Rome Times

George Clooney Receives Venice Film Festival Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement

The Venice International Film Festival awarded George Clooney its Golden Lion for lifetime achievement, adding another high-profile moment to one of Italy’s most important international cultural events.

Snam Competes for Biomethane Assets as Italian Renewable Gas Market Consolidates

Snam has reached the final bidding stage against Edison and infrastructure fund F2i for domestic biomethane assets as competition intensifies in Italy’s renewable gas sector.

Autostrade per l’Italia Raises €750 Million With Seven-Year Infrastructure Bond

Italy’s largest toll-road operator secured €750 million from a seven-year bond issue, attracting strong institutional demand and raising funds for highway modernisation and digital infrastructure.

Lottomatica and Cirsa Agree Merger to Create World’s Second-Largest Gaming Group

Italy’s Lottomatica and Spanish operator Cirsa reached a definitive merger agreement that will combine their European betting and gaming operations into one of the industry’s largest global groups.

UniCredit Signals Interest in Further Italian Banking Acquisitions

UniCredit has indicated it may participate in another round of domestic mergers and acquisitions, fuelling investor expectations of further consolidation across Italy’s banking sector.

Foreign Minister Tajani Rejects Russian Election Interference Threat as Coalition Tensions Surface

Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani dismissed concerns about Russian efforts to influence Italian elections following drone incidents in Germany, prompting political friction with coalition partner Matteo Salvini over Moscow and hybrid threats.

Italian Defense Consultant Faces Conflict-of-Interest Scrutiny Over Palantir-Linked Venture

Opposition parties are demanding parliamentary clarification after a consultant to Defense Minister Guido Crosetto was reported to have co-founded a military technology company with Palantir’s chief executive.

Leonardo Signs New Aerospace and Defense Agreement With Brazil

Italian aerospace and defense group Leonardo secured a strategic procurement agreement with the Brazilian government, expanding its presence in Latin America and strengthening bilateral industrial ties.

Fincantieri Wins Contract to Supply Two Multi-Mission Frigates to Greece

Italian state-controlled shipbuilder Fincantieri finalised the sale of two advanced multi-mission frigates to the Hellenic Navy, strengthening Italy’s position in the European naval defense market.

Veneto Approves Medically Assisted Suicide Rules in First for Center-Right Italian Region

Veneto’s regional council passed legislation setting procedures and timelines for medically assisted suicide, creating a politically sensitive precedent within Italy’s center-right governing landscape.

Stellantis Halts Mirafiori Production Again Over Engine Component Shortages

Stellantis ordered a three-day shutdown at its historic Mirafiori plant in Turin just one week after regular operations resumed, renewing concerns over supply-chain weakness and the future of the manufacturing site.

Italy Ranks Last in G7 for Public Healthcare Spending, Gimbe Foundation Says

A new Gimbe Foundation analysis found that Italy’s public healthcare spending as a share of gross domestic product has continued to decline, placing the country last among Group of Seven economies and intensifying calls for additional fu...

Italian Financial Police Seize €779 Million From Airbnb Over Alleged Tax Evasion

Italy’s Guardia di Finanza carried out a €779 million preventive seizure targeting Airbnb’s European operations over alleged failures to withhold and remit the 21% flat tax required on host revenues.

Former Ilva Steelworks in Taranto Nears Critical Blast Furnace Shutdown

Unions and legal representatives warn that shutting blast furnace number one by mid-September could cause irreversible damage at the Taranto steelworks and sharply weaken Italy’s domestic steel production capacity.

Italy Prepares Emergency Fuel Tax Measures as Energy Costs Threaten €18 Billion Burden

Italy’s Economy Ministry is finalising a decree to restore flexible excise duties and extend a 17-cent fuel discount as higher energy costs and inflation raise concerns about an additional €18 billion burden on industry.

AS Roma and AC Milan Prepare for Early-Season Serie A Meeting in Rome

AS Roma and AC Milan are preparing to meet at the Stadio Olimpico in an early-season Serie A fixture expected to draw strong domestic television audiences and ticket demand.

MITO SettembreMusica Opens 2026 Classical Music Program Across Milan and Turin

The MITO SettembreMusica festival has begun its 2026 program, bringing orchestras and classical performances to venues across Milan and Turin.

Salerno Design Week and Campania Festivals Extend Southern Italy’s Tourism Season

Salerno Design Week and a series of cultural festivals across Campania and the Amalfi Coast are drawing international visitors beyond the traditional summer season.

