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ANSA. Italian scientists say they may have discovered a 'natural Viagra' in a pungent gas emitted by hot springs. Hydrogen sulphide (H2S), sometimes called stink damp or rotten-egg gas, is found at many hot spas in Italy and elsewhere. (Read the article)

AFP. As an alleged mafia hitman, Charles Carneglia excelled at making people vanish. Now he and the rest of New York's once mighty Cosa Nostra could be the ones disappearing. Carneglia, 62, is on trial for five murders and other crimes, including kidnapping, allegedly committed as a soldier for the Gambinos -- one of the five historic mafia families based in the New York area. Another of these so-called "rats," a thuggish former mobster called John Alite, is likely to star in the upcoming murder trial of John "Junior" Gotti, son and namesake of the Gambino's infamous "Dapper Don," who died in prison in 2002. For the other families -- the Bonanno, Colombo, Genovese and Luchese -- the story is the same or worse.

Mafia author and Cleveland police officer Rick Porrello says that cultural shifts in the Italian American community are as responsible as vastly improved law enforcement for the Cosa Nostra's decline.  The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is cautiously optimistic, but wary. There is no plan to disband special teams assigned to each of the five families: "The history over the last 15 years is that we arrest people, convict them, they go to prison. But eventually they get out and it's our belief that people don't leave that kind of life, other than by dying." (Read the Article)

ANSA. Italy will contribute 100 million dollars to help Palestinians in the Gaza Strip, Premier Silvio Berlusconi told an international donors' conference here Monday. Berlusconi also reiterated Italy's idea for a 'Marshall Plan' for the Palestinian economy, saying it would be one of the priorities of Italy's term at the helm of the Group of Eight this year.

''There can be no real peace between two peoples divided by such different living standards,'' he said, urging leaders from 70 countries to help raise Palestinian living standards. (Read the Article)
 

REUTERS. Italy will make a bid to host Euro 2016, Italian football federation (FIGC) president Giancarlo Abete said on Monday. "Italy will present its declaration of interest for the 2016 European championships by (the deadline of) March 9," Abete told a news conference after a FIGC board meeting. He said the decision had been taken after recent consultations with the government.

Italy was beaten in a bid for Euro 2012 by Poland and Ukraine. (Read the Article)