Italy are struggling to qualify automatically for next year’s World Cup finals and the pressure on the team is exacerbated by the tension surrounding next Tuesday’s qualifier with Israel in Udine.
Italy was the scene of some of Europe’s biggest pro-Palestinian protests last weekend, as Israeli forces continue their offensive in Gaza.
Hundreds of thousands of people gathered across Italy in anger at Israel’s actions, and calls for the country to be barred from international sport have grown louder.
The protests were in response to Israel’s military operation in Gaza, which was sparked by the attack by Hamas militants on October 7, 2023, on Israeli communities near the Gaza Strip.
During Friday’s massive strike action in support of the Palestinians, demonstrators went to the Italian national team’s training centre in Florence to demand the match against Israel be called off.
As of Tuesday only around 4,000 tickets had been sold for the game in Udine, a small city in Italy’s far north-east, which was picked specifically to help limit the potential for disorder.
Udine was the venue when Italy – who face Estonia in Tallinn on Saturday – last hosted Israel, in the Nations League in September 2024. That match passed off largely without incident, albeit surrounded by a massive security operation which included soldiers on the roof of the stadium.
But the threat of much bigger and more disruptive protests led Udine’s mayor Alberto Felice De Toni to ask for the match to be postponed.
‘Very sad’
This week Italy’s coach Gennaro Gattuso said the situation in Gaza was ‘very sad’ and lamented a difficult atmosphere for a match which will be key to Italy’s hopes of avoiding missing out on a third straight World Cup.
‘There will be 10,000 people outside the stadium and 5-6,000 inside it. I would have preferred to play a home match in front of an enthusiastic crowd like we did in Bergamo (where Italy beat Estonia 5-0) a month ago,’ Gattuso said.
His task was already complicated enough without the external political pressure of playing Israel, as direct qualification for the World Cup is seriously in doubt.
Only the winner of the five-team group is guaranteed an automatic spot and Italy sit second, level on nine points with Israel and six behind leaders Norway, but with a game in hand on both.
However Norway’s far superior goal difference – they have a 16-goal advantage over Italy – means Gattuso’s side can only top the group if they win all four of their remaining matches and Erling Haaland and company slip up before they travel to the San Siro next month.
That leaves second place and a spot in the play-offs as the likely route to the World Cup, a tournament in which Italy haven’t played a knockout fixture since winning it in 2006.
Italy exited at the qualification play-off stage for the last two World Cups, failing to reach the 2022 edition in Qatar despite being reigning European champions.
Instagram has announced the launch of a new award called Rings, created to honor creators who aren’t afraid to be themselves and explore new dimensions of creativity, Azernews reports.
Unlike traditional contests, the Rings Award isn’t tied to a specific content type or follower count – it embodies the very spirit of creative expression.
‘Every act of creativity, big or small, can lead to something extraordinary,’ the company said in an official statement.
To select the winners, Instagram assembled an international jury of renowned figures from the worlds of art, fashion, and culture. These experts nominated their favorite creators and chose the finalists.
Instagram is launching its own ‘Oscars’ for bloggers.
In total, 25 creators from around the globe will receive the award.
Winners will be presented with both a physical and a digital ring, designed by British designer Grace Wales Bonner, known for her unique blend of fashion and culture. When winners post Stories, a golden ring will appear around their avatar, replacing the usual frame. Additionally, winners will be able to customize their profile backgrounds and the design of the like button – further highlighting their individuality and creative freedom.
The launch of Rings comes amid a shifting creator economy, with many platforms cutting payouts and revisiting monetization programs. Against this backdrop, Instagram is focusing not on financial rewards, but on prestige and symbolic recognition of creative contributions.
First Rings recipients will be announced on October 10, 2025, with Instagram planning a virtual awards ceremony featuring stars and influential creators.
Instagram aims to make the Rings Award an annual tradition, celebrating creativity in all its forms.
On October 7, Mr. ISHIBA Shigeru, Prime Minister of Japan, sent a congratulatory letter to H. E. Prof. Arthur Peter MUTHARIKA on his election as President of the Republic of Malawi based on the results of the general elections held on September 16.
1. In the letter, Prime Minister ISHIBA congratulated President MUTHARIKA on his inauguration and expressed his respect for Malawi’s steady development under a stable democracy, as well as his hope that Malawi’s efforts towards peace and prosperity in the southern African region will be further promoted under the leadership of the new president.
2. Prime Minister ISHIBA noted that Japan and Malawi have built good relations over the years, and also conveyed his willingness to work closely together to further deepen friendship and cooperation between the two countries.
