Berlusconi upsets Vatican and gay rights campaigners

Italy’s Prime Minister, Silvio Berlusconi a recent VIP visitor to Panama and already in hot water with the Vatican because of his Jewish jokes, has now enraged gay rights campaigners and opposition MPs.

He responded to allegations concerning his relationship with 17-year-old belly-dancer Karima Keyek – aka Ruby Rubacuori – with the retort: "I work extremely hard and if every now and then I look at the face of a beautiful girl then it's better to be passionate about beautiful girls than gay". He rejected calls for his resignation.

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