Rome Times

Italy’s women’s national volleyball team has advanced to the round of 16 at the 2026 European Championship and will face Bulgaria in the knockout stage.

Italy Sends Medical and Consular Support After Alessandro Di Battista Is Hospitalised in Cuba

Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has coordinated assistance for former Five Star Movement figure Alessandro Di Battista after he was unexpectedly hospitalised in Havana.

Former Culture Minister Dario Franceschini Reveals Parkinson’s Diagnosis

Democratic Party Senator Dario Franceschini has disclosed that he has lived with Parkinson’s disease for six years, prompting bipartisan expressions of support in the Italian parliament.

Italian and Swiss Police Investigate Fatal Shooting of Italian Woman in Aarau

Authorities in Italy and Switzerland are jointly investigating a shooting outside a techno festival in Aarau that killed a 22-year-old Italian woman and injured two other people.

Italy Expects About 10 Million Domestic Travellers in September

Confcommercio forecasts that roughly 10 million Italians will travel domestically in September, extending the summer tourism season and supporting hospitality businesses and local economies.

Taranto Accelerates Infrastructure Projects Ahead of 2026 Mediterranean Games

Taranto is deploying Italian and European funding to build sporting facilities and improve municipal transport before the 2026 Mediterranean Games, using the event to support broader redevelopment in the Apulia region.

Italian AI Startups Draw More Early-Stage Investment as EU Rules Take Effect

Italian artificial-intelligence startups are attracting increased angel and venture investment following implementation of the European Union AI Act, with founders focusing on compliant domestic technology and infrastructure.

Higher Euribor Rates Raise Mortgage Costs for Italian Households

A renewed increase in Euribor is pushing up monthly payments for Italian borrowers with variable-rate mortgages, adding to housing affordability pressures in cities including Milan and Rome.

Italian Consumer Confidence Rises to Six-Month High

Italy’s consumer confidence index climbed to 94.5 in August, its highest level since February, as manufacturing and retail sentiment showed resilience despite weak growth elsewhere in Europe.

UniCredit Shares Near 52-Week High Amid Strong Earnings and Consolidation Focus

UniCredit shares are trading close to their 52-week high as investors respond to strong domestic performance and the Italian bank’s cross-border consolidation strategy involving Germany’s Commerzbank.

Prada Revenue Exceeds €3 Billion in First Half as Miu Miu Drives Growth

Prada Group reported first-half revenue of more than €3 billion, with strong growth at Miu Miu helping the Milan-based luxury company outperform a broader slowdown affecting parts of the global luxury market.

Sardinia Heatwave Pushes Temperatures to 45.8°C and Raises Wildfire Risk

Italian civil protection authorities have issued heat and fire warnings across Sardinia after temperatures reached 45.8°C in Jerzu, increasing pressure on agriculture and electricity supplies during the peak tourism season.

Tornado and Hailstorm Injure More Than 40 in Lombardy and Damage Cremona Cathedral

Authorities in Lombardy are considering a state of emergency after a severe thunderstorm and tornado struck Cremona, injuring more than 40 people and causing major damage to the city’s cathedral and surrounding agricultural areas.

Nexperia Chip Dispute Forces Production Halts at Italian Manufacturers

Semiconductor shortages linked to the dispute surrounding Dutch chipmaker Nexperia are disrupting Italian automotive and industrial supply chains, forcing some companies to halt production temporarily and furlough workers.

Intesa Sanpaolo Files Consob Complaint Over Monte dei Paschi Takeover Defences

Intesa Sanpaolo has lodged a formal complaint with Italian market regulator Consob over defensive measures adopted by Monte dei Paschi di Siena, intensifying the continuing battle over consolidation in Italy’s banking sector.

Italy Extends Border Controls With Spain Amid Migration Tensions

Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s government has extended border controls affecting Spain for another 15 days amid heightened migration and diplomatic tensions following the mass influx into Ceuta.

Italy Threatens to Withdraw EU Funds From Stellantis Over Termoli Battery Plant

Industry Minister Adolfo Urso has warned Stellantis that hundreds of millions of euros in European recovery funding could be redirected unless the company commits to restarting the delayed Termoli electric-vehicle battery project.

EU Sets 1.6% Spending Growth Cap for Italy in 2026

European Union finance ministers have told Italy to limit nominal net public spending growth to 1.6% in 2026 as Rome works to exit the bloc’s excessive deficit procedure.

Italy Prepares 2027 Budget as EU Deficit Rules Constrain Tax-Cut Plans

Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s government is finalising its 2027 budget while weighing an extension of the 33% income-tax bracket for middle-income households against spending limits imposed under the European Union’s excessive deficit ...

Inter Milan, Napoli and Roma Emerge as Early Serie A Title Contenders

Inter Milan, Napoli and AS Roma have established themselves as early challengers for the Serie A title, helping drive strong domestic television audiences and international interest in the Italian league.

Italy Marks Songwriter Mogol’s Ninetieth Birthday

Italian cultural figures and fans have celebrated the ninetieth birthday of songwriter Giulio Rapetti, known as Mogol, whose career spans nearly eighteen hundred songs and decades of influence on Italian popular music.

