Italy

Severe Weather in Italy: Aniene River Floods Rome as Snow Brings Motorway Disruption

Rome is grappling with severe weather conditions after the Aniene River burst its banks, flooding roads and prompting closures across parts of the capital, while heavy snowfall caused major disruption…

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Autostrada tolls in Italy to go up 1.5%

Italy's highway tolls are to go up by 1.5% to track inflation in the New Year, the transport ministry said this week saying it was a move they had tried…

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Italy revises golden power rules to try to end spat with EU

Italy plans to revise its golden power rules designed to shield strategic assets, deferring its own review of major financial-sector M&A deals until the European Commission and European Central Bank…

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Respiratory Infections Surge as Italy Nears Seasonal Peak

Approximately 950,000 new cases of acute respiratory infections were recorded in Italy during the week of December 15 to 21, according to data released on Monday by the Higher Health…

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Sicily ranks last in Italy for childhood vaccination coverage

Sicily recorded the lowest childhood vaccination coverage in Italy in 2024, according to a report released by the Ministry of Health on paediatric and adolescent vaccinations for children born in…

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Italy antitrust regulator fines Ryanair $300 million

Italy's competition authority said on Tuesday it had fined Europe's largest budget airline Ryanair 255 million euros ($300.19 million) for abuse of a dominant position in its dealings with travel…

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Investigation Advances in Emanuela Orlandi Case as Friend Becomes Subject of Inquiry

A significant development has emerged in the long-running investigation into the disappearance of Vatican citizen Emanuela Orlandi, who vanished in Rome on 22 June 1983 at age 15. Laura Casagrande,…

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Growing Inequality and Digital Dependence Reshape Italian Life

A newly released national survey this week by Censis paints a stark picture of contemporary Italy: a middle class under pressure, a generation growing older, and a collective “dream” increasingly…

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Italian court rules against Sicily bridge, government wants to press on

An Italian court has ruled that plans for the world's largest suspension bridge between mainland Italy and the island of Sicily would break EU environmental and tender rules, but the…

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Europol aided France, Spain, Italy, and Romania disrupt human trafficking organized crime networks

In two joint operations conducted this month, Europol supported France and Spain as well as Italy and Romania in disrupting large-scale organised crime groups involved in human trafficking and sexual…

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Italy Weighs Return to Voluntary Military Service Amid Shifting Security Climate

Italy’s defence chief has signalled a potential return to voluntary military service, two decades after the country phased out conscription. Speaking on Thursday, Defence Minister Guido Crosetto said he intends…

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Italy’s Senate delays rape bill, exposing government rifts

Italy's Senate has postponed debate on a landmark bill that would stipulate for the first time that sex without consent constitutes rape, exposing tensions within Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's coalition.…

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Italy Braces for Surge in Winter Visitors as International Demand Climbs

Italy’s tourism sector is preparing for a buoyant winter season as foreign arrivals surge. A Demoskopika study previewed by ANSA estimates that 14 to 14.4 million international travellers will visit…

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Italian parliament unanimously votes to make femicide a crime

Deputies in the Italian parliament have voted unanimously to introduce the crime of femicide – the murder of a woman, motivated by gender – as a distinct law to be…

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Italian Local Elections Reinforce Status Quo, Offer Limited Traction for Opposition

Italy's leftist opposition and ruling parties held their ground in regional votes, provisional results showed on Monday, wrapping up a round of races in 2025 that saw no signs of…

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From Carbonara to Tiramisu: Italy Seeks UNESCO Recognition to Boost Tourism

Italy is projecting a significant surge in international tourism if its national cuisine secures UNESCO intangible World Heritage status, with industry groups estimating up to 18 million additional visitors over…

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‘We are under attack’: Italian defense minister accuses Russia of waging hybrid war

Italy’s defense minister is calling for the West to fight back against increasing numbers of potentially “catastrophic” Russian hybrid attacks. In a 125-page paper published on Tuesday afternoon, Guido Crosetto…

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Italian lawmakers revive Italy’s claim on central bank’s $300 billion gold pile

Italian lawmakers have revived attempts to establish that the central bank's $300 billion in gold reserves belong to the state by presenting a proposal to parliament. The lawmakers who signed…

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Italy seeks faster introduction of EU levy on low-value parcels

The European Union needs to adopt "strong and fast" rules against the invasion of cheap and unregulated products, Economy Minister Giancarlo Giorgetti said. He also said the EU should bring…

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“War Safari” Scandal: Italy Reopens Dark Chapter from the Siege of Sarajevo

