IN BRIEF (Page 12)

Italy

New PM vows 'radical change'

Prime Minister Matteo Renzi called for a "radical and immediate change" in recession-hit Italy as he outlined his new government's reform agenda before winning a crucial confidence vote in the Senate early on Tuesday. In an energetic and impassioned speech to Parliament, Italy's youngest premier in history reiterated plans for rapidly overhauling the tax system, jobs market and public administration in a bid to tackle the country's ailing economy.

Pakistan

Govt airstrikes kill 30 people

Pakistan's army launched new air strikes targeting militant hideouts in the tribal region of North Waziristan on Tuesday, killing at least 30 people and setting off a wave of refugees, military officials and local residents said. Pakistani fighter jets have been pounding targets in the region since the government's efforts to engage Taliban insurgents in peace negotiations broke down this month.

Republic of Korea

'DPRK boat crossed border'

A patrol boat from the Democratic People's Republic of Korea repeatedly crossed the disputed Yellow Sea border with the Republic of Korea in an apparent show of force at the start of ROK-US military drills, Seoul's Defense Ministry said on Tuesday. The incursion took place three times overnight on Monday and at one point the DPRK naval vessel had reached two nautical miles inside the ROK side of the border. No shots were fired and the patrol boat eventually retreated after warnings from the ROK navy, ministry spokesman Kim Min-seok said.

AFP-Reuters-AP

(China Daily 02/26/2014 page12)