Italian Politics and Society

Volleyball player Paola #Egonu designated as flag bearer for #Italy at the opening ceremony of the #Tokyo2020 Olympic Games. The athlete was born in Cittadella in 1998 to Nigerian parents and is now considered as one of the strongest spikers in Europe.

#Draghi announces new restrictive measures to curb #Covid_19 cases in #Italy after two weeks of gradual worsening of the contagion. They will be applied from March 15th to Easter. At the same time, the pace of vaccinations is expected to increase from ~170k/day to ~500k/day.

Majestic eruption from Mount #Etna in #Sicily this afternoon. One of the most intense episodes of the volcano in the last years. The snow capped peak at 3.350 metres above sea level has created an awe-inspiring atmosphere of fire, dust, lava, lapilli and ice.

after the failed attempt by the previous majority to reach an agreement. Matteo #Renzi, who had triggered a political crisis earlier this month by removing his Ministers from the government of Giuseppe #Conte, drew final conclusions yesterday evening. 2/2

The President of the Italian Republic Sergio #Mattarella is expected to appoint Mario #Draghi, former President of the ECB, to the role of Prime Minister in #Italy. The Head of State delivered a speech yesterday about the dire challenges the nation is facing, 1/2

Giuseppe #Conte, #Italy’s head of Government, is expected to resign tomorrow following the political crisis opened by #Renzi’s #ItaliaViva party. He could be appointed again shortly after by the President of the Italian Republic, in order to seek a larger majority in Parliament.

Hundreds of restaurants in #Italy remained open for dinner yesterday night and plan to do so in the next days. The illegal protest was launched with the hashtag #ioapro (I’m opening) and in some cities managed to draw many customers in open defiance of police controls.

#Italy is on the verge of a political crisis: #Renzi, leader of a small but determining party of the majority, is announcing the resignation of three Ministers. Uncertainty about the future of the Government led by #Conte.

#Milan and Northern #Italy wake up under a major snowfall, one of the most important of this decade. #snow

Extraordinary founding in #Pompeii: an almost perfectly preserved #thermopolium (a sort of grocery and street food bar, very popular among Romans) with pots still containing food; a snapshot from the day of the eruption (79 AD).

Italians puzzled by new Christmas holiday rules: strict lockdown during “red days”, medium level on “orange days” and fewer restrictions on “yellow days”. It will be possible to host up to two people + children for Christmas.

#Milan, #Rome, #Naples and other big cities in #Italy get back to crowded streets, restaurants, cafés and shops as most #Covid_19 restrictions are lifted. Virologists warn that these days could lead to a devastating “third wave” of the disease in the country within one month.

San Paolo stadium in #Naples, right now. Goodbye, Diego 🇦🇷

Perfectly preserved bodies of two men - a landlord and his slave, trying to escape from the devastating eruption of Vesuvius in 79 AD, have just been discovered in #Pompeii #Italy

#Italy’s back to lockdown: the regions are divided according to 21 criteria to determine if they belong to the “yellow”, “orange” or “red” zone - with increasing measures and tightness of confinement. The areas will be reassessed in two weeks according to the data.

Italian Government is poised to shut down bars and restaurants at 6pm, gyms, cinemas and theatres in an attempt to reduce the pace of a full-blown second wave of #COVIDー19. Yesterday 151 people died and almost 20,000 were found infected.

New measures to be approved today by the Italian Government to hamper the “second wave” of #Covid_19 and avoid another lockdown. The number of hospitalized patients has been rising for weeks and yesterday more than 10,000 new cases were detected. A total of 36,474 died so far.

#Covid_19 is on the rise again in #Italy. The country, which had been performing well until a week ago if compared to the neighbours, has now over 5.000 new daily cases and hospitals warn that this trend could lead to a healthcare crisis in less than a month.

Great satisfaction in #Venice as #Mose, the system of mobile dams aimed at preventing floodings, keeps Piazza San Marco dry in a day of severe weather.

#EnnioMorricone dies at 91 in #Rome. The Italian composer and conductor, has been the author of more than 400 scores for cinema and television.