EU-DIGEST

Ronald Reagan was known as the Teflon president, but Berlusconi's ability to shrug off misfortune beggars such metaphors. Ten months ago, as I was preparing to leave Rome, Berlusconi seemed doomed. It was his wife Veronica that had done for him: her announcement last April that she wanted a divorce seemed to break the spell in which he had held his country hypnotised for years. Suddenly, it seemed, people began to see him for what he was. Veronica's comments about him frequenting under-age girls, her condemnation of the "trash" – buxom showgirls – he wanted to put up for election to the European parliament, her cryptic remark that "my husband is not well" – all this from the woman who had stood by her man stoically for nigh on 30 years, cast him in a new and ghastly light. He might be mega-rich, brilliant, energetic, charismatic – but what a creep! What an appalling character to have thrown your lot in with! And what horrors might that pregnant phrase "non sta bene" – "he's not well" – contain? What raptures of megalomania, sadism or psychosis might the unlucky Veronica have been privy to?

For years Berlusconi has behaved more like a Roman emperor than an elected Prime Minister, but in the autumn of his years the tendency has become even more extreme. But the dismaying element today is the extent to which his adversaries let him get away with it: the last person to land a blow on him was the unbalanced character who hurled a bronze model of Milan's Duomo in his face at New Year. No one could claim that Italy was buoyant with Berlusconi at its head. Even the sort of phoney and palsied recovery that Britain experienced after the crash has eluded it. Industrial output plummeted by more than 17 per cent last year, and the nation's public debt of €1,663bn is the third highest in the world. Add this to the sleaze piling up on all sides and one would expect Berlusconi to get a terrible drubbing in the coming polls. Yet that is unlikely to happen – and not only because of the feebleness of the opposition. As a new book spells out, Berlusconi has a hold over a huge swathe of his electorate, who will vote for him no matter what.

For more: Ciao, baby! Why Italy just can't say no to Silvio - Europe, World - The Independent

Labels: Democracy, EU, Italy, Mafia, Silvio Berlusconi

When Mussolini decided it was time to turn the Italian kingdom into a criminal tyranny, he organized the so-called "Marcia su Roma" (March to Rome): on the 22nd of October 1922, tens of thousands of fascists converged on the capital city to claim political power. This occurrence defined the death of the liberal state and the final rise to power of the fascist party. On that occasion, the king, Vittorio Emanuele III, didn't show any courage in preventing this coup, bowed his head and assigned Mussolini, the leader of the Partito Nazionale Fascista (National Fascist Party), the task of forming a new government.

Eighty eight years later, the very same thing has happened. Let's be a little bit more clear and start explaining this political tragedy, moral failure and 'ethical' murder from the beginning.

Acts, or even better, enactments, backed by the government have become normality, even if the definition of enactment presupposes some "crisis" conditions which would allow the government to exceed all other constitutional powers. Today even the interpretation of the laws belongs to the government ( Berlusconi) !

For more: Killing Democracy: How Berlusconi Made Italian Democracy Unconstitonal

Labels: Berlusconi, Democracy, Italy

On a different front, the Italian Banking Association reports that Italian banks are awash with cash (deposits and new bond issuance) but, like banks elsewhere, they are not lending. Italy's banks have thus far avoided the need for extensive government support and do not appear to have the exposures to the weaker European credits as do German, French, British and Swiss banks.

For the complete report: Europe's Attention Turns to Italy -- Seeking Alpha

Labels: Economy, EMU, EU, Italy

Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi said Monday he hopes to bring Israel into the European Union, at the start of a three-day visit to the Jewish state. Berlusconi brought eight top ministers for a joint Cabinet meeting with their Israeli counterparts. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Cabinet ministers and a military honor guard welcomed the Italian delegation.

Under Berlusconi's leadership, Italy has become one of Israel's strongest allies in Europe. Berlusconi's efforts to strengthen ties with Israel followed decades of a pro-Arab tilt by previous Italian governments.

At the same time, Italy also remains Iran's largest trading partner within the EU.

For more: Berlusconi: Bring Israel into the EU - washingtonpost.com

Labels: EU, Israel, Italy

Hot on the heels of the Google vs. China censorship dispute, a new front in the showdown between state power and Internet freedom is opening in Italy. Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi's government is pushing through new measures that would give the state control over online video content and force anyone who regularly uploads videos to obtain a license from the Ministry of Communications. The move is seen as yet another challenge to Google — owner of YouTube — which says the new rules would in effect force Internet service providers to police their own content.

The new measures, which are unprecedented among Western democracies, are expected to get final Cabinet approval on Feb. 4 unless opposition parties are able to block them in court.

The new rules would require Internet service providers to remove content the state deems is in violation of copyright law, or face a fine of up to $210,000. "We are concerned over the fact that Internet service providers, like YouTube, that simply make content available to the general public, are being bundled together with traditional television networks that actually manage content," Marco Pancini, Google's European affairs chief, told the newspaper La Stampa. "It amounts to destroying the entire Internet system."

For the complete report: Berlusconi vs. Google: Italy to Regulate Online Videos? - TIME

Labels: Censorship, Freedom of Speech, Google, Italy, Silvio Berlusconi

Bloody clashes between African migrants and residents in one of Italy's poorest regions over the last few days brought home a national dilemma Saturday: Many Italians don't want to pick crops in the south or toil in the north's factories, but resent the desperate foreigners who will work for a pittance.

Premier Silvio Berlusconi last year dismissed any notion of a "multiethnic Italy." His conservative coalition, which includes the anti-immigrant Northern League party, has repeatedly cracked down on illegal immigration, sometimes drawing the ire of human rights advocates, U.N. officials and the Vatican.

With opinion surveys showing that many Italians blame immigrants for crime, tensions persist between citizens and foreigners - and sometimes erupt into violence, as they did these past days in Rosarno, a town in Calabria, an underdeveloped southern agricultural region with chronic unemployment.

For the complete report: The Canadian Press: Bloody clashes in southern Italy highlight tensions over growing immigrant population

Labels: EU, Immigration, Italy

The recent election in Romania, in which President Traian Basescu was re-elected with 50.3% of the vote, underlined why, 20 years after the fall of Ceausescu, Romania has become the new Italy.

The parallels are remarkable. Both countries reclaimed democracy when they executed their dictators Benito Mussolini (April 28, 1945) and Nicolae Ceausescu (December 25, 1989). Both emerged from dictatorship flat on their backs economically and with many friends in the West fearing they would not sustain democracy. And within 20 years, with support from America and Western Europe, both became firmly democratic, much more prosperous, and economically and militarily relevant members of the European Union and NATO.

Today, both continue to punch above their weight classes in areas such as artistic and design creativity, peaceful relations with their minorities and neighbors, corruption, and culture (Herta Muller, born in Romania, won the 2009 Nobel Prize in Literature).

But when Western Europeans think of Romania, two things likely spring to mind: vampires and corruption. The latter stereotype, at least, is not unfounded. In Transparency International's recent survey of corruption, Romania ranked 71st. That's well below the U.S. (19th), but only eight slots below Italy. But, as corruption did not hold Italy back from becoming the 7th largest economy in the world, neither has it stopped Romania from having one of the fastest growth rates in Europe. And significantly, for those who claim Romania and Italy are "too corrupt" to be successful, Transparency International ranks both less corrupt than Brazil, China, India and Russia, the "BRIC" countries that are said to be driving the world economy.

For the complete report: From Ceausescu to the New Italy by Jim Rosapepe and Sheilah Kast - WSJ.com

Labels: EU, Italy, Romania

Labels: EU, Italy, Santa Claus, Turkey

Pope is celebrating the traditional Christmas Mass, despite being knocked down by a woman at the start of the service in St Peter's Basilica.

The woman - who is said to be mentally unstable - jumped the security barriers as Benedict XVI entered the basilica, causing the pontiff to fall. The Pope appeared to be unhurt and recovered to lead the mass.

The midnight service started two hours early because officials do not want the 82-year-old pontiff to get tired.

BBC News - Woman knocks Pope down at Christmas Mass

Labels: EU, Italy, Vatican

For the complete report from the Times Online click on this link

Silvio Berlusconi will need weeks of treatment for the physical injuries and mental trauma suffered when he was assaulted by a mentally ill man in Milan on Sunday, his doctors have said. The Italian Prime Minister’s nose was broken and he lost two teeth and half a litre of blood in the attack, at the end of a political rally. He said it was a “miracle” he had not been blinded when a chunky souvenir made of marble and metal was thrown at his face. His assailant, Massimo Tartaglia, an electronics engineer and video games inventor with no criminal record, is said to have told police that he hated Mr Berlusconi. He has been charged with aggravated assault.

Video footage shows Mr Tartaglia, 42, waving a replica of Milan cathedral in the air several times before hurling it at the Prime Minister’s head as he greeted well wishers and signed autographs.

