Tehran arrests Italian journalist
Zeta Italy News The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in coordination with Italian authorities, is closely following the case of the arrest of Cecilia Sala. Sala is a foreign affairs journalist and contributor to Chora News and Il Foglio. She has been arrested on December 19 while she was in Tehran for work. Sala had a valid visa and had already published reports. The reasons for her detention are still unclear.
Final push for the budget maneuver: €17 million allocated for tax cuts
Federico Freni, undersecretary to the Treasury, announced to Corriere della Sera that the new budget maneuver, under discussion in the Senate after Christmas holidays for final adjustments, includes €17 million earmarked for tax cuts. The opposition is protesting against the rigid nature of the budget text, which they consider disappointing overall.
Bodies found of missing climbers on Gran Sasso
Search efforts, assisted by Recco sonar and helicopters in favorable weather conditions, led to the discovery of the lifeless bodies of two mountaineers, Cristian Gualdi and Luca Perazzini, who had been missing on Gran Sasso since December 22nd. Difficult weather conditions had hindered rescue operations in the previous days. The two were missing at an altitude of 2,700 meters.
10-year-old boy hit at a railroad crossing
On the afternoon of December 26, a woman driving a car, who was a driving school instructor, accelerated to bypass the barriers at a Circumvesuviana railroad crossing near Nola, striking a 10-year-old boy. The woman is facing charges of vehicular manslaughter, despite her attempts to assist the victim. The boy, of Polish origin, was in Italy to celebrate the holidays with his family.
Tunnel accident, one teenager dies
On the SS109 highway, which leads to the Sila plateau in Calabria, an accident occurred in a tunnel near Catanzaro. Six teenagers were injured, and a 15-year-old boy lost his life. Firefighters arrived at the scene to assist the injured, who are now in the hospital, and Carabinieri officers are conducting investigations.
Pope Francis opens the holy door at Rebibbia prison
“I wish you a great Jubilee. Every day I pray for you,” said Pope Francis to the inmates of Rebibbia Prison on December 26, during the opening of the second Holy Door for the 2025 Jubilee, which took place at the prison itself. Also present was Justice Minister Nordio. It is the first time in history that a Holy Door has been opened in a penitentiary.
Walter Pedullà, former Rai president, passes away
Walter Pedullà, a central figure in Italian literary criticism and a committed leftist intellectual, passed away on December 26 in Rome at the age of 94 after battling Parkinson’s disease. He was an emeritus professor at Sapienza University, a journalist, and a former president of Rai. Pedullà dedicated his life to literature, publishing essays on authors such as Gadda and Savinio.
Increase in suicides and deaths in prisons in 2024
The annual report by the Antigone Association marks 2024 as a tragic year for the record number of suicides and deaths in Italian prisons: 88 suicides, surpassing the previous record set in 2022, and 243 total deaths. Among the victims, many young people aged 19 to 29, foreigners, and individuals with mental health issues. Closed-custody sections were the hardest hit.
Fraud of over €18,000 through fake Poste Italiane phishing
A 73-year-old man from the province of Florence was scammed via SMS and phone call by fake Poste Italiane employees. The fraudsters obtained access codes for savings bonds and postal savings, stealing more than €18,000. The Florence court ruled that Poste Italiane must fully compensate the victim, deeming the security measures in place to protect the customer insufficient.
Six out of 10 Italians recycle holiday gifts and leftovers
The holiday “circular economy” comes to life on December 26: 78% of Italians reuse Christmas lunch leftovers, avoiding waste in a year when food waste has increased by 46%, according to Coldiretti and Waste Watcher. The same happens with gifts: 23% of people “recycle” them among friends or online. This tradition stems from the British “Boxing Day,” which has been practiced since the 19th century.