ANSA. - The global financial crunch has forced most luxury brands to review their expansion plans, but Italy's quality menswear label Zegna is taking an upbeat approach and is banking on a more positive future ''Things are really tough. (Read the article)

ANSA. Former Italy manager Roberto Donadoni said Wednesday he had no fears about reviving Serie A club Napoli in his first soccer job since Euro 2008. (Read the article)

THE NEW YORK TIMES. Inter Milan Manager José Mourinho is special. He’ll tell you so. And so too will those who work with him, play for him and compete against him. The Portuguese coach has had great success in a relatively short managerial career. (Read the article by Jeuffey Marcus)

ABC. As an alleged mafia hitman, Charles Carneglia excelled at making people vanish. Now he and the rest of New York's once mighty Cosa Nostra could be the ones disappearing. (Read the article)

INTERNATIONAL HERALD TRIBUNE.  U.S. President Barack Obama's lifting of restrictions on federal funding for human embryonic stem cell research puts him at odds with Pope Benedict and the American Roman Catholic Church. (Read the article by Philip Pullella)

RETUTERS. Lawyers for the Italian state began arguments to the Constitutional Court Tuesday to try to get a case against U.S. and Italian spies accused of kidnapping a terrorism suspect thrown out. (Read the article)

THE SPORTS NETWORK. Venezuela exploded for nine runs over the fourth and fifth innings en route to eliminating Italy with a 10-1 drubbing in World Baseball Classic play at Rogers Centre. (Read the article)