Rome Times

Ukraine's Ousted Defence Minister Calls for Wartime Presidential Election

Mykhailo Fedorov's appeal challenges President Volodymyr Zelenskyy as martial law continues to bar elections during Russia's full-scale war. "Democracy cannot be held hostage by Russia," he said.

Italian Authorities Search for Escaped Giant Monitor Lizard in Northern Province

Italian environmental police and wildlife-control teams are searching for a giant monitor lizard that escaped from a private exotic-animal enclosure in a northern province. Local authorities have issued warnings as the search continues, ...

Nuns Challenge Spotorno Over Planned Expropriation of Historic Beach Club

A convent in Spotorno, Liguria, has launched legal action against the municipality to prevent the expropriation of a beachfront club it has operated for decades. The dispute reflects wider tensions over efforts to bring long-standing Ita...

Italy’s Football Federation Holds Talks With Pep Guardiola Over National Team Role

The Italian Football Federation has reportedly opened discussions with Pep Guardiola about a possible role with the national team as it seeks to improve its international fortunes. A move for the highly decorated manager would represent ...

Italian Football Mourns Franco Baresi as AC Milan and National Team Icon Dies at 66

The Italian Football Federation and AC Milan have confirmed the death of legendary defender Franco Baresi at the age of 66, prompting tributes from across Italian football and the wider sporting world. Baresi was celebrated for his defen...

Pompeii Unveils Restored Fresco Reconstructed From Thousands of Ancient Fragments

The Pompeii Archaeological Park has unveiled a restored fresco depicting a mythical love story after conservation specialists reconstructed it from thousands of fragments recovered from the site. The project highlights the continuing wor...

Italian Coastal Towns Introduce Pre-Booking and Capacity Limits to Manage Summer Crowds

Dozens of coastal municipalities in Sardinia, Tuscany and Campania have introduced mandatory pre-booking systems and daily limits for beach access as visitor numbers rise. The measures are intended to reduce overcrowding and environmenta...

Archaeologists Discover Roman Shipwreck With More Than 500 Intact Amphorae Off Sicily

Italian cultural heritage officials and maritime archaeologists have discovered a remarkably preserved Roman shipwreck carrying more than 500 intact terracotta amphorae off the Sicilian coast. The find offers new evidence about ancient M...

American Tourist Killed by Lightning Strike While Hiking on Mount Etna

An American tourist was killed by lightning while hiking near the summit of Mount Etna in Sicily. The incident has prompted regional authorities to review emergency procedures at major natural attractions as tourism operators face growin...

Chinese Electric Vehicle Sales in Europe Increase Pressure on Italy’s Auto Industry

Rising Chinese electric vehicle sales in Europe are intensifying pressure on Italian automakers and prompting renewed debate over trade policy. The increased competition is fueling discussions in Rome about whether the European Union sho...

Meloni Rejects Donald Trump’s Criticism Over Cancelled Italian Diplomatic Visit

Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has rejected criticism from former U.S. President Donald Trump following the cancellation of a high-level Italian diplomatic visit to Washington. The dispute highlights the political sensitivities facing Ita...

Italian Authorities Investigate Suspected Arson Network Using Animals to Spread Wildfires

Italian police and environmental authorities are investigating suspected arsonists accused of using flammable materials attached to feral cats to spread wildfires. The fires have damaged natural reserves and agricultural land during the ...

Japanese Beetle Infestation Threatens Vineyards and Orchards in Northern Italy

Agricultural authorities in northern Italy have declared a state of emergency over a spreading infestation of Japanese beetles affecting vineyards and fruit orchards. Farmers and environmental officials are deploying containment and erad...

Venice Seeks Approval for Dynamic Visitor Pricing to Manage Overtourism

Venice’s municipal government has asked national authorities to approve a dynamic pricing system for visitor entry fees, replacing the city’s flat-rate pilot. The proposed system would vary charges according to demand as Venice seeks to ...

Italy’s Supreme Court Expands Legal Path for Citizenship Claims by Descendants Abroad

Italy’s Supreme Court of Cassation has issued a ruling that strengthens legal avenues for citizenship claims by descendants of Italian emigrants. The decision clarifies aspects of ancestral lineage and administrative procedures and could...

Italian Dairy Producers Deploy Emergency Measures to Protect Parmigiano Reggiano From Heat

Dairy farmers and cheese producers in Emilia-Romagna are introducing emergency cooling measures as prolonged extreme heat affects livestock and the production of Parmigiano Reggiano. High temperatures are also complicating the cheese’s a...

Death of Moroccan Man in Police Restraint Sparks Italian Security Debate

The death of a Moroccan man while being restrained by Italian police has prompted criticism from human rights organizations and opposition politicians. The case has intensified debate over law enforcement practices, migration policy and ...

Italian Police Recover Stolen Renoir, Cézanne and Matisse Paintings Worth About $10 Million

Italy’s Carabinieri art squad has recovered paintings by Renoir, Cézanne and Matisse worth about $10 million after a nighttime robbery at the Magnani Rocca Foundation near Parma. Five foreign nationals linked to an organized crime group ...

Stellantis Recalls Nearly 850,000 North American Vehicles Over Rearview Camera Software Defect

Stellantis is recalling nearly 850,000 Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep and Ram vehicles from the 2026 and 2027 model years because a software defect can disrupt rearview camera displays. The company said no accidents or injuries have been linked t...

Carlo Calenda Rejects Broad Opposition Alliance and Calls for Technocratic Government

Azione leader Carlo Calenda has rejected a broad coalition with the Democratic Party and Five Star Movement, arguing that such an alliance would threaten financial stability and advocating a future pro-European technocratic government.