Police Clear Unauthorized Camps Along Lake Garda Tourism Corridor

Italian police and municipal authorities removed unauthorized encampments from beaches around Desenzano del Garda as officials reinforced public-order measures in the heavily visited Lake Garda area.

Brescia Pride Organizers Press for Stronger LGBTQ+ Legal Protections

Thousands of activists and regional political figures are expected to participate in Brescia Pride, with organizers calling for stronger national protections for LGBTQ+ people.

Venice Film Festival Opens With Middle East-Focused Program and George Clooney Honor

The 83rd Venice International Film Festival opened with films addressing conflicts in Gaza and the wider Middle East while honoring George Clooney with a Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement.

Italian Fashion Industry Watches French Crackdown on Ultra-Fast Fashion

Luxury groups and textile manufacturers in Italy are assessing the impact of new French penalties on ultra-fast fashion companies amid expectations that similar regulation could spread across Europe.

Diesel Still Accounts for 80% of Italian Light Commercial Vehicle Sales

Diesel engines continue to make up about 80% of light commercial vehicle sales in Italy, highlighting the challenges facing efforts to electrify corporate and delivery fleets.

Italy Tightens Mathematics and Language Targets for 2026 School Year

The Education Ministry introduced higher proficiency benchmarks in mathematics and Italian as students return to classrooms, seeking to address persistent weaknesses in core academic skills.

Magnitude 3.2 Earthquake Briefly Disrupts Rail Services in Central Italy

A shallow magnitude 3.2 earthquake struck the Apennine border region between Tuscany and Emilia-Romagna, prompting temporary rail inspections but causing no reported casualties or structural damage.

Italian Regions Cut Public Transport Fares by 50% for University Students

Transport authorities in several Italian provinces have introduced 50% discounts on public transit subscriptions for university students to ease cost-of-living pressures as the academic year begins.

Italy Shuts Down Online Sellers of Restricted Weight-Loss Drugs

Italian health inspectors and cybercrime authorities imposed emergency bans on domestic e-commerce platforms accused of illegally distributing restricted weight-loss medications.

Economic Anxiety Remains High Among Italians Despite Modest Growth

A Gallup survey found that 44% of Italian and European respondents view economic instability as their country’s most pressing issue, even as recent data show modest GDP growth and stabilizing inflation.

Satispay Expands Into Physical Retail Payments Across Italy

Milan-based fintech company Satispay is expanding its mobile payment system deeper into physical retail as it seeks to compete with international credit card networks for everyday transactions.

Italian Technology Suppliers Assess Impact of Apple Leadership Transition

Italian microelectronics and component manufacturers are reviewing their exposure to Apple’s supply chain following Tim Cook’s departure as chief executive and the appointment of John Ternus.

Stellantis Sales Rise 6.2% as Italy’s Car Market Expands in August

Italian vehicle registrations increased 3.15% in August 2026, while Stellantis sales rose 6.2%, taking the automaker’s share of new-car sales in Italy to more than 30% for the year.

Italian Regions Move From Planning to Construction on EU-Funded Recovery Projects

Municipalities across Lombardy, Veneto and Emilia-Romagna have completed the planning phase for National Recovery and Resilience Plan projects and are moving into execution of EU-funded infrastructure investments.

Italy Delivers More Than 63,000 Student Beds Under EU-Funded Recovery Plan

Italy’s university ministry said more than 63,200 affordable student housing units have been delivered under the National Recovery and Resilience Plan, surpassing a key program target.

Vatican Reform Allows Eastern Catholic Synods to Remove Patriarchs With Papal Consent

The Holy See has introduced canonical changes allowing Eastern Catholic synods to depose serving patriarchs with the Pope’s explicit approval, clarifying longstanding questions over ecclesiastical accountability.

Italy Warns Aging and Isolation Pose Growing Threat to Southern Regional Economies

National demographic projections show that aging populations and geographic isolation in rural southern Italy may pose an even greater economic threat to the region than the country’s falling birth rate.

Heatwave Threatens Italy’s Autumn Wine and Olive Oil Harvests

Agricultural groups in Tuscany, Apulia and Veneto warned that unusually high September temperatures are accelerating grape and olive ripening, putting crop volumes and product quality at risk.

Late-Summer Heatwave Pushes Italian Temperatures 10°C Above September Average

Italian authorities issued severe heat warnings as a subtropical anticyclone drove temperatures as much as 10 degrees Celsius above historical September averages, threatening late-season agricultural production.

Giorgia Meloni’s Government Becomes Longest-Serving Administration of Italian Republic

Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s coalition reached 1,413 consecutive days in office, setting a longevity record for governments since the establishment of the Italian Republic.