ITALY Magazine

Italians trace native Americans

Administrator — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 08:48:01 +0000

An Italian-led study has traced the origins of the first inhabitants of the Americas.

The study, led by geneticists at Pavia University, tracked two rare strings of DNA stored in the world's largest genealogical bank and found that two distinct groups travelled from Asia about 15,000 years ago.

European Union will ask Obama to make mideast his top priority, Frattini

Administrator — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 08:42:49 +0000

The European Union will ask US President-elect Barack Obama to start working on a solution for the Mideast crisis as soon as he is sworn into office on January 20, Italian Foreign Minister Franco Frattini said on Thursday.

Gaza 'concentration camp' row played down

Administrator — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 08:38:54 +0000

The Israeli ambassador to the Holy See on Thursday downplayed tensions between Israel and the Vatican after Pope Benedict XVI's pointman for peace and justice, Cardinal Renato Martino, likened Gaza to ''a big concentration camp''.

Eluana lawyers may seek right-to-die enforcement order

Administrator — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 08:34:40 +0000

The lawyer of an Italian woman in an irreversible coma said Thursday she may ask courts for an enforcement order to ensure that a landmark right-to-die ruling for Eluana Englaro is respected.

Tremonti sees crisis as a videogame, monsters keep coming

Administrator — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 08:28:07 +0000

Dealing with the financial crisis of the past months has been like playing a videogame, Italian Economy Minister Giulio Tremonti said on Thursday.

''As soon as you slay one monster, and think you can catch your breath, another one pops up and challenges you. In this crisis I think I've battled at least seven monsters,'' the minister explained.

Moggi gets light sentence

Administrator — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 08:21:27 +0000

Former Juventus general manager Luciano Moggi, the alleged ringleader of Italy's massive 2006 Calciopoli matchfixing scandal, on Thursday received a much lighter than expected penalty in a separate case.

Moggi, 71, got an 18-month prison term for attempting to manipulate the Italian soccer transfer market by intimidating players.

Beckham to make bow

Administrator — Fri, 09 Jan 2009 08:17:36 +0000

David Beckham is set to make his Serie A bow for AC Milan at AS Roma on Sunday night - but most likely from the bench rather than the starting line-up.

Roman forum to get makeover

Administrator — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 08:58:14 +0000

The glories of Ancient Rome are to get a total makeover over the next two years, officials said this week.

The famed architectural sights will then be illuminated by a new lighting system, they said.

Sites set for ''a complete clean-up'' include the Colosseum, the Palatine Hill, the Roman and Imperial Forums and Nero's Golden House, said Heritage Undersecretary Francesco Giro.

Italy schedules G8 aid and agriculture sideline meetings

Administrator — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 08:52:42 +0000

Special meetings dedicated to agriculture and development aid will be held for the first time on the sidelines of the G8 summit this year, Foreign Minister Franco Frattini said Wednesday.

Frattini said he would preside over the two meetings which will be held in Pescara in May, two months before Italy hosts the main G8 summit on the Sardinian island of La Maddalena.

Italian Foreign Minister on ceasefire chances

Administrator — Thu, 08 Jan 2009 08:45:50 +0000

In order for any ceasefire to succeed in Gaza it is essential that the Islamist Hamas movement be disarmed, Italian Foreign Minister Franco Frattini told parliament on Wednesday.

Israel, the minister explained, ''cannot accept any truce as long as Hamas continues to build its military arsenal''.