Italy's parliament meets Thursday to begin selecting a new president with the race apparently wide open and much at stake for Prime Minister Matteo Renzi, who is keen on having a friendly figure installed as head of state. "It is an important test for Matteo Renzi -- he needs to find a name capable of securing the broadest possible backing," analysts at the Unicredit bank said in a note to investors on the selection procedure for a successor to the much-loved and respected Giorgio Napolitano. A total of 1,009 politicians have a vote on who takes over the largely ceremonial role, with the members of the Chamber of Deputies and the upper-house Senate joined by 58 representatives of Italy's regions in a first vote scheduled for 1400 GMT.

SYDNEY (AP) — A hostage who died during a siege in a downtown Sydney cafe was killed when she was struck by fragments of a bullet fired from a police officer's gun as authorities stormed in to end the 16-hour standoff, a lawyer told an inquest on Thursday.

NEW YORK (AP) — Langston Galloway and Lance Thomas are winning over fans and helping the Knicks win games.