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Society

Fakulteta Postcard: Desolation And Beauty Inside Europe’s Largest Roma Ghetto

In Bulgaria, Roma people are the second-largest minority group, but their community goes largely ignored by politicians as hatred and prejudice grows against them. Italy’s daily La Stampa visits Fakulteta, where 45,000 Roma people live, mostly segregated from the rest of the country.

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Israel-Palestine War

Palestinian Olive Trees Are Also Under Israeli Occupation — And That’s Not A Joke

In the West Bank, a quieter form of oppression has been plaguing Palestinians for a long time. Their olive groves are surrounded by soldiers, and it’s forbidden to harvest the olives – this economic and social violence has gotten far worse since Oct. 7.

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Geopolitics Ideas

The Pope’s Health Feeds Succession Rumors — And Deeper Questions About The Church

It is not only the health of the Pope that worries the Holy See. From the collapse of vocations to the conservative wind in the USA, there are many ills to face.

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Migrant Lives Society

The Damning Proof Of Migrants Tortured In Libya — And Italy’s Complicity

The Refugees in Libya movement has posted shocking images to awaken our consciences. But here, all is silent, and the hope for humanity is entrusted to a Europe that is reborn from the bottom up.

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Geopolitics Israel-Palestine War special series

What’s Left Of Gaza: Scenes Of Destruction, Pangs Of Desperation

The information coming out of the Palestinian enclave is scarce but undoubtedly grim. An Italian reporter from across the border gathers information from inside Gaza amid a fragile and inevitably temporary ceasefire.

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Geopolitics Israel-Palestine War special series The Endless War

Hostage Release: The “Psychological Terror” Of Awaiting Your Loved One’s Return

Israel and Hamas have reached a deal to exchange 50 Israeli hostages held in Gaza for a four-day pause in fighting and the return of Palestinian prisoners. Orna Dotan, leading a team of therapists tasked with aiding these hostages and their families, takes us inside a uniquely charged personal and political situation.

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Israel-Palestine War special series The Endless War

Inside Camp Jenin, Ground Zero Of The Simmering War In The West Bank

A visit to so-called “Little Gaza,” where destruction reigns and children roam with rifles in their hands. But the enemy isn’t just the IDF, it is also the Palestinian Authority — and become prime recruiting territory for Hamas.

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Food / Travel Green Society

Meet The Italian Extreme Cyclist Set To Attempt Solo Antarctica Crossing

The Italian cyclist, Omar Di Felice, is setting out across Antarctica in the ultimate test of athletic endurance and mental fortitude. In an interview with Italian daily La Stampa, Di Felice shares how he keeps himself going during the endless hours of total solitude as well as the activism that fuels his extreme adventures.

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Society

Mob Influence? Italy’s Mafia Is Turning To TikTok For New Recruits

Italy’s highest-profile nemesis of organized crime networks, prosecutor Nicola Gratteri, discusses the mob’s use of social networks, and how TikTok allows criminal organizations to advertise their lifestyle to impressionable viewers. Sound familiar?

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Society

When A Library Is Born On A Tiny Italian Island

Inside an old watchtower dangling over the crashing waves of the port of Capraia, dwell 6,000 books and their keeper: 33-year-old Viola, a librarian who took the time during the COVID-19 pandemic to ask herself, “What makes you truly happy?”

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Eyes on the U.S. Geopolitics special series The Endless War

Blinken’s Faceless Diplomacy — A Secret Weapon For Post-War Peace?

Reserved, not accustomed to the spotlight, capable of taking a step back and not overshadowing the president. In this time of crisis, Antony Blinken navigates geopolitics with the president’s full trust.

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Geopolitics Israel-Palestine War Society special series The Endless War

Why Hamas Aren’t Nazis — Yet Israel’s War On Gaza May Be Genocide

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other top Israeli officials have referred to Hamas militants as “the new Nazis.” But as horrific as the Oct. 7 massacre was, what does it really mean to make such a comparison 80 years after the Holocaust? And how can we rightly describe what’s happening in Gaza?

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Ideas Society

What If Globalization Creates Vampires?

