Life in Italy

Life in Italy: all you need to know about Italy : Life in Italy is dedicated to modern Italian life and culture - showcasing the Italy of today rather than focusing on Italy's past. Life in Italy is a place where expats, Italian-Americans, travelers or any Italophile can learn about the very latest from Italy.

News from Italy

ARTS GUIDE: EXHIBITIONS IN ITALY

(ANSA) - Rome, November 6 - The following is a city-by-city guide to some of Italy's art exhibitions:

BRESCIA - Museo di Santa Giulia: Inca, Origins and Mysteries of the Civilisation of Gold; 250 artefacts, December 4-June 27.

CALDAROLA (MACERATA) - Palazzo dei Cardinali Pallotta: reassembled collection of 17th-century cardinal; 60 works by artists including Caravaggio, Guercino, Guido Reni, Mattia Preti, Carlo Maratta, Annibale Carracci, Ludovico Carracci and Elisabetta Sirani; until November 12.

MUSSOLINI IN COURT OVER ROMANIAN 'WHORE' FILM

(ANSA) - Rome, November 6 - A film allegedly slandering the granddaughter of Fascist dictator Benito Mussolini will be the subject of a Rome court hearing on Monday in an attempt to block its release in late November.

Alessandro Mussolini, an MP with Premier Silvio Berlusconi's People of Freedom party, has asked judges to keep "Francesca" from coming out unless the producers cut dialogue in which she is referred to as "a whore".

H1N1 VIRUS: DEATH TOLL UP TO 30

(ANSA) - Rome, November 6 - Two more victims of the H1N1 flu virus on Friday brought the death toll in Italy to 30 according to the Italian health ministry

Doctors said that both of the victims, a 55-year-old man near Venice and a 9-year-old girl in Campobasso, had serious health problems before coming down with the flu.

With over 13 people dying with the virus since Monday, this has been the deadliest week since Italy's first flu death in September.

ITALIANS HARD HIT BY RECESSION, BUT LESS THAN 2008, ISTAT

(ANSA) - Rome, November 6 - Italians are pessimistic about the economy, but slightly less so than the year before, according to a new lifestyle study published Friday.

The study by national statistics bureau Istat showed that 50% of Italians felt worse about their economic situation in 2009, 5% less than in 2008.

Around 44% said their outlook had not changed at all, up from 39% last year.

MARONI TO DISCUSS IMMIGRATION WITH LIBYANS

(ANSA) - Rome, November 6 - Illegal immigrants trying to reach Italy pay an average of 2,000 dollars to human traffickers who ferry them across the Mediterranean, Interior Minister Roberto Maroni said on Friday.

"Of the many sorts of organised crime, including arms and drug trafficking, human trafficking is one of the most profitable. On average, an illegal immigrant pays 2,000 dollars to reach Italy from Africa," Maroni told the Foreign Press Association in Rome.

ITALY APPEALS CRUCIFIX RULING

(ANSA) - Rome, November 3 - Italy has appealed a landmark European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) ruling against crucifixes in Italian classrooms that sparked a storm Tuesday in this heavily Catholic country.

The appeal was announced by Education Minister Mariastella Gelmini who stressed that crosses were ''a symbol of Italian tradition'' and did not signify affiliation to the Catholic Church.

EU MORE UPBEAT ON ITALIAN ECONOMY

(ANSA) - Brussels, November 3 - The European Union is more upbeat about the Italian economy and on Tuesday the European Commission issued a new forecast which predicted ''moderate growth'' next year and in 2011.

In its latest forecast, the EC said Italy's GDP this year would fall by 4.7%, to then rise by 0.7% in 2010 and 1.4% in 2011.

These figures were in line with the new ones for the euro zone where GDP is now expected to fall by 4% this year and then climb by 0.7% in 2010 and 1.5%.

POLICE SEIZE ONE MILLION EUROS OF BALSAMIC VINEGAR

(ANSA) - Modena, November 4 - Police in Modena on Wednesday seized over one million euros of balsamic vinegar produced in violation of the traditional recipe.

According to police, the batch of 161,000 litres was bottled without first being aged in wooden casks for two months, a fundamental requirement for the internationally protected label.

