Silvio Berlusconi, scandal-scarred ex-Italian leader, dies at 86
Italian media are reporting that Silvio Berlusconi, the boastful billionaire media mogul who was Italy’s longest-serving premier despite scandals over his sex-fueled parties and allegations of corruption and bribery, has died at age 86.
Thousands commemorate Italy's fascist dictator Mussolini
Several thousand black-clad fascist sympathizers chanted and sang in praise of Benito Mussolini as they marched to the slain Italian dictator’s crypt Sunday, 100 years after Mussolini entered Rome and completed a bloodless coup that gave rise to two decades of fascist rule.
EXPLAINER: Is Meloni a far-right firebrand or moderate?
As Giorgia Meloni becomes Italy’s first female premier, the world is watching closely to see if she will emerge as a firebrand leader of a far-right party with neo-fascist roots or the more moderate right-wing politician who succeded in capturing 26% of the vote.
First female premier poised to take helm of Italy government
A party with neo-fascist roots has won the most votes in Italy’s national election, setting the stage for talks to form the country’s first far right-led government since World War II, with Giorgia Meloni at the helm as Italy’s first female premier.
EXPLAINER: Who gains or loses, what's next in Italy crisis
Italian Premier Mario Draghi's decision to turn in his resignation after his “unity” coalition broke apart dramatically in Parliament was the latest step in a political crisis that could take months before a new government is solidly in place to lead the European Union's third-largest economy.
Italy's president, 80, is recruited to stay on for 2nd term
Italian President Sergio Mattarella has been pulled away from his impending retirement and reelected to a second seven-year term as the country’s head of state, ending days of political impasse as party leaders struggled to pick his successor.
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The Latest: Fauci says pandemic highlights racism's impact
The immunologist who leads the COVID-19 response in the United States says “the undeniable effects of racism” have led to unacceptable health disparities that especially hurt African Americans, Hispanics and Native Americans during the pandemic.
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Draghi takes helm in Italy, focused on pandemic recovery aid
Italian President Sergio Mattarella had tasked the former European Central Bank president with trying to form a government up to managing the the health, economic and social crises of the coronavirus pandemic. AdDraghi’s most-quoted words so far have been those uttered in 2012 when the euro-zone risked collapsing in a crisis of confidence and he vowed the European Central Bank would do “whatever it takes” to rescue the euro. The current head of the European Central Bank, Christine Lagarde, tweeted her congratulations. Italy's health minister through the pandemic, Roberto Speranza, kept his post, the sole minister from a small left-wing party. ___This story has been corrected to show that employees applauded for Conte, not Draghi.
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Italy's Draghi wins support of 2 rival parties for new govt
Leader of the Five-Stars Movement Vito Crimi, 2nd from right, addresses the media at the Quirinale presidential palace in Rome Friday, Jan. 29, 2021. Draghi, 73, the former president of the European Central Bank completed a first round of talks with political parties this week. Another round is expected early next week on potential Cabinet ministers and a synthesis from Draghi of his vision for the new government. AdItaly's president tapped Draghi this week to form a government after the resignation of ex-Premier Giuseppe Conte, who lost support of a small but key coalition party. Salvini’s move to support Draghi puts him at odds with the far-right Brothers of Italy party and its leader, Giorgia Meloni.
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Italy's Conte: Draghi's new government should be political
Outgoing Italian Premier Giuseppe Conte waves as he leaves after meeting journalists outside Chigi palace Premier's office in Rome, Thursday, Feb. 4, 2021. Draghi must rely on political support to pass measures aimed at helping Italy emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic and revive its economy, already stagnant before being pummeled by lockdown measures. “I hope for a political government that is solid and has sufficient cohesion to be able to make political choices, because the urgencies of the country need political choices, they can’t be entrusted to technocrats,” Conte said. Conte also pitched to two other parties from his unraveled coalition, the center-left Democrats and the leftist Free and Equal Party. His call for a political alliance appeared to indicate Conte intended to stay in politics, even while out of office.
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Draghi brings market savvy, gravitas to tame Italy's crises
FILE - In this Thursday, July 4, 2013 file photo, President of European Central Bank Mario Draghi smiles during a news conference in Frankfurt, Germany. Because it is Mario Draghi,’’ the deputy manager of the leading Milan Daily Corriere della Sera, Daniele Manca, said on Wednesday. He took a pragmatic approach during the financial crisis. Draghi joined the ECB as its third chief in 2011, just as Italy was engulfed in a debt crisis. The largely ceremonial role proves key in helping manage Italy’s all-too-frequent political crises, which require deft negotiations and unassailable knowledge of Italy’s constitution and institutions.
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Italy looks to 'Super Mario' Draghi to end political crisis
Former European Central Bank president Mario Draghi speaks to the media after accepting a mandate to form Italy's new government from Italian President Sergio Mattarella at the Rome's Quirinale Presidential Palace, Wednesday Feb. 3, 2021. During his tenure at the European Central Bank, Draghi became known as “Super Mario" for using new and sometimes unorthodox policy tools to solve the vexing debt crisis and other problems. “As such, it will not vote in favor of a technical government headed by Mario Draghi,” Crimi said in a statement. “If they (the 5-Stars and the League) are going to somehow support Draghi then the government I think can be born," he said in an interview. “Now everyone of good will must welcome President Mattarella's appeal to support the government of Mario Draghi," he said Wednesday.
