Silvio Berlusconi picks former topless model Mara Carfagna as G8 escort (click here)
Faced with the thorny problem of having no "First Lady" to look after the G8 leaders' spouses on their three day trip to Italy, Silvio Berlusconi has come up with a solution in keeping with his reputation.
By Nick Squires in Rome
Published: 6:37PM BST 06 Jul 2009
The Italian prime minister has asked a former topless model turned government minister to stand in for his estranged wife.
The 72-year-old premier has chosen Mara Carfagna – now Italy's equal opportunities minister – to take care of the likes of Michelle Obama and Sarah Brown.
Miss Carfagna, 33, is an ex-glamour girl whose sultry looks and portfolio of lingerie calendars earned her the title of the world's sexiest government minister from men's magazine Maxim.
The one-time Miss Italy contestant will be supported in the role by another attractive young member of the cabinet, education minister Maria Stella Gelmini.
Mr Berlusconi is said to have chosen Miss Carfagna and Miss Gelmini to reward them for being "staunch champions" as he has battled allegations that he slept with a high-class call-girl at his mansion in Rome last November. Together they will guide the G8 wives around Rome and the mountain town of L'Aquila 65 miles away, where the summit is being held from Wednesday to Friday....
Berlusconi Shows Quake Damage at G-8 Summit, Leaders Pledge Aid (click here)
By Steve Scherer and Brian Parkin
July 8 (Bloomberg) -- As world leaders arrived in L’Aquila, Italy to begin their annual summit, Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi.began showing his counterparts damage from the earthquake that prompted him to move their meeting there.
Berlusconi led German Chancellor Angela Merkel through Onna, where the April 6 temblor damaged or destroyed virtually every building and killed 41 people, more than 10 percent of its population. The German government pledged to rebuild the town, partly as compensation for the Nazi execution of 16 residents of Onna during World War II....
G8 summit: Silvio Berlusconi faces new party allegations (click here)
Silvio Berlusconi, the host of the G8 summit in Italy, has faced new allegations about his parties attended by young women.
By Nick Squires in Rome
Published: 12:00PM BST 08 Jul 2009
A fourth woman has come forward to claim that she was paid 1,000 euros (£870) to attend a party at one of the Italian prime minister's private homes.
Maria Teresa De Nicolo, 37, said the 72-year-old premier was the "perfect host" when he danced with her after the candle-lit dinner and that contrary to reports he did not have his hands all over her "like an octopus".
"I danced with the prime minister and also with some of the other men who were present," said Miss De Nicolo.
"When he danced, he was very formal: his hands didn't wander, he wasn't like an octopus as some of the other girls have told the papers in the last few days."
Miss De Nicolo corroborated much of the detail offered by the three other women who have said they attended Mr Berlusconi's parties....
