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

Mike Ditka's death on Friday at age 86 was mourned across the NFL as colleagues he inspired and rivals recalled his toughness and tenacity as a player and coach.

Hurricane Isaias's outer bands began lashing the US Gulf Coast on Friday, with the category 3 storm triggering mandatory evacuations and poised to bring life-threatening storm surge when it makes landfall by evening.

The co-pilot who attacked the captain of a flydubai jet last month had planned to crash the plane into Tel Aviv's international airport, the United Arab Emirates' top prosecutor said on Friday.

Skipper Shai Hope and Sherfane Rutherford struck blazing knocks as the West Indies recorded the second-highest T20 chase of all time on Friday to beat India by six wickets.

Mike Ditka was already an NFL champion and Chicago icon when he guided the celebrated 1985 Bears to the Super Bowl crown.

Pakistan's newest skipper Sahibzada Farhan hit a swashbuckling half-century to guide Pakistan to a four-wicket win over Sri Lanka in the first T20 international in Rawalpindi on Friday.

Condemnation of the Pentagon's plan to livestream the firing squad execution of a convicted military base mass shooter escalated Friday, with the UN saying it would amount to torture and US lawmakers from both parties slamming the move.

Vincenzo Montella was sacked as head coach of Turkey on Friday following a string of Nations League defeats.

Donald Trump's US administration has announced sweeping sanctions on the International Criminal Court that threaten to cripple its operations and spark fresh transatlantic tension.

The United States on Friday announced sanctions on the International Criminal Court, vowing to cripple the tribunal's operations just hours after the Nobel Peace Prize went to a former ICC judge who warned of mounting political attacks on the court.

Mike Ditka, a larger-than-life coaching legend for the Chicago Bears who won two NFL titles as both a player and coach, died on Friday, his family announced. He was 86.

Montenegro on Friday ordered the expulsion of a popular Russian pro-Ukraine war blogger Mikhail Zvinchuk on national security grounds, just hours after his arrest, the interior ministry said.

Hurricane Isaias rapidly intensified into a major category 3 storm on Friday, triggering mandatory evacuations as it barrelled towards the US Gulf Coast where it was projected to make landfall in the evening.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Friday called on all opposition factions in Venezuela to join talks with the interim government of Delcy Rodriguez on a future political transition.

US President Donald Trump has set up a committee to probe Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook over alleged "false statements" linked to mortgages, renewing his efforts to oust her.

South Africa picked two spinners, but it was their fast bowlers who did the damage as Australia limped to 187 for six on the first day of the first Test in Durban on Friday.

South African police battled Friday to control rioters and looters in the east coast city of Durban amid a second day of unrest targeted at foreign nationals.

Stock markets climbed Friday as oil prices dropped after President Donald Trump ruled out a strike on Iran before next month's US midterm elections.

Students in France were largely back in the classroom Friday following days of protests demanding better education and school conditions, as the UN voiced "concern" over the sometimes violent clashes.

South Africa picked two spinners, but it was their fast bowlers who did the damage as Australia limped to 187 for six on the first day of the first Test in Durban on Friday.

Roberto De Zerbi has urged bottom-of-the-table Tottenham to "react" to the pressure of their crunch clash with fellow strugglers Manchester United.

China and the European Union reached an understanding to "moderate" hybrid vehicles exports on Friday, which could prevent millions of Chinese cars from being shipped to Europe, the bloc's commerce chief said following talks that dispelled a much-feared trade war.

French government bonds have become the bane of investors on fears that officials are unwilling or unable to rein in spending that far outstrips its revenue.

Donald Trump's US administration has imposed sweeping sanctions on the International Criminal Court that threaten to cripple its operations and spark fresh transatlantic tension.

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta said it was vital to "respect the process" after Manchester City were found guilty of serious breaches of the Premier League's financial rules.

Condemnation of the Pentagon's plan to livestream the firing squad execution of a convicted military base mass shooter escalated Friday, with the UN saying it would amount to torture and US lawmakers from both parties slamming the move.

Initiatives to label books as written by humans, and not artificial intelligence, are gaining ground following a string of scandals where authors were suspected of using the technology without admitting it.

Defence guru Shaun Edwards and former head coach Mario Ledesma have joined the Argentina coaching staff, with the World Cup just a year away.

Computer hacker Rui Pinto, the man behind the Football Leaks website which helped trigger the Premier League probe into Manchester City's finances, will remain under police protection, Portuguese authorities confirmed Friday.

BMW has withdrawn an offer to lease a car to a politician from the far-right AfD party who was elected to a top post in a regional German parliament, officials said Friday.

US, Ukrainian and European officials are due to meet in Miami on Friday in a renewed diplomatic push to end Russia's war in Ukraine, with Washington seeking a way out of a dangerous stalemate.

Brazil's right-wing frontrunner Flavio Bolsonaro has vowed that, if elected, he will free his father Jair Bolsonaro from house arrest so that the former leader can place the presidential sash on his son at his inauguration.