The Council of Ministers has approved a fuel discount – 17 cents off diesel – but a decree mandates the closure of the blast furnace. The row between FdI and Forza Italia over wiretaps and party preferences continues. The confessions of the FI leader

The government has approved a 17-cents tax cut, but only on diesel. The issue of resources

The go-ahead has been given for a discount on diesel equivalent to 17 cents in excise duty and VAT, valid until 6 August. "A Cabinet meeting is already scheduled for 4 August to assess how the situation is developing, whilst monitoring the international situation and prices," says the Minister for the Economy

Measures such as these “are very costly, unfair and rather regressive. However, we could consider managing specific categories”, said the chair of the Chamber of Deputies’ Finance Committee after the Council of Ministers effectively postponed a decision on the matter yesterday. “Reopening coal-fired power stations? I don’t think we’ll ever reach that point”