Prosecutors in Milan have launched an investigation into allegations that Italian citizens paid large sums of money to join Serbian militias as “weekend snipers” during the 1993–1995 Siege of Sarajevo,…

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Major Solar Storm Causes Radio Blackouts Across Europe and Africa

A powerful geomagnetic storm has been underway since the night of November 11–12, reaching G4 intensity—one step below the highest G5 level, according to the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric…

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Libyan Security Forces Apprehend Warlord at Center of Controversy in Italy

Libyan warlord Osama Al-Masri Njeem, controversially released from jail by Italian authorities in January, was arrested Wednesday in Tripoli on charges of torture and violence against prisoners. “As sufficient evidence…

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Medieval tower in Rome being restored using EU cash collapses

A medieval tower in the center of Rome undergoing EU-funded restoration work partially collapsed on Monday, injuring a worker and leaving another dead. A Romanian worker trapped for hours under…

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Meloni’s bid to overhaul Italy’s justice system wins backing from lawmakers

Italy’s Senate on Thursday approved Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s flagship justice reform, marking significant progress for the right-wing plan to overhaul the country’s judiciary. With 112 votes in favor, 59 against…

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Italian court rejects Sicily bridge project

Italy’s Court of Auditors on Wednesday rejected the government’s plan to build a long-debated bridge from mainland Italy to Sicily, dealing a body blow to one of Rome’s most ambitious…

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Italy’s Webuild Begins Recruitment for Messina Strait Bridge Project

Italian construction giant Webuild on Friday launched recruitment for the long-delayed Messina Strait Bridge, a 13.5-billion-euro project to connect Sicily with the mainland via what will be the world’s longest…

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Italy’s Retirement Age to Rise to Nearly 69 by 2050, Istat Forecasts

Italy’s retirement age is set to increase to 68 years and 11 months by 2050, up from the current 67, according to projections released Tuesday by the national statistics agency…

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Italy’s Meloni marks three years in power

Three years after winning power, Giorgia Meloni has consolidated her position at the helm of Italian politics, defying the economic headwinds and international uncertainty that have unsettled many of her…

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Italy’s Birth Rate Falls to Record Low, Istat Reports

The number of babies born in Italy fell to a new historic low in 2024, with 369,944 births registered, a 2.6% decline from the previous year, national statistics agency Istat…

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Deadly Attack on Pistoia Basket Supporters’ Bus Stuns Italy

In a shocking and rare act of violence in European basketball, a bus carrying fans of Pistoia Basket was ambushed on Italy’s Rieti–Terni highway Sunday evening, killing one of its…

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Explosion in Italy kills three Carabinieri during police raid

An explosion at a farmhouse in northern Italy during a police raid killed three Carabinieri officers and injured 12 others, Italy's fire service said on X on Tuesday. https://twitter.com/Carabinieri/status/1977985507633074469 The…

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Over 5.7 Million Italians Living in Absolute Poverty, Istat Reports

More than 5.7 million people were living in conditions of absolute poverty in Italy in 2024, according to data released Tuesday by the national statistics agency Istat. The figures show…

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New Italian bill targets Islamic face coverings and religious funding

Italy's ruling Brothers of Italy party put forward legislation on Wednesday to ban the burqa and niqab in public spaces, part of a broader bill aimed at combating what it…

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Italian Consumer Spending Holds Steady, But One in Three Families Cut Food Budgets – Istat

Italian household spending remained broadly stable in 2024, but a significant share of families tightened their belts on food and beverages, the national statistics agency Istat reported. According to the…

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Security concerns overshadow Israel’s World Cup qualifiers in Norway and Italy

Israel's World Cup qualifiers in Norway and Italy are being overshadowed by security concerns, with the mayor of the northern Italian city of Udine warning about the situation ahead of…

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Italy’s Meloni says she has been denounced to ICC for complicity in genocide

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said on Tuesday that she and two of her ministers had been reported to the International Criminal Court for alleged complicity in genocide in connection…

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Luxury hybrid car thieves taken down in Belgium, Italy and Spain

A highly specialised organised crime network responsible for the theft of more than 100 luxury hybrid cars has been dismantled in an international operation led by the Italian Carabinieri with…

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Strike called in Italy, protests flare over interception of Gaza aid ships

Italian unions called a general strike for Friday in solidarity with the international aid flotilla for Gaza, while protests sprang up in a number of cities late on Wednesday after…

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Italian TV Host Enrica Bonaccorti Reveals Cancer Diagnosis in Social Media Post

