Italy

Italian activists face trial for migrant sea rescue in legal first

A Sicilian judge has ordered six members of an Italian charity ship to stand trial on accusations of aiding illegal immigration, the first time crew members of a rescue vessel…

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U.S. Elevates Travel Advisory for Italy Amid Terrorism Concerns

The U.S. Department of State has elevated its travel advisory for Italy to Level 2, urging American travelers to "exercise increased caution" due to potential terrorist threats. This adjustment, issued…

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’Ndrangheta eyes major public contracts, anti-Mafia body warns

The ’Ndrangheta mafia has shown growing interest in controlling major public works and managing local government funds, particularly in sectors such as hospital administrations and waste collection services, according to…

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Italy Sees Sharp Rise in Graduate Emigration Amid Demographic Decline

Italy has experienced a significant exodus of young, educated professionals over the past decade, with approximately 97,000 graduates leaving the country, according to the national statistics agency ISTAT. In 2024…

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Italy Plans to Begin Work on Messina Bridge by End of Summer, Pending Government Approval

Construction of the long-debated bridge over the Strait of Messina, designed to connect Sicily to mainland Italy, could begin by the end of summer, Transport Minister and Deputy Premier Matteo…

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Some 66 million people to holiday in Italy this summer

This summer, 65.8 million people are expected to holiday in Italy, generating an estimated 267.4 million overnight stays, according to a study by the Demoskopika Institute, obtained in advance by…

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EU lawmakers probe rule of law in Meloni’s Italy

Rule-of-law watchdogs in the European Parliament are taking a close look at how Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s government has affected democracy in Italy. Behind closed doors Wednesday, lawmakers will quiz…

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Earthquake Strikes Campi Flegrei: Strong Tremors Rattle Naples Region

A 4.4-magnitude earthquake struck the Campi Flegrei area at 12:07 p.m. today, according to Italy’s National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology (INGV). The epicenter was located offshore, just west of…

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Italy Advocates for EU-Wide Ban on Mobile Phones in Schools

In a decisive move aimed at reinforcing traditional educational values, Italian Education Minister Giuseppe Valditara announced plans to propose a European Union-wide ban on mobile phone usage for students up…

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Thunderstorms lash Italy

After Storm Hans battered northern Italy in the runup to Easter, severe weather continued to lash much of the country this week. Since Tuesday, the conditions have triggered potent showers…

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Italy’s demographic crisis worsens as births hit record low

Italy's demographic crisis deepened in 2024 as the number of births hit a new record low, emigration accelerated and the population continued to shrink, national statistics bureau ISTAT said. Italy's…

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Venice’s €5 tourist fee returns – and will double for last-minute day-trippers

Venice’s entrance fee will resume from Friday, with the main novelty this year being that last-minute day-trippers will pay double. Last year, as part of an experiment aimed at dissuading…

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President Mattarella in Stable Condition Following Planned Pacemaker Surgery

Italian President Sergio Mattarella is in stable condition and recovering well following a scheduled surgical procedure to implant a pacemaker, sources confirmed on Wednesday. The operation was performed without complications…

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Italian police disrupt migrant smuggling ring, 15 Egyptians arrested

Italian police said they had dismantled a migrant smuggling network, leading to the arrests in several countries of 15 Egyptians involved in using sailboats for dangerous illegal sea crossings from…

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King Charles to begin Italy tour with Queen Camilla

The King and Queen will fly into Rome later for their state visit to Italy, despite the recent concerns about his health. The trip comes just a week and a…

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Italy Sees Massive Youth Emigration, With Significant Loss of Graduates

Over one million people emigrated from Italy between 2013 and 2022, with young professionals making up a significant portion of the exodus, according to Istat President Francesco Maria Chelli. Speaking…

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Italy’s Meloni says U.S. tariffs would hit Italian producers hard

The introduction of new U.S. tariffs would hit Italian producers hard, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said in Rome on Wednesday, adding that every effort should be made to avoid a…

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Italy tightens citizenship laws

Italy's government tightened its citizenship laws, preventing people from delving deep back into their family history to try to claim a much sought-after Italian passport. Under existing rules, anyone who…

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UPDATED: Doctor reveals Pope Francis came close to dying

Pope Francis came so close to death at one point during his 38-day fight in hospital against pneumonia that his doctors considered ending treatment so he could die in peace,…

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Italy’s talks with Musk’s Starlink have stalled

