Italy

Italy reports 141,262 coronavirus cases, 111 deaths

ROME (Reuters) - Italy reported 141,262 COVID-19 related cases on Saturday, following 144,243 the day before, the health ministry said, while the number of deaths fell to 111 from 155.…

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Italy’s president optimistic about 2022

Rome (dpa) - Despite coronavirus and sharply rising infection figures in Italy, President Sergio Mattarella exuded optimism in the last New Year's Eve speech of his term. "Looking at the path we have…

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Italy’s restaurants cry for help as COVID bites into New Year bookings

Italian restaurant and club owners are seeking urgent government support due to increased cancellations prompted by a surge in coronavirus infections, they said in a statement this week. Business group…

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Sea Watch 3 with 440 migrants to dock in Italy

CATANIA, Italy, Dec 31 (Reuters) - The German charity vessel Sea Watch 3, carrying hundreds of migrants rescued at sea, will dock in the Italian port of Pozzallo, in Sicily,…

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WATCH: Italian singer Al Bano positive for Covid, cancels New Year’s Eve concert from Bari

Famed Italian singer Al Bano tested positive at Covid and will not be able to participate in the New Year's Eve of Canale 5, which will be broadcast from the…

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Italy to tighten restrictions for unvaccinated, relax isolation rules

Rome (dpa) - Italy's government has tightened its coronavirus rules and at the same time relaxed quarantine measures. From January 10, unvaccinated people will be excluded from hotels, congress centres, local and long-distance…

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Italy gives safe port to 558 migrants rescued at sea

CATANIA, Italy (Reuters) - Italy on Tuesday allowed a charity boat carrying hundreds of migrants rescued at sea to dock in the Sicilian port of Augusta, with another vessel waiting…

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Health experts say Italy faces paralysis under quarantine rules

Health experts urged the Italian government on Monday to relax COVID-19 quarantine rules, saying that the country otherwise risked paralysis as the highly infectious Omicron variant spreads. Under current rules, people who…

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Italy reports third consecutive record of coronavirus cases

Italy reported a third successive record tally of COVID-19 cases on Saturday, with new infections hitting 54,762 against 50,599 a day earlier, the health ministry said. The number of coronavirus-related…

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Photo story: Christmas in Venice

A view of the nativity scene on the water, located in the lagoon in front of the island of Burano, in Venice, Italy. The work was created by Francesco Orazio,…

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Enel, Eni join forces on electric car charging in Italy

Energy groups Enel and Eni have reached an agreement to allow electric car drivers to recharge vehicles using the two companies’ infrastructure networks across Italy. Enel’s energy e-service unit Enel…

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Italy Senate approves tax-cutting 2022 budget, moves on to Chamber

ROME, Dec 24 (Reuters) - Italy's Senate on Friday passed the government's tax-cutting 2022 budget, targeting the fiscal deficit to fall to 5.6% of national output from 9.4% this year.…

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Photo Story: Sea Eye with 214 migrants on board docks in the port of Pozzallo

The ship Sea Eye 4, of the German NGO of the same name, with 214 migrants on board rescued in various rescue operations carried out in recent days in the…

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Italy bans New Year events as COVID infections surge

Italy has tightened restrictions to curb surging COVID-19 infections, including banning all public New Year's Eve celebrations, as daily infections hit a record high, the government said on Thursday. Health…

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Italy business morale slips in December but consumers more upbeat

ROME, Dec 23 (Reuters) - Morale amongst Italian businesses slipped in December as an increase in COVID-19 infections raised doubts about the strength of economic recovery, but consumer morale edged…

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Bad weather forecast to hit Italy over Christmas

Italy is set to be hit by a wave of bad weather over Christmas, with central and northern areas hit especially hard, Stefano Ghetti of the www.ilMeteo.it website forecast. Heavy…

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UPDATED: Italy set to tighten COVID curbs to rein in infections -statement

Italy is planning to tighten restrictions to try to curb a sharp rise in COVID-19 infections, including making mask wearing mandatory outdoors again, the prime minister's office said on Thursday.…

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Italy’s Draghi signals he’s willing to become president

ROME (Reuters) - Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi signalled on Wednesday he would be willing to become head of state when the position falls free early next year, saying his…

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UPDATED: Italy preparing tougher COVID curbs

The Italian government is preparing new measures to battle a surge in COVID-19 infections and might make vaccinations obligatory for more categories of workers, Prime Minister Mario Draghi said on…

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Prosecutors say Italian firm produced 4,000 flawed parts for Boeing

