Italy

Italy uncovers $1.9 billion fraud linked to Chinese shadow bank network

Italian police said they had uncovered a tax fraud carried out by 85 suspects involving 1.7 billion euros ($1.9 billion) in false invoices, with the money laundered through a system…

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UN rights chief voices concerns over Italy-Albania migrant pact

A deal allowing Italy to build reception camps in Albania for thousands of migrants arriving by sea raises concerns about arbitrary detention and living conditions, the U.N. human rights chief…

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Italy fines first city for privacy breaches in use of AI

ROME, Jan 26 (Reuters) - Italy's privacy watchdog has fined the northern city of Trento for breaking data protection rules in the way it used artificial intelligence (AI) in street…

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Italy, EU’s oldest country, plans more spending for elderly

ROME, Jan 25 (Reuters) - Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni is set to introduce a new welfare subsidy for the low-income elderly, according to a draft decree seen by Reuters…

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Italy government proposes tougher jail terms for cybercriminals

Italy's government is set to propose tougher jail terms for cybercrime and stricter disclosure rules for public bodies that come under attack from hackers, according to a draft law seen…

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Rome, Paris, Berlin say action needed in Red Sea

Italy, France and Germany are calling for an EU naval mission to protect Red Sea shipping from attacks by Iranian-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen with a joint document they are…

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Italy approves bigger fines for ‘eco vandals’ targeting artworks

Italy's parliament on Thursday gave final approval to a law introducing tougher penalties on those who damage monuments and cultural sites, following a series of climate protests. In recent months,…

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Italian ports fear blow to business from Red Sea crisis

By Angelo Amante and Elisa Anzolin ROME/MILAN, (Reuters) - Houthi attacks on Red Sea shipping are causing major disruption to Italian ports, operators say, fuelling fears that a prolonged crisis…

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Italy hit record number of influenza cases

Italy has passed its yearly influenza peak, which this year has been the highest on record, according to the latest bulletin of the RespiVirNet surveillance system of the Istituto Superiore…

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UPDATED: Italy not asked to take part in Yemen strikes

Italy was not asked to take part in US-led air strikes against Houthi rebel bases in Yemen amid the rebels' attacks on Red Sea shipping, sources at the premier's office…

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Motorists in Italy who abandon animals to face driving ban

A group of League MPs expressed satisfaction after a parliamentary committee approved a change to the highway code proposed by the party that will see motorists who abandon animals at…

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Italy regulator tightens rules on influencers after Ferragni scandal

ROME, Jan 11 (Reuters) - Italy's communications authority AGCOM has approved stringent new rules to improve transparency on social media posts made by celebrities with mass online audiences. The decision…

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Italian Undersecretary Sgarbi under investigation

Culture Undersecretary Vittorio Sgarbi is being investigated for the alleged self-laundering of cultural assets, Macerata Giovanni Fabrizio Narbone said. The statement was made after daily newspaper Il Fatto Quotidiano reported…

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Sicily among Italian regions on extreme-weather alert

The civil protection authority has put eight regions on yellow alert for potentially dangerous weather events on Monday as a wave of violent winds and snow that arrived at the…

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COVID hospitalisations in Italy down but flu cases raising concern

COVID-19 hospitalisations in Italy are down slightly but a spike in flu cases is concerning, hospital group FIASO said this week. The rate of occupancy in ICUs has risen from…

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Italy court clears Maradona of tax evasion years after his death

Italy's highest court cleared the late Agentine soccer legend Diego Maradona of tax evasion charges, ending a 30-year-long legal battle between the ex-Napoli striker and revenue authorities. Known as "El…

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Africa, AI to be key G7 issues for Italy, Meloni says

ROME, Jan 4 (Reuters) - Africa and the dangers posed by artificial intelligence (AI) will be two of the key themes for Italy during its one-year presidency of the Group…

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Snow, cold spell to hit Italy over the weekend; Finns urged to limit power use amid cold weather

The above-average temperatures Italy has had so far this winter are set to end with a wave of cold weather and snow that is coming following a rainy Epiphany national…

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Italian lawmaker placed under investigation over New Year’s gun accident

Italian prosecutors placed a lawmaker from Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's party under investigation after a bystander was injured by a shot fired from his gun at a New Year's celebration.…

