Syracuse, Italy  - Delegates from the Group of Eight (G8) industrialized nations, plus other heavy polluters such as China, India and Brazil, gathered in Syracuse on Wednesday to discuss how to combat climate change at a time of deep economic crisis.

The start of the meeting coincided with Earth Day, an annual event designed to increase awareness about the environment around the world.

Rome - Juventus coach Claudio Ranieri has said he'll ask his team to leave the pitch in case of racist chants from the stands, the la Repubblica daily reported on Wednesday.

Juve were on Monday sentenced to play a home game behind closed doors because of racist slurs and chants that their fans aimed at Inter Milan striker Mario Balotelli during the teams' Serie A game on the weekend.

"I'll call (Alessandro) Del Piero, our captain, then the other side's captain, then the fourth official and of course the referee," Ranieri said.

Rome  - Brazilian midfielder Emers

Rome  - The shares of Serie A side Roma gained 20 per cent Tuesday amid rumours that a Swiss-German financial group is interested in buying the club, the online site epubblica. it reported.

It appears that Roma and the prospective buyers already signed a preliminary agreement, but the Italpetroli oil company, which controls the club, denied in a statement to have sold its shares.

"Journalistic fabrications about the time for a sale of (our) shares are entirely imaginative and lacking of foundation," Italpetroli said.

Valletta - Malta on Tuesday denied claims that it had diverted 40,000 would-be illegal immigrants to Italy in recent years.

Italian Interior Minister Roberto Maroni presented a dossier to the European Commission on Tuesday in the wake of Malta's refusal to accept refugees from a Turkish vessel.

More than 140 immigrants were left stranded off Lampedusa for three days at the end of last week, after the rescue vessel Pinar was refused entry by both Italy and Malta.

Rome - Atalanta coach Luigi Del Neri Tuesday confirmed his mooted departure from the Bergamo side, which he will steer for the remaining six games of the Serie A season, Italian media reported.

"I leave Atalanta because we have different programs," the 58-year-old trainer said. "I'm looking for more important goals than just safety from relegation."

Del Neri has coached Atalanta since 2007, closing the past season in ninth position.