Capital city and special comune of Italy; home to Vatican City inside its borders.
The United States has announced sweeping financial sanctions that ban transactions with the International Criminal Court, freeze any ICC assets in US jurisdictions and give US companies six months to wind down business. The move has prompted condemnation from the ICC, the UN and many European allies, while Israel and the Trump administration have defended the measures. The announcement followed the award of the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize to former ICC judge Navi Pillay.
The dress once worn by Princess Diana at the Serpentine fundraising dinner is expected to fetch up to $220,000 at Sotheby’s, London. The gown, by Christina Stambolian, has toured globally ahead of the December sale, with part of the proceeds supporting NHS Lothian Charity.
Como has risen from bankruptcy to Serie A, earning a first Champions League campaign. To honour long-serving fans, Mirwan Suwarso and other directors are surrendering their tickets for Como’s home opener against RB Leipzig, ensuring elderly supporters attend amid UEFA capacity rules.
The government has given English mayors the power to charge an overnight visitor levy as a percentage of accommodation costs with no statutory upper limit. Industry groups and major hotel chains have warned the uncapped power will push up prices, reduce demand and cost jobs; mayors argue revenue will fund local services and infrastructure from 2028.
Israel has demolished more than 2km of Hezbollah tunnel infrastructure beneath the Ali al‑Taher ridge in southern Lebanon, using over 1,000 tonnes of explosives and creating a blast that registered as a 4.1‑magnitude tremor. The Israeli military says it has established operational control above and below ground and will hold a security zone while continuing strikes when necessary.
Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has announced the government will abolish a widely unpopular tax and plans to adopt the measure at Wednesday's cabinet meeting. The reform accompanies a new electoral law designed to deliver clearer winners and oppositions, party lawmakers say ahead of a key vote.
UNIFIL faces a year-end withdrawal as Lebanon strengthens its army deployments in the south. Israeli strikes, Lebanese army positions, and Deir Mimas clashes shape a rapidly evolving security picture amid international talks on a donor conference and future peacekeeping arrangements.
Protesters bearing a banner listing 300 children who died in Gaza and southern Lebanon have gathered near the Vatican with Italian police escort. The movement Priests Against Genocide, started in August 2025, now includes more than 2,500 priests and bishops across five continents. The march proceeded to embassies and the Leonardo SpA office in Rome after prayers near the Vatican.
A 22-year-old rope-access technician has died during an illumination project at Rome’s Colosseum. The second level is closed as authorities investigate and mourn the tragedy, with the park promising transparency as workers and unions seek answers.
An Italian court has handed 10-year sentences to three Egyptian officers and acquitted one, in a landmark but contentious ruling over Giulio Regeni's 2016 death. The case has strained Italy–Egypt relations, with prosecutors arguing state involvement and Egypt denying it.
A Rome court has convicted three Egyptian officials in absentia for the abduction of Giulio Regeni, a Cambridge PhD student tortured before his death in 2016. A fourth defendant is acquitted; murder charges were dropped for the others. The ruling preserves diplomatic ties but could strain bilateral relations with Cairo.
The Vatican's pope has urged world leaders and AI chiefs to seek guardrails and dialogue to prevent AI from harming humanity. He has criticised tech leaders who argue against regulation, and notes Nvidia’s guardrail plan while remaining skeptical. Trump has called AI fears a hoax, while White House talks with tech leaders are planned.
Turner’s Rome, From Mount Aventine remains on its original canvas and frame, with fingerprints and brush marks visible. It has never been restretched or restored and was last sold in 2014 for £30.3m. Sotheby’s expects about £50m at the December London sale, following showings in Rome, Hong Kong and New York.
AP News previews major college basketball preseason with spotlight on Big East players and teams. Fears, Demary Jr., and others have earned preseason honors as conference media days highlight leaders and title contenders.
