Italy’s Senate was expected to back a government measure today and keep the country’s troops in Afghanistan, despite the opposition of some radical leftists in Premier Romano Prodi’s bloc.

The US has renewed criticism of Italian negotiations that led to the release of a kidnapped Italian journalist in Afghanistan and warned against such deals in the future.

The European Union presidency and the United Nations secretary-general condemned the reported arrest and torture of Zimbabwe opposition leaders after a weekend rally, and told Robert Mugabe’s government it must ensure the safety of those detained.

Italian premier Romano Prodi resigned after nine months in office following an embarrassing loss by his centre-left government in the Senate on foreign policy.

Italian Premier Romano Prodi resigned last night after his centre-left government embarrassingly lost a Senate vote on foreign policy, including the country’s military mission in Afghanistan.

ITALIAN Prime Minister Romano Prodi resigned yesterday after nine months in office following an embarrassing senate defeat by his centre-left government on foreign policy matters, including Italy’s military mission in Afghanistan.

Italian Premier Romano Prodi planned to offer to quit tonight after an embarrassing foreign policy loss in the Italian Senate, a Cabinet minister said.

Italy’s government today lost a crucial vote in the Senate over its mission in Afghanistan, a result that could lead to its resignation.

Afghan President Hamid Karzai will meet Italian Premier Romano Prodi today, as Italy prepares to hold a crucial vote in parliament over its troops in Afghanistan.

Helicopter gunships attacked suspected al-Qaida fighters in southern Somalia a today – a day after US forces launched airstrikes in the eastern African nation.

The Italian government today said it would take “formal steps” in a renewed push for a UN call for a moratorium on the death penalty following Saddam Hussein’s execution.

Italy today acknowledged Russian president Vladimir Putin, challenged by EU leaders on his country’s human rights record during a summit last week, struck back at his critics, saying “Mafia is not a Russian word".

An international force should be sent to the Gaza Strip if the deployment of United Nations troops on the Israel-Lebanon border is successful, Italy’s foreign minister said today.

EU foreign ministers will hold an emergency meeting today to discuss plans for an expanded United Nations peacekeeping mission in Lebanon.

Europe’s tortuous efforts to pull together contributions for the UN peacekeeping force in Lebanon could edge forward tomorrow when EU diplomats meet to coordinate positions after Italy’s conditional offer to lead the force.

Italy’s foreign minister today urged the Lebanese government today to deploy its army in southern Lebanon, claiming Italian troops could join a UN force within two weeks.

Top US and European officials today called for an end to the violence in Israel and Lebanon and the establishment of an international force to keep the peace – but they did not unanimously call for an immediate ceasefire or provide details on the proposed force.

US, European and Arab officials held crisis talks on Lebanon today, but failed to agree on an immediate plan to force an end to the fighting between Israel and Hezbollah guerrillas.

European leaders attending a Mideast conference in Rome today plan to push for a ceasefire in Lebanon followed by deployment of a multi-national force to stabilise the country’s border with Israel and help disarm Hezbollah guerrillas, EU officials said.

The European Union hopes for a substantive response from Iranian nuclear negotiators today regarding a package of incentives offered to Tehran as a way of ending the stand-off caused by its nuclear programme.

Italian premier Romano Prodi made his first European tour this week, sending his partners what he hopes would be considered a reassuring message – that the Silvio Berlusconi era is over.

Italy’s foreign minister today said that all Italian troops would leave Iraq by the end of the year, giving the first official timeframe for a complete pullout by the new centre-left government.

Italy’s foreign minister today said that all Italian troops would be withdrawn from Iraq by the end of the year.

Italian Foreign Minister Massimo D’Alema today travelled to Iraq to discuss plans for a complete pull-out of Italian troops.

Italy’s political factions appeared headed for a showdown as Parliament today prepared to elect the country’s new president, with none of the candidates winning a bipartisan consensus.

JUST two days after his election victory was confirmed, Italy’s prime minister-in-waiting, Romano Prodi, struggled yesterday to contain a row within his centre-left coalition that boded ill for his future government.

Centre-left leader Romano Prodi today prepared for his return to power, shrugging off Premier Silvio Berlusconi’s refusal to concede defeat in Italy’s election and facing the first dispute within his wide-ranging coalition.

Italy’s parliament today appeared to be heading for an unprecedented split between the conservative coalition led by Premier Silvio Berlusconi and one led by his centre-left challenger.

Elections pitting Italian prime minister Silvio Berlusconi’s conservative coalition against centre-left forces led by Romano Prodi were too close to call tonight after projections showed Berlusconi’s forces leading in the Senate but running neck-and-neck in the lower Chamber of Deputies.

A leftist leader’s assertion that dictator Benito Mussolini should have been tried instead of summarily executed by partisans in the waning weeks of the Second World War has sparked an outcry in Italy.