
Our Top Weekend Reads
A broken U.S. public sphere, QAnon’s resilience amid disappointment, and how to eavesdrop on policymaking conversations.

Italy’s Mediterranean Belt and Road
Taking a page from Beijing, Rome is positioning itself as the center of trade, energy, and transportation in Southern Europe and beyond.

Italy’s Economy Is Under Pressure as Pandemic Continues
The government is walking on a tightrope as the coronavirus crisis grinds on.

The Mediterranean Red Prawn War Signals Italy’s Lost Leverage in Libya
Italian fishermen are being kidnapped off the coast of Libya—and Rome is too caught up in EU migration politics to help.

The Victims Femicide Leaves Behind
Italy is one of the only countries with a law to provide for those orphaned by femicide—and it could serve as a model for the rest of Europe.

America Is About to Enter Its Years of Lead
Trump’s calls for political violence are a familiar far-right strategy.

Turkish Military Maneuvering Pushed Italy and France to Join Forces in the Mediterranean. Now What?
Formerly competitors, Paris and Rome’s Pax Mediterranea may spell Ankara’s final estrangement from Europe.

How Italy Snatched Health From the Jaws of Death
Those who used to scoff at its mismanagement should take note of Rome’s strategy for defeating COVID-19.

As Europe Reckons With Racism, Italy Still Won’t Confront Its Colonial Past
Italian forces used chemical weapons and committed war crimes in Africa—but the country’s sordid history is not taught in schools and is rarely discussed by politicians or intellectuals.

American Cops Could Learn a Lesson From Italy’s Carabinieri
Unlike many U.S. police departments, the elite armed Italian force is highly effective and widely respected.

Without Tourism, Italy’s Economy Faces Disaster
Foreign visitors have helped prop up the faltering Italian economy. If they don’t come back, the country is in trouble.

Are the Germans Edging Closer to True Fiscal Union?
In a striking reversal, Merkel joins with France in recommending a euro fund that could be a timid first step toward greater integration.

Italy’s Next Phase: Returning Home
As the lockdown begins to ease up, coronavirus patients in ICUs across the country are just waking up—and beginning a long road to recovery.

Coronavirus Disproportionately Affects Health Workers. Here Are the Countries Most at Risk.
COVID-19 has strained medical systems worldwide, but some countries already lacked capacity long before the pandemic struck.

Mafia, Poverty, and the Pandemic
In southern Italy, an already shaky economy is left struggling by the coronavirus—leaving a vacuum for organized crime.