Author: staff

ROME (AP) — Silvio Berlusconi exerted a mesmerizing influence over Italy, but his tenure nearly pushed the country to the brink of financial disaster. Berlusconi’s opulence, charisma, and audacious demeanor captivated many Italians, who repeatedly voted him into power, making him the longest-serving prime minister in the nation’s history. Nothing seemed capable of shaking the former cruise ship crooner—neither his corruption trials nor his diplomatic blunders, not even the allegations that he was undermining the country, nor the sensational scandals arising from his sex-fueled “bunga bunga” parties with young women at his villas, which transformed him into an international laughingstock.…

ATLANTA (AP) — On Wednesday, Georgia lawmakers initiated a comprehensive evaluation of state tax breaks, aiming to potentially reduce them in order to lower the overall income tax rate. However, there are officials who argue that business tax breaks play a vital role in attracting industries to the state. The Joint Tax Credit Review Panel, a long-awaited initiative, was championed by Chuck Hufstetler, a Republican and the Chairman of the Senate Finance Committee, who has occasionally expressed skepticism towards tax breaks. The outcome of this review may lead to the introduction of legislation next year. Lt. Gov. Burt Jones, also…