World watch

The official number of Italian universities being pursued by the European Commission concerning the long-running case of job discrimination against foreign-language lecturers has dropped from nine to six. Trade unions at the universities of Genoa, L'Aquila and Venice have agreed to definitive new contracts. Basilicata, Milan, Naples Orientale, Palermo, Pisa and La Sapienza are still involved in the final phase of infringement proceedings at the European Court of Justice.