Mona Lisa, the Art work, Comes Alive

Scientists in the Italian city of Florence have opened a tomb to extract DNA they hope will identify the model for Leonardo da Vinci's Mona Lisa.

The tomb contains the family of Lisa Gherardini, a silk merchant's wife who is believed to have sat for the artist, reports the BBC.

It is hoped DNA will help to identify her from three skeletons found last year in a nearby convent.

Migrants Die in Italy Shipwreck

The bodies of six migrants apparently killed in a shipwreck have been recovered on a beach in southern Italy.

Officials in the Sicilian port of Catania say dozens of other migrants have been rescued, reports the BBC.

Italian media say the boat ran aground about 15m (50ft) from shore and the migrants were thrown into the sea. Some drowned because they could not swim.

Italian Lawmaker Compares Black Politician to Orangutan, Causes Uproar

Roberto Calderoli, an Italian senator, compared Cecile Kyenge, the country's first black Cabinet minister, to an orangutan. He also is quoted as saying that Kyenge's success has encouraged illegal immigration to Italy and that she should be a minister "in her own country."

Italian 101: Talk the Italian Way

So you' re planning your next vacation to be Italy, or you want to learn how to talk like an Italian or you simply just want to show off that 'you been there, done that and a whole bag of chips'; whichever, here are a few classic Italian gestures of all times that makes them different from everybody else and could help you express yourself when your Italian vocabs fail. They've helped me a couple of times, so...

Italy Ex-PM Berlusconi Sex Trial Verdict Expected

     The former Italian prime minister denies the allegations against him

An Italian court is expected to rule whether ex-PM Silvio Berlusconi paid for sex with an underage prostitute and abused his office as prime minister.

Prosecutors at the trial in Milan are demanding a six-year sentence and a lifetime ban from public office.

The 76-year-old media tycoon denies all the allegations.

Italy's First Black Minister is the Target of Ridiculously Offensive Joke

First, I love this woman. Not for anything spectacular but for the one thing most if given her opportunity would have lacked, courage. She knew what was obtainable when she made history and became the first black woman to be made a Minister in Italy. Naturally, it wouldn't have gone down well with some people  that was why one person went too far but of course, she has already taken several seats after her pathetic 5 minutes of fame

VIDEO: NIGERIAN LADY MURDERED IN ITALY

This video has been circulating the web for a while now and it's quite sad that's the most we will get out of it. Before those without sin starts casting stones, remember, tribe or no tribe, nationality or not, materialism or poverty or whatever tag anyone finds suitable, these people are first of all human beings and as such, ought to be treated first as such before anything else. While I do not support what shouldn't be,I plead we don't let this case die like this. This is not the first of it's kind. There was a case in December 2012, and it went with the winds, just like that. Now this. I plead with our Nigerian embassies, especially those in Europe, to please help put a stop to this. Embassies goes beyond applying and delivery of International Passports.

Nigerian Embassies should please stand up for their citizens, if not, their host States will always see them as second place. An injustice of this kind will not happen to a Ghanaian, Senegalese, etc. and they will let it slide just like that and yet we say we are the 'Giant of Africa'. Sad.

And the sad chances are her family might never get to see her corpse. May her soul rest in perfect peace.