Turkish President Ahmet Necdet Sezer on Tuesday began a two-day official visit to Italy. He met with Italy's president, Giorgio Napolitano, who said that a positive outcome of membership negotiations between the European Union and Turkey is in the interest of both. Sabina Castelfranco reports for VOA from Rome.

A court in Milan is due to begin hearing arguments today on whether to charge 26 U.S. citizens and five Italians in connection with the purported kidnapping of an Egyptian cleric.

Italy says it will campaign at the United Nations for a global ban on the death penalty after images of the hanging of Iraq's former dictator shocked people worldwide.

The Catholic Church has denied a religious funeral for the paralyzed Italian author who died after a doctor disconnected his respirator. It said had repeatedly voiced his wish to end his life, which is against Church doctrine. For VOA, Sabina Castelfranco reports from Rome.

A paralyzed man at the center of a right-to-die debate in this predominently Roman Catholic country has died after being taken off a respirator. For VOA, Sabina Castelfranco reports from Rome.

Pro-euthanasia campaigners in Italy are using the case of a terminally ill man to stress the need for new legislation on the matter. Support for the Italian man who has asked to be allowed to die has increased in recent weeks. Sabina Castelfranco reports from Rome.

Italian police arrested at least 94 people in anti-Mafia operations across the country, authorities and news reports said Tuesday.