Luigi di Maio

Coalition leaders in Italy have agreed on the need to avoid EU disciplinary measures because of the excessive debt and the worsening budget deficit. That became clear late last night at a meeting of the Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte with his runners-up and government ministers - the leaders of the League and the 5-star Movement  parties Matteo Salvini and Luigi di Maio.

The reason given were "groundless attacks without precedent by Italy."

Ansa is quoting a French Foreign Ministry press releases that said there had been "outrageous statements" by the Italian government.

"Disagreeing is one thing, exploiting relations for electoral ends is another," the ministry added.

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.

ROME (Reuters) - The new Italian government will introduce a ban on Sunday shopping in large commercial centres before the end of the year as it seeks to defend family traditions, Deputy Prime Minister Luigi Di Maio said on Sunday.

Five-Stars Movement (M5S) leader Luigi Di Maio salutes the crowd during a rally in Naples, Italy, Tuesday, May 29, 2018. (Ciro Fusco/ANSA via AP)

On the election day in Italy, a Femen activist showed her breasts in a polling station in front of former Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi and screamed "Time is up" before being taken away by security guards, Reuters and BTA reported.

Italian anti-elitist "Five Star Movement" headed by Luigi Di Maio leads the Italian elections, according to the first data from the exit polls distributed by RAI News 24. The movement was founded by comedian Beppe Grillo.

Romania's Interior Ministry on Thursday denied that three Roma sisters - burned alive on Wednesday in a horrific incident when their camper in Rome was set on fire as they slept, were from Romania.

The Italian press agency AGI, had said that the three girls, aged four, eight and 20, were of Romanian origin.

Romanians living in Italy said they fear another wave of xenophobia after the deputy head of the Italian Chamber of Deputies, Luigi di Maio, a member of the Eurosceptic Five Star Movement, claimed in a Facebook post that "Italy has imported 40% of Romania's criminals".