Labels: Berlusconi, EU, Italy

For the complete report from the Examiner click on this link

If nothing derails Alfa Romeo's reentry into the U.S. market, it will bring two small cars, the highly regarded MiTo three-door hatchback and a five-door hatch that will be introduced at the Geneva Auto Show next March. According to a Fiat Group* announcement yesterday , the five-door, based on the MiTo platform, has been named Giulietta. The Giulietta, which means "little Julia" in Italian and pronounced Julie-etta, is a storied name in Alfa Romeo history, the first popularly-priced sedan in Alfa history. Debuting in 1954, it spawned other versions, including a favorite of popularly-priced Italian sports car enthusiasts, the Alfa Romeo Giulietta Spider, and a delightful coupe as well.

Labels: Alfa Romeo, Automotive Industry, EU, Italy

For the complete report from MarketWatch click on this link

Italy's gross domestic product posted quarterly growth of 0.6% in the third quarter, the Italian statistics agency Istat said Friday, in a preliminary estimate. The rise ended five consecutive quarters of shrinking GDP. Compared to the same period last year, GDP contracted by 4.6%, the agency said. The figures were largely in line with forecasts. Economists had predicted a 0.6% quarterly rise and a 4.7% year-on-year decline.

Labels: Economy, EU, Italy

For the complte report from ESPN Soccernet click on this link

Giampaolo Pazzini was denied a late winner by the referee as Italy and Holland fought out a stalemate in Pescara. Substitute Pazzini was judged to have used his arm to bundle the ball home with seven minutes remaining, while at the other end Gianluigi Buffon made a fine save from Rafael van der Vaart to mark his 100th cap with a clean sheet. When play resumed, the Dutch dominated possession but were unable to turn that into goals. The Dutch suffered a setback when Arsenal striker Robin van Persie limped off and was replaced by Klaas-Jan Huntelaar. Liverpool's Dirk Kuyt had the first opportunity of the game in the 20th minute with his right-footed strike from the edge of the area going wide of the far post. Italy goalkeeper Buffon, who celebrated a century of appearances for the Azzurri tonight, made a stunning save to deflect Van der Vaart's free-kick that had taken a deflection off Palladino's head.

Labels: EU, Fifa, Italy, Netherlands, Soccer

For the complete report from the Times Online click on this link

Italy: Silvio Berlusconi "a troubled man" as his tax fraud trial to restart next month - by Richard Owen

Silvio Berlusconi, Italy's embattled Prime Minister, is to face trial for tax fraud and false accounting next month in the first prosecution since he lost his immunity earlier this month. Since returning from a "private visit" to Russia last Friday he has been closeted at his mansion at Arcore near Milan, and is reported to be suffering from a mild form of scarlet fever contracted from one of his grandchildren. He is struggling to prevent Giulio Tremonti, the Finance Minister, from resigning over controversial tax cut propsals. Mr Tremonti is backed by the Northern League, a key ally in the centre Right coalition.

Mr Berlusconi’s approval rating has slipped from 62 per cent a year ago to 45 per cent, the lowest since his election in April 2008. But his People of Liberty party remains well ahead of led the Democratic Party in the opinion polls, and Mr Bersani's first task is to prevent liberals and left wing Catholics in the Democratic Party led by Francesco Rutelli, a former centre Left leader, from leaving to form their own movement. Mr Rutelli has said he will join forces with the UDC, a Christian Democratic party led by Pierferdinando Casini.

Labels: EU, Italy, Sylvio Berlusconi

For the complete report from the CNN.com click on this link

Italy - Berlusconi: I don't really like my job

The conservative, flamboyant Italian leader, 73, says he actually doesn't like governing at all. But he stays in the job because he is considered the "only leader able to hold the center-right together." Berlusconi says there's nothing simple about the prime minister's job. He said: "I'm doing what I do with a sense of sacrifice. I don't really like it. Not at all." He added: "Very often there is a lot of dirty dealing, there is really the gutter press, worse than that, the shameless and sickly. It's a difficult life to be responsible for leading the government in a country like Italy." In a wide-ranging interview with CNN's Paula Newton, Berlusconi also discussed some of the controversial statements he has made, including calling U.S. President Barack Obama "tanned."

Labels: Berlusconi, EU, Italy

For the complete report from latimes.com click on this link

Italy's highest court strips Berlusconi of immunity protection - by Maria De Cristofaro and Henry Chu

Italy's highest court Wednesday overturned a law granting Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi immunity from prosecution while in office, a major blow for a seemingly Teflon leader whose business dealings and personal peccadilloes have come under increasing fire. The highly anticipated ruling threw a question mark over Italy's political scene and the future of its longest-serving premier since World War II. Berlusconi, a billionaire businessman-turned-politician, is now likely to come under pressure to resign or to call a snap election as a bribery trial against him reopens after being put on hold with passage last year of the immunity law.

Labels: Berlusconi, EU, Italy

For the complete report from the NYTimes.com click on this link

Italy Looks at Afghan Pullout After Deadly Blast - by Abdul Washeed

A powerful suicide bomb that killed six Italian soldiers here on Thursday prompted Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi of Italy to declare that his nation had begun planning to “bring our young men home as soon as possible.”In Brussels, Mr. Berlusconi, a close American ally but in some political trouble at home, was careful to say that Italy would not unilaterally withdraw its 3,100 troops from Afghanistan, though he said he wanted the withdrawal to happen “as quickly as possible.” But it seemed the strongest expression yet from a European leader of the rising doubts about the Afghanistan mission among America’s allies.

Labels: Afghanistan, Casualties, EU, Italy

For the complete report from the Telegraph click on this link

Berlusconi 'blocks' promotion of film about his chauvinism - by Nick Squires

Television channels controlled by the 72-year-old Italian prime minister refused to air a trailer for the film, Videocracy, prompting accusations of media censorship. The film, which premiered at the festival yesterday, chronicles the impact of television on Italian society over the past 30 years, focusing on the power wielded by Mr Berlusconi's media empire. In it, Mr Berlusconi is accused of turning Italian television into a mindless diet of game shows featuring scantily-clad showgirls.

Labels: Berlusconi, EU, Freedom of Speech, Italy

For the complete report from The buffalo bullet click on this link

"You can take the boy out of the country but not the country out of the boy" - Berlusconi in Italy and Tom Golisano in New York - by Chris Stevensen

"So much for post-racial America. Are we there yet? Who could fathom that back in September 9 the New York Democrats would win the majority seats in the Senate 32-30, clearing the way for the first Democratic majority leader in 40 years and the first African American ever to take such a position. This saw the emergence of Smith. There was just one small problem, Smith had some ideas of his own-as all individuals do I hear-he wanted to make the Senate more open, more transparent and bipartisan according to a web bio. Powerful whites are getting enough of that today from Obama. Under Smith the new majority fired 4 men who were hired locally, as the saying goes, you can fire people but you can't fire money. Attempts to get the un-fantastic four rehired were unsuccessful, thus began the coup. At some point Tom Golisano (money) of Florida-and sometimes even New York I hear-became a Chile-Dog Democrat and began plotting with Puerto Rican American Senators Pedro Espada Jr. from the Bronx and Hiram Monserrate of Queens to break rank and join the republicans and get Dean Skelos appointed as Majority Leader. Obviously usurping Smith."

Note EU-Digest: "When you read Chris Stevensen's detailed and most interesting report one can see how much of what is happening politically in America is now also being copied in Europe. More and more Politicians are owned either by corporate or criminal money. Just take EU's member state of Italy, where you have PM Silvio Berlusconi. This is a 73 year old man leading Italy, who by his behavior has landed himself in hot water with almost all of Italy's EU partners and many world leaders. Angela Merkel, the German chancellor, will not soon forget that at a recent Nato event, Mr Berlusconi kept her waiting by talking on his mobile phone with his back turned to her, or that he once taunted a German MEP by saying he was "perfect" material for a concentration camp guard.

A recent trial proved that Berlusconi had corrupted an English lawyer, Mills, to get a false testimony from him; a law masterfully crafted by Berlusconi's lacqueys only a year ago is now preventing his impeachment. Recently Berlusconi's wife Veronica Lario publically announced she is asking for a divorce, and claims Berlusconi is a "sick and sexually obsessed man" and should seek help. So far Berlusconi is getting away with all this because the Italians continue to support him. Unfortunately there is no equivalent of a Bill Maher in Europe, who is able to expose all the political "hankey pankey" going on in the EU empire, or to make a statement that Berlusconi is corrupt and should be thrown out by the Italian voters."

Labels: EU, Italy, Politics, Sylvio Berlusconi, Tom Golisano, US

For the complete report from the maltastar.com click on this link

Illegal immigration: new political dispute between Italy and Malta

In what appears to be a new political dispute between Italy and Malta, Italian Foreign Minister, Franco Frattini has appealed to the Maltese authorities to stop dragging its feet and shrink the Island’s Search and Rescue area by the end of the year.Minister Frattini’s call comes in the wake of 75 irregular immigrants feared dead in the Sicilian canal.The Italian Minister said that Malta’s SAR area, 250,000 square kilometres, was too large for a country, which was ill equipped to deal with the influx of irregular immigration. “Such tragedy does not have to repeat itself.” Asked if he was blaming Malta for the 75 dead, the Italian Minister said: “I do not have all the elements at hands to be sure. However, it is clear that they (Malta) do not have the equipment to control such an extensive area.”

