Topic: Rome (Italy)

Team of rivals: Italy, finally, forms new government (+video)

Center-left leader Enrico Letta will be Italy's new prime minister, after his party formed a coalition government with former Premier Silvio Berlusconi's conservatives.

Italians move northward to trade 'la dolce vita' for 'das süsse Leben'

Italian emigration jumped 30 percent from 2011 to 2012, with Germany and Switzerland the most popular destination for Italians looking for work.

Culture Cafe Kevin Bacon apology: The actor said sorry for tweeting a key 'Following' spoiler

Kevin Bacon offered an apology to fans on his Twitter page and website for retweeting a comment that gave away a 'Following' plot twist. 'I just wasn't thinking,' Kevin Bacon wrote in his apology, 'Won't happen again.'

Bestselling books the week of 4/8/13, according to IndieBound*

What's selling best in independent bookstores across America.

Chapter & Verse Grand Central Station turns 100

In his new book, writer Anthony W. Robins discusses the legendary station's architecture, how New York almost lost this masterpiece, and what the future holds for Grand Central.

Chaplain, Korean War hero, to receive medal of honor 62 years after his death

Chaplain Emil Kapaun was credited with saving hundreds of soldiers during the Korean War and received the Distinguished Service Cross and many other medals. On April 11 President Barack Obama will award him the Medal of Honor posthumously.

Victims' groups cool to Pope Francis's first comments on abuse scandal

On Friday, the new pope addressed the child abuse scandal for the first time since his election, calling for a continuation of his predecessor's unpopular approach.

Is furor over football coach's 'fascism' really a sign of Britain's progress?

Newly signed Sunderland manager Paulo Di Canio denied that he supported fascism, in response to criticism for past pro-fascism statements and straight-arm salutes he made as a player.

Is Lance Armstrong's swimming career sunk, too?

Lance Armstrong has been branching out since the doping controversy that got him expelled from competitive cycling, but his tarnished legacy may drown his competitive swimming ambitions.

William Shakespeare: tax dodger, shady businessman?

William Shakespeare avoided paying taxes and hoarded grain during famine, according to researchers. They argue that William Shakespeare the grain hoarder has been has been 'redacted from history so that Shakespeare the creative genius could be born.'

Iraq's Christians face hardship, but peaceful Easter also highlights promise

War and persecution by newly empowered Islamist forces drove Iraq's Christians away, halving the population of the once-thriving community. But a new Christian leader vows to rebuild.

In Easter message Pope Francis calls for peace

Pope Francis emphasized his concern for the poor and suffering, and delivered a plea for peace in the Middle East and on the Korean peninsula during his first Easter Sunday Mass.

In the Holy Land's columns, frescoes, and desert palaces, Herod the Great lives on

King Herod is best known to Christians for trying to kill the infant Jesus. But he also left his mark with stunning architectural achievements, as seen in a new exhibit at the Israel Museum.

Pope Francis connects with crowd after first window appearance (+video)

The new leader for the world's Catholics gave a short speech in Italian from his window, a traditional Sunday duty of popes.

In interviews, new Pope Francis confirms commitment to poor

How European Catholics see Pope Francis

The more devout and orthodox the believer, the more likely they are to welcome the pope, but even liberal Catholics are willing to give him the benefit of the doubt.

Can Pope Francis' focus on poor attract 'indifferent Catholics' back to church?

While questions surround how Pope Francis dealt with Argentina's Dirty War, it is his involvement in the slums of Buenos Aires that is expected to guide his leadership of the world's 1.2 billion Catholics.

Will Jesuit identity help Pope Francis repair 'fractured church'?

The Catholic Church is getting not only its first Latin American pope, but its first Jesuit leader. He hails from an order known for outreach and fresh thinking.

Pope pays hotel bill: Pope Francis sheds luxuries of previous popes

Pope Francis paid his hotel bill and thanked the staff this morning, just one of many signs that he wants a simpler lifestyle than his predecessor, Emeritus Pope Benedict XVI.

Argentine pope: A reflection of Catholicism 'south of the equator'

Residents of Buenos Aires met the papal announcement with surprise, checking smartphones in the street and asking each other if the news was true.

Pope Francis: representative of God - and Latin America?

Pope Francis is the first Latin American pope, a prospect that fills many in the region with hopes for better representation of their concerns at the Vatican.

Election of Pope Francis fuels hopes for Catholic reform (+video)

The election of Francis is being interpreted as a victory for reform-minded cardinals, and may herald sweeping changes for the scandal-beset Catholic Church.

Grand Central and our station in life

The centennial of New York's famed temple of transport provides an occasion to consider the distinction between 'terminal' and 'station.'

Pope Francis emerges to cheers of 'Viva il Papa'

The selection of Jorge Bergoglio, a Jesuit from Argentina, to be the next head of the Catholic Church electrified Rome.

After three votes in Rome, no pope chosen yet

Black smoke billowed from the Sistine Chapel for the third time Wednesday. Cardinals voted twice Wednesday morning and two more votes are expected in the afternoon.