Italy: Small town mints own money to fight austerity

 A small town in Italy, Filettino, set in rugged hill country around 100 km east of Rome, is rebelling against a proposal to merge the governments of towns with fewer than 1,000 inhabitants to save money.

Filettino has only around 550 people, but instead of merging with neighboring Trevi, Mayor Luca Sellari is trying to go it alone and set up a “principality” along the lines of the famous republic of San Marino to the north.

 “We aim to achieve real autonomy from Italy and we have the financial resources to do it,” Sellari said. There was no immediate comment from the central government in Rome.

Mayors from all over Italy are up in arms about proposals to cut local government funding and merge small towns as part of a 45.5 billion euro ($65.3 billion) austerity plan to balance the country s budget by 2013.

Migrant boat sinks off Italy, up to 250 missing

ROME: Between 130 and 250 people were missing and at least 15 appeared to be dead after a boat carrying refugees from Libya capsized south of Sicily early on Wednesday, coast guard officials and aid workers said.

Rescuers picked up 47 people, including a heavily pregnant woman after the overloaded boat, which left Libya two days ago, sank at about 4:00 a.m. (0200 GMT) 40 miles (64 km) south of the island of Lampedusa.

According to the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), a migrant assistance agency which has officials on Lampedusa, an Italian fishing boat rescued another three people.

Between 15 and 20 bodies were seen in the water, officials said but high winds and rough seas made it difficult for coast guard boats and a police helicopter to operate.

Coast guard officials said the boat had originally been carrying around 200 people but the IOM put the figure as high as 300, of whom it said some 250 were missing.

The incident provided a stark illustration of the dangers run by desperate people who pay about 1,000 euros ($1,427) for a place on one of the overloaded fishing vessels carrying refugees and migrants from Africa.

“The vessel, which was laden beyond capacity, had left the Libyan coast with migrants and asylum seekers from Somalia, Nigeria, Bangladesh, Cote d’Ivoire, Chad and Sudan,” IOM said in a statement. “Some 40 women and 5 children were on board.

Only two women survived the shipwreck.”

On Monday, the United Nations refugee agency said more than 400 people fleeing Libya on two boats were missing.

The Kids Are All Right premiered in Rome

ROME: Julianne Moore rocked two hot red carpet looks in Rome at the premiere and photocall for her film ”The Kids Are All Right” during the 5th Rome International Film Festival on November 2, in Italy.

Moore, 49, wore a midnight blue one shoulder gown with a revealing cut out on midriff at the film”s premiere.

She accessorized with black platform heels, blue clutch and exotic jewelry: snake cuff in her right wrist and multiple rings on both her hands.

A sleek updo, smoky eyes, and coral lipstick rounded the freckled beauty”s looks.

Earlier in the day, Julianne rocked an untreated combo of fall colors – burnt orange pencil skirt and hot pink baggy top.

She accessorized with tough ankle cuff black heels and gold jewelry. Her gorgeous ginger hair, styled in vertical waves, draped her shoulders.

Moore, who turns 50 on December 3, received the Marc”aurelio Acting Award for her role in The Kids Are Alright.

The film, that also stars Annette Bening and Mark Ruffalo was the talk of the Sundance Film Festival, and the winner of the Teddy Award for Best Feature Film at the 2010 Berlin International Film Festival.

Directed by Lisa Cholodenko, and follows Nic and Jules (Annette Bening and Julianne Moore pictured), a married couple who share a cozy suburban Southern California home with their teenage children, Joni and Laser (Mia Wasikowska and Josh Hutcherson). Nic and Jules – or, when referred to jointly by Joni, “Moms” – gave birth to and raised their children, and built a family life for the four of them. As Joni prepares to leave for college, 15-year-old Laser presses her for a big favour. He wants Joni, now 18, to help him find their biological father; the two teenagers were conceived by artificial insemination. Against her better judgment, Joni honours her brother”s request and manages to make contact with “bio-dad” Paul (Mark Ruffalo), an easygoing restaurateur.

The kids find themselves drawn to the confirmed bachelor”s footloose style – especially in contrast to Nic, a principled doctor who has long established their house rules. Jules, who has been looking to start a new career in landscaping, also strikes up a rapport with Paul. As Paul comes into the lives of the forthright four, an unexpected new chapter begins for them as family ties are defined, re-defined, and then re-re-defined.

U.S. says Iran has a role in Afghan talks

ROME: The United States recognises that Iran has a role to play in resolving the Afghan conflict, U.S. envoy Richard Holbrooke said on Monday, as Iran attended talks with other nations on the issue for the first time.

An Iranian representative joined senior officials in the international contact group on Afghanistan in Rome to discuss progress on the transfer of security responsibility to Afghan forces, the first time Iran has sent an envoy to the talks.

“We were asked whether we had any problems with that and we said ‘No,’” Holbrooke, the U.S. special representative to Afghanistan and Pakistan, told a news conference.

“We recognise that Iran, with its long, almost completely open border with Afghanistan and with a huge drug problem … has a role to play in the peaceful settlement of this situation in Afghanistan. So for the United States there is no problem

Pakistan’s next wheat harvest at risk: FAO

MILAN: Pakistan’s next wheat harvest is at risk after floods destroyed more than 0.5 million tonnes of seed stocks in Asia’s third-largest wheat producer, the United Nations’ food agency said on Wednesday.

Pakistan’s worst floods in decades have damaged 3.6 million hectares of standing maize, rice, cotton and sugar cane, the Food and Agriculture Organisation said in a statement, citing early estimates.

“Unless people get seeds over the next few weeks they will not be able to plant wheat for a year,” Daniele Donati, chief of FAO’s Emergency Operations, Asia, Near East, Europe and Special Emergencies, said.

Wheat, the staple food of the rural poor in Pakistan, is due to be planted in September through to November, and wheat farmers were in the process of preparing land for planting when the floods began, the Rome-based FAO said.

In some areas, the

Italy turns to private sector to help Colosseum

ROME: As Rome’s ancient Colosseum literally crumbles from neglect, the cash-strapped Italian government is looking for private sponsors willing to help pay for restoration work in exchange for advertising rights.

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Italy turns to private sector to help Colosseum

EU official says Iran talks must resume

ROME: The EU foreign policy chief has called for nuclear talks between Iran and major powers to resume as quickly as possible.

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EU official says Iran talks must resume

Mohmand death toll hits 65, 104 wounded

GHALANAI: Death toll hit 65 and more than 100 are injured as the two suicide bombers struck outside a government office Friday in Mohmand tribal region, ARY NEWS reported.

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Mohmand death toll hits 65, 104 wounded

Berlusconi in TV ad promoting Italy beauties

ROME: Italian premier, media mogul, football team owner.

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Berlusconi in TV ad promoting Italy beauties

Motorists hit jackpot with coins on highway

ROME: It wasn’t exactly pennies from heaven but it was perhaps the next best thing: a truck carrying 2.

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Motorists hit jackpot with coins on highway

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