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Italy

The latest breaking news and stories on Italy, a country in southern Europe known as a parliamentary republic, and the world’s eighth largest economy. Also covering Italy’s relationship with China and Europe, plus commentary and updates on Italy’s economy, politics, society and social issues.

Capital

Rome

Head of State

President Sergio Mattarella

Head of Government

Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni

US-China relations

Opinion | China shouldn’t view a tired US as signifying a Europe ready to pivot

As fractures within the US’ network of alliances deepen, China’s strategic window opens a little wider, with some key caveats.

10 May 2026 - 8:30PM

US, Israel war on Iran

Iran responds to US proposal, as Qatari tanker crosses Strait of Hormuz

11 May 2026 - 12:19AMvideocam

Art

5 exhibitions across the globe celebrating women who shaped art and culture

9 May 2026 - 8:00AM

US, Israel war on Iran

New Israel-Lebanon talks to try to curb Hezbollah influence in region: Rubio

Marco Rubio says Washington is also awaiting Iran’s response to a new US proposal to end the conflict in the region.

9 May 2026 - 4:56AM

First responders arrive at the site of an Israeli airstrike that targeted the southern Lebanese village of Habbouch on Thursday. Photo: AFP

Pope Leo XIV

Rubio meets Pope Leo at Vatican to defuse tensions with Trump

The meeting comes amid the US president’s repeated attacks on the pontiff over the Iran war and nuclear weapons.

7 May 2026 - 10:04PMvideocam

Religion

Pope to inaugurate Barcelona’s Sagrada Familia in June trip to Spain

He will also visit a migrant reception centre in the Canary Islands.

6 May 2026 - 11:02PM

Donald Trump

‘He’s endangering a lot of Catholics’: Trump takes another shot at pope

US president’s latest criticism threatens to derail Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s high-stakes mission to Rome.

6 May 2026 - 6:17PMvideocam

Pope Leo speaking to journalists on Tuesday. Photo: AP

Giorgia Meloni

Italy PM Meloni warns over AI deepfakes after false photos of her circulate

The prime minister posted an example of a fake image appearing to show her sitting on her bed in her underwear.

6 May 2026 - 1:03PM

Germany

Germany jails mother for locking up daughter for 7 years

The girl, who is now 11 years old, was locked up for about seven years before being freed in September 2022.

5 May 2026 - 4:47AMvideocam

Aviation accidents

United Airlines jet hits light pole, truck while landing at US airport

FAA and airline are investigating after flight from Italy strikes a pole on the New Jersey Turnpike, damages delivery truck.

4 May 2026 - 2:07PM

Newark Liberty International Airport. Photo: AP

Style Edit

Style Edit: Bulgari updates its Octo Finissimo and Serpenti models for 2026

At Watches and Wonders, Bulgari introduced smaller Octo Finissimos and a limited edition of the Octo Finissimo Ultra Tourbillon Platinum, among other stand-outs.

4 May 2026 - 10:48AM

The new 37mm Bulgari Octo Finissimo with titanium case and bracelet, and its new self-winding Calibre BVF 100. Photo: Handout

Marco Rubio

Rubio to visit Rome, meet Pope Leo who has clashed with Trump

US secretary of state also seeks a meeting with Italy’s Meloni, whom Trump has also turned against.

4 May 2026 - 8:49PMvideocam

China-EU relations

How can China best profit from Trump’s latest rift with traditional US allies?

The US president’s decision to pull troops out of Germany and threats to do the same to Spain and Italy are the latest rift within Nato.

3 May 2026 - 8:00PMvideocam

Israel-Gaza war

Gaza flotilla activists detained by Israel face ‘extreme brutality’

Two foreign activists from a Gaza-bound aid flotilla intercepted near Greece were brought to Israel for interrogation, and appeared in court on Sunday.

3 May 2026 - 4:34PMvideocam

Boats of a new humanitarian flotilla bound for the Gaza Strip make a symbolic departure from Barcelona’s Port Vell on April 12, after the departure of the flotilla was postponed due to bad weather. Photo: AFP

Trip Inspiration

Discover Europe with flexible, affordable first-class Eurail adventures

Breakfast in Spain, lunch in France and dinner in Italy – with plenty of sightseeing from a comfortable seat in between. The joys of flexible, first-class train travel can be yours for the price of a Eurail pass.