MILAN, Dec 21 (Reuters) - An Italian supplier at the centre of recent industrial snags on the 787 Dreamliner airplane produced more than 4,000 non-compliant parts destined for Boeing Co over…

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Liguria, Marche, Veneto, Trento in Italy turn into yellow zones Monday

Liguria, Marche, Veneto and the autonomous province of Trento are being bumped up from low-COVID-19-risk white zones to moderate-risk yellow zones by the government as of Monday due to a…

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The Economist crowns Italy country of the year

The Economist has crowned Italy as its country of the year for 2021 saying it has "changed" with Premier Mario Draghi, a "competent premier respected at an international level" whose…

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Photo Story: At least three killed as crane collapses in Turin, Italy

Aftermath of a crane collapse in Turin, Italy, on Saturday morning. According to Vigili del Fuoco (Italy's fire and rescue service), at least three workers, including a 20-year-old, were killed…

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UPDATE: Earthquake hits northern Italy, strongly felt in Milan

An earthquake of magnitude 4.4 hit northern Italy on Saturday, the Italian Geophysics and Volcanology Institute (INGV) said. There were no immediate reports of damage or injuries. The quake struck…

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Italy’s Salvini says Draghi should remain PM, not be next president

Italian right-wing leader Matteo Salvini said that Prime Minister Mario Draghi should remain in his current role and not become head of state when the position comes free early next…

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Italy posts 3.888 bln euros trade surplus in October

Dec 16 (Reuters) - Italy posted a trade surplus with the rest of the world of 3.888 billion euros in October, compared with a surplus of 7.587 billion euros in…

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Two Italian unions stage general strike in defiance of Draghi

ROME, Dec 16 (Reuters) - Two of Italy's largest trade unions staged a one-day general strike on Thursday to protest against the government's economic and budget policies, urging more help…

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COVID-19 Delta variant still predominant in Italy, Health Institute says

The Delta variant of the coronavirus is still predominant in Italy, the National Health Institute (ISS) said, releasing data of a flash-survey showing it accounted for more than 99% of…

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Italy’s Draghi says EU must ask Russia to reduce tensions with Ukraine

ROME, Dec 15 (Reuters) - The European Union must ask Russia to urgently reduce tensions with Ukraine when EU leaders meet in Brussels on Thursday, Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi…

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Italy extends COVID-19 state of emergency, imposes swab for EU visitors

Italy on Tuesday extended a COVID-19 state of emergency to March 31 and ruled that all visitors from EU countries must take a test before departure, amid concerns over the…

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Births in Italy hit 160-year low and continue to slide

Births in Italy last year hit their lowest level since the unification of Italy in 1861, the national statistics office said on Tuesday, as the figure fell for a 12th consecutive year. There were 404,892 births last year, the…

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Italy tax police seek documents from 11 soccer clubs in agents’ tax evasion case

Italy's tax police has requested 11 soccer clubs, including Juventus, Inter Milan and AC Milan, to provide documents about business transactions they had with two sports agents who are under…

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Rome residents told to cut back on Christmas wrapping amid waste crisis

Residents of Rome have been urged to curtail their use of Christmas wrapping paper as authorities in the Italian capital struggle with the perennial problem of waste collection. The city’s…

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McDonalds to hire 12,000 people, open 200 restaurants in Italy by 2025

ROME, Dec 13 (Reuters) - U.S fast food chain McDonalds will hire 12,000 people and open 200 new restaurants in Italy by 2025, Dario Baroni, chief executive of the group…

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UPDATED: Rescuers pull bodies from rubble after explosion in Sicily kills 7

RAVANUSA, Italy, Dec 13 (Reuters) - Rescuers were pulling out bodies on Monday from the rubble of houses destroyed by a suspected gas explosion on Saturday in the Sicilian town…

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Greta Thunberg ‘person of the year’ in Naples Presepe

Climate activist Greta Thunberg is the person of the year in one of the most famous 'presepi' or nativity scenes in the Naples street of presepe makers, San Gregorio Armeno…

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Over 6 million Italians still haven’t had first Covid-19 vaccine

Over 6.1 million Italians still haven't had their first COVID-19 jab, the Italian government said. The exact number is 6,103,160. The highest number of unvaccinated is in the 40-49-year-old bracket…

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UPDATED: Three dead and six missing in Sicily as building collapses

At least three people died when several buildings collapsed in the Sicilian town of Ravanusa following a gas explosion late on Saturday, Italy's Civil Protection said. Two people were found…

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Italian church apologises after bishop tells children ‘Santa does not exist’