Huge update in the investigation into the devastating Palisades Fire in California … the feds say they’ve arrested a suspect who they say ignited the inferno. Acting U.S. Attorney Bill Essayli just announced the arrest of a 29-year-old man named…
Former Bachelorette star DeAnna Pappas’ ex-husband, Stephen Stagliano, revealed the monthly income he makes while driving Uber as they fight over child support, Us Weekly can exclusively report.
On September 30, Stagliano, 41, filed court docs revealing his financial situation months after being accused of owing Pappas, 43, more than $20,000 in back child support.
In his filing, Stagliano said he works as an Uber driver. He said he works around 10-15 hours per week and earns around $22 per hour. He said he has a college degree in history education and a master’s in education. Stagliano said that he earned $436.43 in August, but he earns on average around $650 per month ($462 of that was from unemployment).
“My only sources of income are from unemployment and driving Uber. My last paycheck was $3,750 from Story Games on March 1, 2025,” he told the court. Stagliano worked for a video company that ran out of funding earlier this year.
Stagliano said he had $10,089 in cash and in his bank account but did not have any other money or property. He said his monthly expenses totaled $7,437, including $4,300 on rent, $500 on groceries, $100 on eating out, $150 on clothes, $300 on auto expenses, $1,000 on credit card debt and another $314 on a Ford Escape.
Courtesy of Stephen Stagliano/Instagram
He added, “I am actively looking for a job. I have applied to over 150 jobs in various industries with no success. I drive Uber to generate income when I can. I have paid $1,500 in alimony to [Pappas] every single? month.”
On Friday, October 3, Pappas filed her own income and expense declaration, revealing she lost her job as a flight attendant for a California-based company in June. She had been working in the field since 2011.
DeAnna Pappas, Stephen Stagliano.Getty Images (2)
She said she earned no income last month due to her unemployment. “I continue to actively look for work,” Pappas told the court. She was earning over $16,000 a month from her job.
She said she was paid $1,500 in spousal support from Stagliano and $1,755 in workers’ compensation.
Pappas noted she started an LLC for podcasting and launched her own show, “Dishin With D,” but has yet to make any revenue.
She said she had around $95,000 in cash and bank accounts and another $20,000 in personal property.
The former reality star said her monthly expenses include $4,500 on rent, $1,350 on health care $700 on groceries, $400 on eating out, $300 on utilities, $230 on cell phone, $50 on laundry, $250 on clothes, $250 on entertainment, $300 to charity and various other bills for a total of $10,030 per month in expenses.
Pappas listed her debt as $17,000 on a Visa credit card and another $3,456 on a Mastercard credit card.
Frazer Harrison/Getty Images for Relativity Media
The exes are currently sharing custody of their two kids.
As Us first reported, Pappas accused her ex of owing $23,000 in back child support in June. She opposed his plea to modify the $2,500 in support payments he was ordered to pay.
She told Us, “The last few years — especially the past few months — have been some of the most challenging of my life. Throughout it all, I’ve remained committed to prioritizing my physical and mental health so I can be the best version of myself for my two children. I’m deeply grateful to the judge who took the time to truly listen and understand our situation.”
She added, “This decision brings peace, hope, and most importantly, the chance to continue being present in my children’s lives — where I belong. I am thankful for a fair and just process rooted in the facts, for my legal team, and for everyone who stood by me during this journey. Love wins and I’m moving forward with hope and strength for all that the Lord has in store for me. I am overwhelmed with gratitude.”
“I’ve had my fair share of heartache — some of which played out on national television when I was just a freaking kid — and a lot of that was in my marriage and in divorce,” Pappas told Us. “I won’t allow any of that to break who I am. I just won’t, because I believe in partnership and I believe in companionship, and at the end of the day, to be honest, I believe there is someone out there for me.”
After stealing scenes (and hearts) as Dimitri Belikov on Vampire Academy, Kieron Moore is pushing himself even further on Netflix’s Boots.
During an exclusive interview with Us Weekly about the upcoming Netflix series, Moore, 28, expressed his immense gratitude for Vampire Academyand the opportunities it brought into his life. But while Moore’s love for Dimitri shone through, so did his excitement to play more characters who are full of surprises.
“When I auditioned [for Nicholas Slovacek], I had super long hair. I said to them, ‘Here’s what I look like with a shaved head. This is my version of Slovacek. I can shave it off for you for the audition,’” Moore recalled about his dedication to his Boots role before even booking it. “They said, ‘Don’t do that for the audition.’ But I really wanted to play him.”
