• The leader of a grassroots movement in Kenya has declared the Mombasa coast an independent republic and called for a boycott of next week’s presidential election.
• Italy’s business leaders are fearful that, after this week’s general election, much-needed reforms will be stalled by gridlock in Rome or torpedoed by Beppe Grillo’s anti-establishment party.
• In case you missed it yesterday, we bring you news that rats can communicate telepathically. Across continents.
• Marc Lynch has some advice for John Kerry on his first visit to the Middle East, and how he can keep the bigger picture in mind.
• Anthropologists are proving, through a mix of psychology and economics, that culture and environment have more influence over the way people think than previously believed (and more influence than some people feel comfortable with).
• The spat between legendary journalist Bob Woodward and the White House shows just how weird Washington is, according Paul Farhi at the Washington Post.
• The rise of Golden Dawn has been met with retaliatory violence from the radical left in Greece, raising fears of civil conflict.

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