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Italian PM Conte works to cement majority after narrow vote
Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte attends the debate at the Senate prior to a confidence vote, in Rome, Tuesday, Jan. 19, 2021. With a reduced majority, Conte will have to cobble together support from outside the current coalition to pass legislation, including aid to help Italy’s pandemic-battered economy. Conte’s government on Tuesday survived what amounted to a confidence vote with a 156-to-140 win, with 16 abstentions. “The numbers speak clearly,” said Giorgia Melloni, head of the small but rising Brothers of Italy party. In the lower Chamber of Deputies, where the 16-month-old government holds a more comfortable margin, Conte won a first confidence vote on Monday.
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Italy's ex-premier Berlusconi in Monaco hospital for tests
FILE - In this Monday, Sept. 14, 2020 file photo, Silvio Berlusconi is flanked by his personal physician Alberto Zangrillo, left, as he talks to the media while leaving the San Raffaele hospital in Milan, Italy. Former Italian Premier Silvio Berlusconi is hospitalized in the principality of Monaco for medical tests for heart problems, his press office confirmed on Thursday, Jan. 14, 2021. The 84-year-old three-time premier is expected to return home in a few days. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno, File)MILAN – Former Italian Premier Silvio Berlusconi has been hospitalized in the principality of Monaco to undergo medical tests for heart problems, his press office confirmed on Thursday. The 84-year-old three-time premier is expected to return home in a few days.
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Trump said to be improving but next 48 hours 'critical'
And yesterday with the team, while we were all here, he was not on oxygen,” Conley said. Meadows himself had insisted Friday morning that Trump had only “mild symptoms" as the White House tried to project an image of normalcy. “President Trump remains in good spirits, has mild symptoms and has been working throughout the day,” press secretary Kayleigh McEnany said late in the day on Friday. The first word that a close aide to Trump had been infected came from the media, not the White House. At the same time, the White House has been working to trace a flurry of new infections of close Trump aides and allies.
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Trump, stricken by COVID-19, transported to Walter Reed Medical Center
Also testing positive: Trump’s campaign manager, Bill Stepien. “President Trump remains in good spirts, has mild symptoms, and has been working throughout the day,” said press secretary Kayleigh McEnany. Very early Friday, after returning from the Thursday afternoon New Jersey fundraiser, Trump stunningly tweeted, "Tonight, @FLOTUS and I tested positive for COVID-19. White House chief of staff Mark Meadows on Friday confirmed that the White House knew Hope Hicks, the aide, had tested positive before Trump attended the fundraiser. Officials with the White House Medical Unit were tracing the president's contacts.
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Berlusconi responding to virus drugs but in "delicate" phase
ROME Former Italian Premier Silvio Berlusconi is responding optimally to COVID-19 treatment but is the most vulnerable type of patient and is in the most delicate phase of the virus, his personal doctor said Sunday. He checked into the San Raffaele hospital in Milan early Friday after testing positive for the virus earlier in the week. The patient is responding optimally to treatment," Zangrillo told reporters outside the hospital. Zangrillo suggested Berlusconi wouldn't be released anytime soon, recalling that the virus requires adequate treatment and takes its time.Berlusconi spent some of his summer vacation at his seaside villa on Sardinias Emerald Coast. To date, Berlusconi is believed to still be in a VIP ward of the clinic.
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The Latest: Beijing airport receives international flights
(AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)BEIJING Beijings main international airport on Thursday began again receiving international flights from a limited number of countries considered at low risk of coronavirus infection. California State university at Chico also halted classes this week. State health officials are wary that festivities over the Labor Day holiday weekend could lead to renewed surges in COVID-19 infections. The number could be higher because some schools, including the states largest Georgia State University are not posting full reports publicly. ___PARIS New daily coronavirus cases in France have tipped above 7,000 for the second time in five days.
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Legacy of late Italian journalist stained by colonial past
Red paint and words in Italian reading racist", above, and "rapist are seen on a statue of late Italian journalist Indro Montanelli, who had acknowledged having had a 12-year-old Eritrean bride while stationed in the Italian colony in the 1930s, in a Milan park that bears his name, northern Italy, late Saturday, June 13, 2020. The statue of Montanelli has been a flashpoint in Italys Black Lives Matters protests, which have put renewed focus on Italys colonial past. (AP Photo/Antonio Calanni)MILAN Milans mayor on Sunday resisted calls to remove a statue from a public park of a late Italian journalist who had acknowledged having had a 12-year-old Eritrean bride during Italys colonial occupation in the 1930s. He was a great journalist, a journalist who fought for the liberty of the state, an independent journalist. She was a beautiful girl of 12 years, Montanelli told the 1969 talk show appearance, adding a smiling excuse me.
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AP Interview: Udinese and Watford owners wary of restart
He also asked Spadafora to lighten the responsibility of team physicians if players and club members get sick from the virus. They said to themselves, If something like that happens here, we would be responsible according to Italian law.WARY WATFORDPozzos family also owns English club Watford, which is opposing the Premier Leagues restart plans. Both Udinese and Watford are hovering just above their respective relegation zones. SUCCESS STORYThe Pozzos bought Watford in 2012 and quickly brought the club up from the second division to the Premier League. He attributed last seasons success and five straight campaigns in the Premier League partly to the familys strategy of sending players back and forth between Udinese and Watford, sometimes via loans.

Trump court pick denounced feminists, gay-rights groups
On Take Back the Night marchesWhile at Dartmouth, Menashi often covered Greek life and culture on campus for The Dartmouth Review. "For years, tony colleges have sneered at the military for worrying about open homosexuals in the ranks," Menashi wrote. Menashi wrote in December 1998, after the episode made national news, that no one carried toy guns and only one person sported an Afro. At the conclusion of the film, the white man breaks down crying from guilt," wrote Menashi. "Throughout the book contributors address the issue of cultural relativism, the most conspicuous example being the brouhaha surrounding Silvio Berlusconi's proclamation of the superiority of Western civilization over Islam," wrote Menashi.