A DEFIANT Berlusconi, already weakened by a sex scandal, has vowed to stay despite the ruling by the constitutional court, which he called a political organ.

IF ITALIAN tax returns are to be believed, the average shoe salesman in the prosperous northern city of Bolzano earns €673 per year, while jewellers around the country earn less than primary school teachers.

IRELAND’S policy on opening its doors to workers from the new EU member states has been the correct one but Europe’s overall immigration policy is a disaster, a conference heard yesterday.