Labels: EU, Illegal Immigration, Italy, Malta

For the complete report from Bloomberg.com click on this link

Beckham May Return to Italy as Milan and Galaxy Discuss Pact - by Tariq Panja

David Beckham may return to AC Milan in January after the Italian team began discussions with Major League Soccer’s Los Angeles Galaxy about a new loan, the midfielder’s publicist said today. “Milan have made their interest public in that they want David to come for a short-term loan in January,” Simon Oliveira said in an interview. “It’s still very early on in discussions between the two clubs.” The former England captain irked teammates and U.S. soccer fans last March after partly self-funding his extended spell with the seven-time European champion instead of returning for the start of the U.S. soccer season. He had said he was returning to Europe to stay in shape during MLS’s off-season. AC Milan Chief Executive Officer Adrian Galliani said last month he hoped to bring the player back “without all the fuss that happened last March.” Beckham, soccer’s highest-paid player last year according to France Football, and Milan jointly funded his extended loan with Milan.

Beckham joined the Galaxy from Real Madrid in 2007. Beckman earns $5.5 million a year, and could make as much as $250 million with endorsements and profit-sharing, according to the Los Angeles team.

Note EU-Digest: the amount in salaries and perks paid to some professional soccer players is starting to get into the same league as the bonuses paid to some of the management people in the financial sector. Are they worth that kind of obscene salaries? Not really, but like in the financial sector. There are no regulations.

Labels: Beckham, Britain, EU, Italy, Soccer

For the complete report from the NYTimes.com click on this link

Hu Leaves G-8 in Italy After Deadly Clashes in China - by Alan Cowell and Elisabetta Povoledo

President Hu Jintao of China cut short a trip to Italy on Wednesday to fly home after the deadly ethnic clashes in the northwestern Xinjiang region continue, abandoning plans to attend the Group of Eight summit meeting as news reports spoke of continued unrest.The Chinese Foreign Ministry said on its Web site that Mr. Hu was returning “given the current situation in Xinjiang,” where state media say at least 156 people have died in China’s worst ethnic clashes in decades between Muslim Uighurs and Han Chinese.

Hu's absence from the G-8 meeting is also significant for the Obama administration which is expected to unveil a forceful new message on climate change. While the European G-8 members welcome the shift in American policy on global warming, they are also fearing that the United States is working toward a separate deal with China outside the global negotiating framework. China will now be represented at the meeting of the world’s leading industrialized economic powers by State Councilor Dai Bingguo at the meeting in the central Italian city of L’Aquila.

Labels: China, EU, Islam, Italy, Muslim Uighurs, Xinjiang region

For the complete report from the Mail Online click on this link

Italian PM Berlusconi under pressure over claims he had sex with an escort - by Nick Pisa

Sensational new sex allegations surrounding Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi have emerged plunging him into further controversy just weeks ahead of the G8 summit he is due to host. Model Barbara Montereale, 23, became the latest girl to claim she had been paid to attend parties thrown by Berlusconi, at his luxury villas. She also claimed that one escort girl had told she had had sex with the 72-year-old billionaire politician.Sensational new sex allegations surrounding Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi have emerged plunging him into further controversy just weeks ahead of the G8 summit he is due to host. Model Barbara Montereale, 23, became the latest girl to claim she had been paid to attend parties thrown by Berlusconi, 72, at his luxury villas. She also claimed that one escort girl had told she had had sex with the 72-year-old billionaire politician.

The women meeting with Berlusconi were ordered to wear black dresses and as little make-up as possible. They were flown to Rome, taken in a taxi to a hotel, then taken by Tarantini's chauffeur, Dino, to Palazzo Grazioli, Berlusconi's residence. There they found about 20 other women. Tarantini was the only male guest apart from the Prime Minister.The young women were shown an hour-long documentary about Berlusconi. They watched clips of the billionaire Prime Minister with world leaders and on the campaign trail.At the dinner afterwards, Berlusconi showed off photos of his villas, told dirty jokes and handed out expensive jewellery. Then he started singing and dancing.

Labels: EU, Italy, Silvio Berlusconi

For the complete report from the guardian.co.uk click on this link

Italy - Silvio Berlusconi's troubles overshadow European elections - by John Hooper

Voters in Italy today cast their ballots against a background of unabated sexual controversy surrounding the prime minister, Silvio Berlusconi. At noon, the turnout was more than 3% below the figure at the same point in the 2008 ballot. Low turnouts in Italy tend to favour the left. It was notable that the highest levels of abstention were mostly in regions that traditionally favour the right, possibly suggesting conservative Catholic voters had registered their disapproval by staying away. The Spanish newspaper El País kept up its pressure on Berlusconi today by publishing two more photographs of the goings-on at his holiday villa.

Labels: Berlusconi, EU, European Elections, European Parliament, Italy

For the complete report from the Times Online click on this link

Berlusconi: The Clown’s Mask Slips

The most distasteful aspect of Silvio Berlusconi’s behaviour is not that he is a chauvinist buffoon. Nor is it that he cavorts with women more than 50 years younger than himself, abusing his position to offer them jobs as models, personal assistants or even, absurdly, candidates for the European Parliament. What is most shocking is the utter contempt with which he treats the Italian public.

Mr Berlusconi has promised to explain everything to parliament. But he can hardly have reassured his critics with his weekend injunction blocking publication of about 700 photographs purporting to show what went on at these parties. Nor is he helped by his hapless Foreign Minister, who attempted to defend his boss by pointing out that the age of consent in Italy was 14 — as if this were relevant.Does it all matter? Some Italians will say no.

Italy hosts the G8 meeting this year. Important discussions are taking place in that forum, where Western governments are pressing for greater co-operation in combating terrorism and international crime. Mr Berlusconi sees himself as a friend of Vladimir Putin. His country is an important member of Nato. It is also part of the eurozone, which is being tested by the global financial crisis. It is not only Italian voters who wonder what is going on. So do Italy’s nonplussed allies.

Labels: Berlusconi, EU, Italy

For the complete report from the FT.com click on this link

Eurofighter relief as Brown approves order - Germany also orders more - by Jeremy Lemer

Gordon Brown, UK prime minister, gave long-awaited approval for an order of Eurofighter Typhoon jets on Thursday – but warned industry that he expected a much lower price tag. The decision came as a relief to Germany, Italy and Spain – Britain’s programme partners – which feared Mr Brown would abandon or delay the multibillion-euro third production run.

The consortium responsible for building the Eurofighter Typhoon combat jet on Thursday welcomed Britain's decision to take part in the next round of production and pegged the four-nation deal at around 8 billion euros. After weeks of pressure from European allies, Britain gave tentative approval earlier on Thursday to the next tranche of production and said it hoped to be able to order the planes later this year following further negotiations. "The agreement that the UK have confirmed today sends a clear signal of customer commitment," Enzo Casolini, chief executive of Eurofighter GmbH, said in a statement. The consortium -- grouping BAE Systems, Finmeccanica of Italy and EADS for Germany and Spain -- said the overall value of the contract under negotiation would be "in the region of 8 billion euros."

Labels: Aircraft Industry, Britain, Britain. EU, Euro Fighter, Germany, Italy, Spain

For the complete report from Javno click on this link

Berlusconi`s Migrant Crackdown Could Boost EU Vote

Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi's migrant crackdown could help him in European polls by playing to a popular law-and-order agenda and shifting attention away from his nasty divorce, analysts say.Despite U.N. criticism, Italy last week began intercepting refugees at sea and turning their boats back to Libya before they reach Italian waters, a move legal experts say may allow Rome to sidestep any obligation to receive asylum requests. Viewed together with tough legislation in parliament making illegal immigration a crime, analysts say Berlusconi is reviving the law-and-order campaign that got him elected a year ago -- just in time for June 6-7 elections for the European parliament. "We're seeing a repeat of what happened in last year's elections," said political analyst James Walston. "Berlusconi seems to be managing the agenda. He's moving it away from personal matters ... He's saying 'look at me and look at the wonderful things I'm doing to protect your streets'."

The policy has met opposition from the United Nations, the Catholic Church and human rights groups, who say Italy is undermining access to asylum in Europe, but has won support well beyond Berlusconi's conservative base.

Labels: Elections, EU, Italy, Silvio Berlusconi

Noemi Letizia who calls Berlusconi "Papi"

For the complete report from Mail Online click on this link

Italy - Berlusconi is NOT my father, insists the teenage girl at the centre of his divorce spat

A teenage girl has denied being the illegitimate child of Italian Prime Minster Silvio Berlusconi. Noemi Letizia, 18, has been accused of sparking the divorce of the 73-year-old Premier from wife Veronica Lario which has exploded into a very public row. Miss Lario announced the split by declaring: 'I cannot be with a man who spends time with under-age women.' She accused her husband of 'consorting with minors' after he went to Noemi's 18th birthday party and allegedly gave her a gold and diamond necklace.

