MILAN - Former Milan player and Manchester City forward Robinho has been sentenced to nine years in prison for sexual assault through his participation in a gang rape in 2013. The Court of Milan has found Robinho, a 33 year-old Brazilian, guilty of assaulting an Albanian woman with the aid of five Brazilians after giving her copious amounts to drink, as reported by news sources.
INSIDER NEWSDESK
LAMEZIA TERME - Five local councils have been dissolved under accusations of mafia infiltration of the Calabrian crime group 'Ndranghetà. Lamezia Terme, Cassano allo Ionio, Marina di Gioiosa Jonica, Isola Capo Rizzuto and Petronà are to be closed after a ruling of the Italian Cabinet. The Council has declared that the groups contain "established conditions of organised crime," and that the 'Ndranghetà have been exerting control over the decisions of the committees, as well as aiding the groups in gaining contacts and procuring sales.
23 Nov 2017
INSIDER NEWSDESK
ROME - Pope Francis appeared uncharacteristically annoyed by his congregation in a speech he gave on Wednesday. The pontiff pleaded with people to stop chatting and taking selfies during Mass.
The pontiff, loved by the world over for his calm and kind demeanour, has apparently been drained of his saintly patience as he had to explain that “taking out your phone to like a photo on Facebook” might not be fully embracing the spirit of Mass.
22 Nov 2017
INSIDER NEWSDESK
ROME - Two female U.S. students, 20 and 21, flew from America to Florence Wednesday in order to testify against two Carabinieri paramilitary police oficers who allegedly raped them. They were transported from the airport in a windowless van to a secure location ahead of the trial. It is the first time they have returned since they left following their interaction with the accused.
22 Nov 2017
HELENA LESLIE
MILAN - Classified Government information has been sold to consultancy firm Ernst & Young (EY) in a secret scheme costing 220,000 euros, according to the accusation of the Prosecutors of Milan Paolo Filippini and Giovanni Polizzi. Both EY (Italy) as a company and senior partner Marco Ragusa has been accused of “corruption.”
Susanna Masi, an advisor to the Minister of Finance, is said to have provided the company with secret information gathered through her privileged position.
22 Nov 2017
KONRAD VAN HALEWYN
ROME - The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) held the first and only hearing of former Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi’s appeal against his ban from holding office. Berlusconi was banned from running by the ECHR in 2012 after he was convicted of tax-fraud.
Under the current judgement, he will be unable to run for public office until 2019. His decision to appeal the court’s decision shows his desire to run in the 2018 general elections after demonstrating that Italy still holds a place in the heart of the controversial politician during the Sicilian mayoral election.
22 Nov 2017
INSIDER NEWSDESK
NAPLES - The newest edition of the much-loved board game Monopoly has been unveiled, and it features the coastal city of Naples. Hasbro, the makers of the game, has announced its decision to produce “personalised” Monopoly board editions based on major cities around Europe.
22 Nov 2017
KONRAD VAN HALEWYN
ROME-- Running the Anglican Centre in the Eternal City may sound like a quixotic task pursuing elusive ecumenical unity. But Burundian Archbishop Bernard Ntahoturi, the first African in the post, hopes to use his office atop the Palazzo Doria Pamphili as a springboard to resolve conflicts in Africa, nurture joint policies with Roman Catholics to combat people smuggling and modern slavery in the war torn Middle East, and foster the education of the poor.
22 Nov 2017