Negotiations on a potential contract between Elon Musk's satellite internet operator Starlink and the Italian government have stalled, reflecting broader geopolitical tensions, Italy's defence minister said over the weekend. Prime…

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Severe Weather Hits Tuscany and Emilia-Romagna, Triggering Flood Alerts

Bad weather pummeled Tuscany and Emilia-Romagna on Friday, with several rivers in both regions exceeding alert levels due to torrential rain and flooding. In Tuscany, schools remained closed in several…

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Strong Earthquake Strikes Naples, Residents Flee Into Streets

A powerful earthquake shook Naples early this morning, with the tremors distinctly felt by residents who rushed into the streets in fear. The quake, measuring 4.4 in magnitude, struck at…

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Limpet mines likely caused blasts on two tankers in Mediterranean Sea

Mines attached to the hulls of ships and set off with timers likely caused blasts that have damaged two crude oil tankers in the Mediterranean Sea since January, three sources…

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Italy’s Meloni bags UAE investment pledge worth $40 billion

The United Arab Emirates plans to invest $40 billion in Italy, the two countries said at a bilateral summit in Rome, without providing any time frame. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia…

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Earthquake of magnitude 3.3 rocks province of Reggio Calabria

A magnitude earthquake 3.3 was registered at 2:06 a.m. of Monday morning in the province of Reggio Calabria.According to data from the National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology (INGV), the…

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Italy Hit by Third Day of Pro-Russia Cyberattacks Targeting Banks and Arms Industry

Italy faced a third consecutive day of cyberattacks on Wednesday as the pro-Russian hacker group Noname057(16) launched another wave of DDoS (distributed denial of service) attacks against key institutions. The…

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Thousands of tourists flock to see Etna eruption

Thousands of tourists have flocked to Mount Etna to watch spectacular eruptions on the volcano, but some people are blocking streets and preventing rescue services from reaching those in need…

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Tuscany becomes the first Italian region to approve assisted suicide

Tuscany approved a bill regulating medically assisted suicide Tuesday, becoming Italy's first region to approve a right-to-die law in the Roman Catholic country after the constitutional court effectively legalized the…

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Massive Italian anti-mafia operation

Around 180 people were arrested on Tuesday in a large-scale sting against the Sicilian mafia in Palermo, indicating that it has remained a significant criminal force despite setbacks in recent decades. "Cosa…

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International Criminal Court opens inquiry into Italy over release of Libyan warlord

Judges at the International Criminal Court have officially asked Italy to explain why the country released a Libyan man suspected of torture, murder and rape rather than sending him to…

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Seven Italians Targeted by WhatsApp Spyware

Italy's government said on Wednesday that seven mobile phone users in the country had been targeted by spyware on Meta Platforms WhatsApp messaging service, and it called the incident "particularly…

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Italy Alarmed as Campi Flegrei Seismic Activity Intensifies

A 3.1-magnitude earthquake rattled the Campi Flegrei area near Naples on Wednesday at 8:52 AM, adding to a series of tremors that have heightened concerns within the Italian authorities. The…

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Italy Hit by Severe Weather, Orange Warning for Sicily and Sardinia

Italy is currently experiencing severe weather conditions due to the influence of two cyclones, leading to significant disruptions, particularly in the regions of Sicily and Sardinia. The Department of Civil…

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Italy blocks Chinese AI app DeepSeek on data protection

Italy’s data protection authority said on Jan 30 it had blocked Chinese artificial intelligence model DeepSeek over a lack of information on its use of personal data. DeepSeek could not…

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Missing Documents Deepen the Mystery of Emanuela Orlandi’s Case

A new mystery has surfaced in the decades-old case of Emanuela Orlandi. At the Central State Archive in Italy, a file titled "Ministry of the Interior – Central Directorate of…

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Saudi Arabia, Italy ink $10 billion cooperation and industrial deals

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman met on Sunday with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni in AlUla, the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported. “The Crown Prince and the Prime Minister…

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Migrant Arrivals in Italy Surge as Tragedy Strikes in Mediterranean Shipwreck

Italy has recorded a significant surge in migrant arrivals this year, with the interior ministry reporting a 136% increase compared to the same period in 2024. As of Monday, 3,074…

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Trump whisperer? Italy’s Meloni navigates a high-stakes relationship