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Italy’s Treccani Encyclopaedia chooses ‘Femicide’ as word of the year

Italy's prestigious Treccani Encyclopaedia has chosen ‘Femminicidio’ (Femicide )as its word of the year amid a wave of deadly gender violence recently highlighted by the murder by her ex-boyfriend of…

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Italian parliament gives final approval to government’s 2024 budget

The Italian Chamber of Deputies on Friday passed the government's tax-cutting 2024 budget, giving parliament's final approval to the package which becomes law just ahead of an end-year deadline. Prime…

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Italy regulated electricity bills to fall 10.8%

Italy's regulated household electricity prices will fall by 10.8% in the first quarter of 2024 compared to the previous three months, Italy's energy authority ARERA said in a statement. ARERA…

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Matteo Renzi is Italy’s richest party leader

Ex Italian Prime Minister and populist 5-StarMovement (M5S) secretary Giuseppe Conte is Italy's poorest political party leader while ex premier and centrist Italia Viva (IV) chief Matteo Renzi is the…

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Italy drafts law to ‘safeguard’ school nativity scenes

Italy’s ruling far-right party has identified a new battleground in its war to protect the country’s “cultural roots”: the school nativity scene. A draft law proposed by the Brothers of…

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Italy braces for NYE terror risk

Italy is bracing for the risk of a terrorist attack and "eye-catching" climate crisis protests in its piazze on New Year's Eve, according to a circular from the department of…

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Same-sex nativity scene causes anger in Italy

By Ciro De Luca CAPOCASTELLO DI MERCOGLIANO, Italy, (Reuters) - A church nativity scene which features two mothers of the Baby Jesus, instead of the conventional Mary and Joseph figurines,…

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Italian population falls to under 59 million

Italy's population continues to decline, national statistics agency ISTAT said this week.As of December 31, 2022 the number of people living in the country fell to 58,997,201, according to the…

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Italy’s government wins Senate confidence vote on 2024 budget

ROME, Dec 22 (Reuters) - The Italian government on Friday comfortably won a vote of confidence in the Senate, which it called to speed up approval of its expansionary 2024…

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Italy parliament rejects ESM reform, irking Brussels

By Giuseppe Fonte and Angelo Amante Italy's lower house of parliament voted on Thursday against a long-awaited reform of the euro zone bailout fund, throwing into doubt ratification of a…

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High-debt Italy to carry on fighting for laxer EU budget rules

ROME, Dec 21 (Reuters) - Hours after signing up to a European Union deal on more lenient budget rules for the 20-nation eurozone, highly-indebted Italy said the rules were still…

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Meloni sick with flu, cancels engagements

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni is sick with the flu and has had to cancel all her engagements for the coming days, premier's office sources said. These include the traditional…

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Italy toughens rules on video-sharing platforms to protect minors

Italy's communication watchdog AGCOM has approved new rules enabling it to order online video-sharing platforms to remove "harmful content" to protect minors and consumers in the country, it said. The…

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Italian food historian cooks up carbonara controversy

By Francesca Piscioneri Food is a serious business in Italy, part of the national identity, as illustrated by a row that has broken out over how to make carbonara pasta…

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Italy could veto deal on EU stability pact rules – Meloni

ROME, Dec 13 (Reuters) - Italy could use its veto to prevent the adoption of the European Union's new fiscal rules if the outcome of negotiations among partners does not meet its…

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Some 40% of cars in Italy are over 15 years old

Around four out of 10 of the cars on Italy's roads are over 15 years old, according to a study released by motoring association ACI and the Caracciolo Foundation. The…

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Italians to spend on average 223 euro on Christmas presents

Italians plan to spend 223 euro on Christmas presents in 2023, 13% more than in 2022, according to the results of research by Confesercenti and Ipsos published this week.Net of…

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Meredith Kercher killer put under restraining order

A preliminary investigations judge in Viterbo issued a restraining order against Rudy Guede, the 36-year-old Ivorian national convicted of murdering British exchange student Meredith Kercher in Perugia in 2007, for…

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Meloni: Italy can improve trade with China after Belt and Road departure

Italy signed pact in 2019 expecting big boost to exports Hoped-for economic gains did not materialise Rome says still expects good relations with Beijing By Crispian Balmer and Angelo Amante…

