Worldcrunch
Once known for it’s left-leaning politics, the region of Emilia Romagna has recently witnessed a high school council taken over by a far-right group. As much as ideology, the election victory is another sign that traditional politics has lost legitimacy a
When his shiny new Vespa was swiped off the streets of Milan in 1976, its owner figured it was gone for good. And then last week, a call arrived from the police in Sicily. A nice holiday surprise, but at 84, the reunited owner may have to let someone else
From Parma to Piacenza, Bologna to Ferrara, the northeastern region of Emilia Romagna offers some to the tastiest classic flavors of Italian cuisine, from cappelletti pasta to Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, balsamic vinegar and Gutturni wine.
The only program of its kind in Europe requires a group of high school students to manage a 150-bed chalet in the Italian Dolomite mountains for two weeks — with no grownup supervision. But this is not a test: the hotel has real, paying customers who hav
Dubbed ‘Italo,’ the new train is not only fast and red, it’s being launched by Ferrari chief Luca Cordero di Montezemolo. Europe’s first privately operated high-speed train service will begin rolling in March. And yes, the train
Leonardo da Vinci certainly had an eye for detail – and a brain to match. Among his many musings was a theory that a tree’s branches grow in mathematical proportion to the diameter of its trunk. A French researcher now says he has the math to prove Da Vin
After two Senegalese men were slain in a central Florence market by a local man inspired by racist hatred, immigrants turned out in the Tuscan city to demand justice and insist that the murder was the fruit of years of official tolerance of xenophobic att
Michele Zagaria’s arrest was hailed by Italian law enforcement as a key victory in the war against the Camorra crime syndicate in and around the southern city of Naples. But in the small town where Zagaria had been sheltered, his arrest means les
An Italian religious studies teacher has been suspended for depicting the Apocalypse so vividly that it shocked an elementary school girl to tears. The teacher wrote to the Pope, who has sent her an encouraging response.
Italy is in hot water with EU authorities over its insistence that chocolate be classified as “pure” or “less pure” depending on its vegetable fat content. According to the European Commission, chocolate is chocolate – and should be labeled as such.
The Italian Jewish author and scientist lived through the worst that mankind has wrought. Now his name lives on beyond his work, and beyond the earth, in a 17-km-wide celestial body — discovered in 1989 — that has now officially been named planet Primol
First brought to Sicily by Arab conquerors, rice farming was eliminated over the past century for Italian political reasons. Now a local “farmer-archeologist” has brought it back to satisfy local desires of Sicilian star chefs.
Italian retailer Benetton is again pushing the boundaries of advertising with a provocative campaign. The ads portray global figures, including President Obama, shown kissing their nemeses. But the prickliest of the pics has the Pope smooching an Egyptian
Essay: The exit of Silvio Berlusconi and the arrival of Mario Monti marks a watershed for a nation still crucial for both Europe and the world. But Italy has lost both economic and political influence, which can only be regained by rallying all the forces
It is a showdown for the ages: Europe’s top economists (turned impromptu national leaders) and the European Central Bank vs. a panicking global investor pack.
Op-Ed: Silvio Berlusconi tried to avoid the inevitable for far too long, as the Italian (and world) economy suffered the consequences of political stalemate. Now that Berlusconi has announced plans to resign, whatever comes next should come quick – and cl
Berlusconi speaks with La Stampa’s editor, confirming his plans to resign, but insisting that new elections must be called, even if he will no longer be a candidate. He also compares himself to Mussolini and lashes out at those who “betrayed” him.
In the small but wealthy town of Settala, near Milan, one community bank is spending extra time trying to calm a growing number of customers who worry that their savings are at risk in the face of Europe’s deepening economic crisis.
Italian researchers discover possible genetic origins of pedophilia, making the sexually deviant behavior a potentially treatable condition. But is it an alibi for convicted pedophiles?
