Violent protests have broken out in Rome after Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi narrowly survived a vote of confidence. Tens of thousands of demonstrators set cars alight and threw rocks at police. At least 50 officers were injured. A string of scandals have shaken Mr Berlusconi's hold on power.

 

Foreign Affairs Minister Kevin Rudd has called on Israel to allow international inspectors into its nuclear facility. And he also said Israel should stop building settlements in both the West Bank and East Jerusalem. Israel refuses to confirm it has nuclear weapons, but foreign analysts say there are 200 nuclear warheads stored in the country's south. 

 

The New South Wales government has completed the first phase of its electricity privatisation plans. TRUenergy and Origin Energy will take over three state-owned electricity retailers and the rights to power from two other stations. The deal is worth more than $5 billion. 

 

And Australia's nurses unions say the Federal Government will face a crippling shortage of aged care workers if it doesn’t raise wages in the sector. The Minister for Ageing Mark Butler is seeking his meeting his state counterparts in Melbourne today. He says he'll wait for Fair Work Australia's response before making a decision on any increase.