But despite calling Berlusconi 'Papi', the teenager is adamant he is not her father. Miss Lario announced just over a week ago that she was divorcing her husband Silvio Burlusconi because she was 'fed up seeing him with minors'. Mr. Berlusconi was left facing further claims of sleazy behavior after a video emerged of him asking to 'fondle' a woman during a visit to the earthquake-hit region of Italy. Miss Lario is likely to secure a good piece of the leader's $9billion fortune for their three children in any divorce settlement.

Labels: EU, Italy, Noemi Letizia, Silvio Berlusconi

A Fiat Palia running on CNG fuel

For the complete report from, The Cutting Edge News click on this link

What Does Fiat Know about CNG that Honda and the American Media Want to Ignore? by Marc J. Rauch

"In a country and world struggling to stave off the effects of economic depression and looming environmental devastation, “There’s absolutely no reason not to (use CNG),” Fiat proclaims. So why then do the American car companies, indeed all car companies building vehicles on U.S. soil (with the minor exception of Honda’s tokenistic 1,000 to 2,000 Civic GX units per year) ignore compressed natural gas, particularly since they all have had substantial experience with CNG in outside markets? And why hasn’t the Obama Administration already mandated a national transition to North American-produced CNG as one alt fuel of choice? Fiat, a major player on the world automotive scene, has not enjoyed top-of-the-mind brand awareness in America since they withdrew the last of their primary brands and models from U.S. soil in the 1990’s. Perhaps this self-induced low profile is the reason why the Fiat CNG story has not captured the imagination of the media, let alone the public. However, given the new set of circumstances revolving around Fiat’s deal with the now bankrupt Chrysler (a deal that was in the making since at least January), it would appear that Fiat might end up forcing CNG-powered vehicles on America and our pabulum-puking knee-jerk media, ironically to our own very best interest. Among the CNG benefits highlighted by Fiat are its lower cost versus gasoline per equivalent gallon, its significantly lower polluting characteristics compared to gasoline, and the safety of driving CNG vehicles. Moreover, CNG’s abundant availability from friendly "green" sources makes the fuel preferable as it does little to support OPEC and unfriendly regimes. Maybe there’ll be a happy ending to this tale, with Americans driving domestically-built sexy CNG-powered Fiats."

Labels: Alternative fuels, Automotive Industry, Chrysler, EU, Fiat, Italy, Methane Gas, US

For the complete report from MaltaToday click on this link

MALTA-ITALY TENSION REACHES NEW HEIGHTS

Unconfirmed reports of a meeting between Prime Minister Lawrence Gonzi and Opposition leader Joseph Muscat reached this newsroom yesterday, as high tension is building up between Malta and Italy on immigration. The two leaders discussed the situation on the latest incident in which Italian army boats warded off a Maltese patrol boat with 66 migrants from entering Lampedusa.
Tension is at its highest level ever since the 1980 Saipem incident, when a Maltese-commissioned Italian oil rig was stopped by Libyan gunboats.On Friday afternoon, Malta sent a note verbale to Italy, urging it to stop reneging on its international obligations for refusing to take in the migrants. A meeting also took place between Foreign Affairs Minister Tonio Borg and the Italian Ambassador to Malta, Paolo Andrea Trabalza.

Labels: EU, illegal immigrants, Immigration, Italy, Malta

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Silvio Berlusconi's wife announces divorce plans - by Tom Kington

For Europe's longest suffering first lady, it seems as if the golden necklace was the last straw. "I am convinced that at this point it would be more dignified to stop here," said Veronica Lario todayas she announced she would divorce Silvio ­Berlusconi, the Italian prime minister. "I cannot stay with a man who frequents minors," she told La Repubblica. The minor in question, aspiring TV ­presenter Noemi Letizia, was celebrating her 18th birthday last month in Naples when Berlusconi, who described himself as an old friend of her family, dropped by with the necklace for Letizia, who revealed she calls him "daddy".

Labels: Berlusconi, EU, Italy

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Chrysler in Hand, Fiat Turns to Opel

Fiat SpA Chief Executive Sergio Marchionne is stepping up his plan to acquire a majority stake in General Motors Corp.'s German unit Opel, the next phase of his ambitious campaign to forge one of the world's biggest auto makers by crafting a three-way alliance among Fiat, Chrysler and Opel. Mr. Marchionne is expected to meet senior German government officials in Berlin on Monday, according to people familiar with the matter, in an attempt to get their support for a potential alliance with Opel. Mr. Marchionne signed a partnership with Chrysler LLC in Washington last week. Fiat's board of directors met Sunday and authorized Mr. Marchionne to seek a potential merger between Fiat and GM's European operations, including Opel and its U.K. unit Vauxhall, according to a statement issued by Fiat on Sunday. If a deal is reached, Fiat will consider creating a new publicly traded company that combines the auto maker's car unit, Fiat Group Automobiles, with GM's European operations, the statement said.

Labels: EU, Fiat, Italy

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France, Italy take top spots with U.S. ranking 37th in WHO world health care ranking

In the above-mentioned WHO-sponsored ranking, France and Italy took top honors for health outcomes, while the United States came in well down the list at 37th. More recently, the highly regarded Commonwealth Fund – a private foundation that promotes a high-performing health care system – issued a report ranking the United States last or next to last compared with Australia, Canada, Germany, New Zealand and the United Kingdom. The report’s parameters included quality, access to care, patient safety, efficiency and equity. The only area where the United States comes out on top is in cost: we pay more for health care per person, with fewer people covered, than any other advanced nation.

The greatest disparity between the United States and these other countries is the lack of universal health insurance coverage. All other major industrialized nations provide such coverage, and most have comprehensive benefits packages with no cost-sharing. Meanwhile, nearly 45 million of America’s citizens have no coverage at any given time and more than 70 million Americans do not have health insurance at least part of the year. Equally troubling is that millions more Americans are under-insured.Perhaps most shocking, America ranks dead last on almost all equity measures because of a huge disparity between quality of care given to richer and poorer citizens. In 2005, two-fifths of adults with below-average incomes went without needed care. They simply couldn’t spend money they didn’t have on doctor visits, tests and pharmaceuticals.

Switzerland and the Netherlands both offer interesting examples of standardized benefits plans combined with tight regulation of insurance markets. In fact, some of these same concepts have been adopted by in the US by the state of Massachusetts and are being considered by other states and federal policymakers.

Labels: EU, France, Health Care, Italy, US, WHO

Europe's most advanced stealth jet Eurofighter launching an air to ground missile

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Italian Air Force: over 10,000 flight hours flown by the Eurofighter Typhoon

Alenia Aeronautica records with great satisfaction another important result reached by the Eurofighter program in Italy: the Air Force’s pilots have surpassed 10,000 flight hours on the Eurofighter Typhoon, the new-generation defence aircraft in service with two squadrons in Italy. The aircraft, that operates in Italy from Grosseto and Gioia del Colle air bases, has started being employed three years ago in missions of air police and quick-reaction alert for the airspace control, having inaugurated such operations during the 2006 Winter Olympic Games.

Since 2006 four other air forces have joined ItAF and the Typhoon fleet in service in Italy, Germany, United Kingdom, Spain and Austria have by now surpassed the total of 50,000 flight hours. By the end of the year also the first Typhoons for the Saudi Arabian Air Force, first Eurofighter’s non-European customer, will be delivered. The Eurofighter Typhoon is a milestone for the Italian aeronautical industry that with a share of 19% of the programme provides long-term job for 24,000 resources within some 200 companies, and in particular for the Finmeccanica companies, which play an important role with their 36% of industrial participation, in the definition, design, development and production of the new aircraft, the European industry’s technological frontier.

Labels: Aircraft Industry, Airforce, EU, EuroFighter, Italy

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Dozens Dead After Major Earthquake Strikes Central Italy

Dozens are dead and thousands left homeless after a powerful 6.3-magnitude earthquake struck central Italy Monday.Guido Bertolaso, the head of Italy's Civil Protection Department, said that between 10,000 and 15,000 buildings were damaged by the earthquake. Italy's Premier Silvio Berlusconi declared a state of emergency, which will release federal funds to deal with the situation.Earthquakes are not uncommon in central Italy. The last major one was on Oct. 31, 2002, which killed 28 people in the south-central Molise region. In November 1980, a severe quake hit Naples, killing more than 2,500 people. Presently some 140 people are already reported dead and the toll is rising.

