McDonalds joins forces with 136-year-old pasta firm in Italy

The Guardian - Thursday 23rd May, 2013

pasta maker Barilla have now joined forces to bring a touch of the Mediterranean to a Big Mac and fries.In a partnership that reflects the conflicting currents of the globalised food market, branches of McDonald's ...

Fitch Affirms Italys Region of Veneto at BBB+

Fitch Ratings - Thursday 23rd May, 2013

Fitch: Sub-Saharan Africa Has Gradual Upgrade Potential Fitch Ratings says in a newly-published report that targeted reforms and policy initiatives could see Sub-Saharan Africa's (SSA) sub-investment grade ratings gradually upgraded, despite per capita income falling well short of peers. The challenge for Africa from a rating perspective is the low level of GDP per capita - most SSA ...

Rome derby Cup final a potential powder keg

SBS - Thursday 23rd May, 2013

ROME (Reuters) - Racism, bitter local rivalry and dissatisfaction with their own teams will provide a combustible mix in the first-ever Italian Cup final featuring neighbours AS Roma and Lazio on ...

Rosicky Cech to lead Czechs against Italy in World Cup qualifier

Global Times - Thursday 23rd May, 2013

Arsenal midfielder and team captain Tomas Rosicky and Chelsea goalkeeper Petr Cech were both named Thursday in a 21-man Czech Republic squad for the World Cup 2014 qualifier against Italy in Prague on June 7.Coach Michal Bilek also named one newcomer in the squad, defender Vaclav Prochazka from Czech top-flight side Viktoria Plzen.Italy lead qualifying Group B with 13 points from five games ...

Italian arrested in Thailand over $12.7 million fraud

General Sources - Thursday 23rd May, 2013

AFP Thursday, May 23, 2013 BANGKOK - Thai authorities have arrested an Italian wanted over alleged links to a human trafficking ring which swindled around US$10 million (S$12.7 million) from European taxpayers and banks, immigration officials said Thursday. Stefano Raccagni, 38, is wanted in Italy on suspicion of being part of a 12-strong Milan-based gang that smuggled people into the ...

Cannes NonStop Takes Selfish Giant Stone Roses Trip to Italy

Hollywood Reporter - Thursday 23rd May, 2013

Swedish distribution indie NonStop Entertainment returns from the Cannes market with a full suitcase of titles, having picked up Scandinavian rights for a dozen titles, among ...

Massimiliano Gioni of Venice Biennale

International Herald Tribune - Thursday 23rd May, 2013

Massimiliano Gioni, the artistic director of this ...

Decline in non-EU exports puts Italy recovery in doubt

The Standard - Thursday 23rd May, 2013

(1 hr 2 mins ago) Italy's exports to countries outside the European Union fell by 0.7 percent in April from the March level, dampening hopes that sales abroad will spur recovery in the recession-hit country. In seasonally-adjusted terms, exports dipped by 0.7 percent and imports were down by 0.3 percent from March levels, preliminary data from the National Statistics Institute (Istat) ...

Italian on the run nabbed in Thailand

General Sources - Thursday 23rd May, 2013

An Italian who is suspcted to have defrauded millions of dollars from Italian financial institutions and other crimes, has been arrested by police in Thailand. Media reports said today Stefano Raccaqni, 38, (pictured) was arrested on Tuesday in Chiang Mai, 600 kilometres north of Bangkok, on a request from Italy via Interpol. He faces charges of defrauding Italian banks and finance companies of ...

Slow progress in rebuilding Italian town after quakes

The Standard - Thursday 23rd May, 2013

(38 mins ago) Reconstruction efforts in Emilia Romagna in Italy are proceeding slowly a year after two powerful earthquakes wrecked homes and businesses in this rich farming and medical industry region. "A year is a long time for people who are suffering but a short time for those who have to rebuild,'' said Maino Benatti, mayor of Mirandola, a town at the epicentre of the ...

Umbria and Tuscany Italys rustic but refined heart

The National - Thursday 23rd May, 2013

"The real revolution is to look at the places around you with new eyes. I saw people admiring the places I was living in and I realised I was lucky." For a tour guide, Giovanni Ramaccioni hasn't travelled far, but he's right. A native Umbrian, he was born in Citta di Castello, just 16 kilometres from Sansepolcro, where we start our bike ride. His wife, Michaela, is from this ...