Inspired by a new book on vampires, Italian writer Chiara Valerio analyzes how the figure of the vampire has come to represent life and death over centuries of science, art and culture. When understood through a modern lens, what can the vampire tell us about our own Gothic concerns?

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Geopolitics Israel-Palestine War special series The Endless War

Israel’s Jails Are Filling Up With Palestinians — Is This The Bargaining Chip For Gaza Hostages?

The number of Palestinian prisoners in Israel’s jails has doubled since the Hamas attack of Oct. 7. Some ask if the roundups of Palestinians is a tactic to win the release in an exchange with Hamas for the 200 hostages held in Gaza.

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LGBTQ Plus Society

The Pope’s Synod — Both A Bust And Breakthrough For Women And LGBTQ+

The synod had promised to bring forth revolutionary ides for both members of the LGBTQ and women within the Church. But looking at the first session’s conclusion reveals that hopes for change may have come too early.

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Ideas Society

Giorgia Meloni’s Ugly Break-Up And The Future Of Right-Wing Feminism

Last week, Italy was caught in the uproar of Giorgia Meloni’s break-up, a swirl of TV scandal and political controversy. But now that the dust is settled, what does this mean for a single mother standing strong, though alone, on the political right.

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Society

Dolce Vita, Where Are You? An Italian Takedown Of The Cult Of Working Out

With the social value of sports having recently been officially acknowledged in the Italian constitution, writer Simonetta Sciandivasci reflects on the cult of excessive health, and rants about the impossibility of keeping up beauty trends masked as self-care.

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Ideas Society

The Vacant Era Of ‘Homo Viden’ — A Philosopher’s Takedown Of Selfie Culture

Italian philosopher Umberto Galimberti says it is a tragedy to photograph a life into existence rather than living it.

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Geopolitics special series The Endless War

With Each Passing Hour, Abbas Is Losing The West Bank To Hamas

In the capital of the Palestinian Authority, residents are outraged at Israel — but also their own leaders for not taking a harder line. The beneficiary is the militant group Hamas, which rules the other Palestinian enclave of Gaza, and is in an all-out war with Israel.

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Geopolitics Ideas

Siege, The Eternally Flawed Instrument Of War

Over the past week, Gaza has been officially under siege, even if the roots have long been planted in the confined territory. Others may say that Israel itself has long felt under siege, surrounded by hostile nations. It’s worth tracing the origins of this policy of war that targets entire populations, from Troy in ancient Greece to Leningrad in World War II.

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Geopolitics special series The Endless War

Dispatch From Ashkelon, Front Line Of Israel’s “Existential War”

Since Saturday’s bloody Hamas assault began, Ashkelon, a city located 20 kilometers from Gaza, has become the front line in what is shaping up to be Israel’s most dangerous war in a generation.

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Future Geopolitics Society

Collateral Tech Damage Of Hamas Attack: The Final Demise Of Twitter

Elon Musk has been criticized before for his management of Twitter, now known as X. But it was not until Saturday that the social network revealed just how inept and dangerous it had become, as fake news spread far and wide. It may never recover.

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Geopolitics Ideas

The Real Lesson For Israel Is About Hubris — And The “Hell” Next Door

Blaming intelligence and military failure for the Oct. 7 assault diverts attention from Israel’s real weakness — a distracted and divisive political leadership that ignored the fact that people just a few miles across the border are confined in a living hell.

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Geopolitics

Why Hamas Launched A War It Knows It’s Bound To Lose

Hamas has launched an unprecedented attack against Israel, killing at least 700, mostly civilians, and taking scores of hostages. Even if the Islamist group has always made clear it sought Israel’s destruction, the questions loom as to why now, and how it managed to pierce the enemy’s defenses.

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Geopolitics Ideas

Genocide To Ethnic Cleansing, Why Europe Has Forsaken Armenians Again

As Armenians from Nagorno-Karabakh are forced to flee their homes, is culture or corruption or something more sinister forcing a people to suffer so greatly a century after a genocide tried to wipe them out?

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In The News

How The ‘Mom Advice’ Industry Preys On Desperate Mothers — Even In Italy

Mothers everywhere are struggling with the pressures of parenting in an increasingly individualistic culture. Enter the rapidly growing empire of parenting influencers who promise to help – at a price. In Italy, where mothers have long been seen as models of strength, the novelty is particularly acute.

