The Dogo Argentino, which is banned in the UK, was bred in south America specifically to hunt large animals including wild boar. Photo: Douglas DiógenesAn 18-month-old boy was killed by two Dogo Argentino, or Argentian Mastiff, dogs in a town near the Sicilian city of Catania on Tuesday. The child’s...

Deceiving a lover by falsely claiming to be single or divorced is not just rather unpleasant behaviour, but is punishable by law in Italy. The ruling came from Italy's highest court, the Court of Cassation, in a case between a married man and his lover. The woman had known that the man was married w...

With its combination of pasta, pizza and cheese, the Italian diet might not seem the healthiest. But how do Italians manage to live longer? American writer Rick Zullo tries to get to the bottom of it. If you’re like me, you’ve often asked yourself, “Why do Italians live longer and stay so trim while...

The Trieste-Opicina tramline is popular among tourists. Photo: Roberto VentreEight people were injured after two trams collided in the northe Italian city of Trieste on Tuesday. The two trams crashed head-on along via Commerciale on the panoramic Trieste-Opicina tramline, a network which includes a ...

Elia Viviani beat British road sprint star Mark Cavendish into second. Photo: Eric Feferberg/AFPItaly's Elia Viviani broke down in floods of tears in his parents' arms after winning the Olympic cycling men's omnium gold on Monday. Viviani was consistently strong over the two-day, six-event race and ...

Priest Jacques Hamel, 85, was killed by two teens claiming allegiance to Isis.Photo: Charly Triballeau/Pool/AFPFrench President Francois Hollande will meet Pope Francis at the Vatican on Wednesday to discuss the aftermath of the jihadist murder of a French priest, Hollande's office said on Monday. A...

Italian police officers on patrol at Rome's Fiumicino airport earlier this year. Photo: AFPInterior Minister Angelino Alfano wa ed on Monday that while Italy is working hard to prevent attacks, there is "no such thing as zero risk". "Security is a national priority," he said. "Our resources have gro...

The animal rights movement has grown in Italy in recent years; this is a protest from 2015. Photo: Filippo Monteforte/AFPA proposed law to punish parents for raising children on restrictive diets has provoked outrage from the vegan community around the world. The law was proposed last week by Elvira...

Often neglected on travel itineraries in favour of Italy's more famous hotspots, Bologna has plenty to offer tourists, from food to art to hidden secrets. Here are nine reasons you should visit at least once in your lifetime. 1. The food Bologna is known as 'la dotta, la rossa e la grassa' - that's ...

Why do we have the day off today? The Local looks at the history behind Ferragosto, and how you can celebrate the day like an Italian. What are we celebrating? August 15th is when Roman Catholics celebrate the Assumption of the virgin Mary into Heaven - the day when Catholics believe Mary ascended t...

Members of Libyan pro-gove ment forces hold a position as they fight to clear the Islamic State group (Isis) from its main Libyan stronghold of Sirte. Photo: AFPLibyan authorities have wa ed Italy about an ISIS cell based in the Milan area with links to one of the extremist group’s battle-hardened v...

Renzi appears to be heading for a period that will make or break his premiership. Photo: AFPIn a sign of how good a summer it has been in Italy, coastguards are threatening holidaymakers with fines for bagging beach spots by parking deckchairs and towels ove ight. From Sicily to Venice, the "no-vaca...

The 79-year old listened for over an hour to the stories of the former sex slaves. Photo: AFPPope Francis surprised 20 former prostitutes on Friday by knocking on their door in Rome and popping in for a chat. The Argentine, who has repeatedly described the human trafficking behind much prostitution ...

Economic Development Minister Carlo Calenda's comments came three months after Rome was granted "unprecedented" leeway over its 2016 budget. Photo: AFPItaly is to seek a new deal with the European Union to allow it to kickstart its stalling economy with an expansionary 2017 budget, a gove ment minis...

Italian police were left red-faced on Friday after thieves robbed a bank despite wa ings from local residents that they could hear a tunnel being dug, according to media reports. The four robbers dug the tunnel under a bank in central Milan, and oncexa0inside waited for the first employees to arrive...

Italian authorities on Friday ordered the expulsion of a Tunisian national suspected of planning an attack at the Leaning Tower of Pisa, according to media reports. Bilel Chiahoui, 26, was arrested on Thursday after posting messages onxa0social media praising those behind the jihadist attacks in Eur...

Pokémon arrived in Italy in July. Photo: Jim Watson/AFPA luxury hotel chain in Tuscany is offering psychological support to guests addicted to Pokémon GO, the smartphone-based version of the classic monster-fighting game that was released in Italy in July. Salvatore Madonna, the CEO of Soft Living P...

Researchers discovered the Zika virus in a second mosquito species known as the "Asian Tiger" mosquito. Photo: Yuri Cortez/AFPAn Italian man carried Zika in his sperm for six months after showing the first symptoms of the virus, twice as long as in any previously reported case, according to a new st...

Four bombs exploded in Hua Hin, which lies about 200km from the Thai capital, Bangkok. Mounir Uz Zaman/AFPTwo Italians are among the dozens injured in a series of blasts at tourist towns in Thailand in which at least four people have been killed. The Italians were caught up in the attacks in Hua Hin...

Migrants camp out at Milan train station. Photo: Olivier Morin/AFPAmnesty Inte ational has asked the Swiss federal gove ment to investigate reports that child migrants arriving at the Swiss-Italian border are being prevented from joining family in Switzerland. For the past few weeks the Italian city...