EU faces deep, broad recession: European Commission

BRUSSELS - Europe faces a deep and broad recession this year, the European Commission predicted Monday, with economic activity in the 16-strong eurozone set to shrink by 1.9 percent as a result of the world’s worst economic crisis since World War II.

Manchester City, AC Milan juggle Kaka’s future

ROME - A crucial week for the future of AC Milan star Kaka started Monday with the scheduled arrival in Italy of his father Bosco, who will act as his agent as Manchester City look to buy the Brazil player from the Milanese club for a world record fee.

Atheist ads fail to get onto Italian city’s buses

GENOA - An attempt by Italian atheists to emulate like-minded campaigners in Britain and Spain by placing ads on buses denying the existence of God, suffered a setback Friday when their proposal was rejected in the northern city of Genoa.

US student goes on trial for murder in Italy

PERUGIA - Media frenzy surrounded the opening Friday of a trial in which a US college student and her Italian former boyfriend are accused of sexually assaulting and murdering her British roommate.

India in UN panel to combat piracy off Somalian coast

WASHINGTON - An international group, including India, has established four working bodies to combat piracy and armed robbery at sea off Somalia’s coast. The region witnessed over 100 attacks, including 40 seizures, in 2008.

Natural rubber prices likely to fall soon

KOLKATA - The price of natural rubber is likely to come down by around Rs.15 a kg in the near future due to a slump in demand from tyre companies, M.F. Vohra, president, All India Rubber Industries Association (AIRIA), said here Monday.

Goa sees 13 percent drop in foreign tourists flying in

PANAJI - The number of foreign tourists flying into Goa fell by nearly 13 percent this holiday season, say the police. Russians have now become the second largest group of foreign tourists flying into the coastal state, after the British.