Berlusconi Allegedly Bought Votes

Staff / Truthdig Dec 11, 2010 Italian PM Silvio Berlusconi’s political rap sheet is already quite appalling, from alleged under-age sexcapades to anti-Semitic jokes. But new allegations by state prosecutors have added another blotch on the billionaire’s bill: He's accused of buying votes to stay in power. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Enough With the Trash Already

Staff / Truthdig Nov 28, 2010 Italy is facing fines from the EU for failing to take out the trash. No, we’re not talking about Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi. We're talking about the tons of garbage that have choked the streets of Naples for years. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Moore: 1, Berlusconi: 0

Staff / Truthdig Nov 4, 2010 So, as per usual, Italy's own media baron and embarrassment-in-chief Silvio Berlusconi is embroiled in another sex scandal involving another teenage girl. This time, however, he's made it worse with homophobic commentary that didn't fly with actress Julianne Moore. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Berlusconi’s Under Pressure

Staff / Truthdig Oct 31, 2010 Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi has been asked to resign by opposition lawmakers after the media reported that he had asked police to free a detained 17-year-old called “Ruby.” The Moroccan girl allegedly attended wild parties in Berlusconi's home and has become yet another figure in the prime minister's scandal catalog. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Berlusconi Condemned for ‘Deplorable’ Jokes

Staff / Truthdig Oct 3, 2010 Although one can't expect class from Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, is it too much to ask that he just not talk? After making a crack about Hitler, and another about Jews, even the Vatican's official newspaper has publicly decried his jokes as “deplorable." Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Raid on Mafia Nets 300 Arrests in Italy

Staff / Truthdig Jul 14, 2010 Italian authorities arrested 300 alleged Mafia members Tuesday in a nationwide crackdown involving 10 police officers for every suspect. The ’Ndrangheta Mafia may not be as famous as the Cosa Nostra, but it is estimated to do about $56 billion a year in illegal business. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Italian Journalists Strike Against Gag Law

Staff / Truthdig Jul 9, 2010 TV, radio and newspaper journalists across Italy are on a 24-hour strike, shutting down news around the country Friday in response to a so-called "gagging law" that intends to shield politicians, like playboy Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, by restricting the capacity of investigators to eavesdrop on suspects and blocking journalists from publishing the results. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Berlusconi vs. the Mafia

Staff / Truthdig Jan 29, 2010 Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi is cracking down on organized crime in his homeland, or so he said Thursday, creatively linking that issue with immigration and criticizing media depictions of the Mafia and other crime conglomerates for hurting Italy's image. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Notable Quotable: Berlusconi Is Lucky

Staff / Truthdig Dec 15, 2009 Italian journalist Beppe Severgnini made this observation on the BBC's "Newshour" program: "If we were in America, where madmen carry guns, [Silvio] Berlusconi would be dead. We are in Italy. Madmen carry souvenir replica of the Duomo." Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Berlusconi Bloodied by Attack

Staff / Truthdig Dec 14, 2009 From the BBC: "Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi has been hit in the face and knocked to the ground after a political rally in Milan." Update: Video Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Newsweek Tells Italy to ‘Dump Berlusconi’

Staff / Truthdig Oct 16, 2009 It's not clear whether the editors of Newsweek believe they hold any diplomatic power, but they've gone ahead and told Italy to "dump" its scandal magnet of a prime minister, Silvio Berlusconi, in the magazine's European edition this week. Let's see whether Time can top this. Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )

Pronouncing Himself Best Prime Minister Ever

Staff / Truthdig Oct 10, 2009 Channeling Muhammad Ali bravado with a Kanye sensibility, Italy's Silvio Berlusconi has declared himself as "the best prime minister," inferior to no one in history and the "most legally persecuted man of all times." Dig deeper ( 1 Min. Read )