Midtown Blogger/Manhattan Valley Follies: Italy the Local

Italy's news in English

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The son of a prominent mafia boss was interviewed by Italy's national broadcaster on Wednesday. Photo: Screengrab/Rai

Airtime for mafia boss's son sparks fury in Italy

"I am not the son of a supreme boss, I'm the son of Toto... an upstanding man who respects family and traditional values."

Mafia boss's €3.5m hospital stay funded by Italian taxes

Locals first: tourists will soon have to wait in line to board a water bus in Venice. Photo: Lauchlin Wilkinson

Locals first: Venice makes tourists wait for water buses

“Tourists sit with their suitcases in their arms while we are forced to stand.”

Video

Does this carbonara offend you? Photo: Screenshot/The Local

Italians pour scorn on French attempt to reinvent carbonara

Woe betide anyone who flouts Italian cooking rules.

Muslim worshippers in Florence are set to get a big new mosque. Photo: Santiago Almada/Flickr

Florence plans 'mega-mosque' for Muslim worshippers

The current mosque is so oversubscribed people are forced to pray on the street outside.

The passenger was removed from the easyJet plane at Pisa airport. Photo: Chris Sampson

Man taken off easyJet flight in Pisa over 'security concerns'

It is the second time in just over a week that the airline has asked a passenger to leave a plane that was about to leave Italy due to another passenger reporting "suspicious behaviour".

Former PR consultant Francesca Chaouqui. Photo: Andreas Solaro/AFP

I did not have sex with that priest, Vatileaks trial told

Instead, Francesca Chaouqui claimed the priest had a relationship with a male astrologer.

Laurent Stefanini, with President François Hollande. Photo: AFP

France gives up on bid to name gay envoy to Vatican

After a year France has abandoned its attempts to appoint a gay man as ambassador to the Vatican after he was snubbed by the Holy See.

The migrants staged a 'sit down' protest in Cagliari. Photo: Unione Sarda

Italian island hits back at British anti-migrant headlines

Lurid headlines on global websites claim Sardinia has been 'taken hostage' by protesting migrants. But locals have poured scorn on the reports.

Video

What's life like in L'Aquila, seven years after it was destroyed by an earthquake? Photo: The Local

Italian town still empty seven years after deadly quake

The Local talks to residents in L'Aquila, where the historic centre has become a ghost-town.

A graffito by Bansky has been placed under a protective cover. Photo: Salvatore Vastano/AFP

Banksy's Naples Madonna placed under protection

The graffito, showing the Madonna with a pistol for a halo, is a popular attraction for visitors to the city.

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Photo: Philip Brewer/Flickr

What's the best way for expats to transfer money abroad?

Finally we know.

Features

What's on

Historical re-enactments will be staged to celebrate Rome's brithday later this month. Photo: Filippo Monteforte/AFP

Ten wonderful things to do in Italy in April

Stuck for things to do in Italy this month? Then look no further...

File photo: Alberto Pizzoli/AFP

Is Italy ready for the next wave of migrants?

The "crossing season" for migrant boats from Libya to Italy has not yet begun, yet arrivals are already up on last year's count, raising questions about where the new wave of tens of thousands will be housed.

My Italian life

Gianluca and Holly with their son, Valentino.

How a few days in Capri changed this Australian’s life

"I never imagined living anywhere beyond Australia."

All new restaurants and food shops in Florence's historic centre must now ensure that at least 70 percent of their produce is local. Photo: Frank Kovalchek

How Florence is coping with its 'foreign' food clamp down

“Sometimes, I like to eat sushi.”

Arsoli in Lazio. Screenshot: Google Maps

These are the ten worst places to live in Italy

Does anyone live in any of these places?

More news

Scientists think they have finally discovered the Alpine pass used by Hannibal to enter Italy. Photo: Wikimedia

Ancient horse poo sheds light on Hannibal's route to Italy

"It looks like we may just have cracked it, thanks to modern science and a bit of ancient horse poo."

Elisabeth Myers met Pope Francis at his weekly audience in Rome. Photo: Tiziana Fabi/AFP

Wish granted: girl meets Pope in Rome before going blind

As well as meeting the Pontiff, she also got to see the Rome's key sights.

Some 76,000 jobs were unfilled last year. Photo: Kailash Gyawali/Flickr

Thousands of tech jobs vacant as Italy can't find talent

Italy's youth unemployment rate is 37.9 percent.

Kuwait has signed a deal for 28 Eurofighter "Typhoon" warplanes from Italy's Finmeccanica. Photo: Eric Piermont/AFP

Finmeccanica in 'biggest ever' warplane deal with Kuwait

The oil-rich Gulf state is part of the anti-Islamic State coalition.

Paolo Gentiloni has warned that Italy will not accept a 'fabricated' account of Giulio Regeni's torture. Photo: John Thys/AFP

Italy ups pressure on Egypt over student's murder

Giulio Regeni disappeared in central Cairo on January 25th, and his body was found nine days later on the side of a motorway, badly mutilated and showing signs of torture.

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From our other editions

Police at demonstration on the Austrian-Italian border on Saturday. JAN HETFLEISCH /EPA

'Germany should reinforce Austria-Italy border'

German Transport Minister says his country should back up Austrian police at the border with Italy.

April Fool's Day

The exam would quiz foreigners on how to make a fondue. Photo: Pedro Cerqueira

‘Cheese test’ for foreigners to go to public vote

Migrants to Switzerland could be forced to take an exam on Swiss cheeses if a popular initiative is approved in a referendum in June.

Jan Böhmermann. Photo: DPA

German comedian could face jail for insulting Erdogan

Germany’s hippest young comedian faces a jail sentence of up to five years if Turkey decides to press charges over a poem he wrote insulting its head of state.

April Fools' Day