By Sabina Castelfranco
Voice of America
ROME, May 8, 2008 — Silvio Berlusconi has been sworn in as prime minister of Italy for the third time in his political career, after emerging as the clear winner in last month’s early general elections.
Mr. Berlusconi was the first to swear loyalty to the Italian republic, constitution and laws. His [...]

By Sabina Castelfranco
Voice of America
ROME, April 15, 2008 — The winner in Italy’s national elections, Silvio Berlusconi, has promised to form a streamlined Cabinet that could get to work quickly to tackle the country’s problems. After his center-right coalition emerged with a large enough majority to govern, the former prime minister said he will select [...]

By Sabina Castelfranco
Voice of America
ROME, April 14, 2008 — Conservative billionaire Silvio Berlusconi’s conservative party clinched a decisive victory in Italy’s parliamentary elections. Even before definitive results were in, Berlusconi’s his center-left rival Walter Veltroni called conceded defeat.
For the third time in less than 15 years, media magnate and center-right leader Silvio Berlusconi has gained [...]

By Sabina Castelfranco
Voice of America
ROME, April 13, 2008 — More than 47 million Italians are voting Sunday and Monday in a general election that could bring media-magnate Silvio Berlusconi to power for the third time.  But many in Italy say they are disillusioned by politicians.
Polls opened early in Italy.  Voters may cast ballots until 10:00 [...]

Navy News Stand/Special to HarpBlaster.com News Wire
MANAMA, Bahrain — The crew of a North Korean cargo vessel, Dai Hong Dan, regained control of their vessel Oct. 30, after fighting with the pirates who had taken over their ship sometime Monday.
The crew was able to control the steering and engineering spaces of the ship, while the [...]

By Sabina Castelfranco
Voice of America
ROME, Oct. 25, 2007 — Vatican officials have presented a new volume called “Trial Against the Templars”.  The new publication is an expensive limited edition of the proceedings of the 1307-1312 papal trial of the mysterious medieval crusading order of warrior-monks who were accused of heresy.
Secret Vatican City archive documents detailing [...]

By Jamie Findlater
American Forces Press Service
WASHINGTON, Sept. 21, 2007 – The NATO Training Mission in Iraq is developing a new Gendarmerie-type training program focusing on key leadership skills taught by an Italian Carabinieri training unit.
The French Gendarmerie and Italian Carabinieri are military bodies charged with police duties among civilian populations. Officials believe this approach is [...]

By Nancy Greenleese
Voice of America
ROME, Italy — Kristin Jones thinks big. She helped design a massive metronome in New York City and crafted giant mosaics for Tampa’s airport. Now she’s taking on one of the world’s great rivers. She wants to create a piazza, or town square, dedicated to modern art along the Tiber with [...]

By Sabina Castelfranco
Voice of America
MODENA, Italy, Sept. 8, 2007 — The world bid a final farewell to opera star Luciano Pavarotti at a music-filled funeral in his hometown of Modena. Mourners gave a final standing ovation to the great tenor as a recording of Pavarotti singing with his father was played at the close of [...]

By Sabina Castelfranco
Voice of America
MODENA, Italy — Thousands of mourners are bidding farewell to Italian tenor Luciano Pavarotti in his hometown of Modena. The opera star died Thursday from cancer and is lying in state inside the city’s cathedral as people file past him in a final farewell. Sabina Castelfranco reports from Modena.
Modena’s Piazza Grande [...]