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

When Inter Miami were dumped out of Major League Soccer's playoffs in the first round, their former Spain international full-back Jordi Alba questioned the fairness of the post-season format.

US President-elect Donald Trump is expected to pick billionaire Scott Bessent as his Treasury secretary, media outlets reported Friday, choosing the hedge fund manager to help execute an agenda promising tax cuts and tariffs.

Pep Guardiola said on Friday that three-quarters of the Premier League want Manchester City relegated over alleged breaches of financial rules.

Netherlands reached the Davis Cup final for the first time with a battling 2-0 win over Germany on Friday, with captain Paul Haarhuis labelling the feat "unique".

A revamped Paris Saint-Germain dominated Toulouse 3-0 at home on Friday to maintain their cushion on Ligue 1 rivals Monaco before next week's Champions League trip to Bayern Munich.

France eased to a 37-23 victory over an ill-disciplined Argentina at a bitterly cold Paris in their final game of the November internationals on Friday.

The Dow rocketed to a fresh record Friday, extending a post-election US equity rally while the euro retreated against the dollar following weak eurozone data.

Music mogul Sean "Diddy" Combs, who has been charged with sex trafficking and racketeering, appeared in court Friday again seeking bail, but a judge deferred the decision to next week, US media reported.

Lionel Messi's new coach at Inter Miami will be announced "in the coming days", the club's co-owner Jorge Mas said on Friday, with reports suggesting Javier Mascherano is in pole position.

A second-half Harry Kane hat-trick took Bayern Munich to a 3-0 home win over Augsburg on Friday, sending them eight clear atop the table ahead of Tuesday's Champions League clash with Paris Saint-Germain.

Netherlands reached the Davis Cup final for the first time with a battling 2-0 win over Germany on Friday.

Mikyle Louis and Alick Athanaze both fell just short of maiden Test centuries as West Indies reached 250-5 at stumps on the opening day of the first Test of two against Bangladesh on Friday.

Monaco tightened their grip on second in Ligue 1 with a 3-2 home win on Friday over Brest, who like the hosts, face a demanding Champions League match on Tuesday.

Jamie Ritchie, the former Scotland captain, will make his first start of the November international series after being selected for Sunday's match at home to Australia.

Australia coach Joe Schmidt said Friday he would love his side to emulate the Grand Slam achievements of a 1984 Wallabies team captained by "top man" Andrew Slack.

England coach Steve Borthwick insisted Friday he was taking no risks in recalling Tom Curry to face Japan at Twickenham just a fortnight after the dynamic flanker was knocked out against Australia, his fifth concussion in two years.

The judge in Donald Trump's criminal hush money case on Friday delayed his sentencing indefinitely, in what the president-elect's team called a "decisive win" as he prepares to return to the White House.

A child in California has become the first in the United States to test positive for bird flu infection, authorities said Friday, as health officials offered checks and preventive treatment to exposed contacts at the child's day-care center.

Netherlands claimed a hard-fought 1-0 lead over Germany in the Davis Cup semi-finals on Friday as Botic van de Zandschulp beat Daniel Altmaier 6-4, 6-7 (12/14), 6-3 in the first singles rubber.

Rap superstar Kendrick Lamar surprised fans on Friday with the unannounced release of a 12-track album.

A woman on Friday won a civil court damages claim against mixed martial arts fighter Conor McGregor over her allegation that he raped her in a Dublin hotel in 2018.

South Sudan's President Salva Kiir held an urgent meeting of top security brass on Friday after a shootout at the home of powerful former spy chief Akol Koor, who was sacked almost two months ago amid rumours of a coup plot.

Alarm grew in France on Friday over the fate of a prominent French-Algerian novelist detained in the country of his birth, with his publisher urging his immediate release and President Emmanuel Macron closely following the case.

The arrest of a Ugandan opposition figure in Kenya was carried out with Nairobi's knowledge, a Ugandan government spokesperson told AFP Friday.

Nicaragua's President Daniel Ortega and his wife are set to assume absolute power after loyalist lawmakers Friday approved a constitutional amendment elevating her to the position of "co-president" and boosting the pair's joint control over the state.

Amazon is doubling its investment in Anthropic to $8 billion in a deepened collaboration on artificial intelligence, the companies said Friday.

Marseille coach Roberto De Zerbi said Friday he had not thought of quitting after a home loss to Auxerre, recalling he had not fled Ukraine "when Putin bombed Kyiv".

Australia rising star Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii has been restored to the Wallabies starting lineup in one of six changes for their match against Scotland at Murrayfield on Sunday.

A second young Australian tourist died in a Thai hospital on Friday, bringing the death toll related to suspected methanol poisoning during a night out in a Laos backpacker hotspot to six.

A staggering 281 aid workers have been killed around the world so far this year, making 2024 the deadliest year for humanitarians, the UN aid chief said Friday.

Winding between copper vats and oak barrels, a cluster of early-morning visitors filed through a cavernous Brussels building for an up-close peek at craft beers brewed using a centuries-old method -- before sampling the result.

South Africa captain Siya Kolisi says his side want to wrap up their strong season with victory over Wales on Saturday, adding he is confident Warren Gatland is the coach to turn Welsh woes around.

The health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza said Friday that hospitals have only two days' fuel left before they must restrict services, after the UN warned aid delivery to the war-devastated territory is being crippled.

Tottenham boss Ange Postecoglou has defended the decision to appeal a seven-game ban handed to Rodrigo Bentancur for controversial comments about team-mate Son Heung-min, calling for more understanding when players admit to mistakes.

West Ham manager Julen Lopetegui claimed he is not losing any sleep over reports he is in danger of being sacked by the troubled Premier League club.

New Manchester United manager Ruben Amorim said he is the right man to revive the ailing English giants' fortunes ahead of his debut against Ipswich on Sunday.

The Russian ruble slumped on Friday to its lowest level against the US dollar since March 2022, a day after Moscow fired a hypersonic missile on Ukraine and Washington sanctioned a key Russian bank.

Japanese figure skaters Mone Chiba and Shun Sato topped the standings after shining in the short programme at the Grand Prix Cup of China in Chongqing on Friday.

Wealthy nations on Friday offered $250 billion a year to help poorer nations hit hardest by global warming but faced immediate calls led by Africa to give more as UN climate negotiations extended into overtime.