Word: berlusconis
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Many a king has marched into Naples. German-born monarchs sailed in from Sicily. Bourbon conquerors came over from Spain. Napoleon's brother and brother-in-law landed in their royal vestments too. And now, Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, the exquisitely attired and democratically elected incarnation of modern Italian royalty swept into this troubled coastal city, bringing his can-do Milanese attitude and a small army of cabinet ministers. But these days, conquering Naples is most of all a matter of picking up the garbage...
...month after his impressive election victory, Berlusconi on Wednesday made good on an unusual campaign promise by holding his new government's first cabinet meeting in the heart of this troubled city of one million. The center-right leader's appearance is a nod to the entrenched social ills that afflict Naples - most notably a trash-collection emergency that has left rubbish heaps piling up on sidewalks. Naples' litany of urban blights have made life increasingly unpleasant for locals, and tarnished the international image of both the city and the entire nation...
...serving as Prime Minister for the third time, Berlusconi was greeted by a mix of reactions, from over-the-top support to deep cynicism. Near the Prefect headquarters in central Naples, where the four-hour afternoon meeting was held, was a giant banner saying Berlusconi was worthy of sainthood. But there were also organized protests of at least 10 different groups, including one citizen association that carried bags of trash with Berlusconi's picture plastered...
Shop clerks and cafe owners in downtown said Wednesday that tourism in this otherwise enchanting and history-rich city has plummeted over the past two years. Indeed though few expect miracles, many locals said they were encouraged by Berlusconi's decision to make coming to Naples a top priority. "There isn't much confidence left in the political system in general," said a 37-year-old building contractor. "But I hope this time, they really try to do something. For every step forward we make, the north of Italy takes 10. We're always 30 years behind." Local merchants said...
...aimed at combating illegal immigration, Italian police took nearly 400 people into custody and immediately deported more than 50, according to the Interior Ministry. The coordinated effort, carried out in cities throughout the country, was the high-profile follow-through for the recently installed government of Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi. The new Interior Minister, Roberto Maroni, is the No. 2 official of the Northern League, a party which takes a hard line against immigration. He pledged further police action against illegal immigrants to fend off growing fears of vigilante justice: earlier this week, the makeshift quarters of Roma, or Gypsies...