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Italy abstained in a United Nations General Assembly vote on Friday urging the Security Council to reconsider and support Palestine's request to join the world body because as G7 president "it has a duty to take an extremely balanced position", according to foreign minister Antonio Tajani.

The embassy in Beirut has paid tribute to the work of Italian civil society organisations in crisis-hit Lebanon after the head of Italy's development cooperation agency (AICs) held talks there with local Italian NGOs.

The fate of over a million people sheltering in Rafah - where Israel has shut two key border crossings and began a "limited" military operation against Hamas in the southern Gaza city this week - will determine events in the Middle East and the Red Sea, according to Italy

Russia should accept by "mid-June" diplomat Cecilia Piccioni's credentials as Italy's new ambassador to the country, foreign minister Antonio Tajani said on Friday.

Italy "can be an ideal partner" for the United Arab Emirates and any country that is looking for new growth opportunities though international trade, industry minister Adolfo Urso said on Friday

G7 president Italy is ready to work with the United States, China and the United Nations in the "global battle" against abuse of synthetic opiate fentanyl and others, foreign minister Antonio Tajani told reporters in Rome on Thursday.

On the 46th anniversary of late Italian centrist premier and statesman Aldo Moro's murder by the far-left Red Brigades, foreign minister Antonio hailed all those who gave their lives for democracy, legality and the state.

The foreign ministry has set up a pavilion and is organising dozens of events at the Turin International Book Fair from Thursday through Monday as part of the government's bid to strengthen Italy's cultural diplomacy and "soft power", a statement cited foreign minister Antonio Tajani as saying.

Foreign minister Antoni Tajani is updating reporters on Thursday at the prime minister's office in Rome, on the government's progress with a pioneering national plan to fight abuse powerful synthetic opioid fentanyl, Palazzo Chigi said in a statement.

Italy's president Sergio Mattarella has joined international calls for Israel to avoid an offensive in the southern Gaza Strip town of Rafah after the Israeli military (IDF) said its troops had taken operational control of the Palestinian side of the border crossing between Gaza and Egypt.

Italy has lauded Nato's "irreplaceable contribution" during the 27-month-old war triggered by Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine and the military alliance's role in preventing conflicts and fostering security cooperation.

Italy has praised Nato's new multi-year strategy for implementing the UN Women, Peace and Security Agenda to bolster their participation in negotiation processes and to protect females from violence in armed conflicts.

Italy and the United States will always be united by "very strong bond of friendship" between the two countries, president Sergio Mattarella said during a meeting with members of the Italian community in New York late on Monday.

Italy and Libya will ink cooperation deals on higher education training, health, scientific research, sport and youth policies during a visit to Tripoli on Wednesday by premier Giorgia Meloni and members of her cabinet.

There is no safe area of Rafah for 600,000 children living there, the United Nations children's agency UNICEF warned on Monday ahead of an expected Israeli army offensive in the southern border town of Gaza.

As Israel's military told 100,000 people to leave areas of Rafah on Monday ahead of an expected offensive against Hamas in the southern Gaza city, the region is deteriorating, Italy has warned

The government has doubled down on its repeated denial of any plan to deploy Italian/Nato troops to Ukraine to help it fight invader Russia, according to foreign minister Antonio Tajani.