London, Sept 17 : Known for his affiliation with women, Italian premier Silvio Berlusconi, has now got a new object of affection – the new Miss Italy.

During an appearance on a television talk show, the Italian premier was spotted glancing appreciatively at the newly crowned Miriam Leone.

Berlusconi and Leone happened to discuss serious issues on the current affairs show, Porta a Porta.

Rome - Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi lashed out Saturday at unions representing Alitalia employees, saying their opposition to a government plan to save the troubled state-controlled airline is politically motivated.

Berlusconi was speaking a day after a group of private Italian investors, CAI, broke off talks with the unions who reject an estimated 7,000 job cuts as specified in the cost-slashing rescue plan.

London - The leaders of Italy and Britain Wednesday pledged to end the European economies' dependancy on oil by pushing ahead with investment in nuclear power and alternative energy sources.

Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, in London for talks with Prime Minister Gordon Brown, said Italy had "suffered from the Greens" in its ambitions to use nuclear power and he was determined to "catch up on lost time."

Rome - Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi announced on Saturday that his country is to invest five billion dollars over the next 25 years as part of a compensation deal for years of colonial rule over the North African state.

Speaking during a visit to the coastal city of Benghazi, Berlusconi said the accord between Italy and Libya "will provide for 200 million dollars a year over the next 25 years through investment projects in Libya."