1.) An Italian WINE has been chosen by "Wine Spectator"
as best wine of
the year,for the second consecutive year. In
2000, Solaia won the top honor.
2.) UNEMPLOYMENT rate returns to the low levels
of 1993, and has declined
from 10% in October 2000 to 9.3% for most of
2001.
3.)Italy's second highest-ranking member in the UN forced out of job.
4.) POVERTY stable in Italy over the past four
years at 12%. About 2.7
million families make do with only 1.5 million
lire a month in income.In
Southern Italy and the islands, about 27.4% of
children live below the
poverty line!!!!
5.) AIN'T LUV GRAND??? Young lovers made peace
in emergency room of
hospital where they sought medical treatment
for injuries made by each other.
========================================================
1) ORNELLAIA '98 AWARDED TOP HONOR BY AMERICAN WINE MAGAZINE
The American magazine "Wine Spectator" has bestowed its top honor on
Ornellaia '98, the wine it designated the best of the year 2001. The
choice
of this wine, which comes from the hills of Bolgheri in Tuscany, was
decided
after an assessment was made of the quality of the year's grape harvest,
the
sustained quality of the vintage over several years, the continued
popularity
and preferability of the wine in the American market, and how it reflects
the
region where it is cultivated and produced. This is the second consecutive
year that an Italian wine has been chosen by "Wine Spectator" as best
wine of
the year. In 2000, Solaia won the top honor.
2.)ISTAT RECORDS INCREASE OF 430,000 WORKERS IN 2001
According to new data released by ISTAT, the number of people employed
in
Italy in 2001 went up by 2.1% or 430,000 jobs since last year. Despite
a
recent downturn associated with the September 11 attacks, commentators
have
described the year as outstanding. The unemployment rate has declined
from
10% in October 2000 to 9.3% for most of 2001, returning to the low
levels of
1993. The nation's industrial sector, however, did not share in the
positive
growth, cutting approximately 16,000 jobs.
3.) UN AUDITORS REPORT ACCUSES ARLACCHI OF FINANCIAL MISMANAGEMENT
Pino Arlacchi is being forced out of his United Nations job. It was
a bitter
holiday gift for Italy's second highest-ranking member in the UN and
the
executive director of the organization's anti-drug and crime committee.
A UN
report accuses Mr. Arlacchi of "negligence and wasting organization
funds."
4.)POVERTY LEVEL UNCHANGED OVER LAST FOUR YEARS
According to the Welfare Ministry's annual report, the number of families
living in poverty has remained stable in Italy over the past four years
at
12%. About 2.7 million families make do with only 1.5 million lire
a month in
income, while 950,000 of them live on less. Italy, along with England,
has
the highest rate of children living in poverty in Europe. In southern
Italy
and the islands, about 27.4% of children live below the poverty line.
5.) BICKERING YOUNG COUPLE IN SARDEGNA MAKE UP IN EMERGENCY ROOM
For a young couple from Oristano in Sardinia, late Christmas night
calm was
broken by an argument, which then erupted into a physical battle, and
finally
ended in peace. Upon returning from a dance club, Giuliano Deidda,
19, and
Sara Nurchis, 20, argued over the use of car headlights; the dispute
then
turned into a physical battle which included slapping, punching and
biting.
Eventually the young lovers made peace in the emergency room of the
hospital
of San Gavino of Cagliari where they had sought medical treatment for
the
injuries made by each other.
