Rome - A Vatican-sponsored academic conference marking the 150th anniversary of the publication of Charles Darwin's Origin of Species opened in Rome on Tuesday.

The five-day event includes seminars in which scientists, philosophers and theologians are set to discuss Darwin's theory of evolution in relation to the belief in divine creation.

Rome - Italy has confirmed its interest in making a bid to host football's European Championships in 2016.

The Italian federation FIGC will officially declare its interest to continental body UEFA by the deadline next Monday.

FIGC president Giancarlo Abete was quoted by Italian media on Tuesday as saying there had been informal contacts with the Italian government, which has given the thumbs up for a bid.

Italy failed in its bid to host Euro 2012 when Poland and Ukraine were chosen as joint hosts.

Rome  - AC Milan are close to obtaining the extension of David Beckham's loan from Los Angeles Galaxy, who will have him back at the end of the Serie A season, Italian media reported Monday.

The 33-year-old English veteran was due back to the US club on March 9 at the end of an 11-week loan.

His perfect fitting into the Devils' schemes, however, convinced Milan to ask Galaxy for an extension of the loan that the California club appear to have accepted.

Rome - Global demand for fish is set to increase, but the industry and national authorities need to bolster efforts dealing with the impact of climate change, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) said Monday in a report.

"Climate change is already modifying the distribution of both marine and freshwater species," the Rome-based FAO said in its State of the World Fisheries and Aquaculture report.

Bari, Italy  - Italian President Giorgio Napolitano was scheduled later Sunday to hand his Russian counterpart, Dmitry Medvedev, the key of an Orthodox church in the southern Italian city of Bari.

A message of goodwill by Pope Benedict XVI was also set to be read at the ceremony by a Vatican envoy, Cardinal Salvatore Di Giorgio.

The acting head of the External Relations Department of the Moscow Patriarchy, Bishop Mark of Yegorievsk, was set to deliver a speech on behalf of the Russian Orthodx Church.

Florence, Italy  - Rescuers near Florence on Sunday pulled the bodies of an Albanian woman an