Italy is preparing for its first-ever appearance in the T20 World Cup, to be held in India and Sri Lanka. Despite lacking a single natural cricket pitch at home, the European nation is eager to showcase its best performance on the global stage. Ranked 28th among qualified teams, Italy overcame the European qualifiers without difficulty and now looks to establish a unique identity in cricket beyond its football fame.

The Italian squad features players of English, Australian, South African, Pakistani, and Indian descent. Australian-born all-rounder Harry Manenti, currently playing in the Big Bash League, expressed pride in representing Italy, emphasizing the team’s deep connection to the country. Former Australian cricketer Joe Burns initially captained the side during qualifiers but was replaced by Wayne Madsen due to contract issues. Key players include Emilio Gay, Jaspreet Singh, and Syed Naqvi.

Coach John Davison, who once held the record for the fastest World Cup century, described the team as franchise-like in diversity but united by strong national pride.

An Israeli literary organization has been barred from participating in the upcoming Bologna Children’s Book Fair in Italy, according to reports from Middle East Monitor and Haaretz. The fair’s board decided not to allow any official Israeli institutions to exhibit, preventing the Israel Institute for Hebrew Literature from joining the event. The organization, funded by Israel’s culture and foreign ministries, was established to promote Israeli literature abroad and had previously participated in the Frankfurt Book Fair.

The Bologna Children’s Book Fair, one of the world’s largest and most influential publishing events, traditionally includes national stands from various countries. However, organizers cited a board decision to exclude official Israeli representation this year. The move comes amid ongoing violence in Gaza and allegations by human rights experts and legal scholars accusing Israel of committing genocide against Palestinians.

Observers described the decision as a reflection of political and moral positioning within the global cultural sector, signaling a broader trend of cultural boycotts against Israel.

Italian police have arrested 384 people and seized 1.4 tons of narcotics in a sweeping anti-drug operation across multiple provinces. The coordinated raids, conducted on Friday at 312 locations, also led to the temporary closure of five cannabis shops in three cities. Authorities reported confiscating 35 kilograms of cocaine, 296 kilograms of cannabis products, and over 40 firearms.

In addition to the arrests, 655 individuals—including 39 minors—were placed under investigation. Police described the operation as part of a broader crackdown on organized drug networks following Italy’s June 2025 decree that banned all forms of cannabis trade, including hemp-based products previously considered legal.

Officials stated that similar operations will continue as part of a long-term strategy to dismantle trafficking networks and curb the illegal drug market. The government has pledged stricter enforcement and closer coordination among regional law enforcement agencies.

Gabriele Nunziati, an Italian journalist based in Brussels for the Rome-based Nova News Agency, has been dismissed from his position after asking a question about Gaza’s reconstruction during a European Commission press conference. The incident occurred on October 13, when Nunziati directly asked European Commission spokesperson Paula Pinho whether Israel should bear the financial responsibility for rebuilding Gaza, drawing a parallel with the EU’s stance that Russia must pay for Ukraine’s reconstruction. Pinho replied that it was an “interesting question” but declined to comment further.

The exchange quickly went viral online, shared widely by various media outlets. Two weeks later, on October 27, Nunziati received an email informing him that Nova News would no longer collaborate with him. In an interview with The Intercept, he confirmed that his dismissal was linked to his Gaza-related question. Nova News spokesperson Francesco Civita also acknowledged the decision, stating the organization would not maintain ties with Nunziati.

Italian MP Anna Laura Orrico criticized the move, calling it a “shameful act” if proven true, and highlighting concerns about press freedom and journalistic independence within European media.

Italian coach Gennaro Gattuso has expressed deep sorrow for the people of Gaza as Italy prepares to face Israel in a World Cup qualifier in Udine next Tuesday. Amid escalating violence in Gaza and worldwide protests, Gattuso acknowledged the moral conflict of playing against Israel while atrocities continue. Calls to cancel the match have grown, with Udine’s mayor urging a suspension, but Italy must play to avoid a default 0-3 loss and preserve their World Cup aspirations. Gattuso described the situation in Gaza as “extremely painful,” particularly for innocent civilians and children, and admitted that while his heart aches, the team has no choice but to compete in the match.

Israel has blocked the Global Sumud Flotilla carrying humanitarian aid to Gaza, with reports of its navy boarding some ships, including Alma and Sirius. Italy’s largest labor union has announced a nationwide strike in protest, following demonstrations in cities such as Naples. Organizers say broadcasts from most vessels stopped as Israeli forces surrounded them. While some ships were halted, others continue toward Gaza. The flotilla includes 45 civilian vessels with 500 people, among them lawmakers, activists, and Greta Thunberg.

Italy plans to hire 497,550 foreign workers by 2028 to address labor shortages caused by an aging population and declining birth rates. The government, led by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, aims to expand legal migration while cracking down on irregular immigration. A recent MoU between Italy and Bangladesh seeks to increase safe migration opportunities for Bangladeshis. Meloni is expected to visit Bangladesh in August to strengthen bilateral ties and facilitate more job opportunities for Bangladeshi workers in Italy.

A two-day national referendum in Italy on five key reforms—including a proposed reduction in the citizenship application period for immigrants—has been declared invalid due to low voter turnout. The referendum, mandated by the courts, sought to reduce the citizenship application period from 10 to 5 years, increase labor protections, and enforce stricter penalties for workplace accidents. However, only 30.6% of eligible voters participated, far short of the 50% threshold required by Italian law. The proposed reforms were expected to benefit around 2.5 million foreign residents living in Italy.

At least six migrants lost their lives, and 40 remain missing after a boat capsized near Lampedusa, Italy, the United Nations refugee agency confirmed on Wednesday. The Italian Coast Guard has so far rescued ten individuals and resumed search operations at dawn to locate more survivors.

According to the rescued migrants, a group of 56 people fell into the water due to rough weather conditions. They had set out from Tunisia on a small dinghy, attempting to reach European shores. In 2023, a total of 41,584 migrants crossed the Eastern Mediterranean migration route into the EU, a significant increase from 12,758 in 2022.

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has proposed bringing Ukraine under NATO’s collective defense framework without granting it full membership. She emphasized the need for a “stable solution” to ensure Ukraine’s security, arguing that such a strategy would be more effective than merely deploying European peacekeeping forces. Meloni noted that UN peacekeeping missions are typically initiated after a peace process has already begun. Last month, U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth rejected Ukraine’s NATO membership bid, and former President Donald Trump also dismissed the idea as unrealistic.

The Italian Embassy in Dhaka has announced that visa-related issues will be resolved in the coming months. They have cooperated with law enforcement to tackle fraudulent activities, leading to the house arrest of two former embassy employees. Applicants are urged to only pay official fees and avoid third-party intermediaries. With additional staff from Italy, processing times have decreased, and existing problems are expected to be resolved promptly in the coming months.