Topic: Italy

All Content

Long Shot

In 'Long Shot,' 12-time all-star Mike Piazza recounts his unlikely path from suburban Philadelphia to the big leagues and even how it led to a trip to the Vatican.
Shroud of Turin authenticity up for debate again after new report (+video)

Scientists at the University of Padua in Italy have used infrared light and spectroscopy (the study of a physical object's interaction with electromagnetic radiation) to examine the shroud and found that it's actually much older than a previous study found.
The Monitor's View Euro crisis: Why a Cyprus bailout must be seen as 'fair'

As Europe tackles its latest euro crisis, a Cyprus bailout deal must follow the path of being perceived as 'fair.' A tax on small-time savers isn't seen that way.
Another Carnival cruise ends poorly: Passengers to be flown home.

Carnival said all the cruise passengers were 'safe and comfortable' after the ship experienced mechanical problems in port in St. Maarten. This is not what the company needed right now.
Scientists confirm Higgs boson discovery

The particle detected last July by CERN's Large Hadron Collider is indeed the elusive Higgs boson, say researchers. The discovery completes the Standard Model of particle physics and could help predict the ultimate fate of the universe.
Election of Pope Francis fuels hopes for Catholic reform (+video)

The election of Francis is being interpreted as a victory for reform-minded cardinals, and may herald sweeping changes for the scandal-beset Catholic Church.
Terrorism & Security India bars Italian envoy from leaving, escalating tensions over marines shooting incident

India wants Italy to send two Italian marines accused of shooting Indian fishermen back to stand trial. Italy has refused, despite having promised earlier that it would.
Stefan Karlsson Will Latvia join the Euro?

Latvia remains determined to join the Euro in 2014, Karlsson writes, despite some countries aiming to exit the Euro.
Stocks rise; Dow logs longest winning streak in 2 years

Stocks closed up on Wall Street Tuesday with the Dow barely extending its winning streak to eight days. Stocks have surged this year as investors became encouraged by a recovery in the housing market and a pickup in hiring.
Who's on the short list to be the new pope?

As the cardinals seal themselves away in St. Peter's Basilica to begin their deliberations over the next leader of the Catholic Church, a handful of frontrunners have emerged.
F-35 forced to land in Texas. Why? (+video)

F-35 forced to land after a caution light appeared. The aircraft that was forced to land was one of two F-35 aircraft being shuttled to Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada.
Hagel to review Air Force sexual assault case

Newly confirmed Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said Monday he will review the case of an Air Force lieutenant colonel, convicted of sexual assault, whose conviction was thrown out by the Air Force general overseeing the court martial.
What are the chances of an American pope? This time, not zero (+video)

Until recently, American candidates faced unease about US hegemony. With the end of the cold war and decline in American power, a couple of US cardinals are getting serious attention.
Exporting Grandma? Some German elderly head abroad for nursing care

Long-term nursing insurance is a pillar the German welfare model, but the system is increasingly stressed by the aging population – leading some elderly to go to other EU countries for care.
Five energy challenges for Venezuela

With the passing of Hugo Chávez, the issue of what Venezuela chooses to do with its oil moves to center stage for the energy industry – and for environmentalists. Here are five energy challenges that Venezuela will have to face.
Scientists say they are 99.6 percent certain they found Higgs boson

After thousands of checks, Italian scientists said the only remaining thing they need to check is that the Higgs-like particle they found last July isn't another subatomic particle called a graviton.
Hugo Chavez: Global reactions to the Venezuelan leader's death

While he was alive, Hugo Chávez – the longest ruling democratically elected leader in Latin America – inspired people who loved him as often as he inflamed those who didn’t. That polarization seemed to follow him in death.
Police seize resorts said to be mob-owned in Italy

Police seize resorts: Italian prosecutor Nicola Gratteri told reporters in Reggio Calabria that two 'ndrangheta crime syndicate clans are believed to have invested illicit revenue in the resorts.
Verbal Energy Abdicating, resigning, or just stepping down?

Changes in Rome, the Netherlands, and Cuba illustrate our vocabulary of transition.
Push grows to blacklist Spain over digital pirating

More than 90 percent of downloaded music and 44 percent of software is pirated in Spain. Some trade associations want to see it blacklisted by the US, but Spain says it needs more time.
Chapter & Verse Choosing the Pope: Looking back at the process through the ages

History professor Frederic J. Baumgartner discusses how the leader of the world's largest Christian faith has been chosen in the past and what that means for the current selection.
From wooden skis to Olympic hopefuls: Why Pakistan's Air Force is training skiiers

In Pakistan's isolated Naltar Valley the Pakistani Air Force is training children who learned to ski on wooden planks tied to boots with wire for the 2014 Winter Olympics.
World Baseball Classic: Everything you need to know

As the global tournament steps to the plate overnight March 2, here's a very quick viewer's guide.
Coming for Cameron? Poor showing in bellwether vote rattles Conservatives

The mood in Prime Minister Cameron's party is grim after it came an embarrassing third in the battle for a parliamentary seat in Eastleigh, a city the party sees as key to its fortunes in 2015.
The Monitor's View In sequester's austerity, will US echo Europe's politics of fear?

The enforced austerity of the eurozone crisis has roused surprising public anger. European governments are falling. The US need not follow this path if Washington finds a consensus over fiscal issues like 'the sequester.'