Italy

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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Italy’s cabinet backs crack down on women pickpockets

By Angelo Amante Italy's rightist government on Thursday backed a raft of measures to improve public security including potentially tougher penalties for women offenders who are pregnant or have very…

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Italy arrests six in crackdown on fentanyl smuggling from China to U.S.

By Emilio Parodi Italian police have arrested six people in a crackdown on a network that allegedly played go-between for fentanyl trafficking from China to the United States, Guardia di…

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Italy working to cut cost of mega Sicily bridge project

Italy's government is seeking ways to cut the expected cost for taxpayers of a giant bridge designed to connect Sicily with the mainland, Economy Minister Giancarlo Giorgetti said. The government…

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Italy’s Friday’s transport strike reduced to 4 hours

CGIL trade union general secretary Maurizio Landini said he and UIL general secretary Pierpaolo Bombardieri had decided to reduce a transport strike which is part of a 24-hour general strike…

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Italy’s migrant deal with Albania faces rights hurdles and red tape

By Angelo Amante and Alvise Armellini Italy's government is hailing as "historic" a plan to send seaborne migrants to Albania, but experts and opposition politicians warn that it could face…

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Italy PM hails migrants deal with Albania as possible model for EU

Italy's plan to build reception centres in Albania for migrants arriving by sea could be a blueprint for deals between the European Union and non-member countries, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia…

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Weather damage in Tuscany in Italy estimated to rises to half a billion euro

Tuscany Governor Eugenio Giani revised upward to half a billion euro the estimate of damage caused by extreme bad weather and flooding in the region last Thursday. "The initial quantification…

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Solar flares bathe swathes of Europe in scarlet aurora borealis

Large parts of Europe witnessed a rare spectacular phenomena of the Northern Lights or as they are also known the aurora borealis, which is more synonymous with northern Europe. The…

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Italy’s government wants to cut restaurant bills for large families

By Giuseppe Fonte and Angelo Amante ROME, (Reuters) - The Italian government plans talks with restaurant owners to control prices and help large families to eat out, a government document…

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Italy’s Meloni vows ban on technocrat government in proposed reform

By Angelo Amante and Giuseppe Fonte ROME, (Reuters) - Italy's cabinet proposed a ban on technocrat-led governments as part of a constitutional reform to directly elect the head of government,…

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Six killed as ‘unprecedented’ downpours swamp Italy’s Tuscany

By Yara Nardi CAMPI BISENZIO, Italy, (Reuters) - Six people died and two were missing after rivers burst their banks following torrential overnight rain in the central Italian region of…

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Italy weighs ban on technocrat-led government in proposed constitution reform

Italy's cabinet was set to propose on Friday a ban on technocrat-led governments, a draft law bill seen by Reuters showed, as part of a constitutional reform to introduce the direct…

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WATCH: Five killed as floods hit Italy’s Tuscany region

Five people have been killed after rivers overflowed following torrential rain in the central Italian region of Tuscany, local authorities said on Friday, as Storm Ciaran continued to lash western…

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Photo Story: Flooding in Milan as Seveso river overflows

People push a police vehicle along a flooded street after a storm caused the overflowing of the Seveso river, in Milan, Italy. The city of Milan is on alert after…

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Italy drafts plan for direct election of prime minister

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and top ministers on Monday backed a constitutional reform proposal introducing the direct election of the prime minister, in an effort to end the country's…

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Earthquakes beset Italian town as supervolcano rumbles

By Yesim Dikmen, Antonio Denti and Philip Pullella POZZUOLI, Italy (Reuters) - The talk in shops and coffee bars in Pozzuoli, a port town outside Naples, is not about soccer…

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Italy to raise taxes for flat owners doing multiple short-term rentals

Italy's government plans to hike taxes on short-term rentals by people letting out more than one flat, a draft of the 2024 budget seen by Reuters showed. The move comes…

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Over 2 million Italian families in absolute poverty

Istat said that just over 2.18 million households in Italy were in absolute poverty in 2022. The national statistics agency said this represented 8.3% of the total number of families,…

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Italy lawmakers move to raise electromagnetic limits in boost for telcos

ROME, Oct 27 (Reuters) - An Italian parliamentary committee approved on Friday an amendment to a bill to raise limits on electromagnetic fields, which mobile telecommunication operators complain are too…

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Births in Italy heading for new record low in 2023

Births in Italy are heading for a new record low this year, according to preliminary data that points to a deepening of the country's long-standing demographic crisis. Between January and…

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