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UPDATED: Italy tells China it is leaving Belt and Road Initiative

ROME, Dec 6 (Reuters) - Italy has officially informed China that it is quitting the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), dismissing fears the move might sour relations and damage the…

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Crime group distributing counterfeit euro coins dismantled in Italy

Europol supported the Italian Carabinieri in dismantling an organised crime group involved in the production and distribution of counterfeit euro coins. The European Commission’s European Technical and Scientific Centre also…

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Protect Mediterranean ports from EU environmental taxes – Salvini

New green taxes affecting Mediterranean ports damage maritime transport and European Union (EU) competitiveness, Deputy Premier and Transport and Infrastructure Minister Matteo Salvini said on Monday."The maritime transport sector is…

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Europol’s Operation OPSON breaks up a counterfeit olive oil ring

In the framework of Operation OPSON, Europol’s coordinated effort to combat food fraud and counterfeiting, Europol has supported a spin-off investigation into counterfeit olive oil. The operation was initiated by…

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Two arrested in Italy for spreading Islamist propaganda

ROME, Dec 4 (Reuters) - Two people have been arrested in Italy for spreading online terrorist propaganda linked to militant groups Palestine Islamic Jihad, Islamic State and al-Qaeda, police in…

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Italy sees a decrease in work-related deaths and accidents in 2023

In Italy, in the first 10 months of the year 868 reports of work-related deaths were submitted to workplace accident insurance agency INAIL, down 4.5% over the same period in…

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Italian ski resort of Cervinia reverts back to original name of Le Breuil

A small town in the Italian Alps has ditched its Mussolini-era name and reverted to its original one. Cervinia, a well-known ski resort in the Valle d’Aosta region, was for…

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Italy’s parliament approves crackdown on teenage migrants

ROME (Reuters) - Italian lawmakers approved a government decree that allows migrants aged 16 or 17 to be held in adult reception centres and gives police stronger powers to check…

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Italy, Saudi and South Korea compete to host 2030 world fair

Italy, Saudi Arabia and South Korea are battling it out in Paris on Tuesday for the right to host the Expo 2030 world fair, a five-yearly event that attracts millions…

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Italy urges Libya, Tunisia to establish control room for immigrants’ voluntary return

The Italian Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi stressed the need to take measures to implement and strengthen voluntary returns of illegal immigrants to their countries of origin with the help of…

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Thousands worldwide protest violence against women

Thousands of people in cities across the world rallied on Saturday to condemn violence against women on the occassion of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women.…

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Venice to experiment with entry fee, visitor cap from April 2024

By Federico Maccioni MILAN, (Reuters) - Venice will start testing a daily admission fee and cap on visitor access to its famous canals from next April, in what the Italian…

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Italy’s parties unanimously back clampdown on violence against women

By Angelo Amante Italian lawmakers on Wednesday unanimously backed a raft of measures to clamp down on violence against women after the killing of a university student, and the arrest…

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Italy’s privacy regulator looks into online data gathering to train AI

Italy's data protection authority has kicked-off a fact-finding investigation into the practice of gathering large amounts of personal data online for use in training artificial intelligence (AI) algorithms, the regulator…

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Student’s murder highlights violence against women in Italy

By Alvise Armellini ROME, (Reuters) - The killing of a university student and the arrest of her ex-boyfriend have highlighted the issue of violence against women in Italy, with Prime…

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Bolzano tops quality of life survey in Italy, Crotone, Messina, and Caltanissetta last

The northern province of Bolzano near the Austrian border topped the latest and 25th quality of life survey from newspaper ItaliaOggi and Ital Communications, in collaboration with Rome's La Sapienza…

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Over 5.674 million people in absolute poverty in Italy – Caritas

Poverty has become deeply embedded in Italy, Catholic Charity said in its annual report on poverty and social exclusion here. "Almost thirty years since the report was first published, the…

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Italy PM says deal with Albania on migrants could serve as blueprint

A deal reached this month by Italy with Albania to build centres for migrants coming ashore by sea could serve as a blueprint for other EU countries, Italian Prime Minister…

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Italians face disruption as workers strike over government budget

ROME, Nov 17 (Reuters) - Italians faced disruption on Friday as transport workers and other public sector employees from two of the country's largest unions went on strike in protest…

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