WEATHER ALERT
A Holy Year is about to start in Rome. Here's what you need to know
Read full article: A Holy Year is about to start in Rome. Here's what you need to knowPope Francis is formally inaugurating the 2025 Holy Year, reviving an ancient church tradition encouraging the faithful to make pilgrimages to Rome, amid new security fears following a Christmas market attack in Germany.
Italy's privacy watchdog fines OpenAI for ChatGPT's violations in collecting users personal data
Read full article: Italy's privacy watchdog fines OpenAI for ChatGPT's violations in collecting users personal dataItaly’s data protection authority says it has fined OpenAI $15.6 million after wrapping up a probe into the collection of personal data by its generative artificial intelligence chatbot ChatGPT.
Abuse survivors urge the Vatican to globalize the zero-tolerance policy it approved in the US
Read full article: Abuse survivors urge the Vatican to globalize the zero-tolerance policy it approved in the USSurvivors of clergy sexual abuse are urging the Vatican to adopt the same zero-tolerance policy that it approved for the U.S. Catholic Church in 2002.
A criticized Airbnb deal will let users play gladiator in Rome's Colosseum
Read full article: A criticized Airbnb deal will let users play gladiator in Rome's ColosseumThe ancient Roman Colosseum will be the venue of gladiator fights for the first time in two millennia under a $1.5 million sponsorship deal with Airbnb.
European fake art network involving Banksys, Warhols, Modiglianis uncovered in Italy
Read full article: European fake art network involving Banksys, Warhols, Modiglianis uncovered in ItalyItalian authorities say they have dismantled a network of European art forgers who made fake Warhols, Banksys and Picassos and then tried to sell them with the help of complicit auction houses.
A thriller about electing a pope draws crowds at the Rome Film Festival near the Vatican
Read full article: A thriller about electing a pope draws crowds at the Rome Film Festival near the VaticanWith Pope Francis a few weeks away from his 88th birthday, the plotting for his successor is well underway at the Vatican.
Italian autoworkers go on strike, as troubled Stellantis faces pressure over production plans
Read full article: Italian autoworkers go on strike, as troubled Stellantis faces pressure over production plansWorkers in Italy’s troubled automotive sector are holding a national strike for the first time in 20 years, with a massive demonstration crossing the center of Rome.
Italy expands its ban on surrogacy to overseas as critics say it targets same-sex couples
Read full article: Italy expands its ban on surrogacy to overseas as critics say it targets same-sex couplesItaly on Wednesday criminalized citizens who go abroad to have children through surrogacy, while opponents slam it as “medieval” and discriminatory to same-sex couples.
Italy-Israel soccer match is held without incident despite security concerns
Read full article: Italy-Israel soccer match is held without incident despite security concernsThere were snipers on the roof of the stadium and a heavy police presence throughout the city of Udine for Italy’s home match against Israel on Monday.
Stellantis CEO under fire from Italian lawmakers as the group grapples with financial troubles
Read full article: Stellantis CEO under fire from Italian lawmakers as the group grapples with financial troublesItalian lawmakers on Friday questioned the head of troubled French-Italian automaker Stellantis over the group’s strategy, one day after it announced a management shakeup in an effort to revive sales.
Pro-Palestinian and pro-Israeli crowds rally across the world on the eve of Oct. 7 anniversary
Read full article: Pro-Palestinian and pro-Israeli crowds rally across the world on the eve of Oct. 7 anniversaryCrowds are taking part in pro-Palestinian and pro-Israeli protests and memorial events across the world on the eve of the first anniversary of the Hamas attacks on Israel.
Thousands join pro-Palestinian rallies around the globe as Oct. 7 anniversary nears
Read full article: Thousands join pro-Palestinian rallies around the globe as Oct. 7 anniversary nearsPolice used tear gas and water cannons to disperse violent demonstrators in Rome as tens of thousands pro-Palestinian protesters took to the streets in European cities and around the globe, calling for a cease-fire as the first anniversary of the Hamas attacks on Israel approached.
Italy's automotive workers plan to strike on Oct. 18 over a fall in output at Stellantis
Read full article: Italy's automotive workers plan to strike on Oct. 18 over a fall in output at StellantisItaly's main metalworkers union says workers in the automotive sector will go on strike on Oct. 18 in protest of declining output from Stellantis, the biggest carmaker in the country.
