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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

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

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

Donald Trump

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

26 Feb 2026 - 7:59AM

China manufacturing

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

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

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

Eileen Gu reacts during the women’s freeski halfpipe qualification at the Milan-Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games in Livigno, Italy. Photo: Xinhua

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

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

A high-security prison is seen in the border city of Edirne, Turkey. Photo: Reuters

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

Figure skater Ilia Malinin, from the United States, competes in the men’s singles free skating team event at the Milano Cortina Winter Olympics on February 8. Photo: AFP

Electric & new energy vehicles

Geely’s Zeekr shifts into Italy as China’s European EV push gathers speed

The carmaker is pressing ahead despite tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles, betting on demand for high-spec models.

20 Feb 2026 - 12:43PM

France

Macron tells Meloni to ‘stay in lane’ over remarks on far-right activist’s death

The Italian prime minister had called French activist Quentin Deranque’s fatal attack ‘a wound for all of Europe’.

19 Feb 2026 - 10:07PM

Luxury cars

Andrea Zagato on the Capricorn 01, coachbuilder Zagato’s first hypercar

The project blends Italian design flair and German precision thanks to engineering firm Capricorn, known for McLaren, Porsche and Bugatti collabs.

19 Feb 2026 - 6:00AM

The Capricorn 01 is Zagato’s first hypercar. It was created in partnership with the German engineering firm renowned for previous collabs with McLaren, Porsche and Bugatti. Photo: Handout

Pope Leo XIV

Pope Leo laments world ‘in flames’ at Ash Wednesday service

The pontiff said the ashes could represent cities destroyed by war, as well as the damage to the environment and international law.

19 Feb 2026 - 3:06AM

Pope Leo XIV puts ash on the head of one of the faithful during the Ash Wednesday Mass at the Santa Sabina Basilica in Rome. Photo: Reuters

Tourism

The Instagram effect: an Italian village is paying the price for being too pretty

Santa Maddalena, a photogenic village in the Italian Dolomites, has to endure hordes of unruly visitors showing up just to take a photo.

19 Feb 2026 - 1:22AM

South Korea

South Korea to observe first, decide later on Trump’s ‘Board of Peace’

A former South Korean ambassador to Egypt will be attending Thursday’s inaugural meeting in Washington.

18 Feb 2026 - 4:45PMvideocam

Tourism

In Milan, you can adopt a centuries-old statue and give it a new life

The building of Milan’s Duomo started in 1386 and ended in 1965. Now, some of its centuries-old statues are being restored under an adoption scheme.

17 Feb 2026 - 7:15PM

Bearded Saint with Book, which once stood outside the Duomo, needed a deep clean to remove a black crust caused by air pollution. Photo: AP

2026 Olympic Winter Games

‘I have to be worried’: Ukraine’s Olympic sign bearer was a Russian woman

Disguised in dark glasses and a silver puffer jacket, Anastasia Kucherova says she wept silently as Ukraine got a standing ovation.

17 Feb 2026 - 2:01PM

Consumer protection in Hong Kong

Hong Kong watchdog finds fragrance allergens in Gucci, Bvlgari perfumes

Consumer Council warns perfumes containing excessive fragrance chemicals may lead to ‘cocktail effect’, increasing health risks.

16 Feb 2026 - 7:40PM

Munich Security Conference

In Munich, US urges ‘collective strength’ among allies to deter China

Washington and its Indo-Pacific and European allies emphasise need for cooperation to counter Beijing’s military build-up.

16 Feb 2026 - 6:00AM

Chinese military activities – and the need to respond to them – have been framed as a major driver of cooperation between US allies during this year’s Munich Security Conference. Photo: Xinhua

My Take

My Take | China and the UN are not the problem in Ukraine and Palestine – the West is

Europe and America’s warmongering and genocide-enabling are at the roots of the world’s most dangerous geopolitical flashpoints.

15 Feb 2026 - 10:34PM

UN Special Rapporteur for the occupied Palestinian territories Francesca Albanese. Photo: AFP

Cambodia

Opinion | Cambodia’s scam factory survivors find no escape in freedom

A government crackdown freed thousands, but with no passports or support, survivors have simply traded captivity for destitution.

15 Feb 2026 - 12:00PM

2026 Olympic Winter Games

Video | Hong Kong alpine skier competes in 2026 Winter Olympics

The 21-year-old alpine skier is among six athletes competing in Italy as part of Hong Kong’s largest Winter Olympics delegation in history.

13 Feb 2026 - 5:23PM

European Union

China cuts EU dairy tariffs, easing trade tensions after EV dispute

EU called Beijing’s tariffs ‘unwarranted’, and mulls WTO action, but China cutting some duties signals possible improvement in ties.

