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TIMES OF MALTA. A stand-off between Italy and Malta over a group of rescued illegal migrants escalated into a full-blown political dispute yesterday as the two countries traded accusations of failure to live up to their international obligations. The group of 154 migrants were rescued from two separate boats by a Turkish cargo ship near Lampedusa in an operation coordinated by the Armed Forces of Malta. The Italian navy sent a vessel to make sure the ship did not enter territorial waters and demanded that the migrants be taken to Malta, which refused on the basis that the nearest safe port was Lampedusa. Italian Home Affairs Minister Roberto Maroni yesterday morning accused Malta of not shouldering its responsibilities on migration and instead dumping the migrants on Italy. (Read the Article by Ivan Camilleri and Christian Peregin)

REUTERS. Italy opposes a military rescue of 10 Italian sailors kidnapped by pirates off Somalia, Italy's foreign minister said on Friday, adding the hostages were in good health. The pirates hijacked an Italian-flagged tugboat carrying 10 Italians, 5 Romanians and a Croatian on Saturday. The vessel has been taken close to the fishing village of Las Qoray in a disputed area of northern Somalia.
"We've had contacts with the foreign minister of Somalia with a view to obtaining the speedy release of the ship and its crew -- without considering a blitz or operations using force that could put lives at risk," Frattini said. (Read the Article)

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack today said his participation in the first-ever Group of Eight (G8) Agricultural Ministerial in Treviso, Italy, April 18-20, shows that agriculture is key to strengthening the global economy.

"Agriculture is the foundation on which recovery from the global recession and financial and food price crisis will be built, especially for developing countries, which derive much of their income from agricultural production," said Vilsack. "Given the magnitude of these issues, we must work together to ensure food security and economic prosperity for all." (Read the release)

ANSA. Premier Silvio Berlusconi promised Thursday that the Mafia would be kept out of the reconstruction of Abruzzo capital L'Aquila and neighboring towns devastated by the April 6 earthquake. (Read the article)