Bail-out Europe - how far can it go?

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Italians rioting in Milan
Italians rioting in Milan

Imagine waking up one morning to find the interest rate on your mortgage had soared from 4% to 7.5%. That's the reality for the Italian government. And Italy's debts are massive: more than the debts of Ireland, Greece Portugal and Spain combined, in fact.

Italy needs money, pronto. But can the European Financial Stability Facility (EFSF) cope with such stupendous demands on its reserves?

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