ITALY – Mutton dressed as lamb or femme fatale? Sophia Loren at seventy-five still spins heads; I go for the latter description. There’s never been eye candy like her. Hearts are still pounding after her visit to Rome to launch a new TV series in which she stars in a film series about her life.

RUSSIA – Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin is poised to ditch the rouble and create a common currency with Belarus and Kazakhstan to coincide with a single economic market. If it sucks in the Ukraine the new bloc will stretch from Europe to China. The currency will challenge the euro and U.S dollar; a further blow to the latter would be fossil fuels sold in the currency. Both China and Europe are dependent upon Russian energy fuels and raw materials.

FRANCE - In 1951 villagers were struck down with apparent insanity. Five died, dozens were sent to asylums, and hundreds afflicted by a mysterious druginduced mania, the cause being blamed on infected rye grain. It is now revealed to be the consequence of a CIA Cold War experiment in LSD induced mass mind control. Between 1953 – 1965 5,700 unwitting U.S. servicemen were also drugged. The French want answers.

THE VATICAN – Sex abuse scandals in the Roman Catholic Church are proof that “The Devil is at work inside the Vatican.” So says Father Gabriele Amorth, for twenty-five years the Holy See’s chief exorcist during which time he dealt with over 70,000 cases of demonic possession.
ROMANIA – Most of us are familiar with circular road signs; the red ring indicating a warning such as deer, the elderly or children crossing. Pecica, a town in Romania is placing such signs that read ‘Attention – Drunks’. Each shows a reveller crawling on hands and knees with bottle in hand. Mayor Petru Antal says his town has a vibrant nightlife; the signs are to reduce accidents.

SPAIN – More than a million Brits live in Spain, permanently or for part of the year yet few can converse in Spanish. This is a nightmare for Spaniards too as it places Brits in a ghetto-like existence isolating them from Spanish services and lifestyle. A deal has been reached between the two nations. Spanish civil servants will work at Alicante and Malaga consulates to advise Brits on local authority, health service and property problems.

SWITZERLAND – A woman has failed in her court attempt to halt the world’s most powerful atomsmasher. The Hadron Collider situated in a 27km complex under the Swiss-French border mimics the big bang conditions that formed the universe. She claimed its use would lead to the earth being sucked into a black hole; the court says she was unable to coherently make a case. That doesn’t mean the lady is wrong.

GREECE – German government ministers suggest that Greece sell some of its islands to help bring solvency to its precarious economy. Greece has about 6,000 islands, only 227 of them inhabited. The most expensive island is thought to be Skorpios, which was reportedly put up for sale by Athina Onassis, granddaughter of Greek shipping tycoon Aristotle Onassis: A snip at 100 million euros.

GERMANY – The severe winter has cratered roads which cash-strapped local authorities can’t afford to repair. The mayor of Niederzimmern, near Leipzig is selling the holes at 50€ each, which will be used to repair them; each with a message from their purchasers. Television and newspaper proprietors are buying them. What about Spain’s golf clubs?