Rome - The number of hungry people in the world soared to 963 million in 2008, an increase of 40 million over the previous year largely due to higher food prices, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) said Tuesday.

The Rome-based FAO warned that the current economic crisis could tip even more people into hunger and poverty.

Rome - Struggling Serie A side Torino have fired coach Gianni De Biasi and called back Walter Novellino, who was still under contract with the Turin club since his dismissal in April.

Torino fired Novellino, 55, with five games left to the end of the 2007-2008 season. He began coaching in 1992 after a good career as offensive midfielder with the same Torino, AC Milan, Perugia and Catania.

Rome  - Around 260 refugees from various African countries landed on the southern Italian island of Lampedusa on Sunday, officials reported.

The would-be immigrants - all were men - were in good health, the authorities said. Their arrival brings to more 1,200 the number of persons in the island's refugee reception centre, a facility designed to contain only 700.

Copenhagen  - The Italian film Gomorrah, about the criminal underworld in Naples, cleaned up Saturday night at the European Film Awards in the Danish capital, receiving five of the 15 top awards.

In addition to receiving the prize as the top European film of 2008, director Matteo Garrone was named best director and Toni Servillo named the best actor.

Servillo's award also included his work in Il Divo (The Star.)

Gomorrah also received the prize for best script, and Garrone's cameraman Marco Onorato was named for the best photography.

Rome - A muscle injury suffered Saturday has sidelined Brazilian star Ronaldinho from a Serie A game AC Milan play this weekend at home to Catania.

Gazzetta. it reported that Ronaldinho hurt himself during the Devils' last training session, forcing coach Carlo Ancelotti to add his name to a long list of absentees.

Midfielders Andrea Pirlo, Massimo Ambrosini, Clarence Seedorf, defender Daniele Bonera and strikers Filippo Inzaghi and Marco Borriello also won't be available for the Sunday game at the Giuseppe Meazza.

Rome  - Jeremy Menez was the hero for Roma Saturday as he scored a second-half winner to secure a 1-0 win over Chievo and register his side's fourth win in succession.

The Frenchman played one of his best games since joining the Rome club and was rewarded on 69 minutes with a spectacular volley that ensured victory.

Menez first threatened on nine minutes with a dangerous drive while 10 minutes later two defenders managed to block the former Monaco midfielder as he tried to break into the area.