Notizie dal mondo
Object id #3562
The sultan and the vizier. Silvio Berlusconi under fire
Tratto da “The Economist”
Despite rumblings on the right, Italy’s prime minister still looks secure.
IT MAY have seemed like the opening shot in a mutiny. But when it was over, the first serious bout of in-fighting in Silvio Berlusconi’s government since it was formed in May 2008 had shown how secure Italy’s prime minister remains, despite the sex scandals that swirl round him.
The in-fighting ended on September 21st. At a lunch after the state funeral of six Italian paratroopers killed in Afghanistan, the prime minister agreed to several demands by the speaker of the lower house of parliament, Gianfranco Fini, a former neo-fascist who in March merged his party, the National Alliance, with Mr Berlusconi’s Forza Italia to form the People of Freedom (PdL) movement.
Mr Fini had earlier questioned both the government’s policies and its leader’s methods. Umberto Bossi, leader of the Northern League, the PdL’s main ally, called Mr Fini “crazy”. The Berlusconi family’s daily, Il Giornale, accused him of betraying the PdL and threatened to revive claims aired nine years ago of sexual impropriety among some of his associates. Mr Fini responded with a writ. Such is the tarnished coinage of political debate in today’s Italy. On September 20th a cabinet minister used an earthy Roman dialect phrase to say that he hoped the left would “rot in hell”. Il Giornale had earlier rekindled an old sex scandal to force out the editor of the Catholic Church’s daily, which had criticised Mr Berlusconi’s private life.
Prosecutors in Bari are investigating a businessman, Giampaolo Tarantini, who claims to have sent 30 women to parties at the prime minister’s residence in Rome and paid some to stay the night. Mr Tarantini, suspected of drug offences as well as aiding and abetting prostitution, was held on September 18th at the behest of a prosecutor who claimed there was a risk he might flee or tamper with evidence. He was put under house arrest after a judge refused to endorse his detention.
The jaundiced Italian public has been slow to censure Mr Berlusconi, whose ratings remain high for a political leader in a severe recession. But he has been damaged. A poll in Corriere della Sera on September 21st found his popularity had slipped. So when Mr Fini attacked him, Berlusconi loyalists concluded that he was putting himself forward as a successor. Mr Fini avoided direct criticism of Mr Berlusconi’s private life. Instead, he voiced objections to a bill restricting living wills and to the policy of intercepting migrants in the Mediterranean and returning them to Libya before they apply for asylum.
More in keeping with his former party colleagues, he also criticised the PdL for its lack of internal democracy. Many politicians from the old National Alliance feel their voice is lost in a bigger movement that has become little more than a Silvio Berlusconi fan club; a party which, as one says, “doesn’t meet, doesn’t debate and doesn’t take decisions”. Mr Berlusconi recently chose the PdL’s candidate for a key governorship without consulting its officials. Yet even as he ignores his followers, the prime minister holds weekly meetings with his ally, Mr Bossi.
Some even speculated that Mr Fini might be preparing to establish a new centrist alliance. This might embrace Pier Ferdinando Casini’s Union of Christian and Centre Democrats and some former Christian Democrats who now belong to the main opposition group, the Democratic Party (PD), but could be tempted to forsake it if, as expected, the PD elects a former communist as its leader next month. Yet on September 14th an associate of Mr Fini declared that Mr Berlusconi’s former deputy prime minister would never leave the party he helped to found, let alone set up a rival. That makes sense. Few of his former colleagues would follow Mr Fini into a new grouping, which could also end up marginalised by Mr Berlusconi’s greater voter appeal and media clout.
In the long term, no doubt, Mr Fini still aspires to the PdL leadership. But in the short run, he will have to content himself with promises of greater consultation by the prime minister. There are signs too that the PdL could be conjured into a more lively attitude in the next few weeks. But for how long? The prime minister increasingly operates what Giovanni Sartori, a political scientist, has termed a “sultanate”. Sultans generally had limited patience with their viziers, however grand.
Sidney invasa da una tempesta di sabbia rossa
At U.N., Obama calls for new era in world relations
UNITED NATIONS (CNN) — President Obama made a forceful call Wednesday for a new era in global relations, urging the United Nations to move past old divisions and disputes to reassert itself as a leading force in confronting the most pressing issues of today.
In his first speech as president to the U.N. General Assembly, Obama sought to distance his young administration from unilateral policies of his predecessor, while pledging a U.S. commitment to work with the United Nations in forging a better common future for all.
