A housewife from Avezzano has been treated for severe burns after an artichoke she was peeling exploded in her hand. The planting of the explosive is thought to be a ‘Unabomber’ style gesture.
Responding to high street inflation, Italians are eating 2.6% less pasta than a year ago; the staple has increased in price by 18.6%. They are saving money by eating 4% more chicken and eggs, now that the avian ‘flu threat is forgotten.
The annual miracle of the liquefaction of the blood of San Gennaro, patron saint of Naples, took place as usual. It was witnessed by 1,500 people, mainly tourists. Some people say that if the saint abandoned the people of Naples, the streets would fill with rubbish.
60% of Italian males say they would have sex without love, against only 27% of women. 85% of men thought seduction was an essential part of sex. The survey was conducted in 12 European countries and found Italy about average in that 53% of people would like more sex and 20% would interrupt a sex act if it was becoming boring.
The European Commission is taking Italy to court for the excessive rubbish in Naples
Italian justice is so slow that 95% of crimes are subject to the statute of limitations and go unpunished.
The Vatican website now has a section in Latin - Sancta Sedes (Holy See) - with Latin papal texts and religious works. Father Reginald Foster, an American priest who is the Pope's official Latinist, has a weekly programme on Vatican Radio called The Latin Lover, in which he explains the historical and contemporary uses of the language.
45% of Italians between the ages of 30 and 35 still live with their parents. Only 18% of parents believe their children should leave home once they turn legal age. However, almost half of new couples go to live within a kilometre of the home of the parents of either the husband or wife.
Italy is the best place in the world for children but not for their mothers, according to the 2008 Mother's Day Report Card put out by the Save the Children charity. Out of 146 countries Italy, whilst first for children, for the second year in a row, was 19th best for mothers and 24th for women. Although behind Hungary, Spain and Greece in the women's category, Italy was a better place to live for women than Austria, Japan and Luxembourg.
The Archdiocese of Naples has joined a campaign aimed at reducing traffic deaths. ''The diocese feels it is its duty to join in this mission of civic faith and defence of life,'' Cardinal Crescenzio Sepe, the archbishop of Naples, said. The campaign is called 'a maronna t'accumpagna', which in Neapolitan dialect means 'may the Virgin Mary be by your side' (presumably not wearing a seatbelt and talking on a mobile ‘phone).Naples has two road accidents every three hours, 23 people injured every day and an average of 2.6 deaths a week in traffic accidents. Road accidents are the most common cause of death among people under 30.
Padre Pio's shrine at San Giovanni Rotondo, where the saint's body has been put on show, has become a bigger attraction than Lourdes. It is forecast that nine million visitors will make the town the world's second most popular destination for religious tourists behind the Vatican. Lourdes averages eight million visitors.
The mayor of San Paolo Matese in Molise, after the town had been cut off by snow for three days, denounced the company contracted to clear the snow as having ''a couldn't-give-a-f*** attitude and scant professionalism'' hoping they would be fined, but was himself charged with defamation. The Court of Cassation has however ruled that mayors are entitled to swear at companies who fail to carry out services necessary for citizens to go about their daily life
Responding to high street inflation, Italians are eating 2.6% less pasta than a year ago; the staple has increased in price by 18.6%. They are saving money by eating 4% more chicken and eggs, now that the avian ‘flu threat is forgotten.
The annual miracle of the liquefaction of the blood of San Gennaro, patron saint of Naples, took place as usual. It was witnessed by 1,500 people, mainly tourists. Some people say that if the saint abandoned the people of Naples, the streets would fill with rubbish.
60% of Italian males say they would have sex without love, against only 27% of women. 85% of men thought seduction was an essential part of sex. The survey was conducted in 12 European countries and found Italy about average in that 53% of people would like more sex and 20% would interrupt a sex act if it was becoming boring.
The European Commission is taking Italy to court for the excessive rubbish in Naples
Italian justice is so slow that 95% of crimes are subject to the statute of limitations and go unpunished.
