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

Kurt Zouma was again selected by West Ham manager David Moyes for Sunday's trip to Leicester despite the furore over the Frenchman's physical abuse of his cat.

Canadian police resumed operations Sunday to clear a key US border bridge occupied by trucker-led demonstrators angry over Covid-19 restrictions, as authorities began making arrests in their bid to quell a movement that has also paralyzed downtown Ottawa.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and his Japanese and South Korean counterparts declared their unity on confronting security threats in the Asia-Pacific Saturday, even as Washington was intensely occupied by the possibility of war in Eastern Europe.

Four women activists in Afghanistan have been released by the country's "de facto authorities" after going missing weeks ago, the United Nations said Sunday.

Iraq's supreme court on Sunday ruled out a bid by veteran politician Hoshyar Zebari to run for president after a complaint filed against him over corruption charges.

Rafael Leao fired AC Milan top of Serie A on Sunday with the only goal in a 1-0 win over Sampdoria which allowed his side to overtake champions Inter.

Wales coach Wayne Pivac praised captain Dan Biggar as "someone who fights for every last inch" after the fly-half played through the pain barrier to revive his side's Six Nations title hopes against Scotland.

World Cup winner Eben Etzebeth confirmed on Sunday he will leave Top 14 rugby club Toulon to return to South Africa at the end of the season.

England's Liam Livingstone on Sunday became the most expensive foreign player in this season's IPL auction at $1.52 million, while national teammate Jofra Archer also fetched a high price despite being doubtful for the upcoming edition.

The Swiss voted on Sunday to tighten their notoriously lax tobacco laws by banning virtually all advertising of the hazardous products, partial results showed.

Norwegian ski jumper Robert Johansson has lost his trademark bushy handlebar moustache but the "Wing Commander" still believes his team can soar to gold at the Beijing Olympics.

Rafael Leao fired AC Milan top of Serie A on Sunday with the only goal in a 1-0 win over Sampdoria which allowed his side to overtake champions Inter.

Saudi Arabia has moved four percent of Aramco shares worth $80 billion in the world's biggest oil exporter to the kingdom's sovereign wealth fund, authorities said on Sunday.

Ukraine on Sunday vowed to keep its airspace open to international travel despite Western warnings that Russian troops conducting drills near its borders could invade at any point.

There might be no NHL stars at the Winter Olympics but Slovakia has one in the making in 17-year-old Juraj Slafkovsky, who has surprised even himself in topping the scoring charts in Beijing.

Fausto Masnada ended a long barren spell with a stylish solo stage four success to jump to the top of the Tour of Oman standings on Sunday.

Australia scraped past Sri Lanka to take control of their five-match Twenty20 series Sunday after late fireworks from the visitors forced their second clash in Sydney to a rare super over after it ended in a tie.

Qatar club Al-Rayyan said Sunday that French coach Laurent Blanc has been replaced, with the World Cup winner paying for poor results despite big money signings.

Aberdeen sacked manager Stephen Glass on Sunday after less than a year in the job.

Swiss voters appeared set Sunday to back a near-total ban of advertising for tobacco products but were expected to reject a blanket ban on animal testing.

Stuart McInally has insisted Scotland remain contenders for the Six Nations Championship title despite seeing their long wait for a win in Cardiff continue with a 20-17 defeat by Wales on Saturday.

Heavy snow fell throughout Sunday at the Beijing Olympics disrupting several events and forcing athletes to battle through treacherous conditions in the pursuit of gold.

Ukraine's bestselling Russian-speaking author Andrey Kurkov says it is "immoral" to defend the Russian language in the ex-Soviet republic during soaring tensions with Moscow.

The small Mediterranean island of Cyprus has an outsized problem with irregular migration, says the interior minister of the EU member state located closest to the Middle East.

Switzerland's Marco Odermatt finally lived up to expectations by holding his nerve in snow and fog to win gold in the men's Olympic giant slalom on Sunday.

Sport's top court was to hold a hearing on Sunday to decide the Beijing Olympics fate of 15-year-old Russian figure skater Kamila Valieva after she failed a drugs test, as Switzerland's Marco Odermatt won giant slalom gold in the snow and fog.

England batsman Liam Livingstone on Sunday became the most expensive foreign player in this season's ongoing Indian Premier League auction as Punjab Kings snapped him up for $1.52 million.

Switzerland's Marco Odermatt finally lived up to expectations by holding his nerve in snow and fog to win gold in the men's Olympic giant slalom on Sunday.

Olympic bobsleigh pilot Elana Meyers Taylor said Sunday she counted just being able to race as a win after having been isolated because of a positive Covid-19 test, including from her two-year-old son.

For athletes at the Beijing Winter Olympics, testing positive for Covid is one of their worst nightmares, and it can begin with a knock on the door in the middle of the night.

Slovakia's newly crowned Olympic slalom champion Petra Vlhova will skip the downhill and alpine combined at the Beijing Games after picking up an ankle injury, it was confirmed Sunday.

With the Beijing Olympics into their second week, there's already been plenty of drama, both on and off the ice and snow.