Italy

Italian Budget approved by Senate

Italian lawmakers passed Saturday the populist government's revised 2019 budget before a year-end deadline, despite complaints from the opposition that it was dictated by Brussels and had been rammed through…

Read More Here

3.2 earthquake registered in Rome

An 3.2 earthquake was recorded at 00:52 in the east of one of the provinces of Rome, around 24 km from the capital. According to the surveys of the National…

Read More Here

Saturday Morning Briefing and News Paper Review

Good morning Your morning briefing for Saturday. News Paper Review - The Malta Independent reveals that the vice-president of French football club AS Monaco holds a Maltese passport purchased through the IIP…

Read More Here

Migration, Libya and the Middle East on Agenda in Italy’s Foreign Minister visit to Washington next week

Italy's foreign minister, Enzo Moavero Milanesi, will be visiting Washington in early January, meeting with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo at the State Department and with national security adviser John…

Read More Here

Italian Prime Minister Conte defends budget

Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte on Friday vigorously defended the government’s 2019 budget as parliament held an acrimonious debate on the package, which needs to be approved by the end…

Read More Here

2,241 died in 2018 in their attempt to cross the Mediterranean

A total of 2,241 irregular migrants have died in the Mediterranean Sea since the beginning of the year, the non-profit Spanish Refugee Aid Commission (CEAR) said Thursday, reports Anadolu Agency. In a statement,…

Read More Here

British classified documents publication – “When Craxi forewarned Gaddafi of attack on family in the 80s”

West Berlin’s La Belle nightclub was a popular haunt for American soldiers in April 1986, when a bombing by Libyan agents killed two US servicemen and a Turkish woman, as…

Read More Here

An Inter fan dies after being hit by a van in clashes prior to the match against Napoli

An Inter fan supporter who was injured during the clashes before Inter-Napoli at San Siro died on Thursday. The man is a 35-year-old man and was hospitalised in serious condition…

Read More Here

Sea-Watch calls for safe port for the 33 migrants on board in the Mediterranean

It is not a sos, but almost. And it is launched via Twitter. It reads like this: "We need a safe port" The NGO Sea Watch, whose ship is now…

Read More Here

Demolition works on Genoa’s Morandi Bridge started – New bridge design inspired by Renzo Piano

Demolition work on Genoa's Morandi bridge started on Thursday. A building under the western part of the bridge that is still standing will be torn down. In addition, a deadline…

Read More Here

Two doctors are being investigated over Davide Astori’s death

Two doctors who issued medical certificates declaring former Italy international footballer Davide Astori fit to play despite evidence he suffered from a heart condition prior to his death are under investigation for negligent…

Read More Here

Watch the tragic moment in Ancona as it happened

Warning - Viewer Discretion required Source 100% News

Read More Here

Italy gripped by bitterness – Censis report

The annual report of research agency Censis gave an alarming portrayal of the state of the nation on Friday, suggesting Italy is increasingly gripped by bitterness. The 52nd Censis said…

Read More Here

Former Italian coach Gigi Radice died at 83

Former Torino coach Gigi Radice has died at the age of 83, sources said on Friday. Radice led the Turin side to their last Serie A title, in 1976, which…

Read More Here

Six dead, 118 injured in a stampede from a discotheque in Ancona, Italy (UPDATED)

Six youths died, 118 were injured, 12 of which in serious condition during an a stampede which took place in a discotheque in the province of Ancona. The tragedy took…

Read More Here

This week’s big blow to the Mafia

The Italian authorities have arrested 46 members of the Sicilian Mafia, including top leaders in the Palermo area, as part of a sweeping international operation spanning Germany, Belgium and the…

Read More Here

Italy’s health minister, who comes from vaccine-sceptic M5s, sacks entire expert-board of Higher Health Council

Italy’s health minister has sacked the entire board of the Higher HealthCouncil, the country’s most important committee of technical-scientific experts who advise the government on health policy. The Guardian reports that in…

Read More Here

Italian Parliament approves the Security Decree (Decreto Salvini) – Coalition split on whether to sign Migration Global Pact

The Italian Chamber of Deputies approved the Security Decree. After attaining vote of confidence on Tuesday, on Wednesday the act passed from Montecitorio definitively with 396 yes, 99 no. The…

Read More Here

5 babies, 12 children and 50 women were amongst the 236 Eritreans disembark in Pozzallo in latest migration drama which triggered another confrontation between Malta and Italy

5 babies, 12 children and 50 women were amongst the 236 Eritreans who disembarked in Pozzallo during the night after the latest migration drama in the Mediterranean which triggered yet…

Read More Here

Salvini accuses Malta of once again abandoning an inflatable boat with 150/200 immigrants in the middle of the Mediterranean

