Rome Times

Hard-Right Party Futuro Nazionale Gains Momentum Ahead of Italian Regional Elections

The newly formed Futuro Nazionale, led by former army general Roberto Vannacci, is attracting support from voters traditionally aligned with the League and Brothers of Italy, raising questions about the stability of the governing coaliti...

Veneto Industrial Districts Report Strong Export Growth Across Specialized Manufacturing

Economic authorities in Treviso and Belluno report strong export performance from regional industrial districts, with specialised manufacturers in sectors including textiles and precision engineering expanding their international market ...

Italian Businesses Warn EU Packaging Rules Could Raise Costs for Small Companies

Confindustria and regional business groups are warning that new European Union packaging-waste requirements could increase costs and operational pressures for Italian retailers, manufacturers and e-commerce companies.

Verona Prepares International Summit on Artificial Intelligence and Emerging Technologies

Verona is preparing to host an international summit bringing together technology executives, researchers and policymakers, reflecting northern Italy’s efforts to strengthen its role in artificial intelligence, emerging technologies and d...

Italy Provides Consular Assistance After Italian Tourist Is Seriously Assaulted in Barcelona

Italy’s Foreign Ministry is assisting a twenty-one-year-old Italian citizen who was seriously attacked in Barcelona and placed in a medically induced coma, prompting widespread concern in Italy over the safety of young travellers abroad.

Ferrari Electric Model Sells for Record Forty Million Dollars at California Charity Auction

A bespoke Ferrari Luce, the Italian automaker’s first fully electric model, sold for forty million dollars at a charity auction in California, setting a record for the vehicle and underscoring demand for Italian luxury cars among wealthy...

Salvini’s Proposed Bank Tax Adds to Political Pressure on Italy’s Budget

Matteo Salvini’s campaign for a new levy on excess bank profits is intensifying debate inside Italy’s governing coalition as the government prepares its next fiscal package amid record public debt and pressure to balance spending priorit...

Italy’s Pensioners Face Growing Purchasing Power Pressure as Inflation Outpaces Fixed Incomes

A national economic survey found that sustained inflation is reducing the purchasing power of Italian pensioners, forcing many households to postpone essential spending and increasing political pressure for measures to ease the cost-of-l...

Italy’s Telecom Operators Speed Up Standalone Fifth Generation Rollout in Major Cities

Major Italian telecommunications companies are accelerating deployment of standalone fifth generation networks in Milan, Rome and Naples, targeting lower-latency connectivity for industrial automation, smart-city logistics and autonomous...

Italian Government and Eni Fast-Track Adriatic Offshore Wind and LNG Approvals

Italy is accelerating approvals for new offshore wind projects and liquefied natural gas infrastructure in the Adriatic as the government seeks to expand renewable energy while maintaining energy security during the winter.

Italy’s Luxury Hotels Report Record Summer Revenue as US Visitors Drive Premium Demand

Hotels across the Amalfi Coast, Tuscany, Rome and Milan are reporting exceptionally strong occupancy and premium revenues as wealthy American travellers increase spending, supported by favourable exchange rates and expanded direct transa...

Lufthansa Integration of ITA Airways Begins After European Regulatory Approval

The operational integration of Germany’s Lufthansa Group and Italy’s ITA Airways has begun following final European Commission approvals, with the partnership expected to expand international connectivity and strengthen Rome Fiumicino’s ...

Italy’s Agriculture Sector Faces Combined Drought and Flooding Threat

Coldiretti has warned of potentially severe harvest losses and billions of euros in economic damage as drought hits wine and olive-oil producers in Sicily and Apulia while torrential flooding affects agricultural areas in Emilia-Romagna.

Italy Faces Severe Weather Damage as Thunderstorms Follow Record Heat

A twenty-nine-year-old American tourist was killed by lightning on Mount Etna, while another tourist died in South Tyrol as severe thunderstorms swept across Italy, disrupting travel and temporarily suspending flights at Catania airport.

