Italy is facing a tough week with a rocky start to the G8 summit. Today various leaders are spread between Rome and L'Aquila and Abruzzo either carrying out official meetings or visiting the areas destroyed by April's deadly earthquake.
Premier Berlusconi is trying to salvage a tarnished image following the revelations of past weeks about his wild parties in Sardinia and Rome, but the apparent lack of organisation of the G8 meeting is not helping his efforts. Articles in the New York Times, the Guardian, and the Times all points towards other countries having to step in order to salvage the agenda.
In the meantime, earthquake shocks at a smaller scale continue to rock L'Aquila with the latest one placed at 2.8 grades on the Richter scale and more expect. The great shocks, however, may well prove to come from the negative publicity that the Italian government is receiving and in particular the threat of further revelations about Mr. Berlusconi's escapades.
Below a film of the US Delegation's visit in L'Aquila.