Salvatore 'Totò' Schillaci, the Italy striker who was top scorer at World Cup in 1990, dies at 59
Read full article: Salvatore 'Totò' Schillaci, the Italy striker who was top scorer at World Cup in 1990, dies at 59Salvatore “Totò” Schillaci, the Italy striker who was top scorer at its home World Cup in 1990, has died.
Search continues for British tech magnate and 5 others after luxury superyacht sinks off Sicily
Read full article: Search continues for British tech magnate and 5 others after luxury superyacht sinks off SicilyBritish tech magnate Mike Lynch and several other people are missing after their luxury superyacht sank during a freak storm off Sicily, Italy’s civil protection and authorities said.
Graffiti celebrating Italian volleyball player Paola Egonu vandalized after Italy wins Olympic gold
Read full article: Graffiti celebrating Italian volleyball player Paola Egonu vandalized after Italy wins Olympic goldRome’s mayor and several others have denounced the defacing of a street-art celebration of Paola Egonu.
Dolce & Gabbana launches a new perfume for dogs, but some vets and pet-owners are skeptical
Read full article: Dolce & Gabbana launches a new perfume for dogs, but some vets and pet-owners are skepticalFashion house Dolce & Gabbana has launched a new alcohol-free perfume for dogs called ‘Fefé’ in honor of Domenico Dolce’s poodle, but not all vets and pet owners agree it’s safe or appropriate.
How two Syrians in Rome are using hummus to aid war refugees and help migrants integrate
Read full article: How two Syrians in Rome are using hummus to aid war refugees and help migrants integrateA pair of Syrians have created a community that provides support to migrants and vulnerable people in Rome, by sharing the flavors of a homeland torn by civil war.
Rebuilding Rome, the upstate New York city that is looking forward after a destructive tornado
Read full article: Rebuilding Rome, the upstate New York city that is looking forward after a destructive tornadoA tornado that touched down in the small, upstate New York city of Rome ripped roofs from houses, reduced brick buildings to rubble and toppled steeples from two historic churches.
Storms flood the Ozarks and strand drivers in Toronto. New York community is devastated by tornado
Read full article: Storms flood the Ozarks and strand drivers in Toronto. New York community is devastated by tornadoMuch of the U.S. and Canada is cleaning up or still dealing with a new wave of severe storms that have caused deaths and damage this week from the Plains to New England.
Armed bandits interrupt a rescue of migrants in the Mediterranean off Libya, an aid group says
Read full article: Armed bandits interrupt a rescue of migrants in the Mediterranean off Libya, an aid group saysAn aid group that rescues migrants in the Mediterranean says one of its missions has been interrupted by armed bandits.
A Vatican Radio territory in north Rome once blamed for electro-smog will become a solar farm
Read full article: A Vatican Radio territory in north Rome once blamed for electro-smog will become a solar farmPope Francis has decreed that an area of northern Rome long used by Vatican Radio will now house a field of solar panels to fuel Vatican City.
US vows more returns of looted antiquities as Italy celebrates latest haul of 600 artifacts
Read full article: US vows more returns of looted antiquities as Italy celebrates latest haul of 600 artifactsItaly is celebrating the return of around 600 antiquities from the U.S. They were looted years ago, sold to U.S. museums and collectors and recovered as a result of criminal investigations.
Pogacar wins the Giro d'Italia by a big margin and will now aim for a 3rd Tour de France title
Read full article: Pogacar wins the Giro d'Italia by a big margin and will now aim for a 3rd Tour de France titleTadej Pogacar has won the Giro d’Italia with the race’s biggest margin of victory in nearly six decades.
Haitian-American Naomi Osaka has more going on than tennis at the French Open: Her daughter is learning to walk
Read full article: Haitian-American Naomi Osaka has more going on than tennis at the French Open: Her daughter is learning to walkThe big news in Naomi Osaka’s life has nothing to do with the French Open or clay-court tennis: Her 10-month-old daughter, Shai, is taking her first steps.
