Life in Italy

News from Italy

ITALIAN CHEESE PRODUCTION HIT HARD BY EARTHQUAKE ++RPT++

(ANSA) - Rome, May 22 - At least 10% of the production of Italy's prestigious Parmigiano Reggiano cheese was destroyed by Sunday's earthquake that shook the region of Emilia-Romagna, killing seven, reported the farmers' association Coldiretti on Tuesday.

Some 300,000 Parmigiano Reggiano wheels were lost in and near the town of Modena when aging racks collapsed.

Grana Padano, another famous Italian cheese produced in the province of Mantua, lost 100,000 wheels, or 2% of its total production.

Damages to Parmigiano Reggiano and Grana Padano producers so far are estimated at 200-250 million euros, a "conservative number," said Stefano Berni, head the Grana Padano consortium.

MILAN BOURSE UP, SPREAD DOWN

(ANSA) - Milan, May 22 - The Milan bourse closed strong and the spread was down 25 points Tuesday.

The FTSE Mib index was up 3.41% to 13,456 points.

The yield spread between 10-year Italian and German bonds, an indicator of market confidence in Italy's ability to weather the eurozone crisis, went down to 411 points from 436 Monday.

ITALIAN GOVT TO LIGHTEN BUSINESS-DEBT LOAD, MONTI SAYS

(ANSA) - Rome, May 22 - Italian Premier Mario Monti announced a debt-relief plan Tuesday for Italian businesses, which collectively owe up to 30 billion euros in debt.

"We have adopted four decrees that aim to reduce the burdens" owed by businesses to the government, said Monti after a cabinet meeting.

QUAKE ZONE DECLARED IN STATE OF EMERGENCY

(see related stories)

(ANSA) - Rome, May 22 - The Italian government on Tuesday declared a state of emergency for the areas affected by a deadly weekend earthquake, releasing 50 million euros for the immediate recovery effort.

"We need to jump start industry and overcome the widespread damage caused to our cultural heritage," said Premier Mario Monti in a visit to Emilia-Romagna, noting the economic importance of the region to the entire country.

The earthquake also badly damaged or destroyed a number of historic buildings.

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A Brief Guide for Single Women in Rome

Tuesday, January 5th, 2010

Rome is a very good choice for a trip if you are a single woman. The city is quite safe overall and offers a range of entertainment and excitement that can satisfy all your needs.

Italy in May

Monday, January 11th, 2010

With May starts the peak tourist season in Italy, and for good reason. There are many reasons why so many people prefer to visit the country in this month, the first reason is the weather. The climate is quite reliable and pleasant in May and it is not yet uncomfortably hot. Secondly, there are dozens of festivals, feasts and events that take place in Italy during the month of May.

Grocery shopping in Italy

Elisa Bressan

Sunday, April 22nd, 2012

Grocery shopping in italy

Shopping in Italy can be quite a pleasant activity no matter what you are seeking, even in the cities. Often, simply strolling the streets will yield surprising outdoor markets and specialty stores, as well as larger grocery stores, or supermarkets. In these stores you can use coupons and buy larger quantities, but the local markets are more colorful and full of human interaction.

Below is a series of short conversations between a shopper and various staff, managers and owners of stores. Have fun reading, and next time you are in a store in Rome, try some of these useful phrases:

Recent Articles

Ordering Pizza

Elisa Bressan

Tuesday, May 15th, 2012

I think pizza is the most popular dish around the world.

Most people think pizza has Italian origins and this is mostly true, but the dish may have some very ancient roots, indeed. The Persians were probably the first to put vegetables on large slices of bread and it appears they introduced the ancient Greeks to the practice . This dish became then popular all over the Mediterranean, but it was only during the nineteenth century that a baker from Naples, Raffaele Esposito, finally baked what we call pizza today, with tomato sauce. In 1889, on the occasion of the visit of the Royal Italian couple, he made a pizza called Margherita in honour of the queen.

The Problem of Population Ageing in Italy

Anna De Filippo

Monday, May 7th, 2012

The Problem of Population Ageing in Italy

The future strength of a country is dependent upon its population, but what happens if a country cannot rely upon future generations? This is the question being raised in Italy, where population ageing is creating fears for the county's destiny.

The so-called processo di invecchiamento, ageing process, and its effects on the structure of the Italian population is currently in the spotlight. Some studies report that the continued ageing of the population is effecting the health of the country as a whole.

Sex and Italians

Anna De Filippo

Monday, May 7th, 2012

Sex and Italians

Cultural differences are evident in many areas of a society - lifestyle, values, ways of socializing. Sex and the way it is experienced can also be indicative of these differences.

Differences in the way in which sex is thought of are evident on a national as well as an international scale. So while, of course, it is not possible to say that all Italians think the same way about sex, it is possible to outline some of the generalities about how sex is seen by individuals and in Italian society.

How do Italians feel about sex

How to pick an Italian restaurant in the US

Paolo Nascimbeni

Tuesday, May 1st, 2012

I have lived in the US now for over 20 years. I still go four times a year to Italy so my taste buds have remained pretty much Italian so I had to find a reliable methods to distinguish authentic Italian restaurants from the others -- I will call them "Italian-American" -- which I dislike.

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