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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

Brunello Cucinelli

A-listers turned out for the Brunello Cucinelli film premiere in Rome

Hollywood actors Jeff Goldblum, Jessica Chastain and Chris Pine also attended the screening, held at Rome’s legendary Cinecittà Studios.

3 hours ago

Luxury brands

Luxury brands face probe over alleged Chinese worker exploitation in Italy

4 Dec 2025 - 8:12PM

Fashion

Prada has bought Versace, but can it make Milan rival ‘interesting again’?

3 Dec 2025 - 7:15PM

European Union

EU’s former top diplomat Mogherini charged in fraud investigation

Federica Mogherini was arrested in Brussels amid raids over suspected fraud related to an EU-funded training programme for junior diplomats.

3 Dec 2025 - 4:19PM

Federica Mogherini in 2019. Photo: Reuters

Art

Want a da Vinci but are short a few million? Get the digital version instead

Limited-edition, certified digital copies of Italian masterpieces sold at a fraction of the originals’ cost are boosting museums’ cash flow.

2 Dec 2025 - 7:15PM

Fame and celebrity

Q&A | Eugenio Franceschini on fashion and his role as Marcello on Emily in Paris

The Italian actor talks about landing the Netflix show, working with Lily Collins, and what it’s like being a ‘heartthrob’.

30 Nov 2025 - 12:00PM

Defence

Italy’s Leonardo unveils ‘Michelangelo Dome’ air defence system

The system uses predictive AI to help position assets and shorten response times against threats like hypersonic weapons and drone swarms.

28 Nov 2025 - 1:44PM

The Michelangelo Dome aims to coordinate warfare platforms from below sea level to out in space across a single network. Image: Leonardo.

Hong Kong economy

Hong Kong’s finance chief seeks to attract Italian company listings on HKEX

Financial Secretary Paul Chan touted bilateral trade ties and a shared passion for creativity in his speech to the Trade Development Council.

28 Nov 2025 - 6:17AM

South Korea

Italian TV host apologises for ‘careless’ South Korea-Japan history remarks

Mondi pledged to study history after saying ‘you should listen to both sides’ on Japan’s colonial rule.

27 Nov 2025 - 9:03AM

Trending in China

Italian eatery owner slammed for insulting 16 Taiwan tourists for sharing 5 pizzas

An Italian chef tells media that one reason for owner’s irritation might be because it is common for customers to order one pizza per person.

26 Nov 2025 - 2:00PM

An Italian restaurant owner faced backlash after verbally abusing 16 Taiwanese tourists for only ordering five pizzas. Photo: SCMP composite/Shutterstock/X.com

Malaysia

Letters | Academic theories deserve rigorous scrutiny, not public shaming

Readers discuss the controversy over a Malaysian academic’s hypothesis about Roman shipbuilding, the Thailand-Cambodia border dispute, and cutting back Hong Kong children’s screen time.

26 Nov 2025 - 11:30AM

Dr Solehah’s theory – that Romans may have learned shipbuilding techniques from Malay seafarers – deserved rigorous academic scrutiny. Photo: YouTube/Prof Dr Solehah

Mainland China

Italian police raid Amazon sites in probe involving Chinese goods

E-commerce giant Amazon is suspected of acting as a ‘Trojan horse’ in Italy customs fraud case, court document says.

25 Nov 2025 - 1:44PM

Hong Kong economy

Hong Kong’s Paul Chan to lead delegation to Italy to showcase tech, boost trade

Science Park to invite eight tech start-up companies to attend Trade Development Council’s symposium in Milan.

24 Nov 2025 - 12:00PM

Britain

Opinion | Self-interest is now the main driver of Britain’s Asia policy

There are a great many reasons why the UK government should pay more attention to the Asia-Pacific, but that does not mean that it will.

24 Nov 2025 - 9:21AM

UK military personnel stand on board Britain’s HMS Prince of Wales aircraft carrier as it arrives in Tokyo, Japan, in August. Photo: Reuters

European Union

Italian left gathers for anti-Meloni campaign despite rivalries

Meloni has been durable as prime minister, despite occasional clashes within her coalition on bank taxes and aid to Ukraine.

