Star Movement

Italy's teetering government was thrown a lifeline Thursday after the country's president refused to accept the resignation of Prime Minister Mario Draghi, insisting he address parliament in a bid to avoid snap elections.

He won a vote of confidence but not from the “Five Star Movement” – “The relationship of trust that forms the basis of a government no longer exists”

"Good evening, I'm Mateo": it is unusual for a former prime minister to introduce himself to you with his given name. But 46-year-old Matteo Renzi (in addition to the well-known Mediterranean relaxed demeanor) has this comfort of a person who managed to reach the top very young.

 Italian Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio, Interior Minister Luciana Lamorgese, and Health Ministers Roberto Speranza retained their mandates in the new government formed by Mario Draghi.

Calling on former ECB chief Mario Draghi to form a coalition government may have been Italian President Sergio Mattarella's option of last resort, other than calling early elections. And Draghi, "the Italian who saved the euro," could just turn out to be "the European who saves Italy," as former prime minister Matteo Renzi, put it.

The yield in Greece's 10-year Treasury bond continued to dive on Thursday, outpacing even Italy's where the rally was fueled by the agreement between the Five Star Movement and the Democratic party to form a coalition, pushing Lega Nord and its controversial leader, Matteo Salvini, into the opposition.

At least 400 people have been left homeless by the 4.8-magnitude earthquake that struck towns near the Mount Etna volcano, Italy's Civil Protection Agency said Thursday, quoted by Gulf Times. 

The agency said it was looking after 406 people affected by the December 26 event, meaning that it was providing emergency food and accommodation for them.

Trenta said that the Kosovo Force (KFOR) would continue to play an important role in preserving peace and stability, and in protecting the Serbs and other non-Albanians in Kosovo and Metohija, under the command of an Italian general.

This is according to two surveys that were published at the beginning of the week.

Salvini's League has overtaken its coalition partner, the Five Star Movement.

The SWG Institute estimates that the League has the support of 32.2 percent of voters, while the Five Star Movement has 28.3 percent.

Romanians expressed outrage on Thursday over a remark by Italy's right-wing interior minister, Matteo Salvini, in which he accused fellow European Union members Romania and Bulgaria of exporting "slaves" to Italy.