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

Rome  - A magnitude-5.8 earthquake struck central Italy early Monday, causing buildings to collapse in the historic centre of L'Aquila and raising fears of fatalities.

Police reported numerous injuries.

Rome, Abruzzo and other parts of central Italy were hit by the quake, whose epicentre was in the area of Abruzzo's capital, L'Aquila, at a 5-kilometre depth, Italy's ANSA news agency reported.

L'Aquila residents were shaken from sleep and ran out in panic onto the city's streets.

Rome  - An earthquake wi