Rome - Italy's new president is a white-haired Sicilian who might never have got anywhere near the corridors of power but for the Mafia killing of his beloved elder brother.

Rome - Sergio Mattarella, a constitutional court judge from Sicily who has come to symbolise Italy's battle against organised crime, was on Saturday elected the country's president.

Rome - Italy's presidential election will go into a fourth and likely decisive round on Saturday more after two more inconclusive votes on Friday.

Rome - Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi on Thursday backed a little-known Constitutional Court judge, whose brother was slain by the mafia, to be Italy's next president.

Rome - Italy's parliament meets Thursday to begin selecting a new president with the race apparently wide open and much at stake for Prime Minister Matteo Renzi, who is keen on having a friendly figure installed as head of state.

Rome - Italian police on Wednesday ordered the arrest of more than 160 alleged members of the 'Ndrangheta mafia in what prosecutors and politicians hailed as a historic setback for the group behind much of Europe's cocaine trade.

Turin - Italian writer Erri de Luca invoked Gandhi on Wednesday as he began his trial defence against charges of inciting criminal damage to a controversial high-speed rail link through the Alps.

Bologna - Law enforcement authorities in Italy have made over 160 arrests after warrants were issued for the apprehension of individuals allegedly associated with the 'Ndrangheta, organized crime syndicate in southern Italy.

Rome - Italian prosecutors called Monday for judges to show "no pity" to Francesco Schettino, the captain of the doomed Costa Concordia, demanding he serve 26 years and three months in jail for a shipwreck which killed 32 people.

A nun living in Italy gave birth to a baby after complaining of stomach pains. She said that she had no idea that she was pregnant.

Naples - Everyone enjoys pizza, right? As you tuck in to a slice, have you ever wondered what is happening in order make the slice so tasty? A new video explores the chemistry behind the cheese, tomato and dough.

Rome - The Italian government said police had seized more than 5,000 ancient artefacts in a record 45-million-euro haul after dismantling a Swiss-Italian trafficking ring.

According to the European Automobile Manufacturers Association (ACEA) car sales in the European Union rose in 2014. Sales have been up for the first time in six years.

Switzerland has dropped its commitment to the Swiss francs 1.20 ceiling cap versus the euro and created chaos in European financial markets.

Rome - Italian police on Tuesday made 31 arrests in connection with an alleged plot by an offshoot of the notorious 'Ndrangheta crime group to take control of Rome's cocaine trade.

Rome - Pope Francis left the door open to a meeting with the Dalai Lama, denying that he refused to receive the exiled Tibetan spiritual leader in December over fears of upsetting China.

Rome - Pope Francis has said that good Catholics do not have to breed "like rabbits", defending the Church's stance on artificial contraception and appealing to the world's 1.2 billion Roman Catholics to practise responsible parenting.

Rome - Italian Interior Minister Angelino Alfano said Sunday that nine foreigners had been deported since December as part of efforts to prevent jihadist attacks, with more expulsions to follow.

Rimini - Homophobia is apparently alive and well in Italy. A report has surfaced which says that a gay man there was allegedly forced by his restaurateur boss to pay for sex with a prostitute or lose his job, Italian media reported earlier this week.

Rome - Italy on Friday brushed aside reports it had paid off Al-Qaeda to secure the release of two Italian aid workers abducted in northern Syria last summer.