Italy’s Government Denies Foreign Sabotage After Munitions Plant Explosion Near Rome

Defense Minister Guido Crosetto has rejected speculation about Russian involvement in an explosion at a military-industrial munitions plant in Colleferro, outside Rome, as specialised Carabinieri units investigate the cause.

Italy and Spain Clash Over Continued Suspension of Some Schengen Border Arrangements

Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani has defended Italy’s continued suspension of open-border arrangements with certain European neighbours, as Rome prioritises controls against irregular migration and terrorism despite tensions with Madrid.

Italy Accelerates Recovery Fund Projects Ahead of European Union Deadlines

The government has introduced emergency oversight measures to speed up thousands of infrastructure, digitalisation and sustainable-mobility projects as Italy works to meet European Commission deadlines for the remaining tranches of its o...

Italy Strengthens Position as World’s Fourth-Largest Exporter as Manufacturing Drives Trade Surplus

Italy’s Ministry of Economy and Finance says the country has shifted from a historic trade deficit to a substantial surplus, supported by exports of advanced manufacturing, industrial machinery and luxury goods.

Meloni Coalition Faces Internal Clash Over Salvini’s Proposed Bank Windfall Tax

Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini is pushing for a tax on excess banking profits in the next budget, citing Spain as a precedent and setting up a dispute within Italy’s governing right-wing coalition over fiscal policy.

Italy Rejects German Migrant Returns as European Asylum Dispute Deepens

The Italian government has refused to accept asylum seekers returned from Germany, citing the expiry of a bilateral Dublin arrangement and signaling a tougher position on migration management and responsibility-sharing within Europe.

Italy’s Public Debt Hits Record Three Point Two Trillion Euros as Budget Pressure Mounts

Bank of Italy data show government debt rose by twenty-six billion euros in June to a record three point two trillion euros, increasing pressure on Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s government ahead of difficult European Union budget negot...

Cristiano Ronaldo and Georgina Rodríguez Sign Prenup Protecting Their Separate Fortunes

The newlyweds chose a separation-of-assets regime before their private Portuguese wedding, while a separate, long-reported agreement is said to guarantee Rodríguez about £85,000 a month if they split.

Google Launches Pixel 11 With Gemini AI at the Center of Its Hardware Strategy

Google Launches Pixel 11 With Gemini AI at the Center of Its Hardware Strategy

The new Pixel phones start at $899 alongside the Pixel Watch 5 and Google's first Pixel Tag tracker, as Google turns its devices into an increasingly integrated platform for Gemini.

Italian Speed Camera Issues Nearly 32,000 Fines in 10 Weeks, Worth More Than €3 Million

The camera on the Paullese highway near Spino d'Adda averaged about 450 speeding tickets a day, with almost two-thirds involving drivers no more than 10 km/h over the limit.

Italian Female Athletes Secure Major European Medals in Strong International Run

Italy’s athletics federation is celebrating a series of major performances by female athletes at recent international competitions, including gold medals that have strengthened the country’s standing on the European sporting stage.

Rome and Milan Airports Report Record August Passenger Volumes

Aeroporti di Roma and SEA Milan Airports are reporting unprecedented daily passenger traffic during the August holiday period as expanded terminals and additional international routes increase Italy’s aviation capacity.

Northern Italy Drought Threatens Agriculture and Hydroelectric Power

Authorities in Lombardy and Piedmont are warning that critically low water levels in the Po River basin could damage agricultural production and constrain hydroelectric generation across northern Italy.

Italian Senate Declares Marcinelle Mining Tragedy Memorial a National Monument

Italy’s Senate has unanimously approved national monument status for the Marcinelle tragedy memorial in Manoppello, commemorating the one hundred thirty-six Italian miners who died in Belgium and recognising the history of Italian emigra...

Italian Luxury Brands Shift Toward Ultra-Wealthy Clients as Aspirational Demand Weakens

Major Italian luxury groups are increasing investment in bespoke services and exclusive coastal stores to attract wealthy international customers as purchasing power among middle-class consumers in Asian and American markets softens.