Labels: earth quake, EU, Italy

Unmanned nEUROn stealth combat aircraft

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nEUROn Europe's unmanned combat aircraft taking shape

On February 9, 2006, French defense procurement agency DGA, the program executive agency, named Dassault Aviation as prime contractor in charge of developing nEUROn, a European combat aircraft vehicle demonstrator. This signaled the active launch of the project.The AVE-C drone carried out a demonstration flight on June 30, 2008. Since this drone features a general design similar to nEUROn, this test helped confirm the likelihood of the new UCAV performing a successful automatic takeoff and landing right from its first flight.The maiden flight of nEUROn is scheduled for the end of 2011. Test flights will be carried out over a period of about 18 months, in France (Istres), then Sweden and Italy. 85% of the total budget has now been awarded to Industry by DGA, which acts on behalf of the six Partner States (France, Sweden, Italy, Spain, Greece and Switzerland).In other words, not only is nEUROn beginning to take shape, but so is a real pan-European military aviation industry.

Labels: Air France, Aircraft Industry, EU, European Military, Greece, Italy, Sweden, Switzerland. nEUROn, Unmand Aircraft

For the complete report from the Times Online click on this link

Silvio Berlusconi under fire for rape gaffe - by Richard Owen

Silvio Berlusconi has found himself in hot water again after saying that deploying more troops on Italian streets following a series of rape cases would not guarantee the safety of the country's women because "we would need as many soldiers as there are beautiful girls in Italy – which we will never manage". There was also outrage when it emerged that a 22-year-old man accused of raping a 23-year-old girl during a New Year's Eve party organised by the city council at the Rome trade fair site had been allowed house arrest by a woman magistrate who accepted that he had expressed remorse at his "violent behaviour under the influence of alcohol and drugs".

Gianni Alemanno, the mayor of Rome, demanded that the man be imprisoned after the victim phoned him in distress to say she felt "abandoned by the authorities". On Saturday Mr Berlusconi said he would increase tenfold the number of soldiers helping police patrol city streets – taking the total to 30,000.

Labels: Berlusconi, EU, Italy

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Italy's Second Eurofighter Unit Operational

At 12:00 on Monday 5th January 2009, Italy’s 36th Wing, based in Gioia de Colle, began air defence duties five years after Eurofighter Typhoon was introduced to the four partner nations. The Eurofighter F2000 aircraft was only supplied to the 36th Wing on 1st October 2007 and both the flight crew and base underwent an intense period of training and achieved the ambitious goal of a thousand hours of flight to ensure they were ready for January 2009. The 36th Wing consists of two flying squadrons and will provide air defence 24 hours a day, 365 days a year and will compliment the 4th, 5th and 37th Wings who are already defending the air space of the southern Mediterranean.

Labels: Aircraft Industry, EU, Euro Fighter, Eurofighter 2000, Italy

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Italian economy boosted by strong wine sales

The Italian economy has received a timely boost with the news that the country's winemakers are on course to become the world's top producers of wine. According to Coldiretti, the representative body of Italian farmers, 4.7 billion litres of wine will have been produced by the end of the year, which is an eight per cent increase on last year's levels. With France, the world leaders last year, seeing production fall by five per cent in the last 12 months, Italy is expected to seize the top spot. This will be good news for Italy's economy and it may serve to entice more property investors to expand their portfolios in the Mediterranean country.

Labels: EU, Italy, Wine Industry

For the complete report from the Star Tribune click on this link

Bulgaria in talks to import Egyptian natural gas reducing dependence on Russian energy linking existing Turkey-Greece-Italy pipeline

Sameh Fahmy the Egyptian oil minister held talks today (Thursday) in Bulgaria about selling up to 1 billion cubic meters of natural gas a year to the EU country, which is trying to cut its dependence on Russian energy imports. Egypt's Oil Minister said deliveries could begin in 2011-2012, starting at half a billion cubic meters per year.Dimitrov said Egyptian gas could come to Bulgaria through the existing Turkey-Greece-Italy pipeline if Turkey and Egypt were to link their gas networks. Such a link, he said, would be 'crucial to guarantee Egyptian supplies for the Nabucco gas pipeline project. The Nabucco pipeline was built to ease Europe's reliance on Russian energy. The EU gets about one-third of its oil and about 40 percent of its natural gas from Russia.

Labels: Bulgaria, Egypt, EU, Gas Supplies, Greece, Italy, Turkey

EU-Digest: Climate changes - Pollution controls

Italy to veto new EU climate targets if there are no concessions-by Robin Pomeroy

(Reuters)Italy's environment minister said today his country will veto new European greenhouse gas limits for 2020 unless it gets concessions,suggesting the EU might have to wait a year before adopting new climate change policies. French President Nicolas Sarkozy wants a European Union summit he will chair next month to agree a 20 percent emissions cut, something the EU would use to press other countries for a new global treaty for when the Kyoto Protocol expires in 2012. Most EU diplomats believe Italy is posturing to try to eke out a better deal for its industry and that Berlusconi would not dare risk the stigma of torpedoing the EU's long-held and self-declared role as global leader in climate change policy.

Without a deal at the December 11-12 Brussels summit, there is practically no chance the EU could agree in time for a climate change conference in December 2009 where the world is supposed to define a post-Kyoto treaty.

Labels: Environment: climate change, EU, Italy

For the complete report from MarketWatch click on this link

Unicredit CEO: Italian banks "absolutely solid"

UniCredit SpA (UCG.MI) Chief Executive Officer Alessandro Profumo said in an interview published Tuesday that Italy's banking sector, including the bank he leads, is "absolutely solid." "We've had some problems, but the bank has always been very solid and now it's even more solid," Profumo told Rome daily La Republica.

Labels: Banking system, EU, Italy

EU Politics News - theParliament.com:

"Poland and Italy most religious in Europe, study finds

A major new study on religious belief has found that rates of religiousaffiliation are highest in Poland and Italy, while France has a highpercentage of non-religious individuals.

It also found that more that 25 per cent of Europeans who do not belong to a church nevertheless consider themselves “religious”."

Labels: EU, Italy, Poland, Religion

For the complete report from M&C click on this link

Berlusconi ally urges Italian athletes to show dissent in Beijing

A senior member of Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi's political party has triggered a row by urging Italy's Olympic officials to allow Italian athletes at the Olympics to protest China's human rights policies. Maurizio Gasparri, chief whip in Italy's Senate for Berlusconi's People of Freedom party, also said he would send the athletes in Beijing a video showing 'Communist China's daily repression in Tibet,' according to a statement from his office Tuesday.

Labels: China, EU, Italy, Olympics, Silvio Berlusconi

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Ryanair ad discloses Italian Government subsidies to Alitalia increases passengers fares - by Dave Anderson

Ryanair, the prominent Irish low cost carrier, has managed to anger Italy’s conservative government by posting an ad on its website, in which the airline claimed that Italian officials had an “up yours” attitude, when it comes to the country’s struggling national carrier, Alitalia.The fact that Ryanair decided to run these ads should serve as no surprise, considering that the Irish low cost carrier has very openly articulated that it opposes state subsidies to carriers and as such, the airline has spoken out on several occasions against the Italian government’s decision to provide the near bankrupt Alitalia with a €300 million emergency loan. Ryanair argues that by providing these loans, the government is essentially supporting Alitalia’s higher fares and thus placing passengers at a disadvantage.

Labels: EU, Italy, Ryanair

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Netherlands, Italy go through from Euro 2008 "group of death"

World champions Italy and the Netherlands won their final matches in group C at the European championship finals on June 17 by the same scoreline, 2:0, to progress to the quarterfinals. The Dutch had secured their spot at the top of the group even before their match with Romania and fielded a team filled with reserves, which nevertheless included players that can single-handedly win a match on their night, such as Robin van Persie and Arjen Robben. For Romania, a win would have guaranteed progressing at the expense of Italy and France, the two teams that played in the last World Cup final. But instead of adopting a more swashbuckling attitude, as they did against Italy, Romania looked for the larger part of the match as a collection of individuals who were playing together for the first time, struggling to string along more than three passes going forward. The Netherlands enjoyed the lion's share of the possession, aided by Romanian players, who appeared unable to stop themselves from giving the ball away. Expertly stretching their opponents' defence on the wings, the Dutch looked more likely to score and in the 36th minute Robben missed the first clear-cut chance, stabbing his shot just inches wide of goal. One of Romania's rare forays saw Razvan Cocis shoot over the crossbar when he was left alone at the edge of the Dutch penalty area just before half-time.

Within ten minutes of the restart, Klaas-Jan Huntelaar, the Ajax striker rumoured to be a transfer target for a host of big clubs, who has looked largely ineffective until then, finally scored his first goal of the tournament with an easy-looking tap-in from Ibrahim Afellay's cross.At the other end, the Netherlands continued to patiently test Romania, but their second goal came from a counter-attack in the dying minutes of the half, van Persie beating his market to thump his shot into the near corner.Italy received an unexpected boost eight minutes into the match, when Franck Ribery, France's most dangerous player so far this tournament, was stretchered off with an apparent hamstring injury.Luck was on Italy's side throughout the match, but it remains to be seen whether it will hold against Spain when the two teams play each other in the quarterfinal on June 22. The last time they met, in March, Spain won 1:0.