Police said the 323,000 confiscated bottles would be relabled and distributed as simple salad dressing.

CINEMA: 'BIGGEST EVER' NEOREALISM EVENT IN NEW YORK

(ANSA) - New York, October 30 - More than 40 landmarks in Italian neorealist cinema from Rossellini, De Sica and Visconti to Fellini and Pasolini are set to be be shown in New York in the biggest-ever spotlight on Italy's famous postwar film movement.

The October 30-November 25 showcase at the Walter Reade Theater, set up by Cinecitta' Luce and Italy's National Film Archives with the help of the Lincoln Center's Film Society, is entitled Italian Neorealism And The Birth of Modern Cinema.

Moving to Italy : Town or Country ?
Tuesday, September 22nd, 2009

I grew up on a 160 acre farm off a dirt road sandwiched between two state forests with a combined size of over 4000 acres in Upstate New York.  So dealing with solitude, at least of the rural variety, has never been a problem for me.   Nevertheless, as we see increasing numbers of Americans and British purchasing their dream villa in Tuscany or Umbria, surrounded by acres of fields and a long winding road flanked by cypresses, I wonder whether they might be missing the point and live to regret their purchase.

101 Fun Facts

Here are 101 fun facts that you might not know about Italy, its people, and its history:

Italians in America: From Discrimination to Adoration
Monday, October 5th, 2009

In today’s world, to be an Italian can be a very good thing: You dress well, live well and speak with a sexy accent (just ask Paolo). The world looks to Italy and Italians for their opinions on food, fashion, cars and whatever else is cool. Sadly however, there was a time, at least here in the United States, when newly-arrived Italians were treated worse than animals. This is a glimpse into some of the struggles that Italians had to endure in their attempts to make a better life for themselves in America.

Other Stories: 

Recent Articles

Top 10 Rivers of Italy
Friday, November 6th, 2009

There are plenty of splendid and beautiful rivers across Italy where one can a glimpse of the natural scenic beauty located amidst calm surroundings.

They are famous for their history, for the scenery, the lovely little towns along their banks or the sports and activities, like rafting, you can do on their waters.

Here is a look at some of the top 10 rivers in Italy:

 

1) Po

History of the Abbey of Montecassino
Friday, November 6th, 2009

It is really a delight to visit the Abbey of MonteCassino to admire some of its beautiful architecture splendor and remember its history. The Abbey was founded by St. Benedict and built over the site of the Apollo pagan temple where the sculpture of Apollo was destroyed along with the altar. Due to its significant location, this place has always been a target of historical attacks and different wars including the costliest Battle of Montecassino fought during the Second World War.

 

 

Idioms with the verb "Fare"
Friday, November 6th, 2009

An idiom is an expression that can not be translated litteraly from English to Italian or vice versa. For example the expression "faccio il biglietto" litteraly translated from Italian to English would read: "I do the ticket". However, what the person is really trying to say is: I am buying a ticket. I Do the ticket makes no sense in English!

Below are some common idioms with the verb "fare" which means to do or make.

fare i compiti to do one's homework

Frederick II: Stupor Mundi
Wednesday, November 4th, 2009

Frederick of Hohenstaufen, the larger than life King of Sicily, Holy Roman Emperor and (briefly) King of Jerusalem was a legend in his own time. Better known as Frederick II, He was unlike any other ruler during the Middle Ages, possessing the mind of a scientist, the soul of a poet and the iron will of an autocrat. Much of Frederick’s fame in his own time stemmed from his brilliant mind, as his appearance was less than awe-inspiring. Muslim historian Sibt Ibn Al-Jauzi recounts Frederick as having “…had a red skin, and was bald and short-sighted.

Fiat Abarth Grande Punto S2000

The New Abarth Grande Punto S2000 First New Abarth Since 1984

Abarth continues to create racing models built to win. Everything from aluminum trim and carbon fiber are used in the making of the new rally car, the Grande Punto Abarth S2000, a car that has been type-approved for rally racing and is proving to be highly successful. Geneva is where the stage is set for the grand showing of the Grande Punto Abarth S2000. The Fiat Racing Department will be entering in the 2007 Italian Rally Championship with Giandomenico Basso and his navigator Mitia Dotta.

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