A woman begs for money amid passersby in downtown Milan, Italy, on Jan. 8. Unemployment in the 17 EU countries that use the euro rose to 11.8 percent in November, as the number of jobless people in the region rose to 18.8 million, the highest figure since the single currency was founded in 1999.

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Children watch as a young model takes to the catwalk during the 'Fashion Kids for Children in Crisis Onlus' show in Milan, Italy, Sept. 25. All proceeds from the fashion show, will benefit projects for the education of disadvantaged children around the world. The charity event ended the Milan Fashion Week Spring/Summer 2013, which took place from 19 to 25 September.

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The AP reports:

University students are protesting in Milan and Rome against budget cuts and a lack of jobs, hours before new Italian Premier Mario Monti reveals his anti-crisis strategy in Parliament.

Across Italy, transport unions called all-day walkouts or strikes of several hours Thursday to demand better work contracts.

Scuffles among students were reported at the start of the demonstration in Milan, where they hoped to march to Bocconi University, which trains Italy's business elite. Monti, an economist, is Bocconi's president and is scheduled to speak in the afternoon ahead of a confidence vote on the government he formed on Wednesday.

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According to the AP, Berlusconi supporters have pledged to maintain a vigil on a traffic island opposite the courthouse where dozens have gathered for recent hearings in three other pending Berlusconi cases, all involving corruption and fraud allegations.

Full story here: Berlusconi sex trial opens, is adjourned

Would you feel comfortable facing all those photographers?