The Italian Open was where Zverev's career took off. Another title in Rome signals a career revival
Read full article: The Italian Open was where Zverev's career took off. Another title in Rome signals a career revivalAlexander Zverev put on a serving clinic in a 6-4, 7-5 win over 24th-ranked Nicolas Jarry to claim his second Italian Open title and earn his biggest trophy since tearing his ankle apart two years ago.
Top tennis players say they're playing too much because the tournaments are too long
Read full article: Top tennis players say they're playing too much because the tournaments are too longThe long-sought upgrade for the tennis tournaments in Madrid and Rome has been a bonanza for the organizers by expanding them from one to nearly two weeks.
As countries tighten anti-gay laws, more and more LGBTQ+ migrants seek safety and asylum in Europe
Read full article: As countries tighten anti-gay laws, more and more LGBTQ+ migrants seek safety and asylum in EuropeWhile many of the migrants who reach Europe are escaping war, conflict and poverty, an increasing number are fleeing possible prison terms and death sentences because they are gay.
Swiatek on course for Madrid-Rome double; facing Keys in the quarters
Read full article: Swiatek on course for Madrid-Rome double; facing Keys in the quartersTop-ranked Iga Swiatek remains on course for an uncommon Madrid-Rome double after beating Angelique Kerber to reach the Italian Open quarterfinals.
Djokovic follows Nadal to early exit at Italian Open in first match after being hit by water bottle
Read full article: Djokovic follows Nadal to early exit at Italian Open in first match after being hit by water bottleNovak Djokovic put on one of his worst performances at one of his favorite tournaments as he was upset by 29th-seeded Alejandro Tabilo in the third round of the Italian Open.
Djokovic wins his opener at the Italian Open after a month off. Defending champ Rybakina withdraws
Read full article: Djokovic wins his opener at the Italian Open after a month off. Defending champ Rybakina withdrawsNovak Djokovic took a little while to get going in his first match in nearly a month.
Controversy ensues after World Athletics says it will offer prize money for Paris Olympics
Read full article: Controversy ensues after World Athletics says it will offer prize money for Paris OlympicsAlso in this week’s Olympic notebook, torch arrives in France, U.S. archery trials taking place next week in Florida.
Rafael Nadal shows he's not quite ready for retirement in a comeback win at the Italian Open
Read full article: Rafael Nadal shows he's not quite ready for retirement in a comeback win at the Italian OpenRafael Nadal rallied for a 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 win over Belgian qualifier Zizou Bergs in the first round of the Italian Open.
Bayer Leverkusen's record unbeaten march continues with a 2-0 win at Roma in Europa League
Read full article: Bayer Leverkusen's record unbeaten march continues with a 2-0 win at Roma in Europa LeagueBayer Leverkusen silenced the Stadio Olimpico with a 2-0 win at Roma in the first leg of the Europa League semifinals to extend its record unbeaten streak to 47 matches across all competitions.
Italy bans loans of works to the Minneapolis Institute of Art in a dispute over an ancient statue
Read full article: Italy bans loans of works to the Minneapolis Institute of Art in a dispute over an ancient statueItaly’s Culture Ministry has banned loans of works to the Minneapolis Institute of Art, following a dispute with the U.S. museum over an ancient marble statue believed to have been looted from Italy almost a half-century ago.
Cisco Systems joins Microsoft, IBM in Vatican pledge to ensure ethical use and development of AI
Read full article: Cisco Systems joins Microsoft, IBM in Vatican pledge to ensure ethical use and development of AITech giant Cisco Systems has joined Microsoft and IBM in signing onto a Vatican-sponsored pledge to ensure artificial intelligence is developed and used ethically.
Olympic sports bodies criticize track and field's move to pay $50,000 for Paris gold medalists
Read full article: Olympic sports bodies criticize track and field's move to pay $50,000 for Paris gold medalistsThe collective group of Summer Games sports has criticized World Athletics for promising to pay $50,000 for each track and field gold medal won at the Paris Olympics.
Vatican complains after French court rules in favor of nun dismissed from religious order
Read full article: Vatican complains after French court rules in favor of nun dismissed from religious orderThe Holy See has formally protested to France after a court there ruled that a former high-ranking Vatican official was liable for what the court determined to be the wrongful dismissal of a nun from a religious order.
