Italy Blog

Britain’s Times Online , as noted by Italian newspaper, La Repubblica, published an article today commenting on Berlusconi’s latest attempts to silence criticism. Silvio Berlusconi The article, entitled ‘The chasm between Berlusconi and reality’, written by James Walston, a Professor of International Relations at the American University of Rome, does not speak highly of Italy’s Prime Minister’s current round of attacks on his perceived enemies.  The effect of the article is to further tarnish Italy’s already somewhat battered public image

Go here to see the original:
Berlusconi’s Image-Protection Broadsides

Words by Nicola Zicari – Pictures by Felix Petrelli and John Heseltine Until 20 years ago Matera was considered a ‘national disgrace’ by the Italian government.

Here is the original: 
Troglodyte Transformation, Matera

Italians are still very fond of beauty pageants and there is a whole variety of them taking place in every town in Italy during July and August. The culmination is the Miss Italy pageant that occupies four days of prime time TV during September.

Here is the original post: 
Italian Miss Nonna 2009, a beauty pageant for grandmas

Last week was yes another complicated one for the Italian Prime Minister. After having to deal with international criticism for accepting to attend an event in Libya following the release of the Lockerbie bomber from Scottish prisons Berlusconi hoped to regain control of the news.

See original here:
The ongoing troubles of Mr. Berlusconi

Observers in Italy commented on how Silvio Berlusconi went rather quiet over the August summer break this year.  Berlusconi was not relaxing though, he was, by the sounds of things, a plotting and a scheming. Silvio Berlusconi In a clear sign that the holiday ‘ceasefire’ is now over, Mr Berlusconi has launched a series of attacks on those who have dared criticise him. In the line of Berluconi’s fire are an Italian newspaper, the Vatican, and Italian television

Read the original here: 
Berlusconi Lashes Out

On a visit to Gubbio a few years ago with my Italian fiancée, I told her I though Umbria was very much like Cumbria but without the C. Proud Italian that she was, she took it as an insult, having once endured a wet weekend in Cumbria’s Lake District in North-West England.

Read more here:
Finding affordable property in Umbria

On a visit to Gubbio a few years ago with my Italian fiancée, I told her I though Umbria was very much like Cumbria but without the C. Proud Italian that she was, she took it as an insult, having once endured a wet weekend in Cumbria’s Lake District in North-West England.

See the original post here:
Finding affordable property in Umbria

Italy’s antitrust authority is investigating Google to ascertain whether it has abused its dominant position in Italy. Google News Italy According to the Federation of Italian Publishers, Google’s supposed abuse is that it “impedes publishers from freely choosing how news content published on their websites is used.”  In addition, news sites which decide not to appear on Google News in Italy are no longer indexed by Google’s search engine, and thus no longer appear in search results

Read the original post: 
Google News Under Attack in Italy

Words and Pictures by Christine Webb Years ago, while staying near the Amalfi coast, I saw four heavy men in sateen suits emerge from a large black car. On their fat fingers, rings flashed in the midday sun and their glossy black hair was combed from grimly set faces. Custom Teaser:  Christine Webb explores the complexities of that sacred and most-respected event…

Read more from the original source: 
The Sunday Lunch

In what is a first in Italian politics, Berlusconi will take part in the procession of the Perdonanza. This ritual guarantees to the participants that are have honestly confessed and regret their sins a clean start – and full forgiveness.

Read more:
Berlusconi seeks to cleanse his sins