After the third such case in recent years, where health officials cite “risks” of gays giving blood, Italian gay rights activists say it’s time to explicitly guarantee the right for people of all sexual orientations to donate bl
Italians have ancient claims on the origins of the ever more global holiday of Halloween. In Mantua, where Jack-O-Lanterns — called “lumere” — light the roads to cemeteries, others may be more interested in the delicious dishes made wi
In storms that have killed at least nine, scenic villages in Liguria and Tuscany have been decimated by floods and mud. A visit to the coastal town of Monterosso, where tourists are trapped with locals — and anger is growing.
Op-Ed: Literally laughed (or at least chuckled) at by Angela Merkel and Nicolas Sarkozy, Italy is at a new low point. Embattled Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi may have to choose between saving his political future, or risking the economic collapse not o
“I’ve never worked in my life, I won’t start now,” says Patrizia Reggiani, who has served half of a 26-year sentence for commissioning the murder of her ex-husband Maurizio Gucci. She is now eligible for parole, but would rather stay in jail than join a w
Essay: Why was Rome the only place where the global “Occupy” and “Indignados” protests turned violent? La Stampa editor Mario Calabresi sees Italy’s troubled historical relationship between social protest and v
Italian doctors complain that the prevalence of medical information on the Internet has led a large number of people to come down with imaginary illnesses, some of which they attempt to treat themselves prior to arriving at the doctor’s office. B
Sicilian tax collectors are cracking down on a large, underground industry: weddings. Because many weddings services on the Italian island are done off the books, newlyweds must name the suppliers of their dresses, cakes and photos — and whether they han
Essay: Reaching yet another new low, Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi suggests a vulgar, sexist new name for his political party. No less disturbing is how the economic crisis has revealed the fact that he’s been selling Italy an empty ba
An Italian reporter pays a visit to one of Singapore’s many low-commission, high-confidentiality betting outlets. Investigators say bets were placed in these locations in a match-fixing scandal involving top players now undermining fan confidence
Memories formed following previous intake of actual drugs are triggered by a placebo pill resulting in a real effect to fight pain and inflammation, according to a new Italian study. First thing, though, you better trust your doctor.
The not guilty verdicts in the Meredith Kercher murder case are a bitter pill for Italian investigators. That Amanda Knox and Raffaele Sollecito walk free – after four years in prison – leaves no one satisfied.
Op-Ed: Italian Prime Minister Berlusconi has built an empire and survived repeated scandal. But this birthday, one message is clear: as the economy tanks, Italy has finally grown tired of his antics.
After several notorious cases of abuse of very young students elsewhere in Italy, a private nursery school in Ravenna allows parents to check in on their kids – and teachers — any time of the day.
Four years after being discovered in northern Italy, the skeletal remains from six millennia ago have just been displayed in public for the first time. But local officials say tragedy would repeat if they were left without a permanent home, which could at
A prized Russian Toy Terrier pure breed has gone missing at a 5-star hotel in the Italian port city. The owner, a Russian chemicals tycoon, has put up 10,000 euros to have his skinny pup back — and demanded lie-detector tests for hotel employees.
The eternal battle that pits animal lovers v. landlords could take a decidedly pet-friendly turn in Italy, where the Parliament is set to debate a bill that would outlaw any building regulations banning home pets.
Social media sites are a double-edged sword in the battle between criminals and law enforcement. In this case, the cops were able to exploit the growing habit of wanting to share all your latest personal news with your friends and family.
Italy recently approved a new “solidarity tax” for high income earners. The country’s soccer players don’t want to cough up the cash. Impatient, the government fired back by calling the players “a caste of spoiled people.”
Italy will still need lighthouses. But with new technology, lighthouse keepers are quickly becoming a thing of the past. Already just 62 of the country’s 161 “faros” have actual human operators.
A handful of Roman families are accused of intimidating both tourists and other would-be faux ancient gladiators treading on their cobblestones. Police use some ancient tricks to trap them, but they always come back for more.