Rome, June 24 - The Italian economy's recovery fromthe recession will gain impetus this year and in 2011 despitethe government's tough austerity package of budget cuts,employers' association Confindustria said Thursday.Confindustria's Study Centre (CSC) revised its growthforecasts up to 1.2% of GDP in 2010 and 1.6% in 2011, comparedto its previous estimates in December of 1.1% and 1.3%respectivel
Rome, June 24 - The governors of Italy's 20 regionssaid on Thursday that they were ready to hand back to the state the responsibilities given to them in a 1998 reform todecentralise government.The chairman of the national governors council, TuscanyGovernor Vasco Errani, said the initiative was in response tothe government's austerity budget package which reduced the taxmoney it shared with the re
Rome, June 24 - A young foreign woman's trip toSardinia became an adventure holiday on Wednesday when she swaminto a stash of cocaine with a street value of over ten millioneuros.The tourist, whose name was not revealed at police at apress conference on Thursday, was splashing around on a beach atthe town of Alghero when she bumped into a heavy rucksack anddragged it ashore with the help of three
Rome, June 24 - Italy's most famous male porn starhas been accused of tax evasion by the Finance Guard who saidthat his alleged residence abroad was fictitious.The tax police described Rocco Siffredi as a total evader who had hidden some two million euros from revenue collectorsthrough false dealings with companies in Hungary.According to the Finance Guard, Siffredi had set up a sophisticated an
Rome, June 23 - Fiat on Wednesday said it intendedto move ahead with plans to boost productivity at its Pomiglianoplant after an ample majority of workers voted in favor ofchanges to labor practices there.Turnout for Tuesday's vote was 95% with 63% of Pomigliano'semployees voting in favor of the accord and 36% opposed andalthough this was outstanding by Italian standards, CEO SergioMarchionne is
Jerusalem, June 23 - Italian Lower House SpeakerGianfranco Fini conceded that peace in the Middle East ''todayappears more distant'' after meeting senior Israeli officials onWednesday.Fini said he sensed ''very strong concern'' among Israelisthat the process towards the establishment of a separate statefor the Palestinians in the Occupied Territories were stalled.He was speaking to reporters afte
(By Paul Virgo) Rome, June 23 - Italy's World Cup match against Slovakia was at the centre of a political storm on Wednesday when Reform Minister Umberto Bossi was pressured into apologising for suggesting the holders would fix Thursday's do-or-die clash.''They'll buy it,'' Bossi said Tuesday in reference to the Azzurri's final Group F match, which they must win to be sure of progressing after di
Rome, June 23 - Italy's Pirelli has been chosen toreplace Bridgestone as the exclusive tire supplier for FormulaOne starting next season, the international racing federationFIA announced on Wednesday.A statement posted on the FIA website after its World MotorSport Council (WMSC) met in Geneva said Pirelli would be thesingle tire supplier for Formula 1 for an initial three-yearperiod.The contract