The former Roma and Inter midfielder, who was capped 31 times by Italy, will take charge of next month’s friendlies against Argentina and England. Italy face La Albiceleste at Manchester City’s Etihad Stadium on March 23 before taking on the Three Lions at Wembley four days later. A statement released by the Italian Football Federation (FIGC) read: “Following the meeting held today at the headquarters of the Italian Football Federation in Rome, in the presence of the Extraordinary Commissioner Roberto Fabbricini and his deputy Alessandro Costacurta, it was decided to entrust to Luigi Di Biagio the position of national technical commissioner in view of the two international commitments next March....

France was hosting Germany in a friendly match when the Stade de France was targeted as part of the attacks that took place across Paris, with the French Football Federation confirming that three people were killed by a bomb blast at the Gate J part of the venue. MORE: Aftermath of the attacks, in photos | Horror in Paris | Sports world reacts Hundreds of fans remained in the stadium and stood on the pitch long after the final whistle, while French President Francois Hollande declared a state of emergency across the country as multiple incidents left at least 150 dead, according to numerous reports....

Italy recorded 19,903 new cases and 649 new deaths on December 12, bringing total deaths from the virus in the country to 64,036, according to Worldometer. This is marginally more than total deaths in the U.K., which stood at 64,026 on Saturday. The figures will be seen as a setback for the country, which was the first Western nation to grapple with the pandemic and suffered a substantial number of cases and deaths in the spring....

One of their heroes of that win over England in the final, Giorgio Chiellini, will play the final match of his Azzurri career in the one-off game played over 90 minutes. There will be no extra time and the match will go straight to penalties if the score is level at full time, which will be a relief to both sets of players following the end of their domestic seasons....

We are on board the USS Peleliu, somewhere in the north Arabian Sea. For the safety of the military personnel on board, NEWSWEEK has agreed not to provide the ship’s exact location nor to use the last names of soldiers who want to protect the families they left behind. During a practice drill, the 29-year-old captain is on the alert, paying close attention to everything around him. Shooting stars streak across the sky and stray birds flutter above ship’s deck....

The video was released by James O’Keefe and his Project Veritas, which oftentimes secretly records media executives saying things that O’Keefe says indicate a bias against conservatives. “It is unspoken, but if you accidentally step outside the narrative, if you don’t sense what that narrative is, and go with it, there will be great consequences for you,” Hecker tells O’Keefe. “My newsroom kind of groups everyone into racial groups.”...

The Jets are holding an online contest to pick eight season ticket holders — one for each home game — to lead the team’s familiar rallying cry this year. Season ticket holders will be able to submit a video of 15 seconds or less of themselves leading the chant. Fans will then choose their favorite entries on the team’s website, and the eight top vote-getters will get the crowds at MetLife Stadium fired up....

During a stop in Baltimore on his 4 Your Eyez Only Tour, Cole criticized the Ravens for not signing Kaepernick. There was some interest from the team, but the owner was reportedly against the move. Cole felt this was wrong, and let his thoughts known. Cole mentioned how the city needed someone to represent them in a positive light and felt like Kaepernick could be that person, but is being stopped from doing so....

Redick, an integral offseason acquisition for the Clippers, suffered a fracture of a small bone in his hand and a tear of the ulnar collateral ligament, according to the Clippers. Redick's injury came in the second quarter of the Clippers' Friday win over the Sacramento Kings. The Clippers' shooting guard will be re-evaluated on Dec. 2, which is when Dr. Steve Shin will determine whether whether further treatment is necessary....

Watt was spotted with a cast on his left hand during Thursday’s practice and said afterward that he broke it during Wednesday’s practice. He did not participate in practice Thursday, but he said he’ll play Sunday. MORE: Week 14 picks, straight up | Picks against the spread | Fantasy tips “Let them try, come at it,” he said about opponents targeting his cast. The reigning Defensive Player of the Year hasn’t missed a game in his career and is riding a 76-game streak of consecutive starts....

