Nick Drainey's World View: Tax exposé brings Big Brother to the internet

Published on Saturday 3 May 2008 19:43

ITALY

For a few short hours last week, Italians got the chance to be each other's Big Brother: the government allowed internet viewing of absolutely everyone's tax returns, including those of politicians, soccer players and TV personalities.

But the experiment provoked a storm of protests over privacy rights. Frenzied clicking by thousands of Italians clogged the tax agency's website as they checked out the pockets of their favourite star, as well as neighbours, friends and bosses.

Within a few hours, the country's Privacy Authority ordered the agency to suspend the viewing, saying it presented "clear and serious problems" under the country's privacy rules.

The move had been authorised by Vincenzo Visco, a deputy economy minister in Premier Romano Prodi's outgoing government. He said the web viewing was a "simple matter of transparency and democracy", and

cited laws approved in the 1970s that allow citizens to view tax returns kept at municipal offices.

"There's quite a difference," Privacy Authority chief Francesco Pizzetti said. "Once on the net, the data can end up in search engines… and become permanently available to anybody around the globe."

It emerged that premier-elect Silvio Berlusconi declared an income in 2005 of ?28m (21.9m) and paid ?12m (9.4m) in taxes. AS Roma football star Francesco Totti's income for 2005 stood at ?10m (7.8m); he paid ?4.3m (3.4m) tax.

INDIA

One Indian cricket team has withdrawn cheerleaders from matches while others are being told to cover up, after protests that their dances and skimpy outfits were offensive to conservative Indians.

Cheerleaders, many imported from abroad, were hired to liven up India's new 450m domestic cricket league of eight teams.

But while drum players, blaring music and the presence of Bollywood stars cheering among spectators may have livened up stadiums, cheerleaders may be one spectacle too far.

"At the right time, of course, we will be open to this," said Vijay Vancheswar, vice-president of GMR group, which owns the Delhi Daredevils. "Having said that, it is a question of priorities and the priority now is to play cricket, and there will be no cheerleaders for now."

UNITED STATES

A giant inflatable pig that went missing from a Southern California music festival last weekend has been found in tatters in a desert town.

The pig, which has been a signature Pink Floyd stage prop since its appearance on the 1977 cover of Animals and the song 'Pigs on Wings', broke away from its tethers at the Coachella Valley Arts and Music Festival.

The festival organisers offered a $10,000 reward for the two-storey high inflatable pig belonging to ex-Pink Floyd frontman Roger Waters.

Two couples said on Wednesday they had found the shredded plastic remains of the pig outside their homes.

GREECE

A Greek court has been asked to draw the line between the residents of an Aegean island and the millions of gay women across the world.

Three islanders from Lesbos have taken a gay rights group to court for using the word Lesbian in its title. Lesbos was the birthplace of the ancient poet Sappho, who praised love between women.

One of the plaintiffs said the name of the association, Homosexual and Lesbian Community of Greece, "insults the identity" of the people of Lesbos, who are also known as Lesbians.

OH, REALLY

A pile of 130 million-year-old dinosaur dung sold at a New York auction for nearly 500 last week.

The fossilised dung, from the Jurassic era, looks like a rock on the outside and a colourful mineral inside.

It was bought by the owner of a company that sells products to treat dog and cat waste.

"Poop is a big business in the pet industry," he said.

MOVERS & SHAKERS

ROB LOWE

A former nanny for actor Rob Lowe and his wife Sheryl has countersued the couple, claiming she was sexually harassed while working for them in a case filled with sordid accusations and a claim of extortion.

Lowe, 44, and his wife filed their own suit against two former nannies and a chef, claiming the three violated confidentiality agreements.

WOLFGANG WAGNER

Richard Wagner's grandson has agreed to resign as head of Germany's Wagner festival in August after a 57-year reign, a decision which could help end an epic family battle.

Three great-granddaughters of Richard Wagner have fought for years for the right to succeed the 88-year-old.

MARIAH CAREY

Nick Cannon may be cast as Mariah Carey's lover in her new video, but has she given the young actor a considerably bigger role in real life?

Reports are growing that the 38-year-old superstar diva married Cannon, 27, on Wednesday. Agents for both have refused to comment.

Word that the two were seeing each other have surfaced only in the past few weeks.

COMING UP

On Wednesday, a lawyer with little foreign policy experience will become Russian president and lead a country with a nuclear arsenal, a UN veto and volatile relations with its neighbours and an energy-dependent West.

The consensus among diplomats is that Dmitry Medvedev will stick to the assertive policies of predecessor Vladimir Putin, who is due to become prime minister.