Italy

Hosts France romp past Italy into World Cup quarter-finals

First five-eighth Jalibert's lightning quick passing and inspired try lifted Les Bleus to the top of Pool A with other tries by Damian Penaud (2), Louis Bielle-Biarrey, Peato Mauvaka, Yoram Moefana (2) and Thomas Ramos, who also scored 15 points from the tee.

Fabien Galthie's team, without Dupont as the mercurial scrumhalf recovers from cheekbone surgery, won all their group games and are likely to face defending champions South Africa on 15 October, even if Ireland and Scotland are still possible opponents for a place in the last four.

Italy have no fear of All Blacks

The Italians have never beaten the All Blacks in 15 attempts, and have often been on the wrong end of big scorelines, but New Zealander Crowley said that would mean nothing in Lyon.

"This team has never played New Zealand and the New Zealand team named has never played Italy," he said.

"We are under no illusions as to what is coming. They are going to come at us, and they are going to be aggressive and they are going to try to intimidate us. They'll try to bully us. We have to embrace that challenge.

Italy come from behind to beat Uruguay

It was Italy's second consecutive bonus-point win and takes them top of Pool A.

Uruguay deservedly led 17-7 at the break and were dreaming of a huge upset after a remarkable opening 40 minutes that began well for Italy, who scored an early try through Lorenzo Pani, but then went badly wrong as poor discipline handed the advantage to the South Americans.

Iraq: displays 2,800-year-old stone tablet returned by Italy

The artefact is inscribed with complete cuneiform text - a system of writing on clay in an ancient Babylonian alphabet.

Italian authorities handed it over to Iraq's President Abdul Latif Rashid in the city of Bologna last week.

It is not clear how the tablet was found - or how it made its way to Italy where it was seized by police in the 1980s.

Iraqi Culture Minister Ahmed Badrani said that it might have been found during archaeological excavations of the Mosul dam, which was built around that time.

Italy floods leave 13 dead and force 13,000 from their homes

More bodies were found on Thursday after almost every river flooded between Bologna and the north-east coast 115km (70 miles) away.

Some 280 landslides have taken place.

"It was a very bad 48 hours. Water and mud took over our whole village," said Roberta Lazzarini, 71.

Her home of Botteghino di Zocca, south of Bologna, was hit by a torrent on Wednesday. Streets, houses and gardens were inundated and Roberta said she was still scared.

"I've never seen anything like that here. We were stuck and didn't know what to do. I just hope it doesn't happen again."

Italy migrant boat shipwreck: More than 100 people feared dead

At least 62 migrants are confirmed to have died, with 12 children said to be among the victims, including a baby.

The vessel, thought to have carried some 200 people, broke apart while trying to land near Crotone on Sunday.

People from Afghanistan, Pakistan, Somalia, Syria, Iraq and Iran were said to be on board.

Bodies were recovered from the beach at a nearby seaside resort in the Calabria region.

The coastguard said 80 people had been found alive, "including some who managed to reach the shore after the sinking", meaning many more remain unaccounted for.

Europe storms: Deaths are reported in France, Austria and Italy

The deaths, most from falling trees, were reported in Italy and Austria, and on the French island of Corsica.

Heavy rain and winds wrecked campsites on the island, while in Venice, Italy, masonry was blown off the belltower of St Mark's Basilica.

The storms follow weeks of heatwave and drought across much of the continent.

In Corsica, winds gusting up to 224 km/h (140mph) uprooted trees and damaged mobile homes.

Authorities there said a 13-year-old girl was killed by a falling tree on a campsite.

Italy migrants: Nearly 1,200 arrive by boat in 24 hours

The migrants, who hail from several African and Middle Eastern nations, landed at several ports in Sicily.

Officials say 674 people were rescued and five dead bodies recovered from an overcrowded fishing boat off the coast of Calabria.

Another 522 people rescued from some 15 boats were brought to Lampedusa on Saturday.

The boats had departed from Libya and Tunisia. Lampedusa is one of the main arrival ports for people wanting to reach Europe.

Those rescued included migrants from Afghanistan, Pakistan, Sudan, Ethiopia and Somalia.

     

At least five killed in Italian Marmolada glacier collapse

Emergency officials said eight others were injured in the collapse, with two people suffering serious injuries.

Five helicopters and dozens of emergency workers have been sent to the scene to assist with rescue efforts.

Video of the incident showed an ice mass collapsing down the slopes of Marmolada, the area's highest mountain.

"Unfortunately, five people were found lifeless," emergency services spokeswoman Michela Canova told the AFP news agency, adding that the injured figure "remains a provisional count."

Italy break Six Nations drought

A brilliant break from rookie fullback Ange Capuozzo set up the score for Padovani, and when flyhalf Paolo Garbisi kicked the conversion from in front of the posts on the final whistle, Italy had secured their magic moment that left some players in tears.

It was fully deserved, too. They bullied Wales at the breakdown and put in a stout defensive display, something that had been a weakness in recent years, to secure one of the more famous wins in their rugby history and show their continued improvement under coach Kieran Crowley.