“The United States stands ready to begin a new chapter of international cooperation — one that recognizes the rights and responsibilities of all nations,” Obama said in concluding a speech that received strong applause.
He told the assembly that the world’s countries, both individually and collectively as the United Nations, have failed to put aside old ways of thinking and acting as they confront threats to global security and stability.
“Now is the time for all of us to take our share of responsibility for a global response to global challenges,” he said. “If we are honest with ourselves, we need to admit that we are not living up to that responsibility.”
Obama cited issues such as terrorism, long-running conflicts, nuclear proliferation, climate change, poverty and pandemic disease, then added: “The magnitude of our challenges has yet to be met by the measure of our action.” Read full transcript of Obama’s speech
The speech outlined four pillars for collective world focus — nuclear disarmament and nonproliferation, the pursuit of peace, combating climate change, and increasing economic development and opportunity — and directly addressed long-standing issues such as the Middle East conflict as well as more recent challenges including the global economic recession.
Obama made a strong call for renewed efforts to reach a Middle East agreement that creates a secure Israel and an independent Palestinian state.
“The time has come to relaunch negotiations — without preconditions — that address the permanent-status issues: security for Israelis and Palestinians; borders, refugees and Jerusalem,” he said. “The goal is clear: two states living side by side in peace and security — a Jewish state of Israel, with true security for all Israelis; and a viable, independent Palestinian state with contiguous territory that ends the occupation that began in 1967, and realizes the potential of the Palestinian people.”
His statement prompted applause, and Obama received an ovation when he later stated: “The United States does Israel no favors when we fail to couple an unwavering commitment to its security with an insistence that Israel respect the legitimate claims and rights of the Palestinians.
“And nations within this body do the Palestinians no favors when they choose vitriolic attacks against Israel over a constructive willingness to recognize Israel’s legitimacy, and its right to exist in peace and security.”
Obama also said Iran and North Korea “must be held accountable” if they continue to ignore international nuclear weapons treaties.
“If the governments of Iran and North Korea choose to ignore international standards; if they put the pursuit of nuclear weapons ahead of regional stability and the security and opportunity of their own people; if they are oblivious to the dangers of escalating nuclear arms races in both East Asia and the Middle East — then they must be held accountable,” Obama said.
“The world must stand together to demonstrate that international law is not an empty promise, and that treaties will be enforced,” he continued. “We must insist that the future not belong to fear.”
Earlier, Obama cited differences between his policies and those of the previous U.S. administration under President George W. Bush, who was considered by many as unilateralist with little respect for the United Nations.
“I took office at a time when many around the world had come to view America with skepticism and distrust,” Obama said. “Part of this was due to misperceptions and misinformation about my country. Part of this was due to opposition to specific policies, and a belief that on certain critical issues, America has acted unilaterally, without regard for the interests of others. This has fed an almost reflexive anti-Americanism, which too often has served as an excuse for our collective inaction.”
He received applause when he told the assembly that one of his first acts as president was to prohibit “without exception or equivocation, the use of torture by the United States of America,” in reference to enhanced interrogation techniques of terrorism suspects.
Obama cited other U.S. steps under his administration to confront global issues — appointing a special Middle East envoy, investing $80 billion in clean energy technology, efforts to ease the global recession and halt the spread of nuclear weapons — and also noted, again to applause, how the United States has paid its U.N. bills and joined the Human Rights Council.
At the same time, Obama made clear the United States would continue its fight to destroy the al Qaeda network responsible for the September 11, 2001, attacks and other terrorism, but he also called for a more collective approach to such global threats.
“Those who used to chastise America for acting alone in the world cannot now stand by and wait for America to solve the world’s problems alone,” he said. “We have sought — in word and deed — a new era of engagement with the world. Now is the time for all of us to take our share of responsibility for a global response to global challenges.”
Obama will lead a special session of the U.N. Security Council dealing with nuclear issues on Thursday.
He will also travel to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, for the Group of 20 summit, where he will host a two-day meeting of representatives of the world’s largest economies.
tratto da CNN
Reporters of Legality
It was February 2009 when FLARE went to meet Petra Reski. This genuine and kind woman lives in Italy, and works as reporter for one of the most important German daily newspapers. Only two months earlier, her new book soon found space on many bookstores’ shelves in Germany and we were eager to meet the person who intended to explain the organised crime phenomenon to an “unaware” public. At a café in a nice square, Petra told us her motivations behind writing such book and the way her life changed ever after.
