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The famous Italian producer and husband of Sophia Loren died two days ago in a Swiss hospital. He was hospitalized in Geneva for pulmonary complications, but the precise cause of death is still unknown.

Ponti was born in 1913 near Milan and after working as a lawyer he started the career as a film-maker. He worked with world renowned directors like Federico Fellini and David Lean. Ponti’s fame came out in 1965, when he was nominated for an Oscar as a producer of "Doctor Zhivago". The audience knows his name also by films such as "Blow-Up," "The Verdict" and "The Cassandra Crossing".

Those that have already seen the first episode of the gigantic tale about Roman Empire will be captured by its second part, which first episode will be released on HBO this Sunday. Critics say that the written version is not so impressive as the film, because it is more attractive for the eye to follow the story with all the historical places, people and events into visual action. Cleopatra will be the main character with all her beauty and majesty. The TV auditory will be able to follow her drama and hear her words of sacrifice “If I must prostitute myself for the good of my country and my family, I will".

The 78-years old world famous composer of Untouchables and Cinema Paradiso has been nominated many times this far but has never won an Oscar. This time he is going to receive a honorary Oscar at the Academy Awards ceremony on 25th of February 2007.

Ennio Moriccone was born in Rome and has built a respectful 45-years career, during which composed the music for more than 300 scores, among which the renowned Malena, The Mission and Bugsy. He became most famous with the Sergio Leone’s westerns, such as “The Good, the Bad and the Ugly”.

The ex Italian Prime minister Silvio Berlusconi fainted while holding a speech at a meeting with young followers of the centre-right ideas in Montecatini Terme, Tuscany. Mr Berlusconi fell on the floor with closed eyes. After he was taken out from the room, he felt better and refused to leave with the ambulance but his own car. Later on, the former prime minister went by a helicopter to a hospital in Milan, where examinations were about to be made.

The world renowned Italian fashion house Versace has recently announced that its owners plan to build 15 luxury resorts in different countries.

Versace magnate is already an owner of a hotel on Australia's Gold Coast but this time an agreement with local Australian proprietor was signed about the new 7-star hotels which will be furnitured and designed with the typical for the fashion company glamour.

Each girl dreams about her prince to come on a white horse and marry her in a mysterious castle. This dream is about to come true for Katie Holmes and this time in the role of the prince Tom Cruise takes part.

Which are the different episodes of this romance up to this moment? After two divorces, the “Mission Impossible 3” hero met Katie, a charming actress and their relationship showed to be promising. This was confirmed soon by announcing the birth of their baby Sury in April this year. Following the modern behavior of the celebrities, Cruise and Holmes gave their kid’s photo to Vanity Fair and thus making their fame grow more. Romantic proposal at the Eiffel Tower followed, above the Seine River and the panoramic surroundings of sparkling Paris.

Three days ago, there was a collision between two trains from the underground metro system in Rome. It resulted in one dead person and 110 injured people, the Italian authorities announced. At first, the news was for two victims but later it appeared that there was a confusion regarding the second one.

According to the rail operator, the train that was stopped in the station Vittorio Emanuele II was hit from the other one, traveling with high speed in the tunnel. Passengers from the second train said that the driver did not stop at the red light and continued on. Ambulance servants, firefighters and police attempted to set free the people, stuck inside the train. The TV news showed injured people, while being escorted to the ambulances.

New scandal has arisen in Italy, since the media announced two weeks ago for the abduction of the Italian journalist Gabrielle Torsello in Afghanistan. The journalist, known as “Kash” because of his articles regarding the Kashmir conflict, was kidnapped from a bus by gunmen, who are presumably members of the Taliban group.

The abduction is in result of another story, involving Abdul Rahman who has converted to Christianity. For this reason he was accused for abandoning Islam and he has to be persecuted according to the traditional law in Afghanistan, which provides for death penalty in such cases. Rahman has asked for a refuge in Italy and he has been accepted by the Italian government in March, this year. Since then, it was not clear which is his actual place of residence. The ravishers demanded the converter’s return in Afghanistan and announced a deadline to the Italian aid agency Emergency, but the agency officials did not provide any comment on the matter.

Rome will attract tourists and local residents at the international film festival, which will present marvellous movies from 13th to 21st of October 2006. The premiere of the event will take place at the Auditorium Parco della Musica and screenings will be presented at different places, including the territory from Via Veneto to Piazza del Popolo and other locations.

