Belgrade- Italian carmaker Fiat will begin in March the production of its Punto automobile in Serbian factory Zastava, Belgrade media reported.

Director of Zastava factory Zoran Radojevic said the agreement between Fiat and Zastava will be signed next week.

Radojevic didn't specify the amount of the production but said the factory, situated in central Serbian town of Kragujevac, can produce 20,000 cars per year and with "minimal investment" the capacity can be upgraded to 40,000 per year.

Rome  - A leading Italian Jewish religious leader has accused Pope Benedict XVI of moving to cancel "50-years" of work aimed at improving relations between Roman Catholics and Jews.

Elia Enrico Richetti, chief rabbi of Venice, made the remark in an article in which he explained the reasons why Italy's Jewish religious leaders intend to boycott an annual Church celebration of Judaism scheduled for Saturday.

Madonna di Campiglio, Italy - Ferrari team principal Stefano Domenicali strongly criticised Wednesday the introduction of the new kinetic energy recovery system
(KERS) to Formula One for the 2009 season as a waste of money.

"It's throwing money out the window," Domenicali said at a Ferrari media meeting in Madonna di Campiglio.

Ferrari tested their car's KERS system for the first time on Monday at the Mugello circuit in Tuscany but Domenicali said that the current global financial crisis meant that it was the wrong time to introduce such a costly system.

"However, Formula One will come out stronger from the crisis," added Domenicali.

Rome - Italian authorities appealed Wednesday to Brazilian Presid

Stuttgart - Fiat chief marketing officer Luca de Meo is to join Germany's Volkswagen grou

Rome  - A free kick from Alessandro Del Piero helped Juventus beat Siena 1-0 Sunday to move within four points of Serie A leaders Inter Milan, who Saturday drew
1-1 at home to Cagliari.