The Hellenic Radio (ERA): News in English, 06-04-09

The Hellenic Radio (ERA): News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article

From: The Hellenic Radio (ERA) <www.ert.gr/>

CONTENTS

[01] Voting for new Parliament, Senate and Gov't Italians to the Polls

By Dimitris Alexopoulos

Sources: ANA - Reuters

Some 47 million voters in Italy have started proceeding to the polls as of 8am to elect a new Parliament, Senate and Government. The elections will run for two days to avoid the problems recorded in 2001, when the general elections took place in one day, with thousands of people queuing up and voting hours after the polls closed. On Sunday, the polling stations will remain open until 10pm, while on Monday they will open from 7am to 3pm. This was also the first time ever that expatriate Italians voted in the elections. The deadline for them ended on Thursday, while the voter turnout was 40%. The voters will elect the 630 members of Parliament and the 315 members of the Senate through the new system of full proportionate representation.

The centre-right collation is headed by Silvio Berlusconi, the current PM and leader of the party Forza Italia, and includes Gianfranco Finis National Alliance (Alleanza Nazionale), Umberto Bossis Northern League (Lega Nord) and Ferdinando Casinis Union of Christian Democrats and Centre Democrats (UDC). The centre-left Union (LUnione) coalition is led by former European Commission President Romano Prodi, and includes Piero Fassinos Left Democrats (Democratici di Sinistra), former mayor of Rome Francesco Rutellis Daisy (La Margherita), Fausto Bertinottis Communist Refoundation (Rifondazione Communista), the Greens and the Social Democrats.

So far, the opinion polls are giving the lead to Romano Prodi, but the undecided Italian voters are expected to play a decisive role. According to analysts, it is quite possible for the showdown to end in a draw.

Translated by Vicky Ghionis

Read the story on other sources:

Repubblica: In quarantasette milioni al voto

Corriera della Sera: Il Viminale:ĢEvitate code all'ultimo minutoģ

Related News:

Election Time in Italy

[02] On Sunday Crucial Meeting for Municipal Employees

Sources: NET - NET 105.8

Sundays meeting will play a decisive role in the future of the strike staged by refuse collectors, as it will determine their further collective actions. The municipal employees are on strike for the fifth day running, while the tonnes of rubbish in the streets, especially in the major urban centres, are creating problems, and the authorities have started spraying the piles of rubbish to deal with the stench. On Saturday, the Interior Ministry satisfied two of the strikers demands. Specifically, it announced the payment of compensation for specific services provided by refuse collectors by the end of May and the formation of a committee that would review their inclusion into the heavy and health hazardous occupations.

Translated by Vicky Ghionis

Related News:

Spraying Garbage Piles

[03] Over its Nuclear Programme US Plans Iranian Strike

By

Sources: NET - ANA

The Bush administration is examining the possibility of bombing Iran, in an effort to force the country to terminate its nuclear programme. The information was published in the Washington Post, which cited officials and analysts. Although an attack is unlikely in the short-term, the threat of violence aims at convincing the Iranians of the gravity of Washingtons intentions. According to the paper, the Pentagon and the CIAs likely targets include a uranium enrichment plant in Natanz and a uranium-conversion facility in Isfahan. Bush considers Iran a serious threat that has to be exterminated before the end of his term in office.

Translated by Vicky Ghionis

Related Links:

Washington Post

The Hellenic Radio (ERA): News in English Directory - Previous Article - Next Article