The organizers of the festival have taken the challenge to involve the whole city in this great event and appeal even people who have never been to a film festival before. For this purpose, in the program are included events like music and fashion shows, literature evenings, panel discussions, parallel exhibitions, etc. Actors will establish dialogue with the audience and thus additional charm will be lended to the general concept.

Recently, Pope Benedict provoked strong protests among the Muslims by quoting a Byzantine emperor, who said that Islam is "evil and inhuman". Later, the Pope apologized in public and said that he did not intend to offend anybody. According to his words, he was misunderstood and his own beliefs did not coincide with those of the emperor.

The Holy Father gathered Muslim diplomats and appealed for good relations between the followers of Christianity and Islam, tolerance and “reciprocity in all fields”, as well as religious freedom. Thus, he came upon the issue for the Vatican in Saudi Arabia and other countries, where non-Muslims cannot worship freely.

The Prodi’s government took the decision to deploy 2,500 Italian troops for a UN peacekeeping force in Lebanon. The Defense Minister Arturo Parisi said the troops would be in Lebanon for four months and their stay would be split into two phases with a maximum of 2,450 soldiers on the ground. The soldiers will be accompanied by the minister Parisi and the Armed Forces Chief General Gianpaolo Di Paolo.

The conflict in Lebanon was the reason the Italian Premier Romano Prodi to arrange a meeting with government officials, among which were the Defense Minister Arturo Parisi and the Foreign Minister Massimo D'Alema. On Sunday, Aug. 13, 2006 Prodi held a press conference at his office, Chigi palace and announced that next week the Italian government will hold a Cabinet meeting to make the decision whether and at what extent Italy should involve in a U.N. peace force regarding the conflict in Southern Lebanon.

Most recent surveys have been held to re-define the list of European cities, according to their cost of living. The results show that Rome is among the most expensive cities on the continent. This provoked many visitors planning to see the Eternal city, to search the web in order to find cheaper accommodation and tourist packages for their vacation. Certain websites like www.b-b.rm.it offer

At Piazza Navona there are three gorgeous fountains. The central one, Fontana Dei Fiumi (Fountain of Rivers), is said to have the most complex ornaments of all the fountains in Rome. Its sculptor Bernini designed it in the early 1650s and its project was so expensive that a decision was taken for raising the bread tax in order to cover its high costs. The fountain is beautifully decorated and represents four rivers - the Danube, the Nile, the Ganges and the Rio de la Plata, each distinctive with its typical flora and fauna.

Laid out in 15th century on the ruins of a former stadium, Piazza Navona is now one of the most charming squares in Rome where you can either take a coffee at one of the numerous coffee bars or observe the cultural sites there.

For two centuries, the square was flooded at times in summer and its oval shape, preserved also today, was used for aquatic games. At one of its sides, there is an obelisk, which was originally in the Circus of Maxentius and transferred later from Egypt to Piazza Navona.

Rome is something more than just the capital of Italy – it is the capital of fashion. The Piazza di Spagna, the Auditorium and Hadrian’s Temple are venues of Rome’s fashion week; another one is Via Margutta, which also contributes to the cultural vision of the city. The Piazza di Spagna is a famous spot for fashion shows, unique and attractive with its Spanish Steps. At Via Condotti, which is leading up from the piazza, are situated the elite shops of renowned Italian fashion designers. The square has a wonderful backdrop with St. Peter's Basilica at the far end of the view.

Most recently, texts based on the relationship of the Church with Judaism, as well as Papal homilies on the matter have been compiled and published. The book has the title "Awake! Do Not Forget Man, Your Creature" and has been released by Vatican Publishing House. It consists of several volumes and begins with Benedict XVI's address on May 31 in St. Peter's Square. On this day and place, the Pope said: "In face of the horror of Auschwitz there is no answer other than the cross of Christ: Love that descends to the bottom of the abyss of evil, to save man at the root, where his freedom can rebel against God."

