Italy

The Swedish-born actress' most famous role was as Sylvia in Federico Fellini's La Dolce Vita. She died outside Rome this morning.

The vessel, carrying about 450 people trying to reach Europe, was towed to an Italian port after smugglers jumped ship in rough seas.

The Norman Atlantic, with about 500 passengers and crew aboard, was en route from the Greek port of Patras to Ancona, Italy.

Francesco Schettino said he didn't change the route of the cruise liner to impress a Moldovan dancer he was having an affair with.

Italy lags behind other EU states in guaranteeing equal rights for homosexuals. Gay couples have no legal recognition or adoption rights, and a bill that would make homophobia a crime has stalled.

The International Organization for Migration says the incident took place last week when people smugglers rammed a vessel carrying hundreds of refugees hoping to reach European waters.

Off the coast of Tuscany, prisoners serving the end of their sentences are learning to make wine from a 30th-generation winemaker. It's a unique approach to rehabilitation that seems to be working.

Congo-born Cecile Kyenge's appointment in April as integration minister was hailed as a landmark for diversity. Instead, the mood of racial progress in Italy has suffered. The debate highlights growing intolerance and what the prime minister has called a shameful chapter for the country.

The Italian city welcomes tourists, but there's been a backlash to the 650 cruise ships that sail down the canals and tower over the city. The city government and the Venice Port Authority have agreed to search for solutions.

Among the many culinary treats Italy has given the world is gelato, a frozen dessert with roots in ancient Mesopotamia. Gelato lovers from all over the world are flocking to a university outside Bologna, Italy, to master the art of gelato-making. Here's a free lesson: Don't call it ice cream.

Niccolo Machiavelli is synonymous with political deceit, cynicism and ruthlessness. He called his most famous work, The Prince, a handbook for statesmen. An exhibit in Rome celebrates the 500th anniversary of what's still one of the most influential political essays in Western literature.