Italy | featured news

Italy is restoring pride in a tarnished national game while England is shaking off past inhibitions. The European Championship is turning out better than expected for the English and Italians, who meet on Sunday in the quarterfinals. The Italians are providing a welcome distraction from another match-fixing scandal at home after setting out in the tournament under siege from fans - and the police.

Italy put forward a proposal at a G20 summit in Mexico on Tuesday for the euro zone's rescue funds to start buying the debt of distressed European countries, and the idea is expected to be discussed at a meeting of leaders in Rome on Friday.

Tens of thousands of Italian workers rallied in Rome on Saturday to protest pension cuts, tax hikes and labor reforms imposed by the government of Mario Monti and to demand more stable work, particularly for the young. The demonstration organized by Italy's main labor unions came a day after Monti's latest effort to stave off contagion from Europe's debt crisis. His Cabinet on Friday approved measures worth (EURO)80 billion ($100 billion) to spur economic growth, streamline the notoriously bloated public sector and lower the national debt.

Greece looks close to bolting from the European Union with national elections this weekend. Spain’s banks were just bailed out, and Italy might be next. And, closer to home, Wall Street is still reeling about May’s crummy jobs report. So you’d think U.S. stocks would be tanking? Nope. Welcome to the bad-news rally: The Dow Jones industrial average shot up more than 160 points on Tuesday.

A 5.8 magnitude tremor shook the Emilia Romagna region where a devastating quake struck less than 10 days ago.

A strong earthquake struck early Sunday in northern Italy, killing at least three people and knocking down a church bell in the region, authorities said.

From opera at La Scala to football at the San Siro stadium, from the catwalks of fashion week to the soaring architecture of the cathedral, Milan is crowded with Italian icons.

Centre-left and protest parties score well in Italy's local elections amid widespread discontent with the government's austerity drive.

Italian Prime Minister Mario Monti declared on Wednesday that reviving economic growth now had to take priority over belt tightening that could plunge the country deeper into recession.

Women who attended "bunga bunga parties" with former Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi are due take the stand Monday in his trial on charges of having sex with an underage prostitute.