Reski lives in Italy since 1989 when she had to write a reportage about “the Palermo spring”. She then decided to stay in order «to understand the contradictions of this land, even through the mob». Since then, she hasn’t stopped working on it. Petra was awarded the German “Best Journalist 2008” prize for the category “reporter” following the publication of ****. In Italy, she won the “Premio Civitas 2009” for «her commitment to the values of journalism» and the “Amalfi Coast Media Award”, the international award on journalism.
She gained even greater popularity – perhaps to an extent she would have hardly predicted – after the “Duisburg massacre”.
It was August 15, 2007. Inside an apparently-quiet pizzeria a slaughter took place in which six men were killed. German secret services and Italian police forces soon found out that night a setting of scores occurred in an anonymous little town such as Duisburg, between two Italian mafia clans.
This episode was perceived in two completely different ways. In Italy, it finally caused a drawing of attention towards a country (Germany) in which Italians informally knew organised crime runs businesses and uses it as hiding place but still they lacked noticeable proof. In Germany instead, the general reaction was a mixed feeling of disbelief and mistrust towards a phenomenon that German citizens believe not to be their problem – or at least a problem not to locate on their own territory: that is, organised crime gangs wealthy operate in Germany.
Petra Reski, a courageous German journalist who lives in Italy since 1989, published her new book in September 2008 (“Mafia. Von Paten, pizzerien und falschen priestern”). A brave reportage of the infiltration of Italian mafia gangs in Germany and their way to conduct businesses in Italy. She did not hold her hand back when writing names and last-names in her book, alleged of being questionable businessmen operating in Germany on behalf of the Calabria mafia, the ‘ndrangheta.
The ‘ndrangheta has been competing with Camorra (an umbrella of organised crime gangs from Naples and surrounding territories) the title of most powerful criminal gang in Italy. The ‘ndrangheta makes tremendous profits from drug trafficking, dumping of waste, arms trafficking and money extortion. In Germany their activities broadens to cars theft and forgery. Their annual money circulation worth € 45 billions, as much as one third of Italian 2007 GDP (note 1). Most of such terrific amount of money fuels Germany economy and it would be naïve and superficial to believe it does not have a tremendous impact on it. Their infiltration in Germany counts 229 clans and about 900 members, mostly concentrated in Nordrhein-Westfalen, Hesse, Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg (note 2).
Petra Reski’s book sold 50.000 copies so far in Germany and it will soon be published in USA, Poland, Spain,
The Duisburg massacre took place in Duisburg in August 14, 2007. Six men were shot dead in front of the restaurant “Da Bruno”. It was soon discovered the dispute was part of a long-running and deadly feud (known as San Luca feud) in Calabria region, involving two local family-clans for the control over the criminal activities of their (disputed) territory.
The Duisburg massacre took place in Duisburg in August 14, 2007. Six men were shot dead in front of the restaurant “Da Bruno”. It was soon discovered the dispute was part of a long-running and deadly feud (known as San Luca feud) in Calabria region, involving two local family-clans for the control over the criminal activities of their (disputed) territory. Photo: Wikipedia
Netherlands and Czech Republic. Since then, Petra has experienced changes in her life. Threats, ambiguous statements about her work, trials. In her book, several sentences are censored in black. Spartaco Pitanti e Antonio Pelle – two Italians operating in Germany known by German secret services and Italian police to belong to the San Luca feud – brought her to court.
In Italy, Petra’s book was launched about a month ago and the sales are speeding up. The preface of the book is signed by antimafia national general attorney Vincenzo Macrì, an authority in Italy for the fight against organised crime.
Now, in the contradictory framework that characterizes Italy and its politicians, Senator Marcello Dell’Utri recently released an interview to a daily Italian newspaper (Libero, September 11, 2009) in which he openly attacks Petra Reski’s book. Mr Dell’Utri defines Italian general attorneys as «impartial lawyers, paid by the state» and he comments Reski’s work as «a book full of incredible falsities».
Mr Marcello Dell’Utri holds a seat at the Italian Parliament for Silvio Berlusconi’s party “Forza Italia”. He was arrested in 1995 for tampering with the evidence of the trial upon the funds of “Publitalia ‘80” for which he was given a 27 months sentence (final sentence). In the same year he won a seat at the European Parliament. In 1996, he was investigated for mafia criminal offences. On December 11, 2004, was found guilty for the crime of mafia affiliation by the Court of Palermo (9 years of imprisonment, first grade sentence) (note 3).
