Milan - Thailand has to have "food security and sustainable development among [its] national priorities," said Chavalit Chookajorn, permanent secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture, at the opening of the country's National Day at Expo 2015.

Rome - Italian players selected for the Rugby World Cup "England 2015" were announced by national team head coach, Jacques Brunel, and manager Luigi Troiani.

Rome - Italy's Serie A football season kicks off with a match between Verona and Roma on Saturday at 6 pm. This means the season begins a week earlier than usual, in a bid to finish earlier and allow Italy coach Antonio Conte time to prepare for the Europa Cup.

Rome - Chelsea are said to be pursuing Paul Pogba, despite resistance from Juventus. Jose Mourinho is hoping to exploit the last 10 days of the transfer window to entice the midfielder to Stamford Bridge for a transfer fee of some 84 million euros.

Rho, Milan - Togo is one of Africa's poorest countries, but the dignity of its people was clear during its National Day at Milan Expo. This dignity was also demonstrated by a high-level delegation led by President Faure Essozimna Gnassingbe.

Kyoto - A concert of Renaissance music will be held on Saturday to mark the opening of the exhibition "Leonardo da Vinci and the Battle of Anghiari - The Mystery of Tavola Doria". Lutist Angelo Marchese, flautist Manuel Staropoli and soprano Rina Hayama will perform at the exhibition in Kyoto Bunka Hakubutsukan.

Milan - Senior UN officials, leaders of organisations of civil society from around the world and the general public met on Wednesday at Expo Milano 2015 to celebrate World Humanitarian Day. In line with the theme of the World Expo "Feeding the Planet, Energy for Life", this year's United Nations World Humanitarian Day carries the theme "Inspiring the World's Humanity".

Rome - The Italian president on Wednesday warned for the risk of terrorism causing a third world war.
  "Terrorism, fed also by fanatical distortions of the faith in God, is trying to introduce the seeds of a third world war in the Mediterranean, Middle East and Africa," said Italian President Sergio Mattarella in his message to the Rimini Meeting, in which he appeals for unity and solidarity among peoples and cultures.

Brussels - This year Italy will participate in the "Fete de la BD/Strip-feest" comic festival for the first time, thanks to the partnership between the Italian Cultural Institute and Lucca Comics & Games.

Brussels - The number of migrants registered in EU states surpassed 100,000 in July, a new monthly high, reported on Tuesday by the EU border authority Frontex. The agency warned that the heavy influx "has created an unprecedented pressure on border control authorities in Greece, Italy and Hungary".