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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

A man refuels his car in a petrol station in Villeneuve d’Ascq, north France, on March 11. Photo: Xinhua

US, Israel war on Iran

As war in Iran roils energy markets, Europe pays price of ‘dependency’

Governments are racing to respond, as oil and gas prices raise fears of a further spike in living costs.

19 Mar 2026 - 8:30PMvideocam

European Union

Hundreds die crossing Mediterranean as 2026 already smashes records

19 Mar 2026 - 3:07PM

Hong Kong tourism

Hong Kong Tourism Board to woo overnight big spenders, diversify visitor mix

18 Mar 2026 - 9:44PM

Style Edit

Style Edit: Anteprima unveiled nostalgic artistry during Milan Fashion Week

The Milan-based label’s fall/winter 2026 collection explored time and memory.

12 Mar 2026 - 3:26PM

Anteprima leaned into nostalgia and modern artistry for its fall/winter 2026 collections at Milan Fashion Week. Photos: Getty Images

Ukraine war

Ukraine protests Russia’s participation in Venice Biennale

Organisers have said Russia could participate for the first time since launching its all-out invasion in 2022.

9 Mar 2026 - 12:58PM

US, Israel war on Iran

Macron to visit Cyprus, French warships deployed as war in Middle East rages

The president’s visit will demonstrate France’s solidarity with Cyprus following Iranian strikes and underscore the importance of maritime security in the region.

9 Mar 2026 - 8:14PMvideocam

Iran

How far could the war with Iran spread beyond the Middle East?

From Turkey and the Caucasus to South Asia, analysts warn the war could ignite new flashpoints along regional fault lines.

6 Mar 2026 - 6:29PMvideocam

The sun sets behind a plume of smoke from a US-Israeli military strike in Tehran, Iran, on Tuesday. Photo: AP

Middle East

Letters | As the US attacks Iran, the ancient Battle of Carrhae offers lessons

Readers discuss the war in the Middle East, the opportunity for Colombians in Hong Kong to vote, the importance of teacher well-being, and the poon choi tradition.

6 Mar 2026 - 11:30AM

United States

Opinion | Eileen Gu and Alysa Liu don’t deserve to be caught in culture wars

The issue is not that one chose to represent China and another the US but that both have been dragged into culture wars not of their making.

6 Mar 2026 - 10:17AMvideocam

US, Israel war on Iran

European states move to secure Red Sea navigation, protect Cyprus

Italy, ‌Spain, France and the Netherlands will send naval assets to protect Cyprus in the coming days.

5 Mar 2026 - 11:40PMvideocam

A U-2 spy aircraft lands at the UK’s RAF Akrotiri airbase, near Limassol, Cyprus on Thursday. Photo: AP

Hong Kong tourism

Sky-high jump in airfares from Hong Kong to Europe, Americas – even Asian cities

Economy-class fares to Paris, Rome and New York surge while cheapest return flight to Tokyo costs nearly HK$5,000.

5 Mar 2026 - 6:12PMvideocam

The escalation of the conflict has thrown Middle Eastern airspace into chaos, grounding tens of thousands of flights and stranding passengers across major aviation hubs. Photo: Eugene Lee

From our archives

On This Day | Ang Lee becomes first Asian person to win directing Oscar in 2006 – SCMP archive

Twenty years ago on March 5, 2006, Lee won the Academy Award for best director for the film Brokeback Mountain.

5 Mar 2026 - 10:54AM

Style Edit

Style Edit: Furla’s SS26 Milan-inspired bags exude Italian poise

Adventurous textures, canvas stripes and refined colour palettes define the effortless Italian style of Furla’s spring-summer bags.

3 Mar 2026 - 10:00AM

Milan Fashion Week

Milan Fashion Week 2026: Gucci, Bottega Veneta, Tod’s and Ferragamo

Emily Ratajkowski and Kate Moss both took to the runway for Demna’s Gucci show, while Louise Trotter followed up her debut at Bottega Veneta last season.

2 Mar 2026 - 1:54PM

Emily Ratajkowski on the runway for Gucci fall/winter 2026. Photo: Reuters

The Philippines

Indonesia is getting an aircraft carrier. The Philippines isn’t. Does it matter?

Indonesia wants to project power. The Philippines wants to deny it. In the South China Sea, one approach may matter more than the other.

1 Mar 2026 - 10:00AM

The Italian aircraft carrier Giuseppe Garibaldi pictured in 2016. Photo: AFP

Maria Grazia Chiuri

Maria Grazia Chiuri on Fendi, Karl Lagerfeld and more – in her own words

Chiuri was at Valentino and Dior before returning to Fendi, where she worked in the 1990s – she just made her debut as chief creative officer for the brand at Milan Fashion Week.

