Italy

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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Italy sets crowd limits, bans fireworks on NYE

Italian cities including Rome, Milan, Florence and Venice have set crowd limits and imposed firework bans for New Year's Eve celebrations.Fireworks will however be permitted in Naples, the southern city…

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Venice imposes alcohol limitations over New Year

Venice Mayor Luigi Brugnaro signed a order restricting alcohol sales on New Year's Eve in a measure designed to protect people's safety and ensure the events planned in the city…

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Russia security threat is far reaching, Italy’s prime minister warns

Russia poses a bigger threat to European Union security than just defence as Moscow can use illegal immigration and other issues to undermine the bloc, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni…

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UPDATED: Italian deputy PM Salvini acquitted of migrant kidnapping charges

A court on Friday acquitted Italian Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini of charges of kidnapping over 100 migrants aboard a boat he had blocked at sea for nearly three weeks…

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Bergamo tops Italian life-quality index for 1st time

The province of Bergamo has come top of il Sole 24 Ore's annual quality of life ranking for the first time, coming in ahead of Trento and Bolzano in the…

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Stricter new Italian Highway Code comes into force

Deputy Premier and Transport Minister Matteo Salvini's new Highway Code, which stiffens penalties for using mobile phones at the wheel and driving under the influence in a bid to prevent…

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618 dead and 918 missing in central Mediterranean in 2024 – IOM

Some 618 people have died and 918 gone missing in the central Mediterranean so far this year, one of the most widely used channels for illegal migration to Italy and…

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Italy has highest number of cars per capita in EU

According to statistics released by Istat, the Italian statistics agency, Italy had the highest number of cars per capita in the EU in 2023, with 694 passenger vehicles for every…

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Politico picks Meloni as most influential person in Europe

Premier Giorgia Meloni has been ranked as the most powerful person in Europe this year by Politico. The international publication crowned the Italian prime minister in its Class of 2025…

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57% fear some migrants threaten Italian way of life

Most Italians fear that the arrival of some migrants poses a threat to the nation's way of life, according to the annual report of the research institute Censis, which was…

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Italian Authorities Crack Down on Keyboxes for Short-Term Rentals Amid Safety Concerns

The Italian government has taken decisive action to regulate the use of keyboxes and automated check-in systems in short-term rental properties, citing safety and compliance concerns. These measures, outlined in…

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Italy braces for strike on Friday

Italy is bracing for a general strike today proclaimed by the CGIL and UIl unions against the 2025 budget. The strike remains 8 hours or for the entire work shift…

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Messina Bridge to cost 13.5 bn euro

The planned bridge across the Messina strait between Sicily and mainland Italy will have an updated cost of 13.5 billion euro, the head of the project company Stretto di Messina…

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Massive Crackdown on Illegal Streaming Across Italy and Seven Other Countries

In a groundbreaking operation led by Italian authorities, the "Taken Down" initiative has dismantled the largest transnational criminal network involved in illegal audiovisual streaming. Coordinated by the Prosecutor's Office in…

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Italy’s 5-Star to rerun vote that ousted co-founder Grillo

Italy's opposition 5-Star Movement plans to re-run a vote that severed its ties with co-founder Beppe Grillo, its leader Giuseppe Conte said late on Monday. The removal of Grillo from…

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Italy’s opposition 5-Star breaks with co-founder Grillo

Italy's 5-Star Movement severed ties on Sunday with its co-founder, the comedian Beppe Grillo, a further step in turning what was once a radical protest movement into a more mainstream…

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One in 10 Italians living in absolute poverty – Caritas

Catholic charity Caritas said in its annual survey on poverty and social exclusion in Italy that nearly 5.7 million people live in absolute poverty, or about one-tenth of the population."Absolute…

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Italy acts against ‘wild’ e-scooters after rise in accidents

Italy's parliament approved a bill on Wednesday that will require e-scooter riders to wear helmets and be insured, while also introducing tougher fines for rogue parking as part of a…

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Italian Prime Minister Meloni suffers regional vote setback

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni suffered a rare electoral setback when her conservative coalition lost control of one region and lost ground in another that was already a centre-left stronghold.…

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Milan Tops Italy’s Quality of Life Rankings for 2024; Caltanissetta Trails Behind

Milan has once again emerged as the city with the best quality of life in Italy, securing the top spot in the annual Italia Oggi and Ital Communications survey in…

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Foreign-born population grew by 1 mn in 10 years – ISTAT

Households with at least one foreign-born member were over 2.5 million in Italy in 2021, representing 10% of families living in the country - an additional 700,000 family units compared…

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Flood waters drag cars into sea near Catania, Sicily

Flood waters tossed cars around in Torre Archirafi on Wednesday, dragging some into the sea, after the torrential rain that has hit Sicily turned streets into rivers in the town…

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Rome transport staff to wear bodycams, use panic buttons

Rome transport staff are to wear bodycams and use panic buttons amid a wave of attacks by bus users, officials said. The relevant protocol was signed by Rome Mayor Roberto…

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Mayor of Perugia Apologises for Amanda Knox Series Filming

The mayor of Perugia, where the British student Meredith Kercher was murdered, has apologised for allowing a controversial TV series co-produced by Amanda Knox to be filmed in the Italian…

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Italy plans to restrict nascent ‘cannabis light’ industry

Italy's flourishing "cannabis light" industry risks being uprooted this year when Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni pushes a bill through parliament to deflower a crop that is legal across much of…

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Mediterranean Sea Warming by Over One Degree in 25 Years, Study Finds

A recent study has revealed a concerning trend in the Mediterranean Sea, its waters have warmed by more than one degree Celsius over the past 25 years. Conducted by Italy’s…

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Nearly 60 arrested in Italy raid against ‘Ndrangheta mafia