Italy Accelerates Rural Fibre and Fifth Generation Network Rollout With EU Funding

Italian telecommunications operators are expanding fibre-optic and fifth-generation networks in underserved areas with government subsidies and European recovery funds, targeting improved digital access for regional businesses.

Bank of Italy Warns High Mortgage Rates Are Blocking Homeownership for Young Families

The Bank of Italy says elevated borrowing costs linked to European Central Bank interest rates remain a major obstacle to homeownership for younger Italians, prompting calls for stronger state-backed mortgage guarantees.

Sant’Egidio Mobilises Volunteers to Support Elderly Italians During Extreme Heat

The Comunità di Sant’Egidio has mobilised thousands of volunteers to provide meals, medical checks and social support to isolated elderly people as extreme summer temperatures increase health risks in Italian cities.

Italy’s Ferragosto Travel Period Hit by Major Highway and Rail Infrastructure Works

Millions of Italian travellers are facing delays during the Ferragosto holiday period as transport authorities carry out maintenance and European-funded upgrades across major highways and high-speed rail routes.

Italian Hospitals Expand Artificial Intelligence Diagnostics as Medical Staff Shortages Persist

Italian hospitals and medical technology companies are increasing their use of artificial intelligence for medical imaging and patient triage as healthcare providers seek to maintain standards and reduce waiting times amid shortages of s...

Italy Rejects German Requests to Readmit Migrants Under Disputed EU Asylum Rules

Italy’s Interior Ministry has told Germany that it will not readmit irregular migrants who travelled onward to Germany, escalating a dispute over the Dublin Regulation and the distribution of asylum responsibilities within the European U...

Italian Heatwave Drives More Holiday Demand Toward Mountains and Northern Lakes

Italy’s prolonged summer heat is shifting domestic tourism patterns, with reservations for mountain and lake destinations rising two point three percent while visitor numbers in major historic cities have weakened slightly.

Italy Monitors Eastern European Conflict After Massive Ukrainian Drone Attack on Moscow

Italian foreign and defence officials are monitoring the wider implications of a Ukrainian drone assault involving more than six hundred drones against Moscow while reaffirming Italy’s commitment to European security and NATO air-policin...

Italy’s Governing Coalition Agrees on Electoral Reform With Preference Voting and Gender Alternation

Leaders of Fratelli d’Italia, Lega and Forza Italia have reached agreement on an overhaul of Italy’s electoral system that would introduce direct preference voting and mandatory gender alternation on ballots.

Prato Prisoner Shooting at Hospital Highlights Security Pressures in Italian Corrections System

A prisoner attempting to escape from a medical facility in Tuscany exchanged gunfire with penitentiary police, renewing debate over overcrowding, funding and security conditions across Italy’s correctional system.

Trevi Shares Rise Above Webuild’s Takeover Offer as Italian Construction Consolidation Intensifies

Shares in engineering company Trevi have climbed above Webuild’s four point five euro cash offer, indicating strong investor expectations as European recovery funding fuels competition for specialised infrastructure companies.

Confindustria Calls for Long-Term Infrastructure Investment to Turn Southern Italy Into Logistics Hub

Italy’s main industrial association is urging the government to provide stable infrastructure funding for the Mezzogiorno, arguing that southern Italy can strengthen its role as a logistics and manufacturing link between Europe and Africa.

Italy Approves Twenty-Nine Decrees to Implement Broad Tax System Overhaul

Italy’s Council of Ministers has approved twenty-nine implementation decrees covering reforms to corporate and individual taxation, with the government seeking to simplify the system, reduce bureaucracy and attract foreign investment.

Italy and Stellantis Continue Talks to Protect Domestic Automotive Production and Jobs

The Italian government remains in negotiations with Stellantis over production volumes at major plants, seeking to protect thousands of industrial jobs as the automotive industry shifts toward electric vehicles.

Italy Expects Record Ninety-Seven Million Overnight Stays in August as Foreign Tourism Surges

Italy’s tourism industry expects a record ninety-seven million overnight stays in August, with forty-four point seven million international visitors offsetting weaker domestic spending as higher transport and accommodation costs weigh on...