Prodi wins trust-vote

Italian Premier Romano Prodi kept his fractious center-left coalition together to win a confidence vote in the Senate, ensuring the immediate survival of his nine-month-old government.

8220;I am very satisfied,8221; Prodi said on Wednesday, minutes after the 162-157 vote in the upper house of parliament. One of his cabinet ministers, Clemente Mastella, said 8220;the government is like the Tower of Pisa 8212; it leans but doesn8217;t fall.8221;

On Friday, Prodi faces a confidence vote in the lower house, where he has a comfortable majority and is certain to win.