27 Feb 2026 - 12:40PM

Milan Fashion Week

Milan Fashion Week 2026: Prada, Max Mara and Marni pull out all the stops

Models like Bella Hadid wore layers for Miuccia Prada and Raf Simons’ runway, with Meta’s Mark Zuckerberg in the front row, while Marni went bold.

27 Feb 2026 - 10:59AM

Milan Fashion Week

Milan Fashion Week 2026: Fendi, Diesel and Jil Sander highlights

Chiuri – previously at Valentino and Dior – made a stellar debut with Fendi, while Diesel’s Instagrammable runway turned heads.

26 Feb 2026 - 10:39AM

The Fendi show marked the debut of newly appointed creative director Maria Grazia Chiuri. Photo: AFP

Donald Trump

US women’s ice hockey captain responds to ‘distasteful’ Trump remark

Hilary Knight, who led her squad to an Olympic gold medal, says the president’s joke overshadowed the achievements of American athletes.

26 Feb 2026 - 7:59AM

China manufacturing

A boat in every dock? Chinese billionaire unveils plan for mass yacht production

JD.com founder Richard Liu has launched a nautical brand with a massive investment in yacht production, aiming to make ownership affordable.

25 Feb 2026 - 10:11PMvideocam

Style Edit

Style Edit: Tod’s spring/summer 2026 campaign embodies la dolce vita

The town of Maiori provided the essential carefree vibe for the brand’s shoot that featured the iconic Gommino loafer and Pashmy suede jacket.

24 Feb 2026 - 10:00AM

A luxurious villa in Maiori on Italy’s stunning Amalfi Coast provided the perfect backdrop for Tod’s casually chic spring/summer 2026 campaign. Photo: Handout

2026 Olympic Winter Games

Editorial | Olympic results entrench China’s rise as a winter sports power

Team China’s medal haul from the Milano Cortina games bodes well for the future of winter sports in the country.

24 Feb 2026 - 6:45AM

Gold medalist Xu Mengtao celebrates after the award ceremony of the freestyle skiing women’s aerials at the Olympic Winter Games in Italy on February 18. Photo: Xinhua

Japan

Clocking off: is Japan’s culture of overwork finally dying?

The average hours put in by Japanese workers are lower than those of their American and Italian counterparts.

23 Feb 2026 - 10:34AMvideocam

2026 Olympic Winter Games

Eileen Gu forced to wait as heavy snow postpones Olympic halfpipe final

This is the final shot at gold for China’s defending champion, who has won two silver medals so far but failed to top the podium.

22 Feb 2026 - 3:21AM

Ukraine war

5 European nations to make drones by tapping Ukraine’s war experience

The initiative by France, Poland, Germany, the UK and Italy comes after a spate of violations of Europe’s airspace involving rogue drones.

21 Feb 2026 - 5:31PM

A Ukrainian member of a drone team launches a surveillance drone towards Russian position in the eastern Donetsk region on February 4, amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Photo: AFP

Artificial intelligence

Opinion | Who will save the world from a US-China AI arms race?

Unrestrained military AI could doom us all. The window for a global middle-power alliance to rein in the superpowers is closing fast.

21 Feb 2026 - 1:00PMvideocam

Turkey

6 Europeans activists held in Turkey while investigating prison conditions

Their arrest came on the same day that police detained a Turkish journalist working for Deutsche Welle for ‘spreading false news’.

20 Feb 2026 - 8:40PM

Artificial intelligence

How Chinese AI put a new spin on Winter Olympics action

Chinese tech firms have been using the Milano Cortina Games to showcase their capabilities to a global audience.

20 Feb 2026 - 7:00PM

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Italy

As war in Iran roils energy markets, Europe pays price of ‘dependency’

Governments are racing to respond, as oil and gas prices raise fears of a further spike in living costs.

Hundreds die crossing Mediterranean as 2026 already smashes records

Hong Kong Tourism Board to woo overnight big spenders, diversify visitor mix

Style Edit: Anteprima unveiled nostalgic artistry during Milan Fashion Week

The Milan-based label’s fall/winter 2026 collection explored time and memory.

Ukraine protests Russia’s participation in Venice Biennale

Organisers have said Russia could participate for the first time since launching its all-out invasion in 2022.

Macron to visit Cyprus, French warships deployed as war in Middle East rages

The president’s visit will demonstrate France’s solidarity with Cyprus following Iranian strikes and underscore the importance of maritime security in the region.

