Rome - Long a pet project of Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, the Italian government revived Friday a plan to build the world's largest suspension bridge linking Sicily to Italy's mainland.

The cabinet meeting in Rome approved a 17.8-billion-euro (22.4 billion dollar) public works programme including new rail links, motorways and tunnels.

Some 1.3 billion euros have been earmarked for the bridge project which is estimated to be worth a total of 6.1 billion euros.

Rome  - AC Milan star Kaka remains sidelined as his foot injury has not improved, the La Gazzetta dello Sport paper reported on Thursday.

Kaka, 26, injured his foot on February 7 in Milan's 1-1 home draw in the league with lowly Reggina.

"What can I say? I'll say something when I'm back (in Milan)," the Brazilian was quoted as saying after Milan beat Al Sadd 2-1 in a friendly.

The 2007 Ballon d'Or winner and FIFA World Player is certain to miss the regional derby against Atalanta this weekend and remains on the Devils' long injured list.

Rome - Inter Milan coach Jose Mourinho was expected to receive a disciplinary sanction Wednesday for his verbal attacks against Roma, Juventus and the media.

Mourinho heated up a dispute that began late Sunday after a controversial spot kick helped the Serie A leaders salvage a 3-3 home draw with Roma.

Rome - An Italian house of parliament tested Wednesday a new voting system with finger-print recognition to prevent cheating lawmakers from expressing more than an individual vote.

The so-called "pianists" who on parliament's benches press more than their allotted voting button, often on behalf of absent colleagues, have long been a notorious feature in Italian politics.

Rome - Roma coach Luciano Spalletti was suspended for insulting the referee and his club was fined for the racist jeers its fans aimed at Inter Milan striker Mario Balotelli at the weekend, Italian media reported.

Balotelli, an 18-year-old born in Italy to Ghanaian parents, was insulted on two occasions by Roma fans occupying a section of Milan's Giuseppe Meazza stadium, a sports judge wrote in a sentence that fined Roma 8,000 euros (10,000 dollars).

Rome - The Catholic Church does not seek to contradict Darwin's theory of evolution, but it rejects as "absurd" attempts by atheists to use it as proof that God doesn't exist, a Vatican cardinal said Tuesday.

"We believe that however creation has come about and evolved, ultimately God is the creator of all things," Cardinal William Levada said.