Pope skips Good Friday event to preserve health ahead of Easter, Vatican says
Read full article: Pope skips Good Friday event to preserve health ahead of Easter, Vatican saysThe Vatican says Pope Francis has skipped the traditional Good Friday procession at Rome’s Colosseum to protect his health, adding to concerns about his frail condition during a particularly busy liturgical period.
This Rome atelier is behind many an Oscar for costume design. Will 'Napoleon' be next?
Read full article: This Rome atelier is behind many an Oscar for costume design. Will 'Napoleon' be next?The Tirelli atelier in Rome's Prati neighborhood has woven itself into the fabric of Italian and international film history, with its costume designs behind 17 Academy Awards for costume design.
An Italian family of three is back in Rome following two years of captivity in Mali
Read full article: An Italian family of three is back in Rome following two years of captivity in MaliItalian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani was on hand Tuesday for the arrival in Rome of an Italian family of three just hours after their release from two years of captivity in the African nation of Mali.
Pope blasts 'radical individualism' as he meets with Argentines ahead of big canonization
Read full article: Pope blasts 'radical individualism' as he meets with Argentines ahead of big canonizationPope Francis has met with Argentine pilgrims who are in town for this weekend’s canonization of the first female saint from his home country.
A giant statue of Emperor Constantine looks out over Rome again with help from 3D technology
Read full article: A giant statue of Emperor Constantine looks out over Rome again with help from 3D technologyEmperor Constantine now has a reconstructed statue befitting his larger-than-life role in history.
The Vatican's top expert on AI ethics is a friar from a medieval Franciscan order
Read full article: The Vatican's top expert on AI ethics is a friar from a medieval Franciscan orderAs artificial intelligence's impact on society receives more scrutiny, a Franciscan friar who preaches a message of ethics in technology has gained some powerful listeners.
Pope Francis makes his first public appearances since being stricken by bronchitis
Read full article: Pope Francis makes his first public appearances since being stricken by bronchitisPope Francis has made his first public appearance outdoors since being stricken by bronchitis two weeks ago, which forced him to cancel a planned trip to the COP-28 climate conference in Dubai.
For this group of trans women, the pope and his message of inclusivity are a welcome change
Read full article: For this group of trans women, the pope and his message of inclusivity are a welcome changePope Francis is hosting a special lunch for more than 1,000 poor people to mark the Catholic Church's World Day of the Poor.
Italy grants citizenship to a terminally ill British baby after a Vatican hospital offers her care
Read full article: Italy grants citizenship to a terminally ill British baby after a Vatican hospital offers her careAn 8-month-old terminally ill British girl has been granted Italian citizenship after a court in Britain authorized the withdrawal of life-supporting invasive treatment.
Pope's big synod on church future produces first document, but differences remain over role of women
Read full article: Pope's big synod on church future produces first document, but differences remain over role of womenPope Francis’ big meeting on the future of the Catholic Church is heading into its final stretch.
Italy's far-right Premier Meloni defies fears of harming democracy and clashing with the EU
Read full article: Italy's far-right Premier Meloni defies fears of harming democracy and clashing with the EUWhen Giorgia Meloni took office a year ago as the first far-right premier in Italy’s post-war history, many in Europe worried about the prospect of the country’s democratic backsliding and resistance to European Union rules.
Bus crash across lagoon from Venice's historic center kills 21 people, including Ukrainian tourists
Read full article: Bus crash across lagoon from Venice's historic center kills 21 people, including Ukrainian touristsItalian authorities say at least 21 people have been killed and 18 injured in a bus crash in Venice.
Clergy abuse survivors propose new 'zero tolerance' law following outcry over Vatican appointment
Read full article: Clergy abuse survivors propose new 'zero tolerance' law following outcry over Vatican appointmentClergy sexual abuse survivors have unveiled a proposed new church law calling for the permanent removal of abusive priests and superiors who covered for them.
A flotilla of migrant boats from Tunisia overwhelms an Italian island and tests Meloni's policy
Read full article: A flotilla of migrant boats from Tunisia overwhelms an Italian island and tests Meloni's policyA flotilla of flimsy boats, crowded with migrants and launched from Tunisia, is overwhelming a tiny Italian island south of Sicily.
