Italian troops hit the streets to combat crime

Italy's centre-right government of Silvio Berlusconi has sent troops to the country's major cities as part of a campaign to combat crime and boost security.

Some 3,000 soldiers are being deployed on the streets in Rome, Milan, Naples, Bologna, Verona and Palermo this week in an operation kicked off on Monday (4 August). The move was approved rules by Italy's parliament with troops expected to be kept in place for nine months.

The military is due to patrol some of the most frequent...