Benjamin Davis has been dismissed from the FAO after a 26-year tenure, amid controversy over his Gaza hunger brief and moments of silence protests. Qu Dongyu has warned staff about firing more for political activism, while Davis argues the dismissal undermines the UN’s human-rights mandate. The case now moves to the FAO’s internal justice process.
Protests against underfunded and dilapidated schools have spread from Paris suburbs to cities nationwide. Authorities report thousands of arrests, hundreds injured, and many schools closed as President Macron faces renewed pressure over education funding and public spending.
A tour across Bologna’s markets, libraries, and railway links, and Verona’s aperitivo culture, highlights how Italy’s regional food-and-culture scenes shape its travel experience. The piece draws on two 2026 articles: a Food & Travel tour of Bologna and a Verona culinary vignette, noting local markets, porticoes, and daily rituals.
Parliament has approved a shift to a fully proportional system that awards a large bonus of seats to any party or coalition winning at least 42% of the vote. The lower house passed the law 227–164 in a secret ballot. The reform forces pre-election coalitions to name a prime ministerial candidate and programme and will reshape alliance strategy ahead of elections due by October 2027.
EuroLeague shareholder clubs have rejected the NBA’s proposal for a single European league in a meeting in Cernobbio, with plans to convert licenses into franchises and to increase the number of franchises. The discussions come as the NBA eyes a 2027 European launch and large entry fees are reported.
Europe’s Luke Donald seeks a historic third win as captain in the centenary Ryder Cup at Adare Manor, with Jim Furyk returning as U.S. captain. The event will feature new talent and a focus on maintaining harmony on European soil.
Protests by high school students across France have intensified, with thousands blocking entrances, clashes with police, and calls for more resources as authorities promise a plan by end of October; over 6,800 people detained and hundreds of schools affected.
Florida Governor has withdrawn a death warrant for William Lee Thompson, 74, who was scheduled for execution, while another inmate, James Robertson, is set to be executed. The move comes amid ongoing debate over death penalty practices in the state and follows a botched Tennessee execution where Christa Pike survived lethal injections.
Pope Leo XIV has undergone surgery at Rome’s Gemelli Hospital to remove a lung growth; doctors have confirmed the lesion is lung adenocarcinoma. The Vatican has said the operation was successful with no complications, and it has cancelled public audiences through Oct. 20 while the pope recovers in hospital.
Specialists from Rome and the Egyptian Museum in Tahrir have restored the Fayoum mummy portrait, the Tondo of the Two Brothers. The work, created on wooden panels, blends Egyptian and Greco-Roman traditions. Egypt will lend a major portion of the collection to a Rome exhibition, the first time it travels abroad, from November 2027 to May 2027.
The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification warns that famine risk is increasing in parts of Sudan where conflict and El Niño drought are intensifying food insecurity. Acute malnutrition is rising in Greater Darfur and Greater Kordofan, with aid access hampered by insecurity and funding shortfalls. By 8 October, less than half of the humanitarian appeal had been funded.
Real Madrid errors late in the match give way to a dramatic comeback at the Stadio Olimpico. Mbappé marks a historic 100th Champions League appearance, while Endrick and Rudiger secure a late win for Real as Roma take an early lead.
The United States is pressing Lebanon to amend or repeal the 1955 Boycott of Israel law as Lebanon and Israel resume U.S.-brokered talks. Lebanese authorities have dismissed claims of ambassadorial contact that could breach the law, while Washington urges a focus on Hezbollah and broader reforms as negotiations continue.
Pope Leo XIV has been discharged from Rome’s Gemelli hospital after surgery to remove a cancerous lung tumour. Doctors say he is fit for discharge and his recovery is progressing normally; tests will determine if the cancer has spread and if further treatment is needed. The pope is continuing to monitor his health and may adjust travel plans for his November trip to South America.
Pope Leo has declared he is gradually resuming his activities after a lung cancer operation. He has expressed gratitude for prayers and support and says the process has brought him closer to those facing illness. Doctors have said there are no clinical reasons to postpone his Latin America trip, though pace may be adjusted.”