Catholic-Jewish research backs reports Catholic convents sheltered 3,000-plus Roman Jews during WWII
Read full article: Catholic-Jewish research backs reports Catholic convents sheltered 3,000-plus Roman Jews during WWIIResearchers have discovered new documentation that substantiates reports that Catholic convents and monasteries in Rome sheltered Jews during World War II.
Italy proposed a bank tax to help people with interest rate hikes. The move sent stocks plunging
Read full article: Italy proposed a bank tax to help people with interest rate hikes. The move sent stocks plungingThe Italian finance ministry is defending a proposed 40% tax on some bank profits as being in line with “already existing rules in Europe on extra bank margins.”.
Jesuits confirm expulsion of a priest artist and lament that Vatican norms block harsher sanctions
Read full article: Jesuits confirm expulsion of a priest artist and lament that Vatican norms block harsher sanctionsThe Jesuits say a famous artist priest has been definitively expelled from the religious order for sexually, spiritually and psychologically abusing women.
Migrants face misery in Tunisia. Rights activists fear that the EU deal will make things even worse
Read full article: Migrants face misery in Tunisia. Rights activists fear that the EU deal will make things even worseMigrants in Tunisia’s port city of Sfax who are aiming to make Europe their new home are now sharing the burden and the blame for escalating tensions deeply tinged with racism amid the fears of European leaders who are trying to stanch the numbers of people arriving at their shores.
Tourists and residents warned to stay inside as deadly heat hits Europe during peak travel season
Read full article: Tourists and residents warned to stay inside as deadly heat hits Europe during peak travel seasonOfficials are warning residents and tourists packing Mediterranean destinations to stay indoors during the hottest hours as the second heat wave in as many weeks hits the region and Greece, Spain and Switzerland battle wildfires.
People and pets seek shade and cool as Europe sizzles under heat wave that's only going to get worse
Read full article: People and pets seek shade and cool as Europe sizzles under heat wave that's only going to get worseScorching temperatures across Europe have forced the closure of the Acropolis in Athens for a second day.
Hundreds of flights across Italy are canceled amid air transport strike at peak of tourism season
Read full article: Hundreds of flights across Italy are canceled amid air transport strike at peak of tourism seasonHundreds of flights across Italy have been canceled after air transport unions went ahead with a planned work stoppage.
Bishop named to Vatican office handling sex abuse complaints discounted some victims, US group says
Read full article: Bishop named to Vatican office handling sex abuse complaints discounted some victims, US group saysA U.S.-based group that tracks how the Catholic hierarchy deals with allegations of sexual abuse by clergy says Pope Francis made a “troubling” choice in appointing an Argentine archbishop to a powerful Vatican office.
Italian police say the man filmed carving his name on the Colosseum is a tourist living in Britain
Read full article: Italian police say the man filmed carving his name on the Colosseum is a tourist living in BritainItalian police say they believe the man filmed while engraving his name last week on the ancient Roman Colosseum is a tourist who lives in Britain.
Parliamentary inquest into 'Vatican Girl' mystery moves forward as pope acknowledges family's pain
Read full article: Parliamentary inquest into 'Vatican Girl' mystery moves forward as pope acknowledges family's painItaly’s Parliament is poised to open a bicameral commission of inquiry into the 1883 disappearance of the teenage daughter of a Vatican employee.
Vatican says new leads are worth pursuing in the disappearance of employee's daughter 40 years ago
Read full article: Vatican says new leads are worth pursuing in the disappearance of employee's daughter 40 years agoExactly 40 years after the teenage daughter of a Vatican employee disappeared, the Vatican announced new leads “worthy of further investigation” have surfaced.
Ancient Roman temple complex, with ruins of building where Caesar was stabbed, opens to tourists
Read full article: Ancient Roman temple complex, with ruins of building where Caesar was stabbed, opens to touristsFour temples from ancient Rome stand smack in the middle of one of the modern city's busiest crossroads.
Hospitalized Pope Francis walks a bit, follows Mass on TV, lunches with medical personnel and aides
Read full article: Hospitalized Pope Francis walks a bit, follows Mass on TV, lunches with medical personnel and aidesPope Francis has followed his doctors' advice and skipped his customary Sunday noon public blessing as he convalesces from abdominal surgery.