After the Colosseum visit, walking up in the central part of Rome you will first come across the Roman Forum (a former commerce, business and administrative centre of ancient Rome) and then you will find the Capitoline Hill (or Campidoglio). As being one of the famous Seven Hills of Rome, it is now popular for the ancient remains, which expressively show the use of urban spaces during the Roman Age. Nevertheless the smallest among the hills of Rome, from earliest times the Capitoline Hill was Rome's centre of political, social, and religious life. When the Celtic Gauls invaded Italy’s capital in 390 BC, this ancient place was the one section of the city to evade capture by the barbarians. In those historic times, this was the site of the great Italic temple dedicated to the Capitoline Jupiter, and people used the name Capitolium referring rather to the temple than to the entire site. There are several typical sightseeings situated at the Capitoline Hill, including museums and palaces with art galleries, sculptures, and frescoes. Your attention deserves Michelangelo' s Piazza del Campidoglio, which is impressively decorated by the statue of Marcus Aurelius. Besides the magnificent Palazzo Senatorio, there are another two palaces - Palazzo Nuovo and Palazzo dei Conservatori, designed as twins by Michelangelo and characterised by exquisite architectural layout. In particular, the Palazzo Senatorio distinguishes by its converging flights of stairs and its large Council Hall where the meetings of Senate Tribune were held in the past. The Palazzo Nuovo is even more attractive with its Capitoline Museum, containing the oldest museum collection in the world. Apart from the famous Egyptian collection, the different museum halls include treasures of classic art, monuments and busts of Roman emperors, distributed among the Hall of Oriental Cults, Hall of Columns, Hall of Emperors and the renown Hall of the Dying Gaul (The Dying Gladiator). As a tip for the tourists, the museum ticket gives admission to both Palazzo Nuovo and Palazzo dei Conservatori and there is a free access the last Sunday of the month.

Probably you have heard from the Roman mythology about the Seven Hills of Rome, situated east of the Tiber River, which form the heart of Rome. According to the myth, the original city has been founded by Romulus on the Palatine Hill (''Collis Palatinus''). The rest of the Seven Hills of Rome are the Capitoline Hill (''Collis Capitolinus''), the Aventine Hill (''Collis Aventinus''), the Esquiline Hill (''Collis Esquilinus''), the Quirinal Hill (''Collis Quirinalis''), the Caelian Hill (''Collis Caelius'') and the Viminal Hill (''Collis Viminalis'').

The Colosseum is an impressive ancient ampitheater, built by the Flavian Emperor Vespasian in AD 80 and was the scene of many bloody gladiatorial fights and wild animal slaughter. Today, if you pass between the Colosseum and the Arch of Constantine, you may see men dressed in gladiator costume acting like real bullfighters but only for the visitors’ amusement. The term amphitheater derives from the Greek “amphi” (on both sides) and “theatron” (semicircular viewing place or theater).

Once you visit Rome, you will surely fall in love with its beauties. Walking down the streets, passing through squares and parks – no matter where, the feeling you are acting in some ancient historical movie will be truly realistic. If the stones in the Eternal city would be able to talk, they would have told you their story dating from the time of the Roman Empire. Monuments, arcs, ancient stadiums and many other ruins will make you become a witness of the Italian history but the modern business centers will not make you forget in which epoch you are.

Rome is not only the capital of Italy, but also the city where most cultural events take place. There is a list of concerts, exhibitions, shows and many others that are held in the city each year. The locals, as well as the visitors and tourists can enjoy many happenings, most of them organized in open air during the summer.

The cultural events in Rome are being held in different squares, cathedrals, music halls, etc. One of the places where many international musical events are organized is the new Rome Auditorium, situated near the Olympic Village in the Flaminio area of the Eternal city. The Auditorium is some kind of City of Music, designed by the world-wide known architect Renzo Piano. Its three large halls can hold a total of 5000 people and the building is set at a park where a splendid amphitheater has been built, together with some recording rooms.

Many of the cultural treasures in Rome are currently in very adverse circumstances and unfortunately this is a fact, well-known not from yesterday. The Italian government is running through a thorough assessment of the archeological sites in the Italian capital and takes decisions about where most urgent repairs should be accomplished. Recently, the experts have found out some dangerous damages, such as waterlogged foundations, crumbling walls and fragile tunnels.

Politics in brief: The exit from the Italian parliamentary elections was in favour of Romano Prodi and his centre-left party. This provoked high pressure among the opposition. Silvio Berlusconi appealed that if Prodi's party refuses to choose a "right" candidate for president, his actions will be "firm, absolute and total" against the future parliament, including non-parliamentary methods.

"If also this offer from us is rejected, we will count it not only as our right but as obligation to change our policy with firm, absolute and total opposition in all situations", claimed the Italian prime-minister quoted by the information agencies.

Several days before the national elections, a recent scandal between the Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi and the opposition leader Romano Prodi became the main hot topic.
The leader of “Forza Italia” promised that Italians will no longer have to pay property tax, known as ICI, on their primary residences. The fears are that it would cause troubles because the tax on primary residences currently takes in some 2.3 billion euros ($2.8 billion), which goes directly to towns to finance public services.