How far could the war with Iran spread beyond the Middle East?

From Turkey and the Caucasus to South Asia, analysts warn the war could ignite new flashpoints along regional fault lines.

.css-19im5qg{color:#c79a00;}Letters | As the US attacks Iran, the ancient Battle of Carrhae offers lessons

Readers discuss the war in the Middle East, the opportunity for Colombians in Hong Kong to vote, the importance of teacher well-being, and the poon choi tradition.

.css-1pcrwvc{color:#2aa191;}Opinion | Eileen Gu and Alysa Liu don’t deserve to be caught in culture wars

The issue is not that one chose to represent China and another the US but that both have been dragged into culture wars not of their making.

European states move to secure Red Sea navigation, protect Cyprus

Italy, ‌Spain, France and the Netherlands will send naval assets to protect Cyprus in the coming days.

Sky-high jump in airfares from Hong Kong to Europe, Americas – even Asian cities

Economy-class fares to Paris, Rome and New York surge while cheapest return flight to Tokyo costs nearly HK$5,000.

On This Day | Ang Lee becomes first Asian person to win directing Oscar in 2006 – SCMP archive

Twenty years ago on March 5, 2006, Lee won the Academy Award for best director for the film Brokeback Mountain.

Style Edit: Furla’s SS26 Milan-inspired bags exude Italian poise

Adventurous textures, canvas stripes and refined colour palettes define the effortless Italian style of Furla’s spring-summer bags.

Milan Fashion Week 2026: Gucci, Bottega Veneta, Tod’s and Ferragamo

Emily Ratajkowski and Kate Moss both took to the runway for Demna’s Gucci show, while Louise Trotter followed up her debut at Bottega Veneta last season.

Indonesia is getting an aircraft carrier. The Philippines isn’t. Does it matter?

Indonesia wants to project power. The Philippines wants to deny it. In the South China Sea, one approach may matter more than the other.

Maria Grazia Chiuri on Fendi, Karl Lagerfeld and more – in her own words

Chiuri was at Valentino and Dior before returning to Fendi, where she worked in the 1990s – she just made her debut as chief creative officer for the brand at Milan Fashion Week.

Milan Fashion Week 2026: Prada, Max Mara and Marni pull out all the stops

Models like Bella Hadid wore layers for Miuccia Prada and Raf Simons’ runway, with Meta’s Mark Zuckerberg in the front row, while Marni went bold.

Milan Fashion Week 2026: Fendi, Diesel and Jil Sander highlights

Chiuri – previously at Valentino and Dior – made a stellar debut with Fendi, while Diesel’s Instagrammable runway turned heads.

US women’s ice hockey captain responds to ‘distasteful’ Trump remark

Hilary Knight, who led her squad to an Olympic gold medal, says the president’s joke overshadowed the achievements of American athletes.

A boat in every dock? Chinese billionaire unveils plan for mass yacht production

JD.com founder Richard Liu has launched a nautical brand with a massive investment in yacht production, aiming to make ownership affordable.

Style Edit: Tod’s spring/summer 2026 campaign embodies la dolce vita

The town of Maiori provided the essential carefree vibe for the brand’s shoot that featured the iconic Gommino loafer and Pashmy suede jacket.

Editorial | Olympic results entrench China’s rise as a winter sports power

Team China’s medal haul from the Milano Cortina games bodes well for the future of winter sports in the country.

Clocking off: is Japan’s culture of overwork finally dying?

The average hours put in by Japanese workers are lower than those of their American and Italian counterparts.

Eileen Gu forced to wait as heavy snow postpones Olympic halfpipe final

This is the final shot at gold for China’s defending champion, who has won two silver medals so far but failed to top the podium.

5 European nations to make drones by tapping Ukraine’s war experience

The initiative by France, Poland, Germany, the UK and Italy comes after a spate of violations of Europe’s airspace involving rogue drones.

Opinion | Who will save the world from a US-China AI arms race?

Unrestrained military AI could doom us all. The window for a global middle-power alliance to rein in the superpowers is closing fast.

6 Europeans activists held in Turkey while investigating prison conditions

Their arrest came on the same day that police detained a Turkish journalist working for Deutsche Welle for ‘spreading false news’.

How Chinese AI put a new spin on Winter Olympics action

Chinese tech firms have been using the Milano Cortina Games to showcase their capabilities to a global audience.

Letters | As the US attacks Iran, the ancient Battle of Carrhae offers lessons

Opinion | Eileen Gu and Alysa Liu don’t deserve to be caught in culture wars