Milan - Inter Milan Friday rescinded the contract of Adriano after the Brazil striker recently failed to return from international duty.
Inter said Adriano's contract with the Serie A team had been ended with effect from April 1.
"Inter's appreciation goes to Adriano for the eight years and 74 goals we lived through together," the club said on its website.
After the last international break, Adriano, 27, failed to board a scheduled flight for Italy on April 3 and did not communicate his decision to his agent and Inter.
Olpe, Germany - Three young children - abandoned in an Italian pizzeria after their mother and her companion ran out of cash - arrived home Friday in Germany, where they have been made wards of court, authorities in the district of Olpe said.
Rome - The United States and Russia on Friday characterized their first preliminary talks on strategic arms reduction as "constructive" and "very productive."
Rome - A few years ago, la Repubblica columnist Vittorio Zucconi wrote that only madmen would continue calling the Italian Serie A the best league in the world. Time proved the veteran journalist to be right and today, despite a fourth World Cup won in 2006, it is hard to find someone who feels like comparing Italy's top flight with that of England or Spain where the best players in the world tend to go these days.
Syracuse, Italy - European environment ministers Thursday urged the United States to show leadership and spell out its plans for cutting greenhouse gas emission.
Rome/Berlin - Investigators in Italy and Germany were worried Thursday about the whereabouts of a German couple who had abandoned three children at a pizza restaurant in northern Italy.
