Siracusa Province

Environment Ministers define G8 talking points

Group of Eight environment ministers on Friday agreed on a set of measures regarding climate change, biodiversity and the 'green economy' in the final document of an environment meeting here that will be discussed by leaders at the main G8 summit in July.

'Expectations heightened', WWF

Environmental group WWF said Wednesday that the first day of the Group of Eight environment summit had ''notably heightened'' its expectations.

Santa Lucia of Syracuse, Sicily

From 13-20 December, the city of Siracusa in Sicily celebrates "La Festa di Santa Lucia," the Feast of Saint Lucy, the patron saint of the blind. You may have seen Santa Lucia in paintings--she's the one holding out a plate with two eyeballs on it.

Msgr. Crociata new CEI secretary general

Pope Benedict XVI has named Msgr. Mariano Crociata, the bishop of Noto, to be the new secretary general of the Italian Bishops Conference (CEI), a statement from the Vatican said on Thursday.