Labels: EU, EURO 2008, Italy, Netherlands

For the complete report from the guardian.co.uk click on this link

George Bush in Italy: a disruptive presence - by Tom Kington

Romans opening their newspapers yesterday were shocked to read that the pending arrival of George Bush would mean the roping off of 3,000 precious parking spaces in the traffic-choked eternal city. Fittingly for the visit of an unpopular president winding up his term of office, Romans were more concerned at the idea of blocked streets and blocked cell phone signals so soon after a slew of world leaders descended on them for the UN food summit held in Rome last week.

Protesters planning to march against the US presence in Iraq were on the streets as early as Monday, camped outside the city's Regina Coeli jail in prisoner's garb after hearing that 230 inmates were being moved out to make room for any protesters arrested.

Labels: EU, George Bush, Italy

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Euro 2008 - Soccer: Dutch pull off Euro stunner over Italy

It took the Netherlands eight years, but they finally exacted revenge on Italy. The Dutch rolled to a 3-0 victory Monday over world champion Italy in Berne, Switzerland, in the opening Group C contest for both nations at Euro 2008. Giovanni van Bronckhorst, Ruud van Nistelrooy and Wesley Sneijder scored for the Netherlands, who lost the last competitive game between these two nations in the semifinals of Euro 2000.Monday's victory was also the first for the Dutch over the Italians in eight games, dating back to their second-round encounter at the 1978 World Cup in Argentina.

The Netherlands leads Group C with three points. Romania and France (one point each) are tied for second after battling to a 0-0 tie earlier in the day in Zurich. Winless Italy is in fourth place.

Labels: EU, EURO 2008, Italy, Netherlands, Soccer

For the complete report from the Guardian click on this link

Italy's Air One orders Airbus planes for $4.8 bln - by Deepa Babington

Tiny Italian airline Air One has ordered 24 planes from European plane maker Airbus for $4.8 billion as it expands its long-haul flight offerings to the United States and the Far East. The deal is the second major order for Airbus in a week after Gulf Air placed a $4.5 billion order for 35 single aisle and widebody aircraft last week. Air One also has an option to buy another 20 planes for about $3.8 billion.

Air One has been steadily building up its operations while ailing rival Alitalia loses market share and risks bankruptcy due to the continuing strain of high oil prices, tough competition and frequent labour strikes.

Labels: Airbus sales, Aircraft Industry, EU, Italy

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Silvio Berlusconi faces Muslim clash - by Malcolm Moore

Silvio Berlusconi is facing a row with the Muslim world over his plans to appoint a member of the far-Right to his cabinet. Roberto Calderoli, 52, a senior member of the Northern League, enraged Muslims two years ago during the row over a set of Danish cartoons featuring the Prophet Mohammed. He appeared on television wearing a T-shirt printed with one of the cartoons. The Italian consulate in Libya was set on fire and 11 people died in riots. Mr Calderoli has also threatened to defile the proposed site of a mosque in Padua by walking a pig over the ground. When Italy beat France in the 2006 World Cup, he said France had "sacrificed its identity by fielding niggers, Muslims and communists".

Note EU-Digest: with friends like Mr.Berlusconi who needs any enemies?

Labels: Berlusconi, EU, Italy, Muslims

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Italian Poll Verdict - by Abdul Ruff

Italy is the fourth largest European economy and has one of the highest per capita incomes in Europe. The country's traditional manufacturing industries suffered a downturn during the final years of the twentieth century, but there have recently been some signs that the economy is beginning to recover from its decade-long slump. Italy's economy has been slipping in the face of low productivity and a strong euro, and analysts say young people, pensioners and low-income workers are feeling the pressure. Although Italy faces a massive public debt, both candidates have promised tax cuts and handouts to voters. The extent of Italy's malaise was made clear only a week before the ballot, when the IMF cut its growth forecast for the country to 0.3% for both 2008 and 2009. That would make Italy's the slowest-growing economy in Europe and among the G8 rich countries. In 2006 it was overtaken by Spain and next year it may fall behind Greece.

The Italian political landscape underwent a seismic shift in the 1990s when the "Clean Hands" operation exposed corruption at the highest levels of politics and big business. Several former prime ministers were implicated and thousands of businessmen and politicians were investigated. In the mid-1990s its GDP per head, at purchasing-power parity, was 20% above the average for the 27 countries in today's European Union. It was richer than Britain and France, and second to Germany among big EU states. Twelve years on, it has fallen below the EU 27 average for the first time.

There are some reasons for hope, though. Italy's employment performance is good: joblessness is at a 30-year low. Exports have been booming, despite the strong euro. Italy's banks have improved under the spur of competition, and they have mostly avoided the sub-prime debt that is dragging down rivals in Europe.

Labels: Elections, EU, Italy

For the complete report from The Hindu click on this link

Outrage over Berlusconi remarks on immigration

Italy’s Prime Minister-elect Silvio Berlusconi was running true to form on Tuesday as he basked in his overwhelming victory in the general elections held earlier this week. By declaring that illegal immigrants are “an army of evil” he gave Italians a taste of things to come. There has been a rising tide of anti-immigrant sentiment in Italy, especially towards people coming from Romania, Albania, Kosovo, and other parts of the Balkans, with attempts to repatriate Roma gypsies often described as “liars and thieves.” In a long press conference, Mr. Berlusconi brushed off criticism that he would be putty in the hands of his key coalition partner Umberto Bossi of the Northern League who has been calling for the break-up of Italy into three distinct federal regions so that the wealthy north no longer has to subsidize the poor south. However, he did say he would “increase neighbourhood police forces who would place themselves between the people of Italy and the army of evil.” Mr. Berlusconi’s remarks caused tremendous outrage and prompted Walter Veltroni of the Democratic Party who lost the election to remark: “I am horrified by his statements so far. His words do not add up to a good start.”

Note EU-Digest: Silvio Berlusconi is the worst possible choice for Italy at this stage of its history. It is sinking under a huge public debt, the heaviest tax burden in the euro zone, and the fastest aging workforce. Mr. Berlusconi probably realizes that the premier in a country with a 900-odd member parliament and numerous parties holds virtually no executive power. "He has no more projects," says Mr. Ferrara, an old fan. "He has no delusions. He has become very cynical. Italy is so hard to rule that Berlusconi probably figures, 'I won't try anything, I will go with the mainstream and give Italians what they want, shelter from competition, the tax man and most of all, "precariousness" of any kind". Italy today is like "a person on life support" and its re-elected leader Berlusconi provides no hope for change. Italy's problems and the election of Berlusconi prompted comedian Beppe Grillo to joke: "Please, invade us. Help us!"

Labels: Berlusconi, Elections, EU, Italy

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Why Berlusconi beat the ‘Italian Obama’ - - by Dr Dominic Standish

"Italian voters are so disillusioned by more than a decade of anti-corruption witch-hunting that they are willing to return to office the man who was described as the most corrupt of them all: Berlusconi. And second because it highlights the perils of personality politics, which should be a lesson to politicians across the Western world."

Berlusconi demonstrated that he still has some appeal in a country where political correctness is not as all-pervasive as it is in the US and some Western European countries. In the past Berlusconi famously compared a German politician to a Nazi camp guard, and he declared shortly after 9/11 that Western civilization is superior to Islam. During the latest election campaign, he proposed mental health tests for prosecutors who have attempted to convict him on corruption charges, stated that right-wing women are sexier than left-wing ones, and hailed a Mafioso who looked after his villa in the 1970s as a ‘hero’ for refusing to talk to police.

Although Berlusconi’s cultivation of personality politics was more successful than Veltroni’s Obama ripoff act, neither leader could mask the pervasive sense of stasis in Italian politics. The electorate was faced with two ageing representatives of Italy’s political old guard attempting to reinvent themselves as dynamic personalities.

Labels: EU, Italy, Silvio Berlusconi

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Berlusconi Wins Italian Election, Set for Third Term (Italians vote in favor of self-destructions) - by Steve Scherer and Flavia Krause-Jackson)

Billionaire media mogul Silvio Berlusconi won a majority in both houses of the Italian parliament and will return to power for a third term as premier. Berlusconi's People of Liberty party and its allies took 166 seats in the Senate, the upper house, to 138 for Walter Veltroni's Democratic Party and its partner, according to a projection by RAI state television. In the Chamber of Deputies, Berlusconi took 45.9 percent of the vote compared with Veltroni's 38.9 percent, RAI estimated. That would give Berlusconi about 340 lower-house seats out of 630. ``Berlusconi is back,'' said Maurizio Pessato, chief executive officer of polling company SWG Srl in Trieste, Italy. ``With this result, he can last.''

Note EU-Digest: The question might not be if he can last, but if the Italians can survive? Italy deserves better.

Labels: Berlusconi, Elections, Italy

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Italian ambassador to Azerbaijan: "Italian entrepreneurs are interested both in tourism and other business sectors of Azerbaijan"

"Azerbaijan should use Italy's potential for development of the tourism sector", said Gianluidji Masha, Italian ambassador to Azerbaijan.According to the diplomat, the people, working in the tourist sector of the country, may practice in Italy, as it is one of the countries, which are most frequently visited by tourists and have specialists in all spheres of this sector. It should be noted that Italian representatives will take part in the tourist exhibition to open in the Sport and Concert Complex named after Heydar Aliyev late this week.