Karima El Mahroug dressed as Obama at Silvio Berlusconi bunga bunga party

whatsonsanya - Thursday 23rd May, 2013

A girl at one of Silvio Berlusconi’s "bunga bunga" parties did a dance while dressed up as Barack Obama, the woman at the centre of the sex scandal told a court today. Moroccan dancer Karima El Mahroug, 20, claimed ex-Italian PM Mr Berlusconi plied women with cash and gifts at parties in his home near Milan in 2010. She said: "The girls dressed in costumes and ...

Italy sends police reinforcements to Milan after pickaxe attacks

Middle East Times - Thursday 23rd May, 2013

Scores of police reinforcement are being sent to Milan to calm crime fears after a Ghanaian immigrant killed three people, Italy's interior minister ...

World Briefing | Europe Vatican Financial Watchdogs Report Is Released

International Herald Tribune - Wednesday 22nd May, 2013

The Vatican took a step on Wednesday to show greater financial transparency by publishing the first report from its financial watchdog agency and announcing new regulations to fight money laundering and terrorism financing. The report from the Financial Intelligence Authority showed the agency received six internal reports on suspicious transactions in 2012, up from one a year earlier, and that ...

San Francisco Italian consulate clerk wife sentenced in housekeeper abuse case

General Sources - Wednesday 22nd May, 2013

SAN FRANCISCO -- An Italian consulate clerk and his Brazilian wife were sentenced in federal court in San Francisco Wednesday after pleading guilty last month to the misdemeanor charge of using an unauthorized document for a Brazilian woman to work as the couple's servant. Giuseppe Penzato, 56, and his wife Kesia Penzato, 34, of San Francisco, both appeared in court late Wednesday morning. ...

Millions of Italians sliding into poverty say reports

Irish Times - Wednesday 22nd May, 2013

Lest anyone had any doubts, two reports in the last two days indicate the devastating impact of recession and austerity in Italy. In its annual report yesterday, national statistics agency ISTAT offers up a scenario of relentlessly negative economic statistics that suggests Italy is headed for some very troubled ...

The euro zone economy is declining for six consecutive quarters. Nine of the 17 countries are in recession Spain France Italy Finland Netherlands Portugal Cyprus Greece and Slovenia. The austerity policy imposed by the troika and the German govern

Pravda - Wednesday 22nd May, 2013

The euro zone economy is declining for six consecutive quarters. Nine of the 17 countries are in recession: Spain, France, Italy, Finland, Netherlands, Portugal, Cyprus, Greece and Slovenia. The austerity policy imposed by the troika and the German government of Angela Merkel is sinking Europe. Eurostat data was released on Wednesday (15th) and are relative to GDP in the euro area in the first ...

Foreign buyers flock to Sicily for bargains

China Daily - Wednesday 22nd May, 2013

/enpproperty--> Foreign buyers are swooping on deserted villages in Sicily to snap up homes for as little as 10,000 euros ($13,000), propping up a property market in freefall as Italy suffers its longest-ever recession. "When you go to the pizzeria now, you often meet more foreigners than Sicilians," said Salvatore Sansemi, mayor of Cianciana, near the southern city of ...

Nobel Prize Winner Participates at Vatican Conference

EWTN - Wednesday 22nd May, 2013

Development Biologist Says He Hopes to Bring Stem Cell Research to PublicBy Ann SchneibleVATICAN CITY, April 12, 2013 (Zenit.org) - In order for adult stem cell research and therapy to progress, says Nobel Prize winner Dr. John Gurdon, it is essential to promote awareness and understanding of this complex science.Dr. Gurdon was one of the keynote speakers of today's session of the Second ...

Italian Judge Orders Criminal Trial for Costa Concordia Captain

VOA - Wednesday 22nd May, 2013

An Italian judge has ordered the captain of the capsized cruise ship Costa Concordia to stand trial for the deaths of 32 passengers. Captain Francesco Schettino has been charged with manslaughter, causing a shipwreck, and abandoning ship before all the passengers were safe. He faces up to 20 years in prison if convicted. The Costa Concordia struck rocks and capsized off the coast of ...

Vatican releases first report of financial watchdog

WHP CBS 21 - Wednesday 22nd May, 2013

VATICAN CITY (AP) — Under pressure from global financial circles, the Vatican has published its first annual report from its financial watchdog agency.It also announced new regulations to fight money laundering and terror financing.The Vatican created the oversight agency in 2010 in an effort to shake its image as a secretive tax haven and improve its reputation in global financial ...

Captain of Italian shipwreck not frightened of prison

WHP CBS 21 - Wednesday 22nd May, 2013

The captain of the cruise ship that ran aground off the coast of Italy more than a year ago, said Wednesday that he's not frightened by the prospect of going to ...