UN agency: poor crop prospects in Eastern Africa may push more into hunger

Human rights group accuses Italy of violating rights of would-be migrants

ROME — A human rights group on Monday accused Italy of forcibly returning would-be migrants to Libya, failing to screen them for possible asylum requests and exposing them to abuse in the North African country.

Italy holds day of mourning, state funeral for soldiers killed in Afghanistan last week

ROME — Italy held a state funeral Monday for six soldiers killed in Afghanistan, and teary-eyed relatives, officials and thousands of citizens saluted their flag-draped coffins and observed a national day of mourning.

Italian sociologist who spent months in caves to study reactions to isolation dies at 56

ROME — Italian sociologist Maurizio Montalbini, who spent months dwelling in caves to study how the mind and body cope with complete isolation, has died at 56.

After death of 6 Italian troops, PM looks for ‘transition strategy’ with allies in Afghanistan

ROME — The killing of six Italian soldiers in Afghanistan — Italy’s deadliest day in the conflict to date — has set off calls to bring the troops home or least for a change in the international strategy in the war.

Berlusconi after bombing kills troops: better to exit Afghanistan soon, but allies must agree

ROME — Premier Silvio Berlusconi said Thursday it would be best for international troops to leave Afghanistan soon, after a bomb blast in Kabul killed six Italian soldiers in Italy’s deadliest day yet in the conflict.

Carl Lewis, Indonesian pop star Anggun named UN ‘ambassadors’

ROME - Athletics legend Carl Lewis, Indonesian popstar Anggun, the Dominican Republic’s first-lady Margarita Cedeno de Fernandez, French fashion designer Pierre Cardin, and Colombian singer Fanny Lu have been named by the UN food agency as goodwill ambassadors.

Reports: state lawyer says Berlusconi could be forced to resign if immunity law is overturned

ROME — The state lawyer’s office has urged the Constitutional Court to uphold an immunity law that shields Silvio Berlusconi from prosecution in a corruption case, saying that without it the Italian premier might resign, news reports said Thursday.

Defense minister: “cowardly” attacks will not change Italy commitment in Afghanistan

ROME — Italy said Thursday that its troops will remain in Afghanistan, despite suffering its deadliest attack to date in the country, a suicide car bombing that killed six soldiers and wounded four.

Defense minister says 6 Italian soldiers killed, 4 injured in Afghan blast

ROME — The Italian defense minister says six Italian soldiers were killed in an attack in the Afghan capital, Kabul, and four others were injured.

Italian Defense Ministry says 6 people have died in blast in Kabul

ROME — The Italian Defense Ministry says that six people have died in a blast in the Afghan capital, Kabul.

Italy hands over 1st new houses to survivors of April 6 quake as temblors strike Tuscany

ROME — Premier Silvio Berlusconi handed out keys Monday to some of the first new homes for survivors of the April 6 earthquake that devastated parts of central Italy.

Robot films ship sunk off Italy after turncoat says mobsters dumped toxic waste

ROME — Italian authorities have dispatched a robot submarine with a video camera to a shipwreck off the Calabrian coast to see if if it’s carrying radioactive waste dumped by the mob in a lucrative disposal racket.

Italian police recovers most of the jewelry stolen from Saudi princess in Sardinia

ROME — Italian police say they have recovered most of the jewelry that was stolen from the hotel room of a Saudi princess in Sardinia last month.

Italy to hand over first new houses to victims of April 6 quake as temblors strike Tuscany

ROME — The government is handing over dozens of new homes to victims of the April 6 earthquake that devastated parts of central Italy.

Berlusconi daughter comes to his defense, says he’s been stabbed in back by months of slander

ROME — Premier Silvio Berlusconi’s eldest daughter has come to her father’s defense, saying he’s been “stabbed in the back” by months of “slanderous” newspaper revelations about his sex life.

Italy wraps up two-day conference on violence against women

ROME — Participants at a conference on violence against women vowed Thursday to put women’s rights at the center of the international agenda, saying world peace and security depended on women’s leadership in government and society.

Berlusconi dismisses idea of resigning over sex scandal, calls himself Italy’s best premier

ROME — Premier Silvio Berlusconi brushed off questions about any possible resignation over his sex scandal Thursday, saying he has been Italy’s best premier ever.

Police: American says he’s dad of newborn abandoned by woman in Florence church

ROME — A Texas man is claiming to be the father of a baby abandoned in a Florence church several weeks ago, Italian police said Thursday.

‘Image Girls’: papers offer purported details from probe of man linked to Berlusconi scandal

ROME — Thirty women. Eighteen parties. Guests willing to supply sex “if the need arises.”

Italy hosts two-day conference on violence against women

ROME — The global economic downturn may be leading to increased violence against women worldwide, both by pushing them into unsafe jobs and by raising tensions within their families, U.N. officials said Wednesday.

Lots of women and parties: 1st details emerge in probe of man linked to Berlusconi scandal

ROME — Italian newspapers are publishing what they say are excerpts from the interrogation of an Italian businessman who allegedly supplied young women for parties at Premier Silvio Berlusconi’s homes.

Civil war breaks out in Italian Government

ROME - Civil war has broken out in the ranks of the Italian Government after Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi’s mouthpiece newspaper attacked his main political ally, calling him “ridiculous” and a tool of the Left.

I’m popular because Italians want to be like me, Berlusconi says of sex scandal

ROME — Defiant in the face of a sex scandal, Premier Silvio Berlusconi said Monday that he is still popular because Italians secretly want to be like him.

Conservation group says expansion plans at Venice port further endanger sinking city

ROME — Italian authorities plan to expand Venice’s port into a bustling shipping hub, further endangering the fragile lagoon and contributing to the sinking of the treasured city built on water, a conservation group said Monday.

Berlusconi insists relations with the Catholic Church are excellent despite scandal

ROME — Silvio Berlusconi says relations between his government and the Catholic Church, which have been strained by a sex scandal involving the Italian premier, remain excellent.

Pope meets with Berlusconi aide amid fallout from government-church clash

ROME — Premier Silvio Berlusconi’s top aide met with Pope Benedict XVI on Sunday amid continuing fallout over scandals that have strained ties between Italy’s government and the Catholic Church.

Editor of Italy bishops’ newspaper resigns; Had demanded Berlusconi respond to sex allegations

ROME — The editor of a prominent Catholic newspaper that demanded Premier Silvio Berlusconi answer questions about a sex scandal resigned Thursday after being caught up in scandal himself.

Another coup anniversary, another ‘rocket’ car; Moammar Gadhafi celebrates with new wheels

ROME — How do you celebrate a coup that gave you 40 years in power? For Moammar Gadhafi, the answer is simple: Order a rocket car.

91 countries agree on UN-backed treaty to leave illegal fishers without a port

ROME — A group of 91 countries reached an agreement Tuesday on a U.N.-backed treaty that aims to leave those engaged in illegal fishing without a safe haven.