World news: Italy votes on £61bn plans to ease debt crisis concerns

Published on Thursday 14 July 2011 11:13

Italy's lower house of parliament is voting today on a crucial £61 billion austerity package aimed at convincing investors that the eurozone's third-largest economy won't be swept into the debt crisis.

Premier Silvio Berlusconi's government had fast-tracked approval of the austerity measures and increased their size after markets plummeted this week on worries over Italy's financial stability.

The measures already passed 161-135 in the Senate on Thursday.

Finance Minister Giulio Tremonti warned that country-specific measures were not enough, even for larger countries like Italy, and said that Europe needed a stronger regional plan if it was to stamp out debt turmoil for good.

"Like on the Titanic, not even first-class passengers will be saved," Mr Tremonti said.

The fate of the Italian economy is crucial to Europe's hopes of defeating the debt crisis, because it is many times larger than the economies of Greece or Portugal or Ireland - countries that have already received massive bailouts - and would be too expensive to rescue.

Italy is under pressure to show markets it can bring its accounts in order and promote growth.

O'Neal seeks portrait damages

Ryan O'Neal has sued a former associate of long-time partner Farrah Fawcett and claims the man is responsible for a Texas university's attempts to reclaim an Andy Warhol portrait of the actress.

O'Neal's defamation lawsuit against Craig Nevius seeks $1 million in damages.

Soldiers axed over mutinies

Burkina Faso's military chief announced that the government had sacked 566 soldiers following attempted mutinies in April and May.

General Honore Nabere Traore said 217 soldiers are in jail awaiting prosecution. Charges included inciting disorder and failure to observe rules.

Villagers die in landslides

Landslides triggered by monsoon rains buried parts of two remote villages in Nepal today, killing six people, with ten others believed to be buried in the debris.

A landslide buried ten houses in Purtingkada, located about 200 miles west of capital Katmandu and only accessible by foot. It is a six-hour trek from the nearest town.

Three people were killed and five others were injured in a landslide in Nuwakot Thanksingh village, 50 miles north of Katmandu.Argentina bans media sex ads

Argentina's government is banning prostitution ads in newspapers and other mass media as of today, saying it is combating violence against women.

The ban decreed by President Cristina Fernandez drew praise from women's groups and the US ambassador, who has made reducing sex trafficking a key goal,

Woman owns up to mouse decapitation

Australia: A woman has pleaded guilty to animal cruelty after filming herself hacking off a mouse's head and posting the footage on Facebook.

Naomi Anderson, 23, was ordered to perform 180 hours of community service.

United States: The wing of a Delta jet clipped the tail of a smaller aircraft while preparing to fly out of Boston.

The crash sheared off the tip of the Delta Boeing 767 and crumpled part of the smaller plane's tail.