12 Feb 2026 - 10:54PMvideocam

China slashes EU dairy tariffs easing trade tensions. Photo: Reuters

China-EU relations

EU seeks independence, survival amid China-US economic dominance

European leaders meet to address the bloc’s economic woes, reliance on China and US, and shielding key industries from protectionist policies.

12 Feb 2026 - 6:05PMvideocam

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen addresses a debate on the urgent action required to boost EU competitiveness, deepen the single market and reduce the cost of living, at the European Parliament in Strasbourg, France, on Wednesday. Photo: AFP

2026 Olympic Winter Games

Meet Alex Hall, Team USA freestyle skier at the 2026 Winter Olympics

The Switzerland-raised gold medallist, who’s in a long-term relationship with a fellow skier, says he’s prioritising fun over defending his title.

11 Feb 2026 - 6:00PM

US-China relations

Trump’s ‘vacillating’ China policy causing confidence crisis in allies: report

‘Sweeping destruction – rather than careful reforms and policy corrections – is the order of the day’, Munich Security Report 2026 says.

10 Feb 2026 - 10:47PMvideocam

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Italy

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

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

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.

.css-1m2rp1p{color:#34b8b5;}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.

Geely’s Zeekr shifts into Italy as China’s European EV push gathers speed

The carmaker is pressing ahead despite tariffs on Chinese electric vehicles, betting on demand for high-spec models.

Macron tells Meloni to ‘stay in lane’ over remarks on far-right activist’s death

The Italian prime minister had called French activist Quentin Deranque’s fatal attack ‘a wound for all of Europe’.

Andrea Zagato on the Capricorn 01, coachbuilder Zagato’s first hypercar

The project blends Italian design flair and German precision thanks to engineering firm Capricorn, known for McLaren, Porsche and Bugatti collabs.

Pope Leo laments world ‘in flames’ at Ash Wednesday service

The pontiff said the ashes could represent cities destroyed by war, as well as the damage to the environment and international law.

The Instagram effect: an Italian village is paying the price for being too pretty

Santa Maddalena, a photogenic village in the Italian Dolomites, has to endure hordes of unruly visitors showing up just to take a photo.

South Korea to observe first, decide later on Trump’s ‘Board of Peace’

A former South Korean ambassador to Egypt will be attending Thursday’s inaugural meeting in Washington.

In Milan, you can adopt a centuries-old statue and give it a new life

The building of Milan’s Duomo started in 1386 and ended in 1965. Now, some of its centuries-old statues are being restored under an adoption scheme.

‘I have to be worried’: Ukraine’s Olympic sign bearer was a Russian woman

Disguised in dark glasses and a silver puffer jacket, Anastasia Kucherova says she wept silently as Ukraine got a standing ovation.

Hong Kong watchdog finds fragrance allergens in Gucci, Bvlgari perfumes

Consumer Council warns perfumes containing excessive fragrance chemicals may lead to ‘cocktail effect’, increasing health risks.

In Munich, US urges ‘collective strength’ among allies to deter China

Washington and its Indo-Pacific and European allies emphasise need for cooperation to counter Beijing’s military build-up.

My Take | China and the UN are not the problem in Ukraine and Palestine – the West is

Europe and America’s warmongering and genocide-enabling are at the roots of the world’s most dangerous geopolitical flashpoints.

Opinion | Cambodia’s scam factory survivors find no escape in freedom

A government crackdown freed thousands, but with no passports or support, survivors have simply traded captivity for destitution.

.css-rcruog{color:#C79A00;}Video | Hong Kong alpine skier competes in 2026 Winter Olympics

The 21-year-old alpine skier is among six athletes competing in Italy as part of Hong Kong’s largest Winter Olympics delegation in history.

China cuts EU dairy tariffs, easing trade tensions after EV dispute

EU called Beijing’s tariffs ‘unwarranted’, and mulls WTO action, but China cutting some duties signals possible improvement in ties.

EU seeks independence, survival amid China-US economic dominance

European leaders meet to address the bloc’s economic woes, reliance on China and US, and shielding key industries from protectionist policies.

Meet Alex Hall, Team USA freestyle skier at the 2026 Winter Olympics

The Switzerland-raised gold medallist, who’s in a long-term relationship with a fellow skier, says he’s prioritising fun over defending his title.

Trump’s ‘vacillating’ China policy causing confidence crisis in allies: report

‘Sweeping destruction – rather than careful reforms and policy corrections – is the order of the day’, Munich Security Report 2026 says.

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

Video | Hong Kong alpine skier competes in 2026 Winter Olympics