Read the latest news from regional and global sources, presenting different voices and perspectives.

EU jail overcrowding at catastrophic levels
(MENAFN) Prisons across the European Union are experiencing severe overcrowding, with rising inmate numbers exceeding facility capacities in numerous countries, El Pais reported on Monday. In response, several EU member states are considering...

EU bid to suspend Israel from startup funding falls short of majority
A European Union proposal to suspend Israel from a research funding program for startups failed to garner the necessary support for passage Tuesday after Germany and Italy balked. The proposal, announced Monday, would partially suspend Israel’s...
Italy’s economy unexpectedly falls in second quarter
ROME (Reuters) -The Italian economy fell unexpectedly in the second quarter from the previous three months, preliminary data showed on Wednesday. On a year-on-year basis, gross domestic product in the euro zone’s third largest economy was up 0.4%...

Italy opens probe into Meta over AI tool in WhatsApp
Italy said Wednesday it opened a probe into social media giant Meta for potentially breaking EU competition laws by installing its AI tool into WhatsApp. Meta owns Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp. Several months ago, its Meta AI tool appeared on...

Italy Said to Back Breakup of Iveco With Sales to Tata, Leonardo
The Italian government is broadly supportive of Iveco Group NV’s plans to break up its business by selling its defense unit to Leonardo SpA and its commercial trucking division to India’s Tata Motors Ltd., according to people familiar with the...

Minister: No indication right now of US troop withdrawal from Baltic states
There is no indication at present of any withdrawal of United States troops from Estonia or the other Baltic states, Defense Minister Hanno Pevkur (Reform) said Tuesday. While Washington does intend to reduce its military presence in Europe, the...
EU fails to agree Israeli suspension from research fund over Gaza war
If agreed, Israel would lose access to €200 millions’ worth of future grants and investments in Horizon’s European Investment Council (EIC) which specialises in so-called disruptive technologies. But representatives from Berlin and Rome said they...

Venice Library Released its ‘Most Influential Residents of Venice’ List. Here’s Who Made It
The List Commemorates the Library’s 30th Anniversary, Which Will Be Celebrated at an Upcoming Festive Event The Venice-Abbot Kinney Memorial Branch Library will mark its 30th anniversary with a festive community event on Saturday, August 16 from...

EU fails to agree Israeli suspension from research fund over Gaza
BRUSSELS — A European Commission proposal to deny Israel partial access to the EU's €95 billion Horizon Europe research fund failed to garner the necessary qualified majority support when EU ambassadors met in Brussels on Tuesday to discuss the...

Italian in Mashpee; sugar shed in Falmouth; beer in Yarmouth: Tidbits
Shake Shack's first Cape Cod location opened on July 30 in Hyannis. Falmouth baker Tara Sullivan, owner of Bourbon & Butter Baking Co., sells her treats at the Sugar Shed at First Congregational Church of Falmouth. Red Jacket Beach Resort in South...

Italy’s Zegna & Temasek tie-up aims at Asian and global growth
Ermenegildo Zegna N.V. (NYSE:ZGN) (the “Company” and, together with its consolidated subsidiaries, the “Ermenegildo Zegna Group” or the “Group”) and Venezio Investments Pte. Ltd., an indirect wholly-owned subsidiary of Temasek Holdings (Private)...

UN Experts Criticize Israel for Using Water Deprivation
(MENAFN) A group of United Nations specialists on Tuesday sharply criticized Israel for employing what they termed "thirst as a weapon" in its ongoing actions against Palestinians. In a formal declaration, the experts stated that "Israel is using...

UN Experts: Israel Is 'Using Thirst As A Weapon' In Gaza
(MENAFN- Kashmir Observer) Geneva- UN experts have expressed alarm at Israel's deliberate withholding of access to safe drinking water from Palestinians in Gaza, calling it a serious violation of international law and a crime against humanity....

UN investigator says US sanctions over her criticism of Israel will seriously impact her life
“It’s very serious to be on the list of the people sanctioned by the U.S.,” Albanese told The Associated Press in Rome on Tuesday, adding that individuals sanctioned by the U.S. cannot have financial interactions or credit cards with any American...

Researcher studies Georgian wine preferences under EU’s Eco2Wine project
As part of the EU’s Horizon Europe-funded Eco2Wine project, Georgia recently hosted Capucine Dentraygues, a doctoral researcher from Geisenheim University for a field study on local wine consumer perceptions. During her visit, Dentraygues...

Zambelli arrested in Italy, pending extradition to Brazil
Wednesday, July 30th 2025 - 10:11 UTC Zambelli is a staunch supporter of former President Jair Bolsonaro, who claims persecution from the STF Italian authorities in Rome Tuesday arrested Carla Zambelli, a far-right Brazilian congresswoman and...

40 EU lawmakers call for sanctions on Israel over Gaza atrocities
Dozen members of the European Parliament (MEPs) from different political factions are calling on the politico-economic bloc to take "decisive" action and adopt punitive measures against Israel over the worsening humanitarian crisis in Gaza. A...

Which EU countries recognise Palestine amid France's decision?
French President Emmanuel Macron announced on social media on 24 July that France will recognise Palestine as a state at the United Nations General Assembly in September. Macron shared his letter to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas in an X...

Meta faces Italian competition probe over AI tool on WhatsApp
Italy's antitrust authority announced on Wednesday the launch of an investigation into Meta Platforms over allegations that the tech giant abused its dominant position by installing its artificial intelligence tool on messaging service WhatsApp....

Meta faces Italian investigation over AI tool on WhatsApp
MILAN :Italy's antitrust authority said on Wednesday it had launched an investigation into Meta Platforms over allegations it had abused its dominant position by pre-installing its artificial intelligence tool on messaging service WhatsApp. The...