He hails a fantastic woman sweeping all before her in Europe. She praises a strong and shrewd defender of the West. Donald Trump and Giorgia Meloni are fast forging a…

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Italy under fire for releasing Libyan warlord

The International Criminal Court has reminded Italy of its obligation to cooperate fully after it let warlord Ossama al-Masri return to Libya. Al-Masri is accused of murder, rape and torture.…

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League files bill for Italy to leave WHO

Lawmakers for Deputy Premier and Transport Minister Matteo Salvini's right-wing League party said Thursday that they have presented a bill in the Senate for Italy to leave the World Health…

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Mother Reborn After Baby’s Abduction and Dramatic Rescue in Cosenza

The mother of a one-day-old baby, who was abducted late Tuesday afternoon by a couple from the Sacro Cuore clinic in the Calabrian city of Cosenza, said she felt as…

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Italy releases and deports senior Libyan police officer it arrested on ICC warrant

Italian police arrested a Libyan warlord on a warrant from the International Criminal Court, but an Italian tribunal refused to approve the arrest and he was instead sent back to…

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Sharp rise in flu cases in Italy

There was a sharp rise in flu cases in Italy in the week of January 6-12, the Higher Health Institute (ISS) reported, saying that children were the most affected age…

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Italian journalist Cecilia Sala reveals horror of captivity in Iranian jail

Cecilia Sala detailed the horror of being locked up in one of Iran’s most notorious prisons. “I was being interrogated for 10 hours straight, hooded and with my face to…

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71 billionaires, 5.7 mn in absolute poverty in Italy

The wealth of Italy's billionaires in 2024 increased by 61.1 billion euros - or 166 million a day - reaching a total value of 272.5 billion owned by 71 individuals,…

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Italy arrests Libyan police head

Police in Italy have arrested the head of Libya's judicial police who directs Tripoli's Mitiga detention centre, Italian news reports said. Osama Najim, also known as Almasri, was arrested Sunday…

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Southern Italy is grappling with the aftermath of severe weather

Southern Italy is grappling with the aftermath of severe weather, as heavy rains and floods have triggered hundreds of emergency interventions by firefighters. The regions of Sicily and Calabria were…

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Severe Weather Forces School Closures in Sicily

A powerful Mediterranean cyclone, named Storm Gabri, has prompted a red weather alert in Eastern Sicily and other southern regions of Italy. Today, Friday, January 17, heavy rains, thunderstorms, and…

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New Italian scholastic syllabus introduces Latin for middle school students

In Italy, a new school syllabus for the 2026-27 academic year will introduce Latin as an option for middle school students and give a more central role to Italian literature…

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Vote for CDU-CSU, Italy’s foreign minister tells Italians living in Germany

Italy's Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani and his centre-right party Forza Italia urged Italians living in Germany to support the conservative alliance in the country's snap election scheduled on Feb 23.…

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Iranian businessman arrested in Italy returns home

Iranian businessman Mohammad Abedini, who had been detained in Italy on a U.S. warrant, is back in Iran after on Sunday left jail after Rome's justice minister filed to revoke…

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Renowned Italian Photographer Oliviero Toscani Passes Away at 82

Oliviero Toscani, the legendary Italian photographer whose groundbreaking and provocative work reshaped the world of communication and advertising, passed away today at the age of 82. The news was announced…

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Italy’s Meloni dismisses concerns of Trump breaking with European allies

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, one of the European leaders closest to Donald Trump, said on Thursday she believed the U.S. president-elect would defend Western interests once he took office…

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Italy defence minister dampens talk of Starlink deal for secure communications

Italy's defence minister sought to defuse a political row sparked by a report that Italy planned to ask Elon Musk's Starlink to supply new secure communications services for use by…

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Italian journalist Cecilia Sala freed from Iran prison

Italian journalist Cecilia Sala has been freed from detention in Iran and is flying home, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's office said in a statement on Wednesday. Sala, 29, who…

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Italy in talks over $1.5 billion SpaceX security services deal

Italy is in advanced talks with Elon Musk's SpaceX over a 1.5 billion euro ($1.55 billion) deal for the company to provide secure telecommunications to the government, Bloomberg News reported.…

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2,200 dead and missing in Mediterranean in 2024 – UNICEF

Over 2,200 people have been reported dead or missing in the Mediterranean in 2024, with nearly 1,700 lives lost along the central Mediterranean route, UNICEF's Regional Director for Europe and…

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