A Roman Catholic diocese in Sicily has apologised to parents after its bishop reportedly told a group of children that Santa Claus did not exist. At a religious event last…

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UPDATED: Italy’s Wertmuller, first woman to get Oscar director nomination, dies at 93

ROME, Dec 9 (Reuters) - Italian writer-director Lina Wertmuller, the first woman ever to be nominated for best director at the U.S. Academy Awards, has died at the age of…

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Italy’s antitrust fines Amazon 1.13 bln euros for alleged abuse of market dominance

MILAN, Dec 9 (Reuters) - Italy's antitrust watchdog said on Thursday it had fined Amazon 1.13 billion euros ($1.28 billion) for alleged abuse of market dominance, in one of the…

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Photo Story: Snow in Turin, Italy

A snow-covered street after the first snow that fell abundantly in Turin, Italy. Large parts of Italy are currently being hit by a storm that brought cold temperatures particularly in…

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11 Omicron cases discovered so far in Italy

There have so far been 11 Omicron cases in Italy but others are suspected, Higher Health Institute (ISS) chief Silvio Brusaferro said. The regions where the cases of the more…

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Italy’s new ‘Super Green Pass’ against COVID-19 tightens rules for unvaccinated people

Italy's new two-tiered 'Super Green Pass' system against COVID-19 has come into force as of Monday, Dec. 6. According to the new restrictions, people who are fully unvaccinated against COVID-19…

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Italy retail sales rise 0.1% m/m in October

Dec 6 (Reuters) - Italian retail sales rose 0.1% in October from the month before, data showed on Monday, following a 1.0% rise in September. National statistics institute ISTAT marginally…

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Big storm predicted to hit Italy this week

An 'Immaculate Storm' is set to hit Italy around the December 8 Feast of the Immaculate Conception, weather forecaster Antonio Sanò, director of the site iLMeteo.it., said on Monday. Snow…

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UPDATED: Italy brings in tougher restrictions for the unvaccinated

Italy tightened curbs on Monday on people still not vaccinated against COVID-19, limiting their access to an array of places and services. The measures were announced last month, even before…

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Conspiracy theories take root in Italy, survey shows

One out of 10 Italians think astronauts never set foot on the moon while 5.8% believe the earth is flat, according to a poll published on Friday, which said conspiracy…

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Italian government moves to crack down on violence against women

Italy's government approved a bill to tackle gender-based violence and strengthen surveillance on suspects, amid growing worries over high levels of hate crimes against women. The Interior Ministry says 93…

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Italian health Ministry says Omicron not yet circulating in Italy

The new more infectious Omicron variant of the COVID-19 virus is not yet circulating in Italy, outside the cluster that has been identified in Caserta north of Naples, health ministry…

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Italy services activity sees strong growth in November – PMI

ROME, Dec 3 (Reuters) - Italy's services sector recorded buoyant growth in November, a survey showed on Friday, pointing to ongoing economic expansion even as rising COVID-19 infections cast doubts…

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Photo Story: Green lanterns on Naples crib for migrants at border Poland and Belarus

Green lanterns on the Neapolitan crib of San Gregorio Armeno where the artisan Genny Di Virgilio has taken up the appeal for migrants who are experiencing a dramatic situation on…

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Italy Oct jobless rate rises to 9.4% as more people join labour market

ROME, Dec 2 (Reuters) - Italy's unemployment rate rose unexpectedly to 9.4% in October from 9.2% in September, data showed on Thursday, due to more people looking for work as…

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Alitalia successor ITA orders 28 aircraft from Airbus

Italy's new ITA Airways has ordered 28 Airbus planes, the German-French conglomerate said in a statement, confirming a Memorandum of Understanding signed in September. The order includes seven compact A220…

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Italian parliamentary panel accuses Egyptian security of Regeni murder

An Italian parliamentary panel accused the Egyptian security apparatus of the kidnapping, torturing and murder of student Giulio Regeni in Cairo in 2016. Regeni, a postgraduate student at Britain's Cambridge…

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Italy November manufacturing growth strongest on record -PMI

ROME, Dec 1 (Reuters) - Italy's manufacturing sector recorded its strongest growth for more than 24 years in November, a survey showed on Wednesday, even as economists warn that economic…

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Italy’s Diasorin says its COVID-19 tests can detect Omicron variant

MILAN, Dec 1 (Reuters) - Italian diagnostics group Diasorin said on Wednesday its COVID-19 test can accurately detect the new coronavirus variant Omicron. The World Health Organization (WHO) said this…

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