“This just felt like the right time. After Vampire Academy, I wanted to test myself as a character. That was important for me — for my humility and growth as an actor — where I just thought this was a really good pivot away after Vampire Academy to show what I can do,” he explained. “So I was really committed.”
For Moore, it was important to build out Slovacek on an emotional and physical level, adding, “I remember the day we shaved it off, they really built it up. But as soon as they shaved my head, I felt like Slovacek was there. At the beginning, Slovacek feels like the one who is probably going to be OK and he’s going to get through this. He’s just got that thing about him.”
Boots, which premieres on Thursday, October 9, is based on Greg Cope White‘s memoir, The Pink Marine, and sets up a story about a gay teen who joins the American military alongside his straight best friend during the 1990s. Moore’s Slovacek, meanwhile, is an ex-con who joins the Marines hoping to stay out of prison.
Alfonso “Pompo” Bresciani/Netflix
At first glance, Slovacek is a classic antagonist who creates obstacles in the story. But Moore’s performance helps Slovacek go on a journey that teaches him more about himself while bonding with the other recruits through major ups and downs in training camp.
“It’s interesting that they all obviously go through these tribulations. But you have to let go of what you were to become who you’re going to be and can you do that? It’s quite reflective of it,” Moore teased the message at the center of the series.
Slovacek was a true transformation for Moore, who dug deep to show the humanity hidden underneath a mask of masculinity.
“I’ve grown up with criminals, police officers and barristers and we’ve all met in a boxing gym. Once you step through that door, none of it exists. You meet each other where you are. That was important to me,” Moore noted. “I’ve had my own stories with bullies and there’s been bullies all my life. People look at me and think I was the bully. I’m like, ‘You have no idea.’ I was a very gentle kid, but I remember what that was like.”
Moore made it a priority to understand Slovacek instead of judging him, telling Us, “I remember getting to this age where you humanize people [like that] and you see what their upbringing was like and you get this level of understanding that they might not ever see in themselves. I didn’t want Slovacek to be reflective of that. He has a lot [to] work on.”
He continued: “But I think it’s such a beautiful form of masculinity. He needs a friend and he needs guidance but he’s just so singled off in the world. He’s a work in progress. I would love it if people watch it and go, ‘He’s a nightmare.’ But then if they watch it again, by the end they go, ‘Oh, he just doesn’t know how to make friends. This is how he makes friends.’”
Slovacek is an example of how people become products of their environments.
“Where he comes from is all about masculinity and competitiveness. This is the space where he thinks that’s how it works — and in a way it is. I think he’s a good person to have on the team eventually,” Moore teased. “Once you’ve got his loyalty, you’ve really got it. I think that was something that I thought about all the way through.”
When it came to Slovacek’s background, Moore put in the work to learn more from the original text.
“I read The Pink Marine when I thought maybe I might get this role. But it was about trying to keep no expectations. And with Slovacek being from prison, I actually looked more at prison backgrounds. I spent a lot of time watching documentaries about Rikers Island, crime in the early ’90s and what it meant to be a young man around that time,” he recalled. “I thought if we can get into that mentality of treating this like it’s prison, it’ll give me room to shake that off and hopefully turn into a Marine along the way.”
Then there was Slovacek’s appearance, with Moore sharing, “I was a bit lean when I did Vampire Academy where I wanted to be athletic for Dimitri. With Slovacek, I wanted him to have prison muscle, but I didn’t really have that. That was my main goal — physically — where I wanted him to be kind of broad. So I was obviously working out in the gym and eating more. As the show goes on, he gets bigger and he gets softer as well.”
He continued: “He’s eating more and he’s training more, but he makes good friends with the biggest kid on the block and it’s like, ‘I have to get big, too.’ Obviously, [my] boxing background lent to this with me, but it’s also about street wisdom. What I learned in boxing gyms was you rub shoulders with everyone and it doesn’t really matter where you come from. You come to this place and we fight out and that’s it. I carried that into it.”
Moore’s character building isn’t a surprise for those who have followed his work so far. Before pushing boundaries on screen, Moore got his start as a competitive boxer. He made the move to acting with appearances in Emmerdale, Sex Education and The Sandman as he prepared for the breakout role that has shaped his career: Dimitri in The Vampire Academy.
The short-lived Peacock series earned Moore a fanbase that has followed him to new projects, including Masters of the Air and Code of Silence. Vampire Academy fans will also be excited to see Moore cross paths with Max Parker.