The Vatican website now has a section in Latin - Sancta Sedes (Holy See) - with Latin papal texts and religious works. Father Reginald Foster, an American priest who is the Pope's official Latinist, has a weekly programme on Vatican Radio called The Latin Lover, in which he explains the historical and contemporary uses of the language.
45% of Italians between the ages of 30 and 35 still live with their parents. Only 18% of parents believe their children should leave home once they turn legal age. However, almost half of new couples go to live within a kilometre of the home of the parents of either the husband or wife.
Italy is the best place in the world for children but not for their mothers, according to the 2008 Mother's Day Report Card put out by the Save the Children charity. Out of 146 countries Italy, whilst first for children, for the second year in a row, was 19th best for mothers and 24th for women. Although behind Hungary, Spain and Greece in the women's category, Italy was a better place to live for women than Austria, Japan and Luxembourg.
The Archdiocese of Naples has joined a campaign aimed at reducing traffic deaths. ''The diocese feels it is its duty to join in this mission of civic faith and defence of life,'' Cardinal Crescenzio Sepe, the archbishop of Naples, said. The campaign is called 'a maronna t'accumpagna', which in Neapolitan dialect means 'may the Virgin Mary be by your side' (presumably not wearing a seatbelt and talking on a mobile ‘phone).Naples has two road accidents every three hours, 23 people injured every day and an average of 2.6 deaths a week in traffic accidents. Road accidents are the most common cause of death among people under 30.
Padre Pio's shrine at San Giovanni Rotondo, where the saint's body has been put on show, has become a bigger attraction than Lourdes. It is forecast that nine million visitors will make the town the world's second most popular destination for religious tourists behind the Vatican. Lourdes averages eight million visitors.
The mayor of San Paolo Matese in Molise, after the town had been cut off by snow for three days, denounced the company contracted to clear the snow as having ''a couldn't-give-a-f*** attitude and scant professionalism'' hoping they would be fined, but was himself charged with defamation. The Court of Cassation has however ruled that mayors are entitled to swear at companies who fail to carry out services necessary for citizens to go about their daily life
Arezzo in Tuscany has built the world’s first urban hydrogen duct. Hydrogen produced using solar energy is pumped direct to users, and powers an industrial estate and the surrounding houses.
Following the temporary publication of the entire nation’s tax records with addresses and income details, Rome Police are investigating the violation of privacy and are questioning outgoing deputy finance minister Vincenzo Visco, who it will be recalled once transferred away a team of investigators who were looking at a bank which had financed his party.
Silvio Berlusconi has had sworn in his new government in what papers are describing as the shortest time ever – just short of a month. Italy's new government is the 66th since the fall of Fascism and the 60th since Italy was proclaimed a republic after the war. The new executive is made up of 12 full ministers and nine without portfolio, for a total of 21, four less than the outgoing centre-left government of Romano Prodi. The average age of the ministers is 50, six years less than the outgoing Prodi government.
Following the temporary publication of the entire nation’s tax records with addresses and income details, Rome Police are investigating the violation of privacy and are questioning outgoing deputy finance minister Vincenzo Visco, who it will be recalled once transferred away a team of investigators who were looking at a bank which had financed his party.
Silvio Berlusconi has had sworn in his new government in what papers are describing as the shortest time ever – just short of a month. Italy's new government is the 66th since the fall of Fascism and the 60th since Italy was proclaimed a republic after the war. The new executive is made up of 12 full ministers and nine without portfolio, for a total of 21, four less than the outgoing centre-left government of Romano Prodi. The average age of the ministers is 50, six years less than the outgoing Prodi government.
Four out of 21 ministers are women, although only two hold portfolios. In the Prodi government six out of 25 ministers were women, the same percentage..
Italians have more confidence in Silvio Berlusconi than his government as a whole, according to a poll in La Repubblica. However, Youth Policy Minister Giorgia Meloni (pictured), the youngest minister ever, enjoys the greatest confidence among all the government ministers with an approval rating of 62%.
The cabinet's first formal meeting will be held in Naples, as Berlusconi promised during the election campaign, prioritising the rubbish clearance. However one miracle a month is thought to be all Naples will get.
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