Pallade Veneta - News from Venice, Veneto, Venetia and Italy, as well as from around the world

At the deepest berth of the Black Sea in the Romanian port of Constanta, the belly of a massive cargo ship bound for Belgium is fed tonnes of rapeseed through a huge steel hose as more vessels queue up.

An increasing number of people are sleeping rough on the streets of London with campaigners calling on the British government to tackle the "root causes" of the problem.

Kadidiatou Diani hit a hat-trick as France marched into the last 16 of the Women's World Cup on Wednesday in a 6-3 thriller against Panama.

Jamaica ensured there would be no fairytale ending to Marta's World Cup career as they strangled Brazil 0-0 to reach the last 16 on Wednesday and condemn the South Americans to their earliest exit since 1995.

Ospreys flanker Jac Morgan will captain Wales in Saturday's World Cup warm-up clash against England while Leigh Halfpenny wins his 100th cap.

Spanish rider Alex Rins will partner 2021 MotoGP world champion Fabio Quartararo at Yamaha next season, the team announced on Wednesday.

Russian drones on Wednesday damaged infrastructure at a Ukrainian port on the Danube, as Moscow targeted facilities vital for grain shipments from Ukraine following the collapse of a key export arrangement.

West African military chiefs were to meet Wednesday to frame a response to the crisis in Niger, a week after the fragile country was shaken by a coup that alarmed its neighbours and prompted France, the former colonial power, to evacuate its citizens.

Swathes of northern China were submerged in filthy floodwater on Wednesday after days of historic rainfall battered the capital city of Beijing and surrounding areas.

Finn Russell will captain Scotland in Saturday's World Cup warm-up match against France -- less than 10 months after Gregor Townsend left the fly-half out of his initial squad for the autumn series.

Asian and European stock markets slumped Wednesday after the United States had its top credit rating downgraded by Fitch.

Sweden coach Peter Gerhardsson said his in-form side are "convinced" they can knock the United States out of the Women's World Cup after setting up a last-16 tie with the holders this weekend.

Sweden and holders the United States will meet in the Women's World Cup last 16 while South Africa stunned Italy for a first win ever at the tournament on Wednesday and a place in the knockout stage.

Envoys from the West African bloc ECOWAS were expected in Niger on Wednesday, a week after a coup that triggered alarm among neighbours and allies, as France evacuated more citizens from the capital Niamey.

The world's biggest heavy metal music festival starting in northern Germany on Wednesday was forced to cap attendance after heavy rains turned its farmland venue into a muddy quagmire.

Deadly rains that pummelled China's capital in recent days were the heaviest since records began 140 years ago, Beijing's weather service said on Wednesday, as a massive cleanup operation began.

A beaming Pope Francis arrived in Lisbon on Wednesday for a gathering of some one million youths from around the world as the Catholic Church reflects on its future, greeted by Portuguese leaders and children bearing flowers.

Linda Caicedo underwent X-rays after health scares at the Women's World Cup but is "100 percent" fit for Colombia's clash with Morocco on Thursday, coach Nelson Abadia said.

For years, the Balkan lynx has struggled to survive as deforestation destroyed its habitat and poachers targeted the elusive mountain cat along with the animals it relies on for food.

South Africa won a Women's World Cup match for the first time with a stunning 3-2 victory over Italy to reach the last 16 in a thriller on Wednesday.

As the blazing summer sun beats down on Kuwait, shoppers stroll down a promenade lined with palm trees and European-style boutiques, all without breaking a sweat.

Russian drones on Wednesday damaged infrastructure at a Ukrainian port on the Danube, as Moscow targeted strikes against facilities vital for grain shipments from Ukraine following the collapse of an export agreement.

Sweden set up a Women's World Cup last-16 showdown with the United States after a Rebecka Blomqvist header and an Elin Rubensson penalty gave them a 2-0 win over Argentina on Wednesday.

Pope Francis arrived in Lisbon on Wednesday to gather with a million youngsters from across the world at a major Catholic festival, held as the Church reflects on its future.

The first planes carrying French and other European citizens evacuated from Niger landed in Paris Wednesday, a week after a coup toppled one of the last pro-Western leaders in the jihadist-plagued Sahel.

Barcelona boss Xavi Hernandez confirmed on Tuesday that Ousmane Dembele is poised to leave the Spanish giants after receiving an offer from Paris Saint-Germain.

A Chinese invasion of Taiwan would have "disastrous results" for the world, Foreign Minister Joseph Wu told AFP in an interview Wednesday, citing the island's strategic importance for the semiconductor industry and global shipping lanes.

Asian and European markets followed Wall Street lower Wednesday as the wind came out of the latest rally, with traders jolted by the downgrade of US sovereign debt, soft economic data and concerns about elevated valuations.

They are ubiquitous in the United States, controversial in Europe and coveted in South Asia. As heatwaves intensify across the world, air conditioning has taken center stage.

There has been a power cut, and under moonlight in a poor quarter of DR Congo's capital, wrestler Maitresse Libondans explains how she invokes her ancestors to cast spells that rout her opponents.

During his trial, Anatoly Berezikov repeatedly said he was afraid of "disappearing". Two weeks later, on June 14, he was found dead in his cell in southwest Russia.

With air conditioner demand surging, scientists are looking for ways to improve the energy efficiency of cooling systems and limit damaging emissions that accelerate global warming.