Patrick Middleton

ROME – An Italian judge on Tuesday adjourned to Jan. 25 the libel case brought against Italian Insider’s chief editor by FAO executives, after cross-examining a language expert who challenged the quality of Italian translations of allegedly libellous articles, including critiquing a mistranslation of the English word “pisspoor.”

16 Jan 2019
INSIDER NEWSDESK

OXFORD – Co-founder of the Five Star Movement Beppe Grillo was booed by attendees as his address at the prestigious Oxford Union came to a close, Il Fatto Quotidiano reports.

 Introduced to the audience as an “actor, comedian and political activist,” Grillo entered wearing a blindfold, a metaphor of “what America, Europe, the whole world is becoming,” before claiming that the press is the “real populist danger.”

16 Jan 2019
Isabella Ferrari

ROME - After much confusion the Mayor of Rome, Virginia Raggi, has confirmed that the money collected from the Trevi Fountain will continue to be given to the Diocesan Caritas of Rome, Il Fatto Quotidiano reported.

15 Jan 2019
Isabella Ferrari

SICILY – Fourteen arrests have been made after the discovery of illicit trafficking between Lampedusa and Tunisia, Il Fatto Quotidiano reports.

 A restaurant in Mazara del Vallo, a town in the province of Trapani, was the operating centre of the illegal travel between Sicily and Tunisia and was headed by Tunisian resident Fadhel Moncer who has been living in Italy for years. The organisation also had bases in Marsala, Palermo, Lampedusa and Tunisia.

15 Jan 2019
INSIDER NEWSDESK

RAVENNA – An earthquake of magnitude 4.6 has hit the North East coast of Italy causing minor damage and forcing schools to close, local authorities said on Tuesday.

 Striking shortly after midnight, the quake’s epicentre was 11 kilometres east of Ravenna and was also felt in Bologna, Marche and Veneto. 

 Three aftershocks of magnitude 3, recorded at 12:29am, shared an epicentre 9 kilometres from the resort town of Cervia.

 Frightened residents took to the streets, spending the night away from their homes. 

15 Jan 2019
Patrick Middleton

GENEVA – Alleged misapplication of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child by Italian legislators with regards to instances of abuse by Roman Catholic clergy is to be investigated by the UN Human Rights Committee, Rete L’Abuso reports.

 The summit, taking place between Jan. 14 and Feb. 1 at the HQ of the Human Rights High Commissioner in Geneva, is set to examine the adherence of a number of countries to the Convention, Italy included.

14 Jan 2019
Patrick Middleton

ROME – Former Communist militant Cesare Battisti has arrived at Ciampino airport, after being arrested and extradited by Bolivian authorities, the Interior Ministry reports.

 Battisti, 64, will be transferred to a prison in Rebibbia, where he will serve a life-sentence, including sixth months in solitary confinement.

14 Jan 2019
Patrick Middleton

VATICAN CITY – The Vatican has announced the inception of its first ever athletics team, and aims to begin competing in international competitions, representatives from the city state have reported.

 Around 60 individuals from the Holy See, including a 62-year-old librarian, have become the first accredited members of Vatican Athletics.

 “The dream we have often had is to see the Holy See flag among the delegations at the opening of the Olympic Games,” said Monsignor Melchor Jose Sánchez de Toca y Alameda, president of the team.

14 Jan 2019
Gianfranco Nitti

HELSINKI - The 33rd edition of the Matka Nordic Travel Fair, the largest travel fair in the Nordic countries, is scheduled in Finland, from Jan. 16 to 20, 2019, at the Messukeskus, Helsinki. The Matka Workshop Day international sales event will kick off the Matka on Jan. 16, while on Jan. 17 the trade fair will be open to professionals only, and to the public from Jan.18 to 20, 2019. The Helsinki Caravan Fair is held concurrently. Italy too, like last year, will be present with a stand set up by ENIT, Italian State Tourism Board.

14 Jan 2019

Pages