THE NEW YORK TIMES. Following in the footsteps of more famous actors-turned-politicians like Ronald Reagan, Arnold Schwarzenegger and Jesse Ventura, Mr. Anthony J. Ribustello -- who played Tony Soprano’s driver on the HBO mob series -- is running for Bronx borough president this week. (Read the article by Katherine Bindley.)

THE NEW YORK TIMES. Di Palo's Fine Foods has been a staple of New York's Little Italy since 1925. Viola Di Palo, 82, her son Lou Di Palo and her granddaughter Jessica Canal discuss running a business and the importance of family in hard times. (Watch the video report by Rob Harris, Sarah Kramer & Michele Monteleone.)

In a time of tragedy and suffering, Linda Serio, a Shreveport native who returned home after fleeing Hurricane Katrina, knows the power of a new dress. Someone sent a beautiful dress and it lifted my spirits so much," she said.Serio, who is a member of the Sons of Italy Heritage Club, which aims to preserve and promote Italian-American culture, thought about that feeling when an earthquake rocked the mountainous Abruzzo region in northern Italy on April 6. (Read the article)

Wivb.com.  Many western New Yorkers are stepping up to help people devastated by an earthquake overseas. The Abruzzo region of Italy is just starting to rebuild after last Monday's devastating earthquake left almost 300 dead and 30,000 homeless. Some there have loved ones right here in western New York. (Read the article)

TIMES OF MALTA. A stand-off between Italy and Malta over a group of rescued illegal migrants escalated into a full-blown political dispute yesterday as the two countries traded accusations of failure to live up to their international obligations. The group of 154 migrants were rescued from two separate boats by a Turkish cargo ship near Lampedusa in an operation coordinated by the Armed Forces of Malta. The Italian navy sent a vessel to make sure the ship did not enter territorial waters and demanded that the migrants be taken to Malta, which refused on the basis that the nearest safe port was Lampedusa. Italian Home Affairs Minister Roberto Maroni yesterday morning accused Malta of not shouldering its responsibilities on migration and instead dumping the migrants on Italy. (Read the Article by Ivan Camilleri and Christian Peregin)

REUTERS. Pope Benedict will visit the devastated city of L'Aquila on April 28 and pray at the ruins of a student dormitory that has become a symbol of Italy's worst earthquake in three decades, the Vatican said on Saturday. The pope has delayed his trip so as not to interfere with rescue operations after the April 6 disaster. He will also travel to the medieval mountain village of Onna, where around 40 of the 250 inhabitants died. (Read the article)

 

REUTERS. Italy opposes a military rescue of 10 Italian sailors kidnapped by pirates off Somalia, Italy's foreign minister said on Friday, adding the hostages were in good health. The pirates hijacked an Italian-flagged tugboat carrying 10 Italians, 5 Romanians and a Croatian on Saturday. The vessel has been taken close to the fishing village of Las Qoray in a disputed area of northern Somalia.
"We've had contacts with the foreign minister of Somalia with a view to obtaining the speedy release of the ship and its crew -- without considering a blitz or operations using force that could put lives at risk," Frattini said. (Read the Article)

THE ASSOCIATED PRESS. The hospital of San Salvatore should have been a sanctuary for the injured when this central Italian city and its surroundings were struck by an earthquake.

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today said his participation in the first-ever Group of Eight (G8) Agricultural Ministerial in Treviso, Italy, April 18-20, shows that agriculture is key to strengthening the global economy.

"Agriculture is the foundation on which recovery from the global recession and financial and food price crisis will be built, especially for developing countries, which derive much of their income from agricultural production," said Vilsack. "Given the magnitude of these issues, we must work together to ensure food security and economic prosperity for all." (Read the release)

TIMES ON LINE. Pope Benedict XVI is to visit the Abruzzo earthquake zone on 1 May, a week before his trip to the Holy Land, according to rescue workers in the L'Aquila area. (Read the article)