After France’s expulsion of Roma gypsies from its shores, things are moving in the Italian capital, Rome, where many Rome are unlikely to be received with anymore welcome than that which they experienced in France. Rome’s current mayor, Gianni Alemanno, is not particularly friendly towards the Roma (many of whom are Romanian nationals) and the climate of acceptance of these people is even colder than usual.

Italy’s minister for internal affairs, Roberto Maroni, who also comes from Italy’s hardline, right-wing Northern League party, is to meet his French counterpart in an effort to create joint strategies regarding the influx of the Roma gypsies into the two European countries. Some of the strategies may see life improve for these people, who often live in total degradation.

One of the plans is to set up situations in which the ‘rom’, as they’re called in Italy, won’t be living in illegal camps and won’t have access to land and territory in which to set up their camps. This is part of a move to secure the right sanitation and hygiene conditions and avoid incidents like the terrible fire in a camp recently, that killed a three-year-old boy.

It’s difficult to imagine just how this removal of the rom from their camps and establishment of new accommodation intended to take place in Rome and the region of Lazio will be achieved but many Italians are waiting to see just how it might be managed. So far Italy has not mentioned whether it will expel the Roma gypsies in the same way that France has done, but so far it looks like it’s moving in the direction of protection the Roma health and welfare first.

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American actress Jessica Alba arrived in Venice to present her latest movie Machete which has screened at the 2010 Venice Film Festival. The film might not be your cup of tea, but it screened to acclaim for its anarchic style. Stay tuned for more from the Lido.

Continue reading: 2010 Venice film festival: Jessica Alba arrives at the Lido

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A strong buzz is making rounds that supermodel Naomi Campbell and her Russian billionaire lover Vladimir Doronin are making preparations to get married in Sicily. There are rumours afoot that the wedding will take place on one of the Aeolian islands, just off the coast of Sicily, but nobody knows for sure if the event will actually take place there! Date and venue of the wedding ceremony are still a mystery!

Source | Gds.it

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Italian fashion designers seem to have a soft spot for the Aeolian islands off the coast of Sicily; after Roberto Cavalli and Dolce & Gabbana who spent part of their summer holidays in the archipelago, it’s now the turn of Giorgio Armani to enjoy the breathtaking beauty of the islands aboard his luxurious yacht Main. The famous designer has just been spotted in Stromboli - the island with the only active volcano in the area.

Source | Tempostretto.it

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The Italian football league Serie A season has kicked off although it seems not so long ago that it had actually finished. But among the performances of the big teams (who we hope are just warming up and recent matches are not signs of the season to come) is the announcement that another Italian has become an international football coach. We talked of Fabio Capello and his controversy-ridden appointment with the national English side, so hopefully Alberto Zaccheroni will have more success with Japan’s national team.

I’ve often thought that the hard-fighting and tough Japanese side was the antithesis to European football style so it will be interesting to see how the relationship goes. For Zaccheroni it is his first international experience after coaching famous Italian football sides Juventus and AC Milan, and he is also the first Italian to find himself in the role for Japan. Zaccheroni will replace the former native Japanese coach, Takeshi Okada and we can’t wait to see what the Japanese team can produce with their new-found Italian coach.

Source | Calcioblog.it

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With the news that Valentino Rossi is moving to Ducati after seven years of championship wins with Yamaha, this could be the last chance to get your hands on a Rossi-developed Yamaha R1. The Italian sports star is famous for his ability to work on bikes, contributing to Yamaha’s success in now having the most competitive bike on the grid and he should prove a valuable addition to Ducati.

The Yamaha R1 in these pictures was put on display at the Long Beach Motorcycle Show and includes the same graphics and colours of Valentino Rossi’s “Five Continents” AGV helmet. A few racing touches to the R1 also make it track-capable. The modifications have all been carried out for the international charity organisation, Riders for Health and the R1 is now ready for auction.

Valentino Rossi’s R1 will go up for auction with proceeds going to Riders for Health on November 13th at the Bonhams Classic California event. The bike was designed by Aldo Drudi, famous for being involved in Rossi’s various gags and comic merchandise, and it was signed by Valentino at this year’s Laguna Seca MotoGP.

Continue reading: Valentino Rossi Yamaha R1 up for auction

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Every year the amazing Aeolian islands off the coast of Sicily attract thousands of tourists - especially the rich and famous who arrive in the archipelago in droves; from former English Prime Minister Tony Blair and American designer Tom Ford to the beautiful Queen of Jordan and Italian President Giorgio Napolitano.

Source | Tgcom.it

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Italian film director Giovanni Veronesi will deliver a hit to Italian audiences with his third Manual of Love film with Robert De Niro starring in his first Italian film for 35 years since he appeared in the film Novecento, or 1900 by Bertolucci in 1976. It’s exciting news for the Italian film industry and should only build on the previous huge success of the first two Manual of Love films.

The first earned over 14 million euros at the box office and the second improved on that with 19 million. Film producer and Napoli Football Club president Aurelio De Laurentiis has confirmed that it’s big news for the production team.

“We needed a big hit, especially because these days 60-year-olds are youthful - they go to the cinema and our ‘manuals’ are directed at all ages, from adolescence up. The various affectionate combinations are obvious at any season of life. De Niro read the script, watched Giovanni’s films and accepted.”

Film director Veronesi goes on to confirm the part that De Niro will play:

Continue reading: Robert De Niro Italian film confirmed: actor to join Manual of Love cast

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Flavio Briatore and her wife Elisabetta Gregoraci are planning to have a new baby soon! This is at least what Elisabetta Gregoraci told Oggi magazine. My son must have everything life can offer- she said - so it would be a crime not to give him a brother or sister!

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The news that Italy’s biggest sports star and multiple MotoGP champion Valentino Rossi will ride for Ducati for the next two years is the achievement of a dream for many Italians (forgetting that fellow Italian rider Max Biaggi rides for Aprilia in the Superbike). The “Rossi in Rosso” pun doesn’t come close to describing the euphoria that many feel over having their beloved Vale in the saddle of an Italian bike.

He might not win from the start, and it might not prove to be the fairytale many are hoping for, but for the moment the idea that Valentino Rossi will be coming to an Italian team is like having a favourite son back for dinner after years of being away. If you’re interested to more about the Rossi to Ducati saga, you can check out Twowheelsblog where we’ve got stories on just how much marketing money Ducati will rake in off the back of the world’s most famous rider, and you can see Rossi’s handwritten goodbye letter to Yamaha and his beloved M1.

The real love story, in fact, is about Rossi and his bike but we’ll leave that for another time. For our part, we’ll be eagerly following Rossi’s progress at Ducati from a cultural perspective - there’s nothing we’ll enjoy more than seeing how the Italians will cope with this new found patriotism uniting two of Italy’s greatest icons. In the video above you can see Valentino briefly talk about his future with Ducati.

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