Vestiges of a Fascist Past

An NPR report looks at Italian views towards immigrants as of late.  "Once a poor nation that sent millions of its citizens abroad to find work," they write, "Italy now imports workers."

Which only serves to highlight the irony of increasingly vitriolic attitudes towards incoming workers.  With between four- and five million immigrants -- or roughly seven percent of the workforce -- Italians are among the most suspicious of immigrants, say some surveys. According to these surveys, a majority of Italians believe immigrants "have too many rights . . . that many should be deported, and that immigration has brought only crime." 

Italy has some of the west's most restrictive citizenship policies, and many human rights groups excoriate both the state and the citizenry for blatant racism and open police brutality towards immigrants.  These positions have strong support in Italy's center-right governing political parties, says the report.  

Obama-Calderon

As reported last week by Norman's International, President-elect Obama will meet with Mexican President Felipe Calderon today in his first meeting with a foreign leader since elected in November.  

Predictably enough, violent crime in Mexico, immigration, trade and the U.S.-Mexican border will be at the top of the agenda, reports the BBC.