Italian Street Food Businesses Increase Nearly 89 Percent Over a Decade

The number of registered street food businesses in Italy has risen 88.7 percent over ten years, driven by changing consumer habits, tourism growth and higher operating costs for traditional restaurants.

Italian Heritage Tourism Revives Small Southern Communities

Summer travel research indicates that seventy percent of Italian holidaymakers prioritized visits to family hometowns and ancestral villages, supporting local economies in parts of southern Italy affected by long-term depopulation.

Italy Allocates 50 Million Euros for Youth Services in Small Towns

The Ministry for Family and Equal Opportunities has created a fifty million euro fund for municipalities with fewer than five thousand residents to expand educational and recreational services for young people.

Italy Finalizes Housing Subsidy for Separated and Divorced Parents

The government has completed the framework for a new benefit providing housing assistance to separated or divorced parents facing financial hardship after family breakdown.

Report Highlights Heavy Reliance on Withholding Taxes Across Italian Economy

A new economic report says 95.7 percent of Italian tax revenues are collected through direct source withholding, prompting concerns about household liquidity during a period of elevated living costs.

Italian Households Sell Gold at Record Pace as Prices Reach Historic Highs

Precious-metal dealers across major Italian cities are reporting a sharp increase in people selling inherited gold and jewelry to take advantage of high prices and cover rising household expenses.

Saharan Heat and High Humidity Extend Agricultural Stress in Emilia-Romagna

Meteorological services have prolonged warnings for Emilia-Romagna and the Adriatic coast as Saharan dust, high humidity and extreme heat worsen agricultural drought and add pressure to local health services.

New Italian Highway Rules Target Tax and Insurance Evasion Using Foreign License Plates

Italy has tightened rules on vehicles registered with Polish and other Eastern European plates as authorities seek to curb the use of foreign registrations to avoid domestic road taxes and insurance costs.

Elly Schlein Defends Giorgia Meloni After Remarks by Donald Trump

Democratic Party leader Elly Schlein publicly defended Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni following critical remarks by Donald Trump, arguing that Italy’s democratic affairs should remain free from foreign interference.

Giorgia Meloni Distances Brothers of Italy From Roberto Vannacci

Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said controversial European Parliament member Roberto Vannacci is neither a problem nor a resource for her party, drawing a clearer boundary within Italy’s conservative political coalition.

Italian Summer Tourism Generates More Than 20 Billion Euros as Inflation Squeezes Travelers

Italy’s tourism and hospitality industries recorded summer revenue above twenty billion euros as twenty-nine million Italians traveled domestically, although higher hotel, flight and restaurant prices continued to erode purchasing power.

Survey Finds Nearly Eight in Ten Italians Use Installment Payments for Everyday Purchases

Nearly eighty percent of Italian consumers now use installment financing for purchases ranging from major appliances to routine expenses, according to a survey pointing to growing household financial pressure.

Several Italians Missing After Nepal-Tibet Border Flood Disaster

Italy’s Foreign Ministry has activated its crisis unit after several Italian trekkers were reported missing following destructive flash floods and landslides along the Nepal-Tibet border.

Gaggio Tech Dismisses 79 Workers as Italian Manufacturing Pressures Intensify

Industrial components producer Gaggio Tech has issued dismissal notices to seventy-nine employees in Emilia-Romagna, prompting union strikes and highlighting pressure on Italy’s manufacturing supply chains.

Fuel Prices Above Two Euros a Liter Renew Pressure for Italian Excise Tax Cuts

Diesel and gasoline prices exceeded two euros per liter on parts of Italy’s highway network during the August return travel period, intensifying calls for renewed fuel-tax relief.

Italian Unions Raise Alarm Over Artificial Intelligence Risks to Jobs

Trade unions and technology groups are calling for stronger government protections for workers as concerns grow that Artificial Intelligence could displace jobs in administrative and manufacturing sectors.

Bank of Italy Reports Digital Payments Have More Than Doubled Since 2018

Digital payment transactions in Italy have more than doubled since 2018, according to the Bank of Italy, reflecting the continued decline of cash use and broader modernization of consumer payments.

Italy Prepares Tax Relief for Thirteenth-Month Salaries in Next Budget

Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s government is drafting measures to reduce taxes on year-end bonuses and thirteenth-month salaries as it seeks to support household purchasing power and domestic consumption.

Banca Generali and Monte dei Paschi Talks Stir Fresh Italian Banking Consolidation Speculation

Reports that Banca Generali is evaluating strategic proposals involving Monte dei Paschi di Siena have revived expectations of further consolidation across Italy’s banking sector.

Italy Extends Border Controls With Spain After Ceuta Migration Surge

Italy’s Interior Ministry has extended heightened checks at airports and maritime ports for another fifteen days following the large influx of irregular migrants into Spain’s enclave of Ceuta.

Italy Approves Emergency Measures to Keep Former Ilva Steelworks Operating

The Italian government has adopted an emergency decree providing financial support to maintain production at the Acciaierie d’Italia steelworks in Taranto while authorities seek a permanent private buyer by September.