Il Messaggiere - News from Rome, Modena, Reggio, Italy and the world

A heatwave fuelling ferocious wildfires in Europe pushed temperatures in Britain over 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit) for the first time on Tuesday after regional heat records tumbled in France.

In a usual July on Europe's biggest sand dune, holidaymakers clamber to its peak to admire the panoramic views of the Atlantic Ocean beyond. This year, its heights are deserted, shrouded in smoke, with fire service planes buzzing overhead.

Ben Stokes said on Tuesday he hopes his retirement from one-day internationals will serve as a warning to cricket chiefs over an increasingly congested global schedule, with the all-rounder insisting players "are not cars, you can't just fill us up".

Kenyan authorities have rejected blame over a US visa hitch that may have robbed African 100-metre champion Ferdinand Omanyala of a chance of a medal at the World Championships in Oregon.

England manager Sarina Wiegman is "very hopeful" she will be able to lead her team in Wednesday's Euro 2022 quarter-final against Spain after contracting coronavirus.

Borussia Dortmund striker Sebastien Haller on Tuesday vowed to 'come back stronger' as he thanked fans for their support following his diagnosis for a testicular tumour.

From the Hollywood blockbuster to the high-brow film noir, the silver screen offers a few hours' peace in a darkened refuge from the mundane grind of the nine to five.

Stock markets mostly advanced on Tuesday despite fresh recession worries on a report tech titan Apple may scale back hiring and investment.

President Joe Biden on Tuesday opened the way for sanctions against governments that unjustly imprison Americans and ordered more detailed travel warnings after a series of high-profile detentions.

England prop Joe Marler has "buried his head in the sand" over the dangers of dementia from playing rugby, admitting that on one occasion he had forgotten he had children.

Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived in Tehran for talks Tuesday on the Syrian war at a three-way summit overshadowed by fallout from his country's war on Ukraine.

Acclaimed Iranian director Jafar Panahi, jailed as part of a crackdown on the country's filmmakers, for years defied a ban on his work to carry on making deeply human tales of Iran's social and cultural struggles that won a loyal following abroad.

A fierce heatwave left western Europe sweltering on Tuesday, fuelling ferocious wildfires and stretching emergency services, as it swept north and pushed temperatures in Britain over 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit) for the first time.

Anthony Martial scored his third goal in three games as a slick Manchester United beat Crystal Palace 3-1 in Melbourne to ensure new coach Erik ten Hag's unbeaten streak remained intact Tuesday.

South Africa captain Keshav Maharaj won the toss and elected to bat in England star Ben Stokes's last one-day international on Tuesday.

Italy's Eni, US major Occidental, France's Total and the Algerian group Sonatrach signed a $4 billion oil and gas production-sharing contract Tuesday for the Berkine field in the country's southeast.

The world's transition to clean energy sources must be "just" and financed by the hydrocarbon trade, the climate change minister of oil-rich United Arab Emirates told AFP.

Thousands of Sudan's Hausa people protested in multiple cities Tuesday, demanding justice for dozens of comrades killed in a deadly land dispute with a rival ethnic group in the country's south.

Ukrainian lawmakers on Tuesday endorsed the president's decision to sack the country's top prosecutor and security chief, rubber stamping Ukraine's largest political shake-up since Russia invaded.

Norwegian women's football head coach Martin Sjogren has been axed after the team's humiliating European Championship group stage defeat to England, the national federation announced on Tuesday.

Ben Stokes said on Tuesday he was retiring from one-day internationals earlier than planned as the England Test captain hopes it will prolong his career into his mid-30s.

Iran warned Turkey that any offensive in Syria would be "detrimental", ahead of a trilateral summit on Tuesday with Russia that has been overshadowed by fallout from Russia's war on Ukraine.

Opener Abdullah Shafique hit a gritty century to keep Pakistan in the hunt to chase down a victory target of 342 in the opening Test against Sri Lanka on Tuesday.

Brad Pitt scotched talk of imminent retirement as he travelled to Paris for the premiere of his Jackie Chan-inspired action caper "Bullet Train".

Former journalist and rights activist Dullas Alahapperuma is an unlikely contender to be Sri Lanka's leader, but is the main challenger to the current acting president in a parliamentary vote Wednesday.

China will host the 2022 Asian Games in autumn 2023, organisers said on Tuesday, after postponing the event in Hangzhou because of Covid-19.

US planemaker Boeing won a fresh boost Tuesday for its crisis-hit MAX aircraft, as investment fund 777 Partners ordered up to 66 of the passenger aircraft worth a combined $8 billion.

Europe's searing heatwave is generating very high levels of harmful ozone pollution, the region's atmospheric monitoring service warned Tuesday, adding that large areas of western Europe also face "extreme" danger of wildfires.

The 75th anniversary of the assassination of Myanmar's independence hero and father of ousted leader Aung San Suu Kyi was a muted affair Tuesday, with soldiers patrolling Yangon's streets and anti-junta demonstrators staging small protests in other parts of the country.

A fierce heatwave left much of western Europe sweltering on Monday, fuelling ferocious wildfires and stretching emergency services, as it pushed north and took temperatures to record levels.

Europe's main stock markets steadied and the euro rallied against the dollar Tuesday as traders looked ahead to a key European Central Bank meeting later this week.

Japan's two-time Olympic figure skating champion Yuzuru Hanyu said he felt "no sadness" after retiring from competition aged 27 on Tuesday, bringing the curtain down on one of the sport's most glittering careers.