Labels: Azerbaijan, EU, Italy

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Walter Veltroni: projecting Italy as the 'hub' of neoliberal Europe

Walter Veltroni is the main centre-left challenger to Berlusconi in Italy’s general election. As leader of the Democratic Party, he rejects local and social movement campaigns in territorial autonomy and favours making Italy a military and industrial ‘hub’, writes Enzo Mangini .

Ten pillars, twelve actions to be implemented immediately, and a green bus to spread the word traveling across Italy’s 110 provinces – these are the numbers behind the electoral campaign of Walter Veltroni, former mayor of Rome and leader of the recently formed Democratic Party (Partito Democratico, PD). Veltroni is challenging Silvio Berlusconi in the general election of 13 and 14 April. After the fall of Romano Prodi’s centre-left coalition, Veltroni has led an aggressive campaign to erode the allegedly enormous lead that Berlusconi started with in opinion polls. To do so, Veltroni chose to shrink the ponderous 280-page programme which Prodi’s coalition presented to voters two years ago to a mere 20-page folder, available in slides on PD’s appealing website.

Labels: Elections, EU, Italy, Veltroni

For the complete report from the EUobserver.com click on this linkBerlusconi leads polls ahead of Italian elections (will the 71 year old con-man do it again) - by Lucia Kubosova

Rome's centre-left mayor - to become Italy's next prime minister has sparked strong interest both at home and in wider Europe, but polls and analysts suggest that media tycoon Silvio Berlusconi has a higher chance of winning and achieving a third-time comeback as leader of the EU's fourth largest country.

Mr Prodi, a former European Commission president, lost a confidence vote mainly due to internal struggles in his nine-party ruling coalition and protests by small coalition parties against changes in election laws. While Mr Prodi managed to cut the country's budgetary deficit from 4.4 percent of GDP in 2006 to 2.4 percent in 2007, Italy is still struggling with its enormous public debt which remains bigger than its gross domestic product. The gloomy economic outlook of the country has been a key factor in the current campaign, with EU economy commissioner Joaquin Almunia stressing recently that a health-check of Italy's public finances "must be one of the objectives of all of the candidates taking part in the elections."

Mr Berlusconi (71) lost the 2006 elections overwhelmingly due to dissatisfaction among voters with his economic performance. Despite referring to himself as a champion of free markets and holding a comfortable majority in parliament, he failed to fully liberate Italy's rigid pension and social system.

Viewed as a relative youngster by Italian political standards, Mr Veltroni is trying to inspire young voters, as well as the around 30 percent of the electorate that remains undecided. He has been campaigning under an Italian version of "Yes, we can" – the slogan of Barack Obama, a front-runner Democrat candidate for the US presidency elections. Mr Veltroni promises to boost Italy's economy and transparency over public affairs.

Labels: Elections, EU, Italy, Silvio Berlusconi, Veltroni

For the complete report from The Daily Record click on this link

Italians Top For Holiday Romances

Italians really are stallions for women when it comes to love on holiday. And men fantasize most about Sophia Loren-type Italian women for a far-flung fling, according to a survey. Around 700 people were asked which nationality they would be most attracted to if they were single. British were second on the list for both sexes, while Turkish and Caribbean are a turn-off. Colin Shaddick, of Continental Research, who commissioned the study, said: "Men and women said either Italians or British were the top nationalities they would most fancy a fling with.

"Men were more likely to be drawn to Oriental women." When both the views of men and women are combined, the US comes top as the sexiest place to head for a passionate encounter

Labels: EU, Italy, Romance, Sex Appeal

For the complete report from AFP click on this link

Italy - Berlusconi says he would veto sale of Alitalia to Air France: report ( the "mad" Italian politician is back on the EU Scene

Berlusconi said that if he gains the premiership for a third time, he would respond to the offer from Air France-KLM with "a curt no." "It is not a matter of saying no against France but against the conditions proposed," said the media tycoon, widely seen as the favourite to win the April 13-14 elections.

Alitalia, which has lurched from crisis to crisis for years, is now close to bankruptcy.

Labels: Alitalia, Berlusconi, EU, Italy

For the complete report from the Telegraph click on this link

Europe idle as US battles meltdown - by Ambrose Evans - Pritchard

It is the first time since the Great Depression that the US Fed has stepped in directly to absorb credit losses, crossing a line deemed unthinkable just months ago. The dramatic late-night move on Sunday required dredging up Article 13 (3) of the Federal Reserve Act, which allows the Fed to shower money on almost anybody it wishes by a vote of five governors in "unusual and exigent circumstances".Jean-Michel Six, chief Europe economist at Standard & Poor's, said the Europeans were in no mood to rescue America. "There is monetary war going on. The ECB view is that Fed is a victim of its own mistakes and should pay for its past crimes. Frankly, they don't see why they should be cutting rates when inflation (3.3pc) is accelerating," he said.

There are now echoes of October 1987 when the German Bundesbank (and therefore Europe) refused to ease monetary policy, even though the dollar was in freefall and Wall Street was fragile. The spat was the backdrop to the Black Monday crash.

Note EU-Digest: The ECB is on the right track, the problems of the US economy are of the US her own making. If the ECB cuts the interest rates in Europe, inflation would rise and Europe's economy would also spiral into disaster.

Labels: Britain, Christianity, Energy, EU, EU Economy, euro, France, Gas Supplies, Healthcare, Iraq war, Islam, Italy, Romance, Russia, Sarkozy, Sex Appeal, Turkey, US, US Economy

For the complete report from the Times Online click on this link

Silvio Berlusconi does not deserve another chance of power in Italy - by Brownwen Maddox

The prospect should be unthinkable, but polls suggest that Italians may pick Silvio Berlusconi for a third stint as prime minister in their quest for a government. Leave aside the conflict of interest with his media and business empire, and his amendment, while in office, of laws on penal justice that helped him to sidestep charges of false accounting. Leave aside, too, for a moment, his reform of the electoral laws that has returned Italy to the days of splintering governments that cannot withstand the strain of difficult decisions for much more than a year. But even considering his record in office, there is not enough to warrant a return. If people want to attempt a justification, they point to two slivers of reform on pensions and employment. That is all they can do, because there are no other cases where Berlusconi clearly acted for Italy's benefit rather than his own.

Labels: Crime, Elections, EU, Italy, Silvio Berlusconi

For the complete report from the EuroNews click on this link

Abortion emerges as election issue in Italy

The emotive subject of abortion has emerged as an election issue ahead of Italy's vote on April the 13th. The high profile journalist Giuliano Ferrara has announced plans to run for election on a single-issue, pro-life ticket. On Monday, would-be centre-right Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi endorsed Ferrara's call for a UN moratorium on terminations, but stopped short of backing an alliance with his new party. Ferrara's comments have also been endorsed by top Catholic officials in the Vatican. Centre-left politicians, meanwhile, have roundly condemned Ferrara's campaign as an attack on women's rights. Former Minister Rosy Bindi, a Catholic member of the Democratic Party, confirmed her personal opposition to abortion but said the issue had no place in an election campaign.

Labels: Elections, Italy

For the complete report of the Times Online click on this link

Italy- the Italian Obama - Send for Mr Nice Guy - by Rosemary Righter

Two years ago, an impressive 83 per cent of Italian voters turned out in an election that neither Silvio Berlusconi nor Romano Prodi deserved to win. Italy's choice lay between a sleek snake-oil merchant who had done culpably little with a record five years in power, and a rumpled political cobbler whose chances of getting anything done at all were slight. So here again is Il Cavaliere Silvio, back in the running for the third time and lengths ahead of Walter Veltroni, the centre-left horse in this race. Yet the finish could be close. What is new is that Mr Veltroni has understood one big thing about Silvio's appeal: that he stands out from the rest of the pack. And he is attempting to steal his act.

Mr Veltroni, whose day job is Mayor of Rome, is the leader of a “new” Democratic Party, forged last autumn by merging his Margarita Party with the ex-communist Democrats of the Left. The DP, he now says, will break with the idea of coalition, fighting this election alone. This is being greeted as a big gamble, which suits Mr Veltroni just fine, but is actually cold calculation. There was no way to market the same old squabbling bunch as an attractive new team. Besides, polls show that more voters would back the DP if it cut loose from the hard Left. Mr Veltroni goes farther: what he is selling is himself. And a most marketable commodity he is.

“SuperWalter” is everything that Il Cavaliere is not, all bella figura (socially accomplished) to Silvio's brutta figura (can't take the man anywhere). A writer and film buff, he has been dubbed Buonismo, roughly translatable as Mr Nice Guy. He is a luvvie's dream candidate who has put Rome back on the cultural map. He entered politics as a communist (even editing L'Unità, the party paper), but morphed seamlessly into an admirer of the Kennedys. His new model? Barack Obama. He has even echoed Obama's slogan, “Yes we can”, and talks about “turning the page” and “the end of an era of brawls and hatred”. His pitch is that Mr Berlusconi, 71, is the man of the past who disappointed everybody, and that he, a mere 52, is the man of “renewal” . But he says it politely.

