Barely 24 hours had passed since Barack Obama's election win and Italy's Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi was, it seems, unable to resist making an unfortunate quip on the US president-elect's racial background.
The 72-year-old, three times Italian premier, had initially greeted Obama's election triumph in almost avuncular terms.
He would, he said, offer the 47-year-old US president-elect "some advice given my age and experience."
London, November 7: Gaffe-prone Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi has given rise to a fresh controversy by praising U. S. President-elect Barack Obama’s suntan.
The entrepreneur, while on a Moscow visit, said last night that Obama was “young, handsome and tanned”.
His comment drew a lot of criticism.
“What’s the problem? It was a compliment. If these people don’t have a sense of humour why don’t they just...” British tabloid The Sun quoted him as responding to his criticisms.
Moscow - Russia oil major Lukoil will sign a 1.35 billion-euro (1.73 billion-dollar) deal to purchase a stake in Italian refiner ERG and enter into a joint venture that would allow it to break into European markets.
The deal was expected to be formalized during Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi's visit to Moscow Thursday.
"The transaction with ERG will be closed on December 1. Lukoil will pay cash during the year," Lukoil CEO Vagit Alekperov told news agency Interfax on Thursday.
Turin, Italy - Barack Obama's victory in the US presidential vote marks a "great step forward for humanity" that could be mirrored with the election of a black pope, according to a top US Roman Catholic cleric.
"If Obama at the White House is like the first time man (stepped on) the moon, then it can certainly happen at the threshold of St Peter's," the Archbishop of Atlanta, Wilton Daniel Gregory, was quoted as saying in an interview published Thursday in an Italian newspaper.
Rome - The ongoing financial crisis could threaten many countries' agricultural sectors, undoing this year's record world cereal production, a UN agency reported Thursday.
World cereal production is expected to set a new record this year thanks to high prices and favourable weather conditions, which boosted planting, said the Rome-based Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in the latest issue of its "Food Outlook" report.
FAO's forecast for world cereal production in 2008 now stands at 2.24 billion tons (including rice in milled terms), 5.3 per cent more than in 2007.
Milan - Their standing in the Serie A may not show it clearly, but champions Inter Milan are facing some unexpected problems in a defence package that was crucial for them in the successes of the past seasons.
The five goals conceded in the last two games, a 3-2 win over tail-enders Reggina and a 3-3 draw at Cypriot side Anorthosis, sent bad signals that president Massimo Moratti did not fail to point out.
"There must be something to adjust," he said. "It's partly a psychological problem and a matter of mistakes. They make them, and if you make mistakes, you concede goals."
Rome - Oops he's done it again.
London, November 7: Gaffe-prone Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi has given rise to a fresh controversy by praising U. S. President-elect Barack Obama’s suntan. 
Moscow - Russia oil major Lukoil will sign a 1.35 billion-euro (1.73 billion-dollar) deal to purchase a stake in Italian refiner ERG and enter into a joint venture that would allow it to break into European markets.
Turin, Italy - Barack Obama's victory in the US presidential vote marks a "great step forward for humanity" that could be mirrored with the election of a black pope, according to a top US Roman Catholic cleric.
Rome - The ongoing financial crisis could threaten many countries' agricultural sectors, undoing this year's record world cereal production, a UN agency reported Thursday.
