At least nine people were killed and six others were missing in flash floods triggered by torrential rain which lashed Italy from the Alps in the north to Sicily in the south, authorities said today.

Italy’s premier vowed that construction will start on a high-speed rail link in an Alpine valley where clashes continued today between police and demonstrators.

Italy’s labour minister has called for a referendum to see whether Italians want to temporarily bring back the lira after widespread popular discontent over high prices that many blame on the introduction of the euro.