Labels: Elections, Italy, Walter Veltroni

For the complete report from DueMotori.com click on this link

Italy - New Bravo engine boosts Fiat's green credentials

A new diesel engine, introduced initially for use in the Bravo range, has again demonstrated Fiat Group’s commitment to the production of increasingly environmentally-friendly cars. Fiat’s new 1.6 MultiJet 16v unit, announced just last week, promises sparkling performance, outstanding torque, increased noise suppression and lower running costs for the Bravo range. The addition also makes Bravo the first car in its category to be fitted with a Euro 5-compliant engine, well ahead of the 2009 deadline.

Labels: Car Industry, Fiat, Italy

For the complete report from the FT.com click on this link

Italy’s Prodi to resign after losing vote - by Guy Dinmore

Italy’s centre-left government fell on Thursday night after narrowly losing a tumultuous vote of confidence in the senate despite desperate attempts by Romano Prodi, prime minister, to prolong the life of his weakened coalition against the advice of allies. Mr Prodi intended to submit his resignation immediately to President Giorgio Napolitano, a spokesman for the prime minister said. The president may seek the formation of a caretaker government or call early elections.

Labels: EU, Italy, Prodi

For the complete report from the AFP click on this link

Italy in suspense amid signs Prodi may resign before Senate vote

Italy in suspense amid signs Prodi may resign before Senate vote

Italy's Prime Minister Romano Prodi, facing shrinking odds of winning a vote of confidence in the opposition-controlled Senate, is considering resigning instead of facing the test, media reports said Wednesday. Citing government sources, the reports said President Giorgio Napolitano advised Prodi not to submit to the vote set for Thursday in the Senate. The centre-left's slim majority in the upper house evaporated this week with the defection of a small centrist Catholic party.

Labels: EU, Italy, Prodi

For the complete report from Forbes.com click on this link

Italy's Prodi sees strong euro impact on energy imports curbing trade deficit

Italy's prime minister Romano Prodi sees the strong euro cutting the cost of imported energy fuels, bringing down the country's trade deficit with the rest of the world, said a source close to Prodi. Speaking after yesterday's summit between Prodi and German chancellor Angela Merkel, the source said both countries with their strong industrial sectors are seeing a similar trend in the trade balances with the rest of the world.

Note EU-Digest: It is shameful how some corporations in Europe including petro-chemical corporations are profiting from the strong euro and not passing these benefits on to the consumer. Consumers in the EU are not seeing the price of gasoline (which is tied to the dollar) drop, or for that matter just about any product which is bought outside the EU and quoted in US dollars. For example Nike shoes (made in the Far East) selling in America for around US $ 65.00 (43 euro's) are still being listed in Europe for over 100 euro's. Instead of whining about the strong euro European politicians should go after corporations who are price gouching and getting away with making huge profits.

Labels: EU, European Economy, Germany, Italy, Merkel, Prodi

For the complete report from Goal.com click on this link

Soccer - Euro 2008 - Lippi: Italy Could Win Euro 2008

Marcelo Lippi believes that Italy can go all the way at next summer's UEFA European Championship finals in Austria and Switzerland. The veteran boss, who won the World Cup with the Azzurri last year, remarked, "This Italy squad comprises fantastic players who haven't given up their hunger for victory. Italy scraped past Scotland at Hampden yesterday, shattering the hosts' 100% home record in qualification and, moreover, sealing Italy's place in next summer's tournament.

Labels: Euro Cup 2008, Italy, Soccer

For the complete report from the globeandmail.com click on this link

EU reallocates seats over Italy's objections

The European Parliament approved a new division of seats on Thursday despite protests from Italy, which has threatened to block the rearrangement at an EU summit next week due to approve a new treaty for the bloc.

The redistribution to better reflect the size of populations in the 27-nation European Union is meant to accompany the approval of the reform treaty, which raises the number of MEPs (members of the European Parliament) to 750 from 736 envisaged by the previous treaty. EU leaders need unanimity to adopt the change when they meet in Lisbon on Oct. 18-19.

Labels: EU, EU CONSTITUTION, European Parliament, Italy

For the complete report from AFP click on this link

Italy to consider Ryanair offer for Milan airport

An offer by Irish airline Ryanair to begin operating out of Milan's Malpensa airport in place of Italian carrier Alitalia will be "considered", Italy's transport minister said Saturday. "It would be mad not to examine an offer of a billion euros (1.4 billion dollars)," Alessandro Bianchi said in Saturday's edition of the Corriere della sera daily.

"I cannot judge this offer from a technical point of view but if a company as large as Ryanair decides to make such an investment, its offer must be considered."

Labels: EU, Italy, Ryanair

For the complete report from RFDesign click on this link

First Eurofighter with passive infrared search and track delivered to Italian Air Force

The first Eurofighter Typhoon with an on-board Pirate infrared search and track (IRST) has been delivered to Italian Aeronautica Militare. The aircraft is part of the Tranche 1 batch 5 of the international Eurofighter program and operates from the Grosseto base in Tuscany. Designed and produced by Galileo Avionica, the Pirate performs the same tasks of radar, but operates in a totally passive mode, without electromagnetic radiation, by detecting heat emanating from various targets. This is a crucial feature that enhances tactical superiority because it makes detection of the aircraft more difficult. Leveraging state-of-the-art technologies, the Pirate combines the capabilities of IRST and forward-looking infrared (FLIR). The Pirate is compact so that the electronics can be installed inside the aircraft, while the search-head sensor emerges at the left side of the nose, in front of the windshield.

Labels: EU, EuroFighter, Italy

For the complete report in EUbusiness.com click on this link

Italian PM "bitter" over anti-European attitudes at summit

Italian Prime Minister Romano Prodi admitted feeling "bitter" over the lack of pro-European sentiment on display at the EU summit this week, in an interview published Sunday in the La Repubblica daily. "As a politician, I am of course satisfied with the result" of the summit, which ended with an agreement on a new treaty for the European Union, "but as a pro-European, let me be bitter at the spectacle I saw," said Prodi, the former chief of the European Commission.

"The determination of governments to deny any emotional aspect of Europe is painful to me," he said, citing Poland, the Czech Republic, the Netherlands and Britain as the worst offenders.

Labels: Britain, EU SUMMIT, Italy, Netherlands, Poland, the Czech Republic

For the complete report in Javno click on this link

Italy - Prodi Hopes His Ministers Avoid Anti-Bush Rally in Rome

When U.S. President George W. Bush visits Rome next week he will be met with pomp and ceremony by Italy's leaders, but also by an angry anti-war demonstration which some government ministers have said they might attend. Prime Minister Romano Prodi said on Saturday he hoped none of his ministers -- some of them hard-line communists -- would attend the rally, although he would not ban them from doing so.

Labels: Bush, EU, Italy, Prodi

For the complete report from Flight International click on this link

Italy's Eurofighters near readiness-by Luca Peruzzi

Italian air force use of the Eurofighter Typhoon is gaining momentum, with the service's first frontline squadron expecting to achieve full operational capability with the type in late 2008.

Some 35 pilots are now flying the aircraft, including more than 20 to have achieved combat-ready status and others who are conducting squadron exchanges from the US and European air forces. "This summer the first cadre of ab initio pilots will begin training at 20 Squadron, a syllabus requiring around seven months," says 9 Sqn commander Lt Col Daniele Picco. The work will be supported using simulators at Alenia's Turin Caselle plant and a Galileo Avionica facility in Ronchi dei Legioniari.

Labels: EU, Euro Fighter, Italy

For the complete report in the Guardian Unlimited click on this link

A girl on each knee - paparazzi pictures make Berlusconi sweat -- by John Hooper

Silvio Berlusconi's famously stormy marriage looked as though it was heading back into choppy waters yesterday, two months after his wife humiliated him into a public apology for flirting with TV showgirls.

An Italian magazine announced it was to publish photographs of the media tycoon relaxing with no less than five young women at his Sardinian villa. In one picture he is shown with a girl on each knee. In others, he is seen walking hand in hand with one or more of his ladies guests.

Labels: EU, Italy, Silvio Berlusconi

For the complete report in Press TV click on this link

480 US nuclear warheads in Europe

A documentary aired on Italian TV channel, RAI 24, has claimed that the U.S. military is keeping 480 nuclear warheads across Europe, 90 in Italy. Fifty of the warheads are being kept at Aviano Air Base, north-east of Italy and forty others at a military facility near Brescia. The documentary warns of possible nuclear strikes against countries in the Middle East.

Pointing to remarks made by NATO's Deputy Assistant Secretary General for Weapons of Mass Destruction policy, Guy Roberts, the documentary emphasizes that all sovereign countries have the right to call on the U.S. government to remove all its nuclear weapons from their soil.

Labels: EU, Italy, Nato, Nuclear, USA, War, Weapons of mass destruction