Italian Interior Minister Matteo Salvini has accused Malta, abandoning an inflatable boat with 150/200 immigrants in the middle of the Mediterranean and having a Patrol Boat rerouting it towards Italy".…

Read More Here

Alitalia’s board agreed to a bid from Ferrovie dello Stato

Alitalia's extraordinary commissioners have agreed to a bid for the troubled airline from Ferrovie dello Stato (FS) rail company, sources said Tuesday. ANSA says that FS, the sources said, has…

Read More Here

Salvini announces ‘red-rating’ priority to combat stalking and violence on women

Italian Deputy Premier and Interior Minister Matteo Salvini said on Monday that he was proposing the introduction a new system under which reports of stalking and violence on women would…

Read More Here

Monday Morning Briefing

Good morning, Your morning briefing with a quick roundup of the main headlines from the various portals, agencies and newspapers from Malta, Europe and the world to start your day…

Read More Here

4.2 earthquake registered in Rimini, Italy

An earthquake of magnitude 4.2 was felt in Rimini and its province. The earthquake was registered at around 13.48 on Sunday. The earthquake was confirmed by the National Institute of…

Read More Here

Italian government to retain position on re introduction of Mother and Father on ID cards despite privacy watchdog opposition

Interior Minister Matteo Salvini has said the ministry is "going forward" on replacing "parent 1" and "parent 2" with "father" and "mother' on electronic ID cards for children. ANSA quotes…

Read More Here

Berlusconi to go on trial for allegedly paying witness to five false testimony in ‘Bunga Bunga’ trial

Silvio Berlusconi is to go on trial for allegedly paying a witness to give false testimony about his notorious parties. A judge in southern city Bari on Friday set the…

Read More Here

Italy defies the EU and stick to its budget plans

Despite pressure from the European Commission, which rejected Rome's budget outright last month in a first for the EU, Italian Deputy Prime Minister Luigi Di Maio vowed to stand firm…

Read More Here

How France and Italy’s rivalry is hurting Libya

Since the 2011 revolution against Muammar al-Qaddafi, Libyans have often blamed outside actors for their continuing woes. Too frequently, this grievance has been overstated and used as an excuse to minimize the…

Read More Here

Rome’s Mayor Virginia Raggi cleared of false testimony

An Italian judge on Saturday acquitted Rome mayor Virginia Raggi of false testimony in a trial over a senior job appointment within city hall, averting a crisis in her party,…

Read More Here

Salvini accuses Malta of hostile act as ‘evidence’ indicates Malta gave a compass and life vests to 13 migrants so they can proceed with journey to Lampedusa

Italian Deputy Prime Minister accused Malta of doing a 'hostile act' when instead of aiding a boat with 13 migrants to Malta, the Maltese coast guard provided them with a…

Read More Here

Di Maio says that if Rome’s Mayor Raggi (M5s) is found guilty of lying, she will have to resign

A prosecutor told a trial, in which Rome Mayor Virginia Raggi is accused of making false statements about a senior appointment, that the first citizen of the Italian Capital city…

Read More Here

Bitter ending for sweet company Pernigotti

Pernigotti is closing down five years after the acquisition by Toksoz Group. Trade unions made the announcement after meeting company representatives on Tuesday. The chocolate company passed from Italian family…

Read More Here

Italian Senate approved Government’s security-and-migration decree

The Italian Senate on Wednesday approved the government's security-and-migration decree with 163 votes in favour, 59 against and 19 abstentions. The legislation, which was approved with a confidence vote, now…

Read More Here

3.4 earthquake recorded in Rieti, Italy

An earthquake of magnitude 3.4 was recorded at 19.50 near Rieti. The epicenter, as announced by the National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology on Twitter, is one kilometer southeast of…

Read More Here

Eurozone finance ministers urge Italy to redraft budget plan

Economy Minister Giovanni Tria has "understood" the need to act within the EU rules on Italy's 2019 budget bill, Economic Affairs Commissioner Pierre Moscovici said Monday. ANSA reports Moscovici said "he is…

Read More Here

Salvini’s former partner announces break-up on Instagram, he replies on Facebook

Elisa Isoardi, a former model who hosts the Italian version of Ready Steady Cook, announced the end of the three-year relationship with Matteo Salvini, with a photograph of the couple…

Read More Here

Hostage situation in Reggio Emilia ends with arrest of ‘Ndrangheta Calabrian mafia convict

Police on Monday ended a post office siege in Reggio Emilia by talking down the hostage taker, an 'Ndrangheta Calabrian mafia convict. They took him out after he let them in…