Around 60 people have been arrested in a police raid against the 'Ndrangheta mafia in the southern Italian region of Calabria, police said in a statement on Thursday. Police said…

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Cremation rates surge in Italy as cultural norms shift

The number of Italians choosing to be cremated at the end of their lives has surged over the last 30 years as cultural changes, cost and a more secular society…

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Italy’s Marina Berlusconi lauds Meloni, voices doubts on Trump

Marina Berlusconi, the daughter of former prime minister Silvio Berlusconi whose family are still the main financial backers of his powerful political party, praised the right-wing Italian government but said…

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Italian unions to hold general strike on Nov. 29 against govt budget plans

Italian trade unions CGIL and UIL will hold an eight-hour general strike on Nov. 29 to protest against Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni government's budget plans, their leaders said on Wednesday.The…

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Italy’s Meloni secures tight win in Liguria regional election

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and her right-wing coalition pulled off another regional election win on Monday, near final results from Liguria in the northwest showed, in a mid-term boost…

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Italian art critic Vittorio Sgarbi facing trial over ‘stolen painting’

Former culture undersecretary and art critic Vittorio Sgarbi is facing a possible trial over a painting that was allegedly stolen and then allegedly altered to try to disguise its provenance.Prosecutors…

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Italy rocked by hacking scandal where info from state security databases sold to rich clients

Milanese police placed four people under house arrest and are investigating dozens of others in a probe into the alleged illegal access of state security databases by a private investigative…

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Venice to double number of days tourists must pay entry fee

Venice is to double the number of days it charges tourists an entrance fee in 2025, following a "successful" trial last year, the city's mayor said. Luigi Brugnaro said the…

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Italy’s 5-Star leader dumps party founder, comedian Grillo

Italy's 5-Star Movement will sever ties with its founder, comedian Beppe Grillo, due to his "acts of sabotage", party leader and former premier Giuseppe Conte said in book excerpts published…

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Last Great White Sharks of the Mediterranean Found in Sicilian Channel

Researchers have found the Mediterranean's last white sharks in the Sicilian Channel.The traces of the endangers great predators were found in the area during a number of expeditions led by…

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Italy adopts decree to overrule court objections on Albanian migrant camps

Italy's government on Monday passed a decree aimed at overcoming court objections to its flagship immigration plan that is aimed at deterring boat migrants by sending them to detention camps…

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Severe Flooding Hits Emilia-Romagna in Italy

Severe weather has hit Emilia-Romagna, causing major flooding. A 24-year-old man tragically drowned in Pianoro near Bologna after being swept away by floodwaters. Several rivers, including Savena and Idice, have…

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Meloni to visit Beirut and Aqaba, Jordan, on Friday

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni will be in Aqaba at midday on Friday for a meeting with King Abdullah II of Jordan, her agenda said on Wednesday.The premier will then…

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Italy’s Political Leaders Declare Income for 2024

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has declared income this year of almost half a million euros according to MP income statements posted online this week. The premier's income rose from…

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Italy’s Meloni plans Lebanon visit, seeks security guarantees for troops

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said on Tuesday she plans to visit Lebanon and called for security guarantees for her country's troops there after U.N. peacekeepers came under fire during…

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First group of migrants from Italy head to Albania

The first group of migrants were heading to Albania Monday to be processed in Italian-run centres set up in the Balkan country which have been criticised by rights groups as…

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Italy’s women doctors outnumber male medics for first time

Italy's women doctors outnumbered their male colleagues for the first time last year, physicians' pension agency Enpam said in a report this week. It said there were 180,916 women doctors…

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Italy’s demographics are worst in Europe for growth, Scope Ratings says

Italy's demographics are the worst in Europe in terms of economic growth potential between 2023 and 2040, Scope Ratings said on Wednesday, with a rapidly ageing population posing a threat…

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Italy to offer more migrant work visas to caregivers for old people

Italy will offer an extra 10,000 migrant work visas next year for people who look after old people and the disabled, the government said, as it adopted a new package…

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Italian rail services in chaos after glitch in Rome

Dozens of trains in Italy were delayed or cancelled on Wednesday after a technical malfunction on a stretch of line between the Italian capital's two main stations, train operator Trenitalia…

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Italy’s government to extend migrant NGO crackdown to planes

Italy will impose fines of up to 10,000 euros ($11,150) on pilots of aircraft that search for migrant boats in distress at sea, according to a draft government decree. The…

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Former Italian Lower House Speaker Irene Pivetti sentenced to 4 years for tax evasion and money laundering

Former Italian Lower House Speaker Irene Pivetti has been sentenced to four years in prison for tax evasion and money laundering. The verdict was handed down by the fourth criminal…

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Italy’s Emilia-Romagna region hit by new devastating floods

A storm system that has wreaked havoc across central Europe brought devastating floods to the northern Italian region of Emilia-Romagna on Thursday, forcing people to leave their homes and the…

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Milan, Rome and Florence least safe Italian cities

Milan, Rome and Florence, in that order, are the least safe Italian cities amid a rise in crime, according to an annual crime report from business daily Il Sole 24…

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Italy’s prosecutor seeks 6-year jail sentence for Salvini on migrant kidnapping charges

An Italian prosecutor on Saturday asked a judge to sentence right-wing League leader Matteo Salvini to six years in prison over his 2019 decision to prevent more than 100 migrants…

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Italians want destroying nature-climate to be a crime says study

Italian people are overwhelmingly in favour of making 'ecocide' - destroying, polluting or damaging the natural living world on a large scale - a crime, according to the results of…

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Italian Education Minister agrees with ban on cell phones for under-14s

Italian Education Minister Giuseppe Valditara said that he agreed with an appeal launched by education expert Daniele Novara and psychotherapist Alberto Pellai for under-14s to be banned from owning cell…

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