3 May 2026 - 8:00AM

An ICE train crosses a viaduct in Baden-Württemberg, a state in southwest Germany bordering France and Switzerland. Photo: Getty Images

Icons and Influencers

Style according to … J.J. Martin, founder of Milan-based La DoubleJ

The high-vibration, maximalist designer on channelled wisdom, goddess energy, and building a colourful life with intention.

2 May 2026 - 7:00AM

Hong Kong Football Festival

Editorial | Hot summer of football festival fever ahead for Hong Kong

The return of star-studded matches featuring top European clubs heralds a second straight summer of football enthusiasm for local fans.

2 May 2026 - 6:45AM

Defence

Will Japan’s new arms export rules spark a high-end defence boom?

Updated regulations give Tokyo greater scope to sell lethal weapons overseas, prompting rebuke from China, but the industry still faces hurdles.

1 May 2026 - 10:00PMvideocam

A Japanese tank is displayed at a defence equipment fair in Chiba, Japan in 2019. Analysts expect the loosening of Japan’s arms export policy to drive growth in its defence industry. Photo: Kyodo via Reuters

Iran

Iran ‘dying to make a deal’, US war costs soar: here’s what happened overnight

US President Donald Trump says only a few people know the status of talks with Tehran as war enters its third month.

1 May 2026 - 8:40AMvideocam

Style Edit

Style Edit: Marble, horsehair and bojagi – Hermès brings craft home

From a marble table by Barber Osgerby to cashmere throws in the bojagi tradition, the maison’s latest offerings are a study in craft.

28 Apr 2026 - 10:00AM

Artificial intelligence

Archaeologists use AI to reconstruct Pompeii victim’s face and final moments

AI-generated image shows a man ducking for cover, with a flaming Mount Vesuvius in the background.

28 Apr 2026 - 12:14PM

The AI-generated image shows a man ducking for cover while holding a large bowl over his head. Image: Pompeii Archaeological Park

China GDP

Guangdong’s rule as China’s GDP king faces an unprecedented threat to the crown

A rival provincial powerhouse, with a GDP as big as some G7 nations, is becoming a hub for strategic emerging sectors while outpacing the national economic growth rate.

27 Apr 2026 - 8:30PMvideocam

A crane lifts a container at a port this month in China’s Jiangsu province, which has been threatening to end Guangdong’s uninterrupted reign as the nation’s largest provincial economy since the late 1980s. Photo: China Daily via Reuters

Style Edit

Style Edit: Poly MGM Museum’s new ‘Silk Roads Beyond Borders’ treasures

New Italian and Persian treasures make their Asia debut, expanding the museum’s Silk Road narrative with rare works that illuminate centuries of East-West exchange.

5 May 2026 - 12:26PM

Crime

Italy extradites Chinese national wanted by US for alleged hacking

Xu Zewei was arrested in Milan in 2025 at ⁠the request of US authorities.

27 Apr 2026 - 4:43PM

US, Israel war on Iran

China is poised to reap rewards as energy shock heats up the race for renewables

The US war on Iran may have inadvertently triggered a global transition that will favour Beijing’s green leadership, analysts predict.

26 Apr 2026 - 8:00PMvideocam

Solar panels on a residential building in Matanzas, Cuba. Photo: AFP

Art

Singapore’s Amanda Heng on making feminist art in a country that wasn’t ready for it

Amanda Heng talks about engaging with the public through art since the 1980s and why her installation at Venice Biennale is all about rest.

26 Apr 2026 - 7:15PM

Amanda Heng at Art SG 2026. The Singaporean artist will represent her country at the 2026 Venice Biennale in May. Photo: Instagram/stpi_singapore

China exports

Flood of small parcels from China pushes Belgian airport to limit

Belgium’s top customs official says main problem is that many products do not meet EU standards.

25 Apr 2026 - 3:00PM

Crime in Hong Kong

Hong Kong police arrest 9 over HK$1.7 million in fake travel insurance claims

Syndicate allegedly faked overseas accidents with forged documents to claim payouts from insurers without ever leaving the city.

23 Apr 2026 - 5:11PM

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Italy

.css-1pcrwvc{color:#2aa191;}Opinion | China shouldn’t view a tired US as signifying a Europe ready to pivot

As fractures within the US’ network of alliances deepen, China’s strategic window opens a little wider, with some key caveats.

Iran responds to US proposal, as Qatari tanker crosses Strait of Hormuz

5 exhibitions across the globe celebrating women who shaped art and culture

New Israel-Lebanon talks to try to curb Hezbollah influence in region: Rubio

Marco Rubio says Washington is also awaiting Iran’s response to a new US proposal to end the conflict in the region.