Read More Here

Italy government will call vote of confidence on security bill

Italy’s government will call a confidence vote in the upper house Senate on its security bill, which has generated tensions within the coalition between the League and 5-Star Movement, a…

Read More Here

Eurozone ministers meet in Brussels to discuss Italy’s budget standoff

Eurozone finance ministers gathering in Brussels on Monday will discuss Italy's escalating budget standoff with the EU as the bloc waits for the government in Rome to respond to the…

Read More Here

Monday Morning Briefing

Good morning Your morning briefing for Monday with a round up of the latest headlines and a review of the front pages from Malta's newspapers, to help you start the…

Read More Here

Death toll from bad weather in Italy continues to rise

Corriere Della Sera reports an increase in the death toll from the bad weather that hit Italy. During the night, the rain that fell in Sicily led to an increase…

Read More Here

Genoa Bridge collapse possibly caused by a 3.5 tons roll of steel falling from a truck

'At first I thought that the cause of the collapse of the Morandi bridge was the corrosion of the stays.Then seeing some videos I started to speculate that collapsing the…

Read More Here

Prosecutors drop charges against Salvini in Diciotti case

Italian Interior Minister Matteo Salvini said on Thursday that prosecutors have decided to drop charges laid against him after he refused to let 150 migrants disembark from a rescue ship…

Read More Here

Are we seeing Di Maio’s beginning of the end?

Di Maio's experience at the helm of M5s, was a stellar rise to the top, leading Italy 'de-facto' populists into power for the first time and becoming essentially the nation's…

Read More Here

Three takeover offers made for Alitalia

Troubled Italian carrier Alitalia has received three takeover offers as part of its latest rescue efforts, the company said in a statement on Wednesday. The offers will be examined by…

Read More Here

Mattarella approves submission of revised budget for parliamentary discussion and scrutiny

The Italian President has approved the submission of a revised budget document for discussion to the two chambers. Agreement was reached late in the night. The Budget Law is expected…

Read More Here

Italian antitrust authority orders suspension of Ryanair and Wizz Air baggage policy

The Italian Antitrust Authority, after the initiation of a preliminary investigation procedure, has provisionally ordered the suspension of the new baggage policy by the low-cost airlines Ryanair and Wizz Air,…

Read More Here

3.2 earthquake registered in the sea off the Sicilian coast

A magnitude 3.2 earthquake occurred in the stretch of sea between the north-eastern Sicilian coast (province of Messina) and Lipari. The Ingv, National Center for Earthquakes, reports this. The shock tremor…

Read More Here

7 reported dead as Italy is on high alert as storms, torrential rain and gale force winds hit all the peninsula

Six regions are on red alert due to the wave of storms, torrential rain and gales that is battering Italy. Seven people were killed and one missing as storms battered…

Read More Here

No damage reported after 3.1 strong earthquake was recorded in Umbria

An earthquake of magnitude 3.1 was recorded at 5:10 am in Umbria, in the southeast of the province of Perugia. According to the surveys of the National Institute of Geophysics…

Read More Here

Italy is setting itself up for a monumental fiscal failure (FT)

The short history of the eurozone has taught us that resistance is futile. You cannot extricate yourself from its rules, to which all member states have agreed. Unless the Italian…

Read More Here

Two Senegalese nationals and one Nigerian arrested in relation to homicide of 16-year-old girl in Rome’s San Lorenzo district

Three people have been detained by police in relation to the homicide of Desiree Mariottini, a 16-year-old girl found dead in an abandoned building in Rome's San Lorenzo district last…

Read More Here

Putin and Conte say EU sanctions against Russia must come to an end

Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte said on Wednesday that EU sanctions against Russia had to come to an end, but declined to say if his government was ready to veto…

Read More Here

Rome’s Metro incident raises concern about lack of maintenance of infrastructure in the city

Italian transport unions, consumer associations and Rome residents have called for a full investigation into the maintenance and safety of the city’s metro system after 24 CSKA Moscow football fans…

Read More Here

Europe Explained – European Commission’s position on Italian budget

The Commission has issued an opinion on the Italian draft budgetary plan for 2019. It requests that Italy presents a revised draft budgetary plan as soon as possible, and in…

Read More Here

Italy’s reply to EU concerns on budget sent – EU concerns on France, Spain, Belgium, Portugal and Slovenia’s budgets expressed

Italy's reply to the concerns raised over its planned budget by the European Commission arrived in Brussels on Monday, a spokesman said. The EU executive is expected to discuss the…

Read More Here

Italy expected to answer to EU on draft budget today

Italy is to answer the European Commission's doubts about its draft 2019 budget before noon on Monday. As a first step in the so-called 'semester' procedure, the commission last week…

Read More Here