Rome - The return of Inter Milan striker Adriano from Brazil remained uncertain Monday with his agent quelling rumours that the footballer had been arrested.

Adriano, 27, remained in Brazil after being in the squad for two 2010 World Cup qualifiers over the past week. He failed to board a scheduled flight for Italy on Friday and did not communicate his decision to his agent and Inter.

His agent Gilmar Rinaldi, however, was quoted as telling the Brazilian network TV Globo that "there is nothing true" about rumours that Adriano had been arrested for being in a party with some wanted criminals.

Rome- At least 40 people were known to

Rome, Apr. 6 : A furious Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi has threatened to take action against journalists for reporting his latest gaffes, involving British Queen Elizabeth II and German Chancellor Angela Merkel.

Berlusconi has accused newspapers and television stations of slandering him and damaging the country''s reputation by highlighting his alleged faux pas.

He said he was considering taking "hard measures" against reporters, without specifying what that might entail, reports The Telegraph.

Rome, Apr. 6 : At least 13 people have been killed in a powerful earthquake in central Italy, Italian officials say.

The earthquake measuring 6.3 on the Richter Scale struck at 3.32 a. m. local time about 95 km north-east of Rome, at a depth of 10 km.

Four children were said to be among the dead, with reports of more fatalities in and around the city of L''Aquila.

The BBC quoted a civil protection official as saying that the earthquake may have damaged 3,000 to 10,000 buildings.

Rome, Apr 6: An earthquake measuring