After the above-mentioned interview by Marcello Dell’Utri, FLARE intends to raise up indignation made by ambiguous individuals upon the statement over a remarkable book. Petra Reski professionalism – acquired as a foreign reporter for Die Zeit and through collaborations with Geo, Focus, Merian – brings her now to face a raw reality. Writers like her are tremendously needed in Europe and in all its member states. Organised crime has long become a European issue and FLARE cannot but strongly support those individuals who do their bit in their effort to inform and raise awareness about such living matter.
1. Italian Minister of Interior (www.interno.it)
2. Federal Criminal Police Office (Bundeskriminalamt)
3.“Sentenza del Tribunale di Palermo”, December 11, 2004 (www.narcomafie.it/sentenza_dellutri.pdf)
by Lorenzo Bodrero – FLARE Communication and Information department
Avanti Savoia, con giudizio
Tratto dal blog “Tempo Reale” di Vittorio Zucconi
Il modo piu’ serio e sincero per essere davvero “tutti uniti” dietro i nostri soldati in guerra non e’ il ripugnante pianto televisivo degli spremitori di lacrime da audience o il peloso patriottismo da comizio. E’ accertarsi che vengano mandati a rischiare la loro vita – evento purtroppo implicito nell’uniforme che indossano con orgoglio – per una missione chiara, con forze adeguate e con obbiettivi raggiungibili.
E’ davvero quanto sta avvenendo in Afghanistan? Ho sentito un commosso, nobile colonnello della Folgore dire che i suoi uomini si stanno sacrificando per “ristabilire la democrazia in Afghanistan”. Quale democrazia e’ mai esistita in Afghanistan, colonnello? Poiche’ noi affermiamo di considerare ogni vita preziosa, dobbiamo saperla spendere con prudenza e con criterio. La Patria, invocata con grande sfogo e sfoggio di retorica, permise ai comandi supremi di tutte le nazioni nella Prima Guerra Mondiale e al nostro generale Cadorna, di consumare invano centinaia di migliaia di giovani in ripetute stolte offensive. L’Afghanistan non e’ ovviamente l’Isonzo, ma forse dopo otto anni di questa strana guerra che sta visibilmente irrobustendo le forze dei fanatici e sta accrescendo il numero dei nostri caduti, non sarebbe il caso di discutere semplicemente se questa sia la strategia giusta? Sono un “farabutto” a domandarlo, come dice il capo del governo che li impiega al fronte? O si e’ filo-talebani o membri di al-Quaeda a chiederselo? (A scanso di equivoci e di battute idiote, segnalo che ho avuto un figlio in uniforme e che amo talmente i soldati da volerli vedere tornare tutti a casa vivi).
Movieclub Film Festival – 1°edizione – Palestrina, 24-27 settembre 2009
Grande apertura con Alessandro Haber. Vukotic, Muccino, tra gli ospiti d’eccellenza
Si terrà nella splendida cornice dei Comuni dei Monti Prenestini (da Palestrina a Zagarolo, da San Cesareo a Valmontone) dal 24 al 27 settembre 2009, la prima edizione del Movieclub Film Festival, la Rassegna Cinematografica e Festival del Cortometraggio, dedicato ai cineamatori che, su temi e in modi differenti, si sono dilettati nella creazione di cortometraggi (documentari, videoclip, fiction, animazione). L’evento è ideato e promosso da dall’Associazione culturale “Movieclub” di Palestrina (Roma), presieduta da David Cardarelli ed Emanuele Venditti.
Dopo un’attenta valutazione, solo 24 su 160 sono le opere selezionate per la finale. La premiazione avverrà domenica 27 settembre, serata conclusiva dell’intera kermesse. La giuria composta da autorevoli esperti, assegnerà i seguenti premi: miglior corto, miglior montaggio, miglior interprete, migliore sceneggiatura, migliore regia.
E’ prevista inoltre l’assegnazione di Premi speciali agli autori di alcuni cortometraggi fuori concorso e agli ospiti presenti alla manifestazione. Ultimo, ma non meno importante, verrà assegnato un premio decretato dalla Giuria del pubblico, composta da 80 spettatori che, nel corso della quattro giorni, assisteranno alla proiezione delle opere finaliste . Ad inaugurare la prima delle quattro giornate del Movieclub Film Fest sarà il grande regista e attore Alessandro Haber, con il film di successo “Scacco Pazzo”, cui seguirà un incontro dibattito.
