seen in bookstores just a few years ago, German-produced graphic novels now have their dedicated shelves, as not only homegrown artists but also foreign …

  Ouinhi / AFP Daniel Aboko proudly shows off the 11 hectares (27 acres) of paddy fields he shares with other farmers — a small spread that produces a bounty of food thanks to smart irrigation and a hardy strain of rice. In just four years, small farmers in Ouinhi, southeastern Benin, have seen their rice harvest double from three …