Last week, Gray made controversial comments regarding the definition of a woman, something which Rowling has also been accused of in the past. During an interview with Piers Morgan, Gray said, “And I will say this, and everybody’s gonna hate me, but as a woman, just because you go change your parts doesn’t make you a woman. Sorry.” Gray apologized for her comments during an appearance on NBC’s Today Show....

MORE: Cavs cure the curse | A look at what happened It was the Cavaliers’ first-ever NBA Finals victory, but with tears in his eyes, all Smith could think about was his family. “I mean my parents, my family, that’s the biggest inspiration in my life,” the 30-year-old said. “I’ve been in a lot of dark spots in my life, and if it wasn’t for them, I wouldn’t be able to get out of it, but they are who they are....

Prescott’s death was confirmed to the Shreveport (La.) Times by Northwestern State University assistant athletic director Jason Pugh. The Cowboys released a statement during the 2020 NFL Draft. “It is with great sadness and support that we share the news of the passing of Jace Prescott today,” the statement read (per ESPN’s Ed Werder). “The loss of Tad and Dak’s brother is devastating. At this incredibly difficult time, the Prescott family asks only for prayers and respect for their privacy....

During the sixth inning of Tuesday’s Tigers-Angels matchup, Tigers color analyst Morris let loose a racist, stereotypical accent, seemingly mocking English-speaking Asians as Shohei Ohtani was stepping up to the plate: “Be very, very careful,” Morris said of Ohtani in the accent. Later in the game, during the next Ohtani at-bat, Morris apologized for the line. The full exchange: “Well, folks, Shohei Ohtani is at the plate, and it has been brought to my attention that I sincerely apologize if I offended anybody, especially anybody in the Asian community for what I said about pitching and being careful about Shohei Ohtani....

Her elder sister, Joan Collins, is a Hollywood actress who starred opposite Bette Davis and Paul Newman in movies before becoming better known as Alexis Colby in the original Dynasty TV series. The two sisters were seeking their fame and fortune at a similar time, with some suggesting there may have been competition between them. The Truth Behind Jackie Collins’ and Sister Joan Collins’ Rivalry In her new film Lady Boss, which follows the life of Jackie Collins, Laura Fairrie depicts how Jackie admitted to feeling “inferior” to her sister as a teenager....

“What gave them the right to attempted murder on my child? What gave them the right to think that my son was an animal? What gave them the right to take something that was not theirs? I’m tired of this,” Blake’s father, Jacob Blake Sr., said to the crowd. Blake’s father was emotional as he recalled speaking with his son last week in the hospital. “My baby said, ‘Daddy, why did they shoot me so many times?...

In finding the best possible replacement for him, the Jaguars’ challenge is to hire someone who can get the same respect from their players and provide better overall results on the field. There’s no doubt which side of the ball should dominate the search: MORE: All-time best Jacksonville Jaguars Anthony Lynn, offensive coordinator, Bills. Bradley did start seeing the fruits of all GM David Caldwell’s labor to improve the defensive personnel this season....

While he’s still with the Jaguars, the third-year running back is hoping this upcoming NFL season will serve as a reboot after an injury and a suspension kept him off the field for half the year. “I’m happy, especially the way I’m here working with my team right now,” Fournette said Friday after OTAs, via ESPN. “It’s a new year. We have a new team. We’re focused and we have new players....

The award, whose inaugural winner was Mitch Trubisky after throwing for 199 yards in a 21-9 loss to the Saints, is still kicking around, though it doesn’t seem to get a lot of fanfare these days. Jacksonville Jaguars fans, however, are reveling in their 2-1 start and they want the proper recognition, dammit. Week 3’s NVP went to Lamar Jackson, much to the chagrin of Jaguars fans, who have decided the NVP is the most important award on the planet....

A Camden, N.J., judge ruled that Okafor’s plea deal for the ticket is valid, meaning he will only have to pay the fine and not do any community service, Okafor’s lawyer said, via Philly.com. MORE: Athletes giving sports a bad name The 76ers center was crossing the bridge, which connects Philadelphia to Camden, at 108 mph in his white Mercedes-Maybach when he was stopped. The speed limit on the bridge is 45 mph....