Syria lobbies India to prevent UN condemnation

Syria has called on India as chair of the United Nations Security Council not to give into “Western propaganda” about its crackdown on protests, as Italy recalled its ambassador.

Faisal Mekdad, Syria’s deputy foreign minister, on a three-day visit to India, said in television interviews that he had asked India to use its influence on the Security Council to thwart the West. (more…)

Italy voted to reduce its UNIFIL force by over one third

Italy voted Wednesday to reduce the number of its peacekeeping force  in Lebanon by more than one-third, just a day after six French U.N. peacekeepers were wounded in a roadside bomb attack. (more…)

Italians evacuate Rome over ‘big one’ fears

Businesses have reported requests from one in five people to have time off work and many are also keeping children away from school and heading to the beach or country for the day. (more…)

Italy condemns attack on its Tripoli embassy

Italy on Sunday condemned an attack on its embassy in Tripoli as a “grave and vile” act and said Muammar Gaddafi’s government had failed to carry out its most elementary international obligations. (more…)

Libyan Rebels Make Gains in Brega

Libyan rebels made gains on Monday in a battle for a key oil town as international diplomatic efforts continued to end the fighting between government loyalists and opponents. (more…)

Italy’s Eni chief in Libya for Talks with rebels about oil

The CEO of energy company Eni recently visited the rebel-held eastern Libyan town of Benghazi with the aim of resuming oil ties with the North African country, the Italian foreign minister said Monday. (more…)

Berlusconi to stand trial in sex case

The Italian Prime Minister, Silvio Berlusconi, is to face trial on charges of sex with a 17-year-old girl – and the case will be heard by three female judges, a court has ordered.
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Anarchists blamed for Rome embassy bomb attacks

Italian officials believe anarchists may have carried out parcel bomb attacks on two embassies in Rome as acts of revenge.

Two members of staff were hurt, one seriously, in the blasts at the Swiss and Chilean missions on Thursday. (more…)

Blast at Swiss Embassy in Rome wounds 1, report

A package exploded Thursday at the Swiss Embassy in Rome, wounding one person, news reports said. (more…)

Sfeir to raise issue missing shiite cleric during Vatican visit

Lebanon’s Maronite Patriarch Nasrallah Sfeir told a visiting Italian delegation that he will seek to raise the issue of the disappearance of Shiite Imam Moussa al Sadr during his visit to the Vatican scheduled for April 22.

“The missing Imam was a man of peace and dialogue. He worked to reunite the Lebanese,” Sfeir told a visiting Italian delegation. (more…)