Rubio meets Pope Leo at Vatican to defuse tensions with Trump

The meeting comes amid the US president’s repeated attacks on the pontiff over the Iran war and nuclear weapons.

Pope to inaugurate Barcelona’s Sagrada Familia in June trip to Spain

He will also visit a migrant reception centre in the Canary Islands.

‘He’s endangering a lot of Catholics’: Trump takes another shot at pope

US president’s latest criticism threatens to derail Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s high-stakes mission to Rome.

Italy PM Meloni warns over AI deepfakes after false photos of her circulate

The prime minister posted an example of a fake image appearing to show her sitting on her bed in her underwear.

Germany jails mother for locking up daughter for 7 years

The girl, who is now 11 years old, was locked up for about seven years before being freed in September 2022.

United Airlines jet hits light pole, truck while landing at US airport

FAA and airline are investigating after flight from Italy strikes a pole on the New Jersey Turnpike, damages delivery truck.

Style Edit: Bulgari updates its Octo Finissimo and Serpenti models for 2026

At Watches and Wonders, Bulgari introduced smaller Octo Finissimos and a limited edition of the Octo Finissimo Ultra Tourbillon Platinum, among other stand-outs.

Rubio to visit Rome, meet Pope Leo who has clashed with Trump

US secretary of state also seeks a meeting with Italy’s Meloni, whom Trump has also turned against.

How can China best profit from Trump’s latest rift with traditional US allies?

The US president’s decision to pull troops out of Germany and threats to do the same to Spain and Italy are the latest rift within Nato.

Gaza flotilla activists detained by Israel face ‘extreme brutality’

Two foreign activists from a Gaza-bound aid flotilla intercepted near Greece were brought to Israel for interrogation, and appeared in court on Sunday.

Discover Europe with flexible, affordable first-class Eurail adventures

Breakfast in Spain, lunch in France and dinner in Italy – with plenty of sightseeing from a comfortable seat in between. The joys of flexible, first-class train travel can be yours for the price of a Eurail pass.

Style according to … J.J. Martin, founder of Milan-based La DoubleJ

The high-vibration, maximalist designer on channelled wisdom, goddess energy, and building a colourful life with intention.

Editorial | Hot summer of football festival fever ahead for Hong Kong

The return of star-studded matches featuring top European clubs heralds a second straight summer of football enthusiasm for local fans.

Will Japan’s new arms export rules spark a high-end defence boom?

Updated regulations give Tokyo greater scope to sell lethal weapons overseas, prompting rebuke from China, but the industry still faces hurdles.

Iran ‘dying to make a deal’, US war costs soar: here’s what happened overnight

US President Donald Trump says only a few people know the status of talks with Tehran as war enters its third month.

Style Edit: Marble, horsehair and bojagi – Hermès brings craft home

From a marble table by Barber Osgerby to cashmere throws in the bojagi tradition, the maison’s latest offerings are a study in craft.

Archaeologists use AI to reconstruct Pompeii victim’s face and final moments

AI-generated image shows a man ducking for cover, with a flaming Mount Vesuvius in the background.

Guangdong’s rule as China’s GDP king faces an unprecedented threat to the crown

A rival provincial powerhouse, with a GDP as big as some G7 nations, is becoming a hub for strategic emerging sectors while outpacing the national economic growth rate.

Style Edit: Poly MGM Museum’s new ‘Silk Roads Beyond Borders’ treasures

New Italian and Persian treasures make their Asia debut, expanding the museum’s Silk Road narrative with rare works that illuminate centuries of East-West exchange.

Italy extradites Chinese national wanted by US for alleged hacking

Xu Zewei was arrested in Milan in 2025 at ⁠the request of US authorities.

China is poised to reap rewards as energy shock heats up the race for renewables

The US war on Iran may have inadvertently triggered a global transition that will favour Beijing’s green leadership, analysts predict.

Singapore’s Amanda Heng on making feminist art in a country that wasn’t ready for it

Amanda Heng talks about engaging with the public through art since the 1980s and why her installation at Venice Biennale is all about rest.

Flood of small parcels from China pushes Belgian airport to limit

Belgium’s top customs official says main problem is that many products do not meet EU standards.

Hong Kong police arrest 9 over HK$1.7 million in fake travel insurance claims

Syndicate allegedly faked overseas accidents with forged documents to claim payouts from insurers without ever leaving the city.

Opinion | China shouldn’t view a tired US as signifying a Europe ready to pivot