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Milan  - Marcello Lippi hasn’t said much about it but he certainly won’t be pulling any punches when he takes his world champion squad to the Confederations Cup that Italy play for the first time next June.

Milan  - Struggling giants Roma play an unusual minnow role in Sunday’s derby against buoyant city rivals Lazio, who sit far above them in the Serie A standings.

Rome - US president-elect Barack Obama has telephoned Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, but the two did not discuss Berlusconi’s apparent racial insult earlier in the week, the premier’s staff said Saturday.

Rome - Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi envisages a “continuing friendship” between Italy and the US under president- elect Barack Obama, and could assist him in improving US relations with Russia, the premier’s spokesman said Wednesday.

Rome - The largest lottery prize in Italy’s history - over 100 million euros (125 million dollars) - has been won after a string of 77 weeks in a row without a winner, reports said Friday.

Rome - There’s a decidedly Italian flavour to this year’s International Rome Film Festival - the third time the event is being held, but the first under the city’s new, centre-right mayor.

Rome - The Italian government late Wednesday forged a stabilization package as a “precautionary” measure to secure banks and bank deposits.