By Rand Paul
Obama acts as though we no longer have a Constitution
Independent voices from the TWT Communities
The politics of Italy's parliamentary, democratic republic, and of a multi-party system. Executive power is exercised collectively by the Council of Ministers, which is led by the President of the Council, in jargon referred to as "premier", "primo ministro" or "prime minister" in English. Legislative power is vested in the two houses of parliament primarily, and secondarily on the Council of Ministers. The judiciary is independent of the executive and the legislative branches. Italy has been a democratic republic since 2 June 1946, when the monarchy was abolished by popular referendum (see birth of the Italian Republic). The constitution was promulgated on 1 January 1948. - Source: Wikipedia
Italy's crucial elections appeared to be heading toward gridlock, initial results showed Monday, with the center-left forces of Pier Luigi Bersani moving ahead in the lower house of parliament and the camp of former premier Silvio Berlusconi gaining the upper hand in the equally powerful Senate.
The Italian news agency ANSA says a wall at the Pompeii archeological site has collapsed following days of heavy rain.
The Israeli military on Wednesday conducted its largest snap drill in years as tensions with Iran over its nuclear program rise and civil war in neighboring Syria rages.
The Federal Reserve appears to be moving toward announcing some new step to try to energize the troubled U.S. economy. The question is whether it will do so after its policy meeting this week. Probably not, many economists say.
Stocks ended slightly lower Tuesday as investors held back ahead of three critical events this week: policy meetings at both the Federal Reserve and the European Central Bank and a closely watched report on jobs in the U.S.
The German and Italian leaders issued a new pledge to protect the eurozone, while the influential eurogroup chairman was quoted Sunday as saying that officials have no time to lose and will decide in the coming days what measures to take.
The German government says Chancellor Angela Merkel will travel to Germany's European Championship quarterfinal match against Greece _ a game that brings together nations at opposite ends of Europe's debt crisis.
Chancellor Angela Merkel will attend Germany's European Championship quarterfinal match against Greece for a game that brings together nations at opposite ends of Europe's debt crisis.
On a day that brought both good and bad news about the economy, investors chose to see the glass as half-full.
Daniel Barenboim will conduct Wagner's "Lohengrin" for La Scala's gala season opening next December, as the famed Milanese opera house launches a yearlong musical celebration of the dual bicentennial of the births of composers Giuseppe Verdi and Richard Wagner.
CHILE
Stocks fell Wednesday after Europe's central bank reported that its overnight deposits hit another record, the latest indication of worry among European lenders.
Reports that all countries using the euro could get their credit ratings downgraded deflated a morning rally in the stock market Monday. The Dow Jones industrial average closed up 78 points, giving back much of a 167-point gain from earlier.
Prime Minister Mario Monti formed a new Italian government without a single politician Wednesday, drawing from the ranks of bankers, diplomats and business executives to create a team to steer Italy away from financial disaster.
Premier Mario Monti formed a new Italian government without a single politician Wednesday, drawing from the ranks of bankers, diplomats and business executives to create a team to steer Italy away from financial disaster.
