Venice, Italy  - The skeleton of woman who was probably believed to have been a vampire when she died in the Middle Ages has been uncovered in Venice, news agency reported Friday.

Archaeologists made the find on Lazzaretto Nuovo, one of the hundreds of islands that make up the lagoon city, the ANSA news agency reported.

A brick found lodged in the skeleton's mouth suggests the woman's body was "staked", University of Florence expert Matteo Borrini said.

Venice, Italy - Taiwanese-born Academy Award winning director, Ang Lee, will head the jury at this year's edition of the Venice Film Festival, organizers announced Friday.

The world's oldest film competition, the festival this year marks its 66th edition and runs in the lagoon city from September 2 to September 12.

Venice, Italy - US animator John Lasseter known for family- viewing box-office hits such as Toy Story and A Bug's Life, is to be bestowed with the 2009 Venice Film Festival's Career Golden Lion award, organizers announced Monday.

Lasseter will share the award with the Walt Disney Company-owned Pixar Animation Studios the producers of Toy Story as well as other well-received animated films including Finding Nemo (2003) and Ratatouille (2007).

Lasseter will pick up the Career Golden Lion at a ceremony held during the Festival which runs from September 2 to 12.

Venice, Italy - Sea water encroached on large parts of Venice Monday amid warnings that the lagoon city could experience the greatest surge in high tide levels in almost 30 years.

The municipality's Centro Maree, or Tide Centre, which monitors water levels, said high tides have reached 144 centimetres above sea level - a situation that leaves some
96 per cent of the lagoon city's surface area covered by water.

By noon, according to the Centro forecast, the tide which is being pushed by strong winds, could reach as high as 166 centimetres above sea level, a figure last recorded in 1979.

Venice, Italy - A raging debate over an ultra-modern bridge spanning Venice's Grand Canal was further fuelled Thursday with allegations that the structure's handrail has the potential to become "scorching" hot.

Venice's Order of Engineers met Thursday to discuss infrastructure projects in the lagoon city, including the controversial steel-and- glass bridge designed by Spanish architect, Santiago Calatrava.

Venice - Thirteen refugees - one dead and the others in a state of near exhaustion - were found in the loading area of a Greek ferry in the Italian port city of Venice Friday.