ROME --A loan deal of 150 million euro from the European Investment Bank for Acquedotto Pugliese spa signed this month will bolster Apulia's economy.

 ROME -- The sage Lord Palmerston reckoned that “The function of government is to calm, rather than to excite agitation”-- That sums up Mario Monti’s approach.

ROME - Politics is about power and policy, the two motivations for anyone to get involved.

ROME - This was a question that came in today, similar to many others - Do you think that Mario Monti might run as a political candidate? If yes, how and with whom?

ROME - A tactless remark from a cabinet minister was the cue for Silvio Berlusconi to storm back onto center-stage. The consequences for Italy and for the rest of Europe are likely to be dire.

ROME - On the Italian chessboard a year of positioning is moving rapidly towards a conclusion.

ROME - An outcry over corrupt governments ousted several leaders last year but levels of abuse of power, bribery and secret dealings are still very high in many countries.

The Italian justice system doesn’t have the best reputation, but just like in Italian politics, we keep looking for a sign of change. And sometimes we find it.

ROME – The police have discovered burnt remains which they believe to belong to Lea Garofalo, murdered by the mafia in 2009.

ROME – Ten Tottenham Hotspur supporters, in Rome for a football match, were injured in an anti-semitic attack Thursday morning. One was seriously hurt.

ROME – Violence in last week’s demonstrations was "inadmissible" on both sides.

ROME - The European Commission has launched an international communication campaign which highlights the diverse cultural and natural heritage Europe has on offer at any time of the year.

VATICAN CITY-A Holy See court has sentenced a computer technician to two months imprisonment for obstructing justice in connection with recent information leaks from Pope Benedict XVI's apartment.