Berlusconi readmitted to Italian hospital for planned medical checks
Read full article: Berlusconi readmitted to Italian hospital for planned medical checksSilvio Berlusconi's doctors say the former Italian premier was admitted to a Milan hospital for planned medical checks related to his chronic leukemia.
Italian court throws out case alleging early pandemic mismanagement by ex-premier, ex-minister
Read full article: Italian court throws out case alleging early pandemic mismanagement by ex-premier, ex-ministerA special Italian court has shut down a probe into whether the country’s former premier and former health minister caused unnecessary deaths by failing to extend a lockdown zone in the early days of the coronavirus pandemic.
Pope briefly at hospital for tests two months after bronchitis, returns to Vatican
Read full article: Pope briefly at hospital for tests two months after bronchitis, returns to VaticanPope Francis has made a quick trip to a hospital for tests and returned to the Vatican, two months after he was hospitalized with an acute case of bronchitis.
Italy displays antiquities looted from Italian territory and recovered from London dealer
Read full article: Italy displays antiquities looted from Italian territory and recovered from London dealerItaly is displaying hundreds of antiquities that were looted from Italian territory and were recovered from a London dealer.
Vatican questions how priest moved $17 million meant for missionary work into investment fund
Read full article: Vatican questions how priest moved $17 million meant for missionary work into investment fundPope Francis has asked aides to get to the bottom of how at least $17 million was transferred from the Vatican’s U.S.-based missionary fundraising coffers into an impact investing vehicle run by a priest.
Sevilla, Roma's Mourinho put perfect European records on line in Europa League final
Read full article: Sevilla, Roma's Mourinho put perfect European records on line in Europa League finalA remarkable perfect record in European soccer must fall Wednesday when Sevilla faces José Mourinho's Roma in the Europa League final.
Chicago cardinal defends compensation plan, urges info on abusers after Illinois abuse report
Read full article: Chicago cardinal defends compensation plan, urges info on abusers after Illinois abuse reportThe archbishop of Chicago is urging the Illinois attorney general to provide information about newly uncovered cases of priests who sexually abused minors that were included in a statewide investigative report.
Novak Djokovic loses to Holger Rune, again, this time at Italian Open
Read full article: Novak Djokovic loses to Holger Rune, again, this time at Italian OpenTwenty-year-old Danish player Holger Rune recorded his second victory over Novak Djokovic in little more than six months by beating the 22-time Grand Slam champion 6-2, 4-6, 6-2 to reach the Italian Open semifinals.
Djokovic overcomes mid-match lapse to beat Dimitrov at Italian Open; Swiatek wins
Read full article: Djokovic overcomes mid-match lapse to beat Dimitrov at Italian Open; Swiatek winsNovak Djokovic had to overcome a mid-match lapse before beating Grigor Dimitrov 6-3, 4-6, 6-1 to reach the fourth round of the Italian Open.
Vatican seeks to assure Caritas that papal firings were necessary, not a criticism of work
Read full article: Vatican seeks to assure Caritas that papal firings were necessary, not a criticism of workA top Vatican cardinal is defending Pope Francis’ “drastic” leadership firings at the Holy See’s preeminent charity.
Botticelli's Venus is an 'influencer' and Italy is not happy
Read full article: Botticelli's Venus is an 'influencer' and Italy is not happySandro Botticelli's iconic goddess of love in his 15th-century masterpiece “Birth of Venus” has now become a “virtual influencer” in a new Italian tourism campaign.
Italian ex-leader Conte attacked by man protesting lockdowns
Read full article: Italian ex-leader Conte attacked by man protesting lockdownsFormer Italian Premier Giuseppe Conte has been physically attacked during an official appearance in Tuscany by a man protesting against Italy’s lockdowns and other measures to contain the pandemic.
Electronic line calls at all ATP men's tennis events by 2025
Read full article: Electronic line calls at all ATP men's tennis events by 2025There won’t be any more arguing with line judges over calls at tennis tournaments on the ATP men’s tour as of 2025 — because there won’t be any more line judges at those events by then.