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Food / Travel Society

When Racism Poisons Italy’s Culinary Scene

This is the case of chef Mareme Cisse, a black woman, who was called a slur after a couple found out that she was the one who would be preparing their meal.

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Food / Travel

Pasta v. Fascists: How Italy’s Staple Dish Became A Symbol Of Resistance

Pasta may not be considered controversial today, but it played an important role during Italy’s fascist years, particularly in one family’s celebration of community and liberation.

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In The News

The Last Boss: Messina Denaro’s Death Marks The End Of An Era For The Sicilian Mafia

Eight months after being arrested, following 30 years on the run, Matteo Messina Denaro died Monday. The son of a mobster and successor of Sicily’s notorious boss of bosses, he had tried to transform Cosa Nostra into a modern criminal enterprise — with only partial success.

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In The News

Italian Coffee, Full Circle: Starbucks Marks Five Years In Italy

It has been five years since Starbucks first opened in Milan, where the company’s CEO first got the idea that the world wanted quality coffee. Today they set their sights not on retreat but expansion. The path ahead in this mecca for “caffé” for the Seattle-based coffee shop is a rosy one.

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Future Society

Re;Memory — A New AI Program Makes Talking To The Dead Come Alive

There are many frontiers being crossed by AI lately, sparking debate and anxiety. But now, we’re entering strange, new territory: an algorithm that lets bereaved family members communicate with deceased loved ones in the most realistic of ways. Yet it comes with very real and complicated risks.

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Green Green Or Gone Society special series

Libya Flood, A “Natural” Disaster Made Of Climate Change And Colonialism

The devastating flood in Libya is the result of the climate crisis, worsened by the country’s poor infrastructure, the legacy of European colonialism. These disasters will only become more frequent.

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Future Society

Location Sharing, The Latest Neurosis Of The Gen-Z Dating World

At first, Find My iPhone was a nifty feature that would help keep your cellphone safe. Now, with new location sharing technology, the app has become a new panopticon of control for Gen-Z couples, with their every move recorded by watchful eyes, nestled away in back pockets.

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Society

Can The Sicilian Mafia Keep Up With Cocaine Warlords Of Neighboring Calabria?

After the fall of the Sicilian Mafia boss of bosses Matteo Messina Denaro, it’s time for Cosa Nostra to rebuild, and they’ll be taking inspiration from their own past, but also must face the rising power of the ‘ndrangheta in the neighboring region of Calabria

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Food / Travel Ideas

Slaves To Sunset: My Santorini Getaway With The Smartphone Masses

The Greek islands have always been the dream destination of many, with their crystalline waters and wild flora. But there is one attraction that captures the attention of the masses, who clamber on top of one another for the chance of capturing it: the sunset. In the economy of attention and social media, how does sunset tourism affect the enjoyment of our vacation?

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In The News

A Gym’s Urinal Shaped Like A Woman’s Mouth: Extreme Sexism Or Upside-Down Art?

In the Italian city of Turin, a gym has installed urinals that appear to be shaped like a woman’s open mouth. From Duchamp to Warhol to Mick Jagger, everything we see is in the eyes of the beholder.

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In The News

Rolling Into Catenanuova, The Hottest Spot In Europe

The streets are deserted until 7 p.m., air conditioning for those lucky enough to have it blasts constantly, and locals dream of leaving the arid desert that has become of their hometown.

Categories
In The News

Silver Lining To Sicilian Heat: Baby Boom Of Endangered Sea Turtles

Italy has experienced a difficult summer of climate disasters, but the country is experiencing a boom in turtles’ nests, with Sicily leading the way.

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In The News

Long Live The Negroni, The Eternal King Of Cocktails

How is a cocktail invented, and how does it become iconic? An analysis of the art of mixology, through what may be the most famous cocktail in the world.

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Food / Travel Society

La Dolce Vita Has Gotten A Lot More Expensive

On the Italian coast, you’ll be asked €200 per day for a beach umbrella and sunbed at the cheapest bathing establishments. Nowhere else makes clear the huge post-pandemic gap between the haves and have-nots.

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