23 Nov 2025 - 4:38PM

Supporters of the anti-establishment Five Star Movement (M5S) demonstrate in front of the Senate in Rome. Photo: AFP

Food and Drinks

‘Carbonara sauce’ at EU parliament causes stir with Italy

Italy’s agriculture minister has demanded an investigation after he found jars containing pancetta at a supermarket in Brussels.

22 Nov 2025 - 2:41AM

Switzerland

Swiss police hunt 2 men after gold heist at museum, in echoes of Louvre robbery

Police said the men had bought tickets and waited until near closing time to overpower the guard and flee with dozens of gold coins.

21 Nov 2025 - 11:39PM

Science

Lightning start: China’s Juno ‘ghost particle’ detector delivers record results

2 months of ‘unprecedented measurement precision’ by world’s largest neutrino detector raises hopes for unlocking secrets of matter.

20 Nov 2025 - 2:09PMvideocam

The immediate success of the Juno neutrino detector has confirmed that it is ready to tackle fundamental questions, potentially uncovering new laws of physics and solving the mystery of matter’s very existence. Photo: Xinhua

Tourism

What are the food and wine wonders of Italy’s Liguria and Piedmont regions?

The neighbouring regions in northwest Italy are between them home to pesto, great wines, white truffles and more. Here’s what to enjoy there.

18 Nov 2025 - 1:11PM

China-Japan relations

Beijing-Tokyo row over Takaichi’s Taiwan comments: everything you need to know

From warnings to cancelled Japan flights, here is a rundown of the Post’s reporting after the Japan PM’s remarks.

18 Nov 2025 - 11:14AMvideocam

China-EU relations

EU recalibrates on China as it seeks rare earths breakthrough

Official sources say Brussels is in ‘de-escalation mode’ as it tries to convince Beijing to issue more export licences for critical minerals.

17 Nov 2025 - 5:48PMvideocam

Brussels and Beijing are said to be close to agreeing on a licensing procedure for rare earths exports. Photo: Reuters

E-commerce

Chinese vendors on Shein, Temu face tax changes at home and abroad

While the EU ends a duty exemption, a reform of China’s tax regime may present the bigger challenge for cross-border sellers.

16 Nov 2025 - 10:00AM

An internet user shops on the Shein website in Paris on November 5, 2025. Photo: AFP

Tourism

Italy’s South Tyrol region scraps planned dog tourist tax

The regulation would have required a daily fee of US$1.70 for each dog brought to the region from next year.

15 Nov 2025 - 10:45PM

Hong Kong economy

Editorial | Takaichi must soon make amends if China ties are to be repaired

The Japanese PM should take the opportunity of the G20 meeting to explain her comments to Premier Li Qiang and issue an unequivocal retraction.

15 Nov 2025 - 10:50PM

Catholic Church

Vatican returns 62 artefacts connected to indigenous peoples from Canada

The move is part of the Catholic Church’s reckoning with its role in helping suppress indigenous culture in the Americas.

15 Nov 2025 - 8:11PM

Pope Francis meets First Nations, Metis and Inuit indigenous communities in Maskwacis, Alberta, Canada, on July 25, 2022. Photo: Reuters

Climate change

Climate collapse: Southeast Asia’s new normal?

With a 30th year of Cop climate talks under way in Brazil, for many of Asia’s most vulnerable populations, the crisis is already here.

21 Nov 2025 - 6:58AM

United States

US designates 4 left-wing groups in Europe as terrorists

Designation hits groups in Germany, Greece, and Italy, with Rubio warning that Washington would target other groups around the world.

14 Nov 2025 - 2:17PM

Bosnia and Herzegovina

Did ‘war tourists’ pay to kill civilians for sport in Sarajevo?

Wealthy would-be snipers are alleged to have paid six-figure sums to shoot precision rifles from Bosnian Serb army positions.

14 Nov 2025 - 11:04AM

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