Economy – Economic reports dedicated to Italy by the foreign press cover several areas this week. In finance, Financial Times interviews Carlo Messina, CEO of Intesa Sanpaolo “the eurozone’s second-largest bank by market capitalisation.” Messina explains to the British daily the need to initiate a new season of cross-border banking mergers in Europe (November 5 – Intesa Sanpaolo chief calls for cross-border European banking deals*). Bloomberg, on the other hand, recounts how Ferrari’s “assembling line is rumbling at full speed once again,” explaining that the “secret is scarcity” of the “prancing horse” given the high demand from buyers willing even to face long waits to secure a car from Maranello (November 8 – For Ferrari Less Is Still Plenty, Maybe More*); again in the automotive sector, Reuters relates how Pirelli posted higher-than-expected operating earnings in the third quarter (November 11 – Italy’s Pirelli says 2020 outlook still mixed, beats consensus in third quarter)
Straddling between economy and lifestyle is the article that The New York Times dedicates to Dino Borri, vice president of Eataly USA, in which he recounts a normal Sunday for the Italian executive, but also relates the history of the company’s expansion in the world (November 6 – How an Eataly Executive Spends His Sundays*).
Culture – A fair number of cultural reports are making the news. The Spanish economic daily Expansión, in its Fuera de Serie supplement, reports on the agreement between Fondation Cartier “one of Europe’s most important private institutions for artistic promotion” and Triennale to organize exhibitions together in Milan (November 6 – La Fundación Cartier aterriza en Italia de la mano de Triennale Milano). Le Monde on the other hand meets a “hedonist of design” – Mario Bellini – explaining how, for one who designed “the first personal computer,” objects must have a tactile quality” (November 5 – Pour le designer Mario Bellini, « la forme même a sa fonction : apporter la beauté »*).
And while Financial Times interviews Luca Guadagnino on his first television experience We Are Who We Are, a “fascinating … drama set on a US military base in Italy” (November 12 – Luca Guadagnino: ‘Adolescence is very cinematic to me’), The New York Times also commemorates Gigi Proietti, “one of Italy’s most beloved actors,” who “embodied the Roman spirit” (November 6 – Gigi Proietti, Actor Who Embodied the Roman Spirit, Dies at 80*). In literature, the translation of Andrea Camilleri’s last book Memory Exercises has arrived in Spain (El Mundo, November 11 – Los delirantes recuerdos inéditos de Andrea Camilleri), while another Sicilian novel by Maria Attanasio, Il falsario di Caltagirone, has been published in Germany (Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, November 10 – Robin Hood as Sizilianer). Lastly, in France, Le Monde reports that a stamp has been dedicated to 1997 Nobelist Dario Fo (November 7 – Dario Fo et le général de Gaulle, dans « L’Echo de la timbrologie »*)
Tourism and food – This week has also seen numerous tourism reports, starting with the many articles that Sueddeutsche Zeitung has devoted to Italy, “the land the Germans prefer” (November 11 – Land der Sehnsucht). The Bavarian daily focuses on central-southern Italy, discussing the revitalization of the small towns of Aspromonte, “symbol of Greek culture” (November 11 – Ein Gott in jedem Fremden), and then moves on to Basilicata with the “hope for a thriving future” for Matera, the European Capital of Culture 2019 (November 11 – Wiedergeburt), ending up in Abruzzo, with coverage dedicated to a “trip into the past, amid hills and mountains” on a scenic train (November 11 – Wie früher), and to an homage to Vasto, “founded by Diomedes” and “invaded by tourists for its rich historic heritage” (November 11 – Reiches Erbe).
In the English-speaking press, The New York Times has included two Italian facilities among the 11 hotels to “visit in your dreams,” that “writers, designers and others hope to get to — or get back to — someday”: Il San Pietro in Positano and La Posta Vecchia in Ladispoli (November 11 –11 Hotels to Visit in Your Dreams*), while Financial Times proposes, among the “wonderland” homes, a big chalet in Madonna di Campiglio (November 6 – Hot Property: homes in winter wonderland*). Lastly, in food, Der Standard pays a visit to Veneto to reveal the recipe for the torta russa of Verona (November 11 – Rezept: Torta Russa di Verona).
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