“We’re the only two British boys on this show and it’s a huge responsibility. We really want to make sure that we’re doing these characters a service and we had to earn our stripes a little bit. [We made] memories for a lifetime. I feel very lucky that I get to go on this journey with someone so close to me,” Moore gushed to Us. “At the same time, I’ve also made more friends like Max on this job. I’ve met beautiful friends. I speak to some of these boys every single day. We’re [in] a group chat still. I’m just really excited. Whatever happens with the show, I’m really excited for people to see it and have an opinion on it. I’m really excited for all of these boys to have their moments and they’re the next stars for sure.”
Moore has a lot to look forward to as well. In addition to Boots, Moore stars in Blue Film as a camboy who agrees to spend the night with an anonymous client. His upcoming film The Intimacy Coordinatorwill reunite him with formerVampire Academy costar Louisa Connolly-Burnham.
“I’m so excited for the Vampire Academy fans [to see this]. They’re so loyal and have been so beautiful [to] me. It’s this beautiful thing where I’m very lucky with the Vampire Academy fans,” Moore, who is somehow able to write poetry in his free time, told Us. “They trusted me with Dimitri and they’ve been so loyal as fans. But it’s been this really nice thing where they’ve gone on to watch me in other stuff and support me.”
As for what comes next? Moore is keeping his options open. He even entertained Us‘ suggestion that he play a cowboy … perhaps in former Vampire Academy costar Andrew Liner‘s Netflix series Ransom Canyon.
“I dream of having a southern accent [for a project]. I’m waiting. I just want to be on a horse. Get me there,” he quipped. “I would love to [take that on] if the right role came along. But I think there’s a cowboy in me — or get me on Ransom Canyon, I’ll come and give Drew some trouble.”
Boots starts streaming on Netflix Thursday, October 9.
As indirect talks in Egypt seeking to end Gaza’s two-year war continue, the UN World Health Organization (WHO) says rebuilding the devastated health system is critical to securing lasting peace and stability.
By Dr. Tendai Moyo, Governance and Political Analyst
HARARE, Zimbabwe – Having just returned from Blantyre where I witnessed the inauguration as part of President Mnangagwa’s delegation, I am compelled to reflect on a speech that I believe marks a significant turning point. From my perspective as a governance analyst, President Professor Arthur Peter Mutharika’s address today was a masterclass in political reset, one that should be studied across our region.
We attend many such ceremonies in Southern Africa, often filled with predictable platitudes and celebratory fanfare. What we witnessed from President Mutharika in Kamuzu Stadium was something fundamentally different. This was not the same leader we have observed in the past; this was a President who has shed any ambivalence and has chosen to define his legacy with stark clarity.
His declaration that “Government is not a feast, a night club, a political party” was more than just rhetoric. It was a foundational philosophy, a direct repudiation of the patronage systems that have hindered progress in many of our nations. When he thundered, “the honeymoon of plundering government resources is over,” the atmosphere in the stadium shifted. This was a targeted declaration of war on corruption, delivered with a resolve that signals a new chapter.
The most telling moment was his personal, unequivocal warning: “If anyone acts to the contrary, I will go after him or her. Never say I never warned you.” In our political context, where such warnings are often diluted by expediency, this was a breathtakingly direct signal of intent. This is the language of a leader who means business, and it resonates deeply with citizens across borders who are weary of seeing public resources treated as private treasure.
President Mnangagwa, who has himself championed the need for economic discipline and anti-corruption drives, would have recognised in Mutharika’s speech a kindred spirit in the difficult battle to reform governance. The challenges Mutharika outlined, foreign exchange shortages, food insecurity, are hauntingly familiar to us here in Zimbabwe. His solution, however, marks a critical point of analysis. By calling for “patience, discipline, and hard work” from all Malawians, he is correctly framing national recovery not as a gift from the state, but as a shared contract between the government and its people.
The invitation to international investors was equally astute. It was an assurance that this new era of internal accountability is designed to build a stable and predictable environment for business. This is smart economics, signalling that Malawi under this renewed leadership understands that integrity is the foundational currency of international confidence.
In my analysis, viewed from here in Harare, President Mutharika has done something politically shrewd. He has used the potent platform of his inauguration, with regional leaders as witnesses, to burn his bridges with the old way of doing things. He has set a very high bar for his administration.
The speech was, without a doubt, superb. It was the right message, delivered with the right tone, at the most opportune moment. But the true test starts now. If President Mutharika can match the force of his words with the force of his actions, then today will be remembered not just for a great speech, but as the genuine start of Malawi’s national recovery. For the sake of our region and its people, we hope he succeeds.
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