More than 90,000 polling stations are opening across this vast country, many of them
equipped with
web cameras for the first time to monitor voting. The government is reported to have spent almost $500m setting up the cameras and Internet connections
in response to
the widespread belief that December's parliamentary election was
rigged
. But opposition activists and some analysts say they still believe the results of Sunday's vote will be manipulated.
A first hearing of a pre-trial inquiry into the Costa Concordia cruise ship disaster has taken place in Italy to
shed greater light on
the events surrounding the capsizing of the ship in January. More than 30 people are believed to have died in the accident. Alan Johnston reports from Rome.
But the core of these proceedings was the handing over of evidence for detailed analysis by a team of court-appointed experts. They are now expected to spend months sifting through this material. The vessel's commander, Captain Francesco Schettino, was not at the hearing. He remains under house arrest, and his relatives say he is both depressed and afraid of what the future holds for him.
Greek police have arrested 35 people in a series of raids in the north of the country and recovered thousands of ancient coins and other artefacts. One of the suspects was found with more than 4,000 ancient coins in his possession. Greece has been targeted by illegal