Il Nuovo Postiglione - News from Venice, Veneto, Venetia and Italy, as well as from around the world

Japan voted in snow-hit snap elections Sunday with Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi hoping to turn a honeymoon start into a resounding ballot box victory that could rile China and rattle financial markets.

Pakistan's capital Islamabad was once known for its lush greenery, but the felling of trees across the city for infrastructure and military monuments has prompted local anger and even lawsuits.

The thorny issue of what to do with Russian assets has not only stumped Western leaders but also officials in Berlin who are saddled with three crumbling buildings belonging to Moscow.

For nearly a year, repeated misdiagnoses of the deadly kala-azar disease left 60-year-old Harada Hussein Abdirahman's health deteriorating, as an outbreak in Kenya's arid regions claimed a record number of lives.

The biggest event in American sports kicks off Sunday as the New England Patriots take on the Seattle Seahawks at a Super Bowl tinged by controversy over Bad Bunny's half-time show.

The Houston Rockets, fueled by Alperen Sengun's triple-double and some timely baskets from superstar Kevin Durant, rallied to beat the short-handed NBA champion Oklahoma City Thunder 112-106 on Saturday.

Hideki Matsuyama, the 2021 Masters champion, fired a three-under par 68 to seize a one-stroke lead after Saturday's third round of the PGA Phoenix Open.

The Washington Post said Saturday its CEO and publisher Will Lewis was leaving effective immediately, just days after the storied newspaper owned by billionaire Amazon founder Jeff Bezos made drastic job cuts that angered readers.

Haiti's presidential transitional council, which has run the impoverished Caribbean nation for nearly two years, on Saturday handed power to US-backed Prime Minister Alix Didier Fils-Aime, after failing to rein in rampant gang violence.

North Korea's leadership will hold a party congress later this month, state media announced Sunday, in what will be the first such major gathering since 2021.

Thais vote Sunday in an election pitting the popular reformists who won last time against the conservative who ended up as prime minister, with ex-leader Thaksin Shinawatra looming large from his prison cell.

Switzerland's Franjo von Allmen claimed the first gold medal of the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics as he blasted to victory in the men's downhill on Saturday, while skating sensation Ilia Malinin took to the ice for the first time.

Jamie George was proud of England's dynamic start to the Six Nations after they thrashed Wales 48-7 at Twickenham on Saturday ahead of next week's trip to Edinburgh.

US figure skating star Ilia Malinin was upstaged on his Olympic debut on Saturday as Japan's Yuma Kagiyama led the men's short programme in the team event to keep the pressure on defending champions the United States.

Kira Kimura won Japan's first-ever men's snowboard big air Olympic gold at the Milan-Cortina Games on Saturday, producing a stunning final run under pressure to edge out compatriot Ryoma Kimata.

The children crowding round the Vail gondola for the ride up to the ski slopes could be following the path of two little girls who started in the same place and made it to the top of the mountain: Lindsey Vonn and Mikaela Shiffrin.

Veteran French politician Jack Lang, a former minister, was forced out of a key cultural post Saturday as pressure grew on him over revelations in the latest release of the Epstein files.

Kira Kimura won Japan's first-ever men's snowboard big air Olympic gold at the Milan-Cortina Games on Saturday, producing a stunning final run to seal the title.

Mikel Arteta said Viktor Gyokeres has raised his game to the "highest level" after the much-criticised striker scored twice in a 3-0 win over Sunderland on Saturday.

Rasmus Hojlund's penalty deep into added-on time snatched a 3-2 victory at Genoa on Saturday and kept champions Napoli hanging on in the Serie A title race.

England winger Henry Arundell said his team felt "frustrated" despite hammering Wales 48-7 on Saturday to launch their Six Nations title bid in promising fashion at Twickenham.

Speed skater Francesca Lollobrigida won an emotional first gold medal for host nation Italy on her 35th birthday at the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympics on Saturday.

Henry Arundell marked his return to England's starting side with a first-half hat-trick of tries as Steve Borthwick's men launched their bid for the Six Nations title with a 48-7 rout of an outclassed Wales at Twickenham on Saturday.

Countries on Saturday elected Chile's COP climate summit chief negotiator to drive forward stalled talks on striking a landmark global treaty tackling the scourge of plastic pollution.

Liam Rosenior labelled Cole Palmer "unstoppable" after the Chelsea forward's first-half hat-trick inspired a 3-1 victory at Wolves on Saturday.

Veteran French politician Jack Lang, a former minister, offered his resignation from a key cultural post on Saturday as pressure grows on him over revelations in the latest release of the Epstein files.

Jaxson Hayes of the Los Angeles Lakers was among four newcomers named Saturday to compete in the Slam Dunk Contest at next week's NBA All-Star festivities in Los Angeles.

Mikaela Shiffrin said Saturday she has learned from the mistakes which cost her Olympic medals four years ago as the in-form ski star prepares for her first race at the Milan-Cortina Games.

Japan votes in snap elections Sunday with Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi hoping to turn a honeymoon start into a resounding ballot box victory that could rile China and rattle financial markets.

Lens reclaimed top spot from Paris Saint-Germain to keep up their unexpected Ligue 1 title challenge as they beat Rennes 3-1 on Saturday to register a 10th successive home win.

Mikaela Shiffrin said Saturday she has learned from the mistakes which cost her Olympic medals four years ago as the in-form ski star prepares for her first race at the Milan-Cortina Games.

Several thousand demonstrators rallied in Berlin on Saturday calling for an end to Iran's clerical-led government and its bloody repression of protests.