Milena Vukotic, Silvio Muccino sono solo alcuni degli ospiti che presenzieranno le quattro giornate del Movieclub Film Festival.
La giuria sarà così composta:
Marco Giusti (critico cinematografico, autore televisivo); Lamberto Bava (regista); Giuseppe Berardini (operatore di Macchine e direttore della fotografia); Jeanne Marie Cilento (giornalista, designer e presentatrice); Ruggero Deodato (regista); Giuliano De Risi (giornalista, direttore dell’AGI); Angelo Iacono (regista, produttore, organizzatore e segretario di produzione); Angelo Infanti (attore); Paul James McDonnell (regista di film d’animazione); Stefania Parigi (docente presso il DAMS, università Roma tre); Donato Tieppo (arredatore e art director).
Evento nell’evento la quattro giorni sarà momento di riflessione e grande spettacolo: un salto spazio-temporale che condurrà i visitatori tra oggetti appartenuti ai set più importanti della cinematografia italiana, a scenari western, per esser condotti, sulle note delle migliori musiche dei film a condividere l’amore e il gusto per il Cinema e l’arte in generale.
Il Movieclub Film Festival, per la sua valenza culturale e artistica, si svolge sotto l’egida della Presidenza del Consiglio Regionale del Lazio, del DAMS di Roma Tre, del Comune di Palestrina (Assessorato allo Spettacolo e ai Grandi Eventi), del Comune di Zagarolo, del Comune di Roma (Assessorato alle Politiche Culturali e della Comunicazione), del Consorzio “I Castelli della Sapienza”, della Banca di Credito Cooperativo di Palestrina, e con la collaborazione della Libera Università del Cinema di Roma e di “Stracult” di Marco Giusti.
La partecipazione alle serate del Festival e agli eventi ad esso correlati è aperta al pubblico e totalmente gratuita
PROGRAMMA
La manifestazione sarà articolata in 4 momenti:
Apertura del Festival (Giovedì 24 settembre ore 17.00 – Sale del circolo culturale “R.Simeoni” di Palestrina – Palazzo Barberini), in contemporanea con l’apertura della mostra dedicata al Cinema: costumi di scena, manifesti originali, cineprese moderne e d’epoca, oggetti appartenuti ai set più importanti della cinematografia italiana, pezzi unici esposti per un’immersione nella Settima Arte attraverso il materiale usato nei film.
Proiezione film “Scacco Pazzo” (ore 20.30 – Auditorium “G.Pierluigi” – Palestrina). A seguire incontro-dibattito con il grande regista e attore Alessandro Haber.
Proiezione del film “Navajo Joe” (Venerdì 25 settembre ore 21.00 – Cinema Teatro Principe- Palestrina), cui seguirà un incontro con Marco Giusti (critico cinematografico e Presidente della giuria), Lucio Rosato (attore), Ruggero Deodato (regista e sceneggiatore), Chritian Uva (docente Dams Università Roma Tre) e Nori Crucci. Tema principale sarà l’importanza del film del 1966 che, primo tra tutti, sposò la causa degli Indiani. L’incontro sarà, inoltre occasione per ricordare la figura di Sergio Corrucci.
Concerto dell’Accademia Musicale Preneste (Sabato 26 settembre ore 21.00 – Auditorium “G.Pierluigi”- Palestrina). Lo spettacolo diretto da Alfonso Lombardi, sarà dedicato alle musiche da Film. Saranno eseguiti i più significativi brani presi in prestito (alcuni originali) dal cinema italiano e internazionale come colonna sonora. Tra gli autori eseguiti: Rota, Rustichelli, Morricone, Mozart, Tchaikovsky e Piazzolla.
Cerimonia di premiazioni della Prima edizione del Movieclub Film Festival (domenica 27 settembre ore 20.30 – Auditorium “G.Pierluigi”- Palestrina). Nel corso della serata verranno assegnati premi e riconoscimenti agli autori delle opere nella rosa dei 24 finalisti, nonché alcune menzioni speciali.
keep looking »Chi sono
Nata in un a terra “forte e gentile” come tutti gli abruzzesi sono tenace e paziente. Sono curiosa e ho voglia di capire perché le cose succedono.
La conoscenza, la passione per il viaggio mi hanno portata in giro per il mondo ma anche a visitare l’Italia più volte. Amo l’arte e so che la cultura può muovere il mondo.
Ascolto sempre e credo che la parola sia un’arma da usare con attenzione ed etica.
In compagnia
In viaggio
A tavola
Ultime immagini inserite