Veteran Italian television host Enrica Bonaccorti has revealed she is battling cancer, sharing the news with her followers in a candid Instagram post that quickly went viral. The 74-year-old presenter,…

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Italy Police Break Up Illegal Streaming Network; Eight Held

Italian police placed eight people under house arrest Friday in a Catania-led investigation into an alleged criminal network accused of running the country’s largest illegal streaming service. Prosecutors said the…

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Veteran Italian singer Christian dies aged 82

Christian, a singer who had a string of hits in the early 1980s and was often called the Italian Julio Iglesias due to his similar style to the Spanish music…

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Autumn Storm Batters Italy: Floods, Landslides and Hundreds of Rescues

A powerful autumn storm swept across Italy this week, unleashing torrential rains, flash floods and landslides from the Alps to the southern islands, forcing school evacuations, closing roads and triggering…

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Italian port of Ravenna blocks arms for Israel

The Italian Adriatic port of Ravenna refused entry to two trucks said to be carrying arms to Israel, as protests mount among Italian dockworkers and other labour groups against the…

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Italy to Support UN Resolution on Palestinian Statehood, Open to Sanctions on Israeli Hardliners

Deputy Premier and Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani announced Thursday that Italy will endorse a United Nations resolution on Palestinian statehood later this month, underscoring Rome’s commitment to a two-state solution…

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Italy unprepared for attack by Russia or anyone else – Defence minister Crosetto

Italian Defence Minister Guido Crosetto said Monday that Italy would not be ready if Russia or anyone else decided to attack it. "We are not ready for either a Russian…

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Italy rules out sending troops to Ukraine under peace plan

Italy will not send troops to Ukraine as part of any future peace deal with Russia, Premier Giorgia Meloni told a meeting of the “coalition of the willing” Thursday, her…

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Legendary Italian designer Giorgio Armani dies aged 91

The Italian fashion designer and billionaire brand owner Giorgio Armani has died at the age of 91. He was the archetype of Italian style and elegance, reimagining men's and women's…

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Tourists Arrivals in Italy Rose 9.3% in August

Tourist arrivals in Italy increased by 9.3% in the first half of August compared with the same period last year, the Interior Ministry said Wednesday. Between Aug. 1 and Aug.…

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Eruption at Mount Etna, Catania Airport Stays Open

Mount Etna is exhibiting intense Strombolian activity at its summit craters, accompanied by a strong emission of volcanic ash, according to Italy’s National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology (INGV), Etna…

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MSC Cruise Ship Suffers Engine Failure off Ponza

An MSC cruise ship suffered an engine failure off the island of Ponza in the Pontine Archipelago, south of Rome, early Monday morning. The MSC World Europa, sailing from Genoa…

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Libyan Coast Guard Fires on Ocean Viking NGO Vessel After Rescue Operation

The humanitarian ship Ocean Viking, operated by SOS Mediterranée, came under heavy fire from the Libyan Coast Guard in what the NGO has denounced as a “violent and deliberate attack.”…

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Mediterranean Heat Grips Cyprus and Italy as Weather Extremes Intensify

Much of the Mediterranean sweltered Thursday as Cyprus issued a yellow alert for soaring inland temperatures and Italy battled a mix of searing southern heat and violent storms in the…

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Italy’s Coaches Association Appeals to FIFA, UEFA for Israel Ban

Italy’s national soccer coaches association has asked the country’s soccer federation to push for Israel’s temporary suspension from international competitions in response to the conflict in Gaza. The Association of…

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Sicily set for mild Ferragosto heat as millions take to the roads

As much of central and northern Italy braces for oppressive Ferragosto heat, Sicily is expected to enjoy milder conditions, with three of its major cities forecast to stay in the…

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Search Continues After Migrant Shipwrecks Off Lampedusa Kill at Least 27

At least 27 people, including a 1-year-old girl and three teenagers, died when two overloaded migrant boats capsized in rough seas off the Italian island of Lampedusa on Wednesday, officials…

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Children Aged 11–13 Behind Fatal Milan Hit-and-Run in Stolen Vehicle

Milan municipal police have identified and detained four minors who were inside a stolen car that fatally struck 71-year-old Cecilia De Astis on Monday in Via Saponaro, in the Gratosoglio…

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Giorgia Meloni Surpasses Renzi, Eyes Craxi and Berlusconi in Longevity Record

Giorgia Meloni’s government on Tuesday became the fourth longest-serving administration in the history of the Italian Republic, reaching 1,024 days in office since its inauguration on October 22, 2022. This…

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