BBC. Italian police are hunting a pack of stray dogs which killed a boy aged 10 and mauled a 24-year-old woman in the Ragusa area of southern Sicily.They caught about 30 strays after the boy was dragged off his bicycle and killed on Sunday but about 20 dogs are believed still to be running wild (Read the article)

ANSA. Condoms are not the solution to the problem of AIDS in African countries but make it worse, Pope Benedict XVI said Tuesday, reportedly using the word 'condom' in public for the first time. (Read the article)

ANSA. A new treasure from Herculaneum was unveiled in Naples on Tuesday, where it will join a major exhibition exploring life in the Ancient Roman town buried by Vesuvius in 79 AD. The show, running until April 13, already features over 150 artefacts and human remains uncovered over the last three centuries but the new relief, uncovered by accident last month, is stirring fresh interest. (Read the article)

ANSA. The worst cases of depression may respond to a steady pulse of low-level electric current, Italian researchers believe. (Read the article)

ANSA. Italian pizza makers said Monday they were unfazed by news that a Rovereto businessman has developed the world's first automatic vending machine for freshly made pizza.Something that comes out of an automatic machine has nothing to do with Italian pizza,'' said Pino Morelli, head of the Association of Italian Pizzerias (API), dismissing 56-year-old entrepreneur Claudio Torghele's 'Let's Pizza' invention. (Read the article)

ANSA. The relatives of Mafia members are increasingly in need of psychiatric help, according to a new study from the University of Palermo. ''Psychiatric problems are steadily rising among the families, a sign that the monolithic culture of Mafia society is crumbling,'' said the author of the study, Palermo University psychologist Girolamo Lo Verso, who has studied the increasing frailty of the Mafia mindset for years. (Read the article)

ANSA. semi-naked Italian porn star shook up the Milan stock exchange Tuesday by accusing financiers of ''stripping Italians of everything but their underwear''. (Read the article)

ITALY GLOBAL NATION. A response to Alzheimer’s disease could be hidden in the same substance that ignites it: beta-protein. A “Made in Milan” research has identified a mutated form of this condition and it could represent a shield against the illness. The results of this research could one day lead to the formulation of a drug which could block the onset of Alzheimer’s in all of its forms, including hereditary Alzheimer’s which can attack the brain at the age of 40 and even 30. This research has gained the spotlight of “Science”, the important scientific journalITALY GLOBAL NATION. (Read the Article)

INTERNATIONAL HERALD TRIBUNE. Italy is open to exploring a joint bid with France for the 2016 European Championship, reviving speculation that the two favorites could pool their resources. "We don't have any problems with forming a joint bid. It would be with a neighboring country, and one that we're friendly with," Italian football federation president Giancarlo Abete said on RAI state radio Monday. "If it's not technically or politically possible, we'll play all our cards." (Read the Article)

INTERNATIONAL HERALD TRIBUNE. Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi says Italy will boost economic ties with tiny MontenegroHe says there is "wide space" for Italian businessmen to invest in the Adriatic country, particularly in the energy and transportation sectors.

Berlusconi spoke on Monday after meeting with Montenegrin Prime Minister Milo Djukanovic. Djukanovic says Italy has expressed interest in the upcoming privatization of the state power company but also in building power plants in Montenegro and a power cable under the Adriatic Sea between the two countries. (Read the Article)

THE CHRISTIAN SCIENCE MONITOR. In an effort to fight the credit crunch, the Italian government recently approved a $15.5 billion plan targeted at helping both small firms and banks. Under terms of the plan approved last month, the government is vowing to buy special security bonds issued by banks in order to provide them with greater liquidity. In return, the banks must subscribe to a "code of ethics" and guarantee that they will grant more loans to companies with fewer than 250 employees – the same firms that have been the bedrock of Italy's economy. (Read the Article)