Berlusconi's Mars receives Venus-extension

Italian newspaper La Republicca reported on Thursday that the country''s controversial Prime Minister, Silvio Berlusconi, had forked out 70,000 euros (95,000 dollars) to add a new phallus to a statue to Mars which he has displaying in his office.

Traditional restoration techniques were apparently ignored in the procedure, which was expressly commissioned by the Italian leader.

The statue, on loan from the Terme di Diocleziano museum, now has a new body part which, according to architect Mario Catalano, can be added and removed as required.

Statues of naked men and male gods with their penises cut off are a common site. The practice of hacking off the male member was widespread during a time either to keep as a souvenir or to protect Christian sensibilities.

Cuts of a different kind have been occurring in Italy over the past few months owing to the current financial crisis, making the PM''s recent expenditure on an enhancement operation for his beloved Mars statue none too popular.

To keep things fair, the leader also commissioned the replacement of Venus''s hand at the same time as he restored her companion''s penis. Par for the course, perhaps, for a leader simultaneously embroiled in two sexual scandals.