10 injured by volcanic explosion on Italy's Mount Etna

Sicily's Mount Etna volcano unleashed an explosion Thursday, hurling molten rocks and steam that rained down on tourists, journalists and a scientist who scrambled to escape the barrage. Ten people were reported injured.

The tourists, who were drawn to Etna to observe the spectacle of the active volcano erupting, were caught by surprise when its flowing magma hit thick snow, causing a phreatic explosion that rained rock and other material down upon them.

3 skiers killed, 5 hurt in avalanche in Italian Alps

Italian alpine rescuers say three skiers have been killed in avalanche in the northern Italian Alps near the French border that injured another five people.

Milan Walter of the national alpine rescue corps says the group was back-country skiing when the avalanche was triggered at Plan de la Gabba, 5 kilometers (3 miles) southwest of Courmayeur, around midday. The dead included an Italian, a German and a Belgian, according to police.

Eyewear giant to emerge from tie-up of Luxottica, Essilor

A new European eyewear giant worth more than 50 billion euros ($52.5 billion) is set to emerge as Italy's Luxottica — owner of Ray-Ban and Oakley glasses — merges with French lens manufacturer Essilor.

Essilor International SA said Monday it had reached a share exchange deal with Luxottica's main shareholder, Delfin, to create a combined company making both frames and lenses.

Shares jumped in both Luxottica, which is based in Milan, and Essilor, headquartered near Paris.

50 years after flood, damaged Renaissance painting restored

A 16th-century painting by Renaissance artist Giorgio Vasari that was badly damaged in a 1966 flood in Florence was unveiled to the public Friday after years of painstaking restoration.

Vasari created "The Last Supper" for a convent of cloistered nuns. Because the nuns eschewed contact with men, and because the work was large — 6.6 meters by 2.6 meters (21 ½ feet by 8 1/2 feet) — Vasari painted it in his studio on five wood panels that could be easily transported and recomposed in the convent.

Italian woman, 116, seen as last living person born in 1800s

Surrounded by relatives and friends, Italy's Emma Morano greeted with a smile the news that she, at 116, is now the oldest person in the world.

Not only that, but Morano is believed to be the last surviving person in the world born in the 1800s, with a birthdate of Nov. 29, 1899. That's just 4 ½ months after Susannah Mushatt Jones, who died Thursday in New York, also at 116.

Journalists on Friday descended upon Morano's home in Verbania, a northern Italian mountain town overlooking Lake Major, to document her achievement, but had to wait until she finished a nap to greet her.

Italy: Hague tribunal OKs marine's return from India for now

An international tribunal in The Hague has decided that an Italian marine being held in India in the shooting deaths of two Indian fishermen mistaken for pirates can return home for the duration of arbitration, the Italian foreign ministry said Monday.

The tribunal's decision, approving an Italian request, was expected to be officially announced in The Hague on Tuesday.

India has accused two marines, Salvatore Girone and Massimiliano Latorre, of the shootings in 2012 while they were assigned to anti-piracy duties aboard an Italian commercial ship, the Enrica Lexie.

Umberto Eco, author of 'The Name of the Rose,' dead at 84

Umberto Eco catapulted to global literary fame three decades ago with "The Name of the Rose," a novel in which professorial erudition underpinned a medieval thriller that sold some 30 million copies in more than 40 languages.

The Italian author and academic who became one of Italy's best-known cultural exports and keenest cultural critics, died at home in Milan on Friday evening after a battle with cancer, according to a family member who asked not to be identified.

His death was earlier confirmed by his American publisher, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.

Russell Crowe takes in Giorgio Armani fashion from front row

Two human reactions to turbulent times emerged as fashion concepts during Milan Fashion Week, which wrapped up its five-day run on Tuesday: cocooning and militarization.

On one end of the spectrum, designers offered men myriad forms of comfort for next fall and winter, including soft-cut jackets; enveloping cashmere, vicuna and alpaca knitwear; silken pajamas meant as street wear and the ubiquitous long scarf that in many collections substituted for a traditional tie.

Milan menswear designers pay tribute to David Bowie

Milan designers paid tribute to music and fashion icon David Bowie as Milan Fashion Week menswear previews for next fall and winter continued on Saturday.

Costume National designer Ennio Capasa and Roberto Cavalli's Peter Dundas both said that the musician had often been a font of inspiration, apparent also in these collections previewing just a week after Bowie's death. Donatella Versace saluted the singer with a single burst of Bowie's hit "Ground Control to Major Tom" at the end of her futuristic, outer-space-inspired runway show.

Peter Dundas underlines brand's ease in Cavalli debut

The fourth day of Milan Fashion Week belonged to ex-Pucci designer Peter Dundas, who made his celebrated debut as creative director for Roberto Cavalli.

ON THIS DAY: Spain finally wins the World Cup

On July 11 in history: A Late strike from Andres Iniesta helps Spain beat Netherlands to win 2010 World Cup in Johannesburg; Italy comfortably overwhelms West Germany to win 1982 World Cup in Madrid.

ON THIS DAY: Zidane headbutts Materazzi in 2006

On July 9 in World Cup history: Zinedine Zidane loses his cool as Italy beats France to win 2006 final in Berlin.

ON THIS DAY: Rossi breaks Brazil's hearts in 1982

On July 5 in World Cup history: Paolo Rossi's hat trick helps Italy beat Brazil in Barcelona, Spain, in 1982. 