Italy Arrests Former Publisher Over Alleged Plot to Attack Investigative Journalist

Italian anti-mafia and anti-terrorism police arrested former media executive Valter Lavitola over allegations that he commissioned an assault against investigative journalist Sigfrido Ranucci, in a scheme prosecutors say was intended to ...

League Divisions Deepen as Lombardy Governor Calls for Matteo Salvini to Step Down

Lombardy Governor Attilio Fontana has publicly called on League leader Matteo Salvini to leave his post, exposing growing divisions within the party’s northern base ahead of key autumn political negotiations.

Palio di Siena’s Contrada del Nicchio Ends Twenty-Eight-Year Wait for Victory

The Contrada del Nicchio won the Palio di Siena after torrential rain delayed the race by twenty-four hours, ending a twenty-eight-year drought and prompting celebrations across the Tuscan city.

Italian Concert Industry Reports Record Summer Revenues as International Tourism Surges

Italy’s summer concert season generated record revenues, with major stadium tours and regional festivals drawing large international audiences and spreading high-value tourism beyond the country’s traditional cultural destinations.

Mediterranean Heatwave Forces Summer Skiing Shutdown on Italy’s Stelvio Glacier

Record Mediterranean sea temperatures have intensified heat across the Italian Alps, forcing authorities to suspend summer skiing on the Stelvio Glacier as accelerating ice melt creates hazardous conditions.

Ferrari Sets Forty Million Euro Auction Record During Monterey Car Week

Ferrari achieved a record forty-million-euro auction sale for a historic Luce and unveiled its exclusive one-off CZ26 hypercar during Monterey Car Week, reinforcing the Italian marque’s strength in the global luxury automotive market.

Italy’s Telecommunications Sector Faces Growing Pressure to Convert Fibre Investment Into Demand

Billions of euros invested in ultra-broadband networks have delivered extensive fibre coverage across Italy, but weak subscription rates among households and businesses are limiting the economic return from the infrastructure build-out.

Italian Workers Spend Five Fewer Years in Employment Than European Union Average

New labour-market data shows Italians spend about five fewer years in active employment than the European Union average, reflecting persistent challenges in youth employment and female participation in the workforce.

Italian Fibre Network Expansion Outpaces Consumer and Business Adoption

Italy has expanded high-capacity fibre infrastructure across much of the country, but household and corporate subscription rates remain below European averages, highlighting a persistent gap between network availability and actual use.

Italy Evacuates Five Citizens From West Bank Town During Israeli Military Blockade

Italy’s Foreign Ministry secured the evacuation of five Italian citizens from Qusra in the West Bank after they were trapped for several days during an Israeli military blockade, according to the ministry’s crisis unit.

Italy Faces Agricultural Crisis as Unsold Olive Oil Stocks Build Up in the South

Agricultural groups in Apulia and Calabria are seeking emergency government intervention, warning that large stocks of unsold olive oil are squeezing producer margins and threatening the financial stability of the southern farming sector.

Italian Government Seeks Domestic Buyer for Troubled Ex-Ilva Steelworks in Taranto

A newly formed Italian industrial consortium is preparing an offer for the distressed Acciaierie d’Italia steelworks in Taranto, potentially keeping control of one of Europe’s largest steel facilities in domestic hands.

European Authorities Temporarily Suspend Biometric Entry System After Severe Congestion at Italian Airports

European aviation authorities temporarily deactivated the new biometric Entry-Exit System after passenger queues exceeded two hours at Rome Fiumicino and Milan Malpensa, exposing infrastructure constraints during the rollout of digital b...

Terna Says Faster Power-Grid Investment Could Generate Forty-Two Billion Euros in Economic Value

Italy’s transmission operator Terna said accelerating investment in the high-voltage electricity network could create up to forty-two billion euros in economic value, while warning that growing artificial intelligence demand will require...

Italy Advances Plans to Restore Nuclear Power as Part of Long-Term Energy Strategy

The Italian government and state decommissioning company Sogin are developing a framework to bring nuclear generation back to Italy, presenting the technology as a potential source of lower-carbon electricity and greater energy independe...

Switzerland Moves to Return Some Asylum Seekers to Italy Under New European Migration Rules

Swiss authorities said they will apply the new European migration framework to return asylum seekers who do not qualify for protection to Italy, adding pressure to cross-border migration arrangements within the Schengen area.

Italy and Denmark Push for Tougher European Migration Controls

Prime Ministers Giorgia Meloni and Mette Frederiksen agreed to coordinate efforts for stricter European Union border enforcement and external processing centres, reflecting growing support for tougher migration policies across parts of n...

Italy’s Senate Approves Justice and Immigration Reform After Confidence Vote

The Italian Senate approved the government’s justice and immigration package through a confidence vote, advancing measures covering judicial wiretaps and irregular migration while sending the legislation to the Chamber of Deputies.

Meloni Sets Autumn Budget Priorities Around Tax Cuts and Permanent Employment

Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said Italy’s next budget will focus on reducing the tax burden on households and encouraging permanent private-sector employment, following stronger economic growth and government revenue data.

Italy’s Public Debt Reaches Record Three Point Two Trillion Euros

Italy’s general government debt reached three point two trillion euros in June, according to the Bank of Italy, renewing pressure on Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s government to balance fiscal consolidation with economic growth.

Italy Tightens Border Controls With Spain Amid Ceuta Migration Crisis

Italy has introduced emergency border checks with Spain for one month in response to a surge in migration at the North African enclave of Ceuta, disrupting Schengen free movement and adding diplomatic pressure on Madrid.