Mafia 'boss of bosses' Salvatore 'Toto' Riina has died while serving multiple life sentences, according to Italian media.

Furious Ryanair customers are bombarding the firm with complaints and questions following the latest batch of flight cancellations.

Leicester City’s fans showed that English hooliganism hasn’t gone away. Which is worrying what with the World Cup in Russia coming up next year, writes The Secret Footballer.

A tiger escaped from a circus in Sicily, running along the road in a town near Palermo before being recaptured.

Five people smugglers have been charged by Italian prosecutors with aiding and abetting the murder of more than 200 migrants as a result of evidence provided by the captain and crew of an Irish Naval service ship.

Two Eritrean babies born prematurely on the migrant voyage from Africa to Europe are being treated at a hospital in Palermo, Sicily after being rescued at sea with thousands of other migrants.

On our way to celebrate a very special anniversary with some friends in the foothills of Mount Etna, we snatched an extra few days to rediscover Sicily.

Italian mafia boss Bernardo Provenzano, one of the most notorious crime figures of his time, has died in a Milan hospital at the age of 83.

Some of the stranger stories from around the world

More than 1,500 migrants landed on Italian shores on Monday, as the influx of desperate people fleeing conflict and poverty continues. 

Still exhibiting the nonchalance which typified his stellar playing career, it says much for the FAI’s €5m hush deal with Fifa that it makes Ruud Gullit fume.

Five North African men have been arrested on suspicion of multiple homicide and human trafficking following the catastrophic loss of more than 200 migrant lives, including children, off the coast of Libya on Wednesday.

The personnel of the LÉ Niamh, and the LÉ Eithne before her, are a source of national pride as they continue their life-saving Mediterranean missions.

Good evening. Here’s a briefing on some of the stories and issues highlighted on IrishExaminer.com today.

The LÉ Niamh, which rescued almost 400 migrants from the Mediterranean in one operation this week, has arrived in the Italian city of Palermo.

The migrants would not take the mushroom and vegetable soup the crew dished up to them, as they were suspicious of what was in it. So the naval service was forced to improvise quickly.

Italian police seized assets worth more than €1.6bn from five Sicilian siblings suspected of links to the island’s Cosa Nostra mafia, in one of the biggest ever such operations.

A €50m new ship undergoing final sea trials, the LÉ James Joyce, could be delivered to the Naval Service within days.

Like Jim Hawkins at the end of Treasure Island, I sometimes dream of my youthful voyage far from home. I dream of trains and pizzas and penalties and the Egypt match. And I start upright in my bed with that familiar, unlovely chat ringing in my ears. Olé Olé Ofeckinlay.

Twenty-five years ago today at Italia ‘90, Brazil were beating Scotland 1-0 and Costa Rica were beating Sweden 2-1 but, putting the kibosh on what was the most keenly anticipated contest of the day back in Ireland, Jack Charlton was simply refusing to even take the pitch against Eamon Dunphy.

Jose Mourinho has warned clubs wanting to buy Petr Cech this summer that they may have to give up one of their own players to land the Chelsea goalkeeper.

Juventus have reached an agreement to sign German midfielder Sami Khedira on a free transfer, the Italian champions have announced.

LÉ Eithne was steaming towards the Sicilian port of Palermo last night with 410 migrants she had rescued from the Mediterranean Sea.

Maiquetia, the city in Venezuela where Paddy Barnes will tonight look to seal his place in next year’s Olympic Games, last made the news in 1999 when mudslides devastated the region and caused tens of thousands of casualties.

Belfast light-fly Paddy Barnes stepped into another man’s shoes to help Italia Thunder beat the Puerto Rico Hurricanes in the World Series of Boxing (WSB) in Palermo on Saturday night.

Mary McCarthy is from Whitehall, near Skibbereen, Co Cork. She is director of the National Sculpture Factory in Cork and also chair of Culture Ireland.

Italy’s president testified for three hours yesterday behind closed doors in a Mafia trial over purported negotiations between the state and organised crime to stop terror attacks in the 1990s, an unprecedented commingling of politics, law enforcement and the mob inside the presidential palace.

Italy’s president has given evidence for three hours behind closed doors in a Mafia trial over purported negotiations between the state and organised crime to stop terror attacks in the 1990s.

An Italian man accused of murdering his landlord in Dublin will stand trial in December 2015.

Italy coach Antonio Conte has defended his decision to again omit Mario Balotelli from the national team.

Hull manager Steve Bruce believes it is "madness" Uruguay international Abel Hernandez cost him less than the going rate for a top Championship striker.

An Italian man accused of murdering his landlord in Castleknock in Dublin has been sent forward for trial before the Central Criminal Court.

The DPP has received the Garda case file into the murder of Tom O'Gorman who was beaten and stabbed to death at his home in Castleknock in Dublin.

The book of evidence is expected to be served early next month on an Italian man accused of murdering Tom O'Gorman at his home in Castleknock in Dublin last January.

Helena Attlee

Location: Marina, Blackrock

A man accused of murdering his landlord in Dublin is still not well enough to come in court.

This is award season in the wine trade as much as in the movie business.

From budget breaks in Bodrum to direct flights to Canada, Travel Writer of the Year Pól Ó Conghaile picks his top overseas destinations for 2014.

An Italian man accused of the murder of well known pro-life campaigner and religious writer Tom O'Gorman, was unable to face another court hearing today.

PORTS OF CALL: Rome, Palermo, Tunisia, Palma de Mallorca, Valencia

The funeral takes place in Dublin this morning of Tom O'Gorman, who was found dead at his home in Castleknock in the early hours of Sunday, January 12.