Italy navy finds 30 corpses in migrant boat

The bodies of some 30 would-be migrants were found in the hold of a packed smugglers' boat heading to Italy, the latest deaths in a surge of immigration to Europe, the Italian navy said Monday.

ON THIS DAY: Pagliuca becomes 1st keeper sent off

On June 23 in World Cup history: Italy's Gianluca Pagliuca becomes first goalkeeper to be sent off against Norway in East Rutherford, New Jersey, in 1994. 

In the 21st minute of this group match, Pagliuca became the first goalkeeper to be sent off in a World Cup finals match. The straight red was shown after he touched the ball with his arm outside the penalty area as he raced out to meet Norway's Oyvind Leonhardsen. Since it lost its opening match against Ireland, Italy faced the prospect of an early exit from a tournament it was tipped to do well in. Coach Arrigo Sacchi substituted his star player Roberto Baggio to bring on replacement keeper Luca Marchegiani. The gambit worked. Dino Baggio, no relation, scored the winner in the 69th minute and Italy survived, eventually making it to the final, where it lost a penalty shootout against Brazil after a miss by Roberto Baggio. 
(AP)

Costa Rica continues to surprise by beating Italy

Costa Rica has turned the tables on the team's World Cup expectations.

Or at least on everyone else's expectations.

Costa Rica followed up its surprise win over Uruguay with another World Cup stunner on Friday, beating four-time champion Italy 1-0 to secure a spot in the next round and eliminate England in the process.

After entering the tournament as an expected underdog in a group featuring three former world champions, Costa Rica is now on top.

Balotelli goal gives Italy 2-1 win over England

The heat and humidity of the jungle made its mark on the first World Cup match to be played in the Amazon rainforest, and so did Mario Balotelli.

With players from both sides slowing as the game wore on, it was the man with the mohawk that headed in the deciding goal early in the second half to give Italy a 2-1 win over England and a decided advantage in Group D.

"We won, but now let's keep our feet on the ground, otherwise we're not going anywhere," said Balotelli, an often volatile and often brilliant striker who was nearly dropped from the starting lineup after struggling for AC Milan this season.

Balotelli was left unmarked at the far post in the 50th minute, giving him plenty of space to head a cross from Antonio Candreva past goalkeeper Joe Hart for the winning goal.

The match was played in the Amazonian city of Manaus, the most exotic of the 12 World Cup venues for this year's tournament. According to FIFA, it was 30 degrees C (86 degrees F) with humidity at 61 percent for the match.

"At times it felt like having hallucinations due to the heat," Italy midfielder Claudio Marchisio said.

Marchisio gave the four-time champions the lead with a long shot through a crowded area and past a diving Hart in the 35th minute. Daniel Sturridge equalized for England two minutes later, tapping in a cross from Wayne Rooney.

In the other Group D match, Costa Rica beat Uruguay 3-1. So both England and Uruguay, who meet Thursday, have plenty of work to do to advance.

"We all need time to digest what happened on the field," England coach Roy Hodgson said. "My gut feeling is that we did very good things. There were some very good individual performances."

Both teams complained about the heat in Manaus, with Italy coach Cesare Prandelli questioning the decision to not have official timeouts during play.

"We had to slow down our pace to regain our breaths," Prandelli said. "It was impossible to maintain the intensity."

The choice of Manaus as a World Cup host city has been under scrutiny for years, mainly because of the weather conditions and the lack of a top football team in the city. Besides Saturday's game, there will be three more World Cup matches played in the jungle, including Cameroon vs. Croatia on Wednesday. The United States will then face Portugal in Manaus on June 22 and Honduras will play Switzerland on June 25.

But the city's debut on the World Cup stage was one of the most high-profile matches of the group phase, and one of the most high-profile players on the field made the difference.

"This was a very difficult (game) because England are a good team and there was the climate as well," Balotelli said. "We suffered, but then that's typical for Italy. The important thing is to win. "

Although he is one of the most talented strikers in football, there were some predictions heading into the World Cup that he would be dropped in favor of Ciro Immobile.

Immobile, who plays for Torino, scored a hat trick last weekend in a warm-up match against Brazilian club Fluminense. Prandelli, however, decided to stick with his main man.

Balotelli was born to Ghanaian immigrants and raised by Italian foster parents, and has often been forced to deal with racist chanting in Italy. However, the abuse hasn't prevented him from becoming a key player for the national team, including scoring two goals in the semifinal win over Germany at the 2012 European Championship.

Balotelli also nearly found the net in first-half injury time, running deep into the area and enticing Hart to come off his line. The Italy striker stopped, looked toward goal and sent a chip over the keeper's head but Phil Jagielka headed the ball over the bar.

England's attack-minded lineup made frequent runs into the Italy area throughout the match, and came close to scoring several times. When Sturridge did score, England team physio Gary Lewin dislocated his ankle while celebrating the goal.

Italy played without the injured Gianluigi Buffon. The 36-year-old goalkeeper, who can play in his fourth World Cup if he is able to recover from an ankle problem, was replaced by Salvatore Sirigu.

The PSG keeper stepped up and made several good saves, but the best may have come in the 77th when he dived to his left to block a free kick from Leighton Baines.

Prandelli praised Sirigu, but hopes Buffon will be back for Friday's game against Costa Rica. 

"We tried to have him back for tonight but weren't able to," Prandelli said. "Over the next few days we'll try to get him back. But I can't say by when."

By CHRIS LEHOURITES

The Associated Press