Economy – The country’s economy continues to show signs of bouncing back, thanks also to the “absolute primacy in vaccinations” which, for Franfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, is a true “Italian miracle” (September 1 – Das italienische Impfwunder). Meanwhile, the Chinese press agency Xinhua emphasizes that the latest ISTAT data on declining corporate bankruptcies and the creation of new businesses is “further proof” of the good economic trend (September 18 – Growing number of new businesses in Italy while bankruptcies fall in Q29). Other news outlets concentrate on corporate relaunches: this is the case with Roberto Cavalli – on which the Dubai shareholder is betting more than US$ 500 million for a residential project in the Emirate to show that the brand “is back” (Bloomberg, September 20 – Dubai Tycoon Bets $545 Million on Tower to Show Cavalli Is Back*) – and with Alfa Romeo which, according to CEO Jean-Philippe Imparato, “will return to profitability this year” (El Mundo, September 21 – Imparato: “Alfa Romeo será rentable este año”). At any rate, as the Chairman of Stellantis, John Elkann explains to Reuters, Italy will remain “key to the group’s production,” also following 2 billion invested in the production of electric cars in Turin (September 22 – Stellantis Chairman says Turin, Italy key to group’s production).
Culture – In culture, coverage is dedicated to artistic performances, with a giant violin, “built by local artisans,” carrying musicians playing their instruments on Venice’s Grand Canal (The New York Times, September 19 – A Giant Violin Floats Down Venice’s Grand Canal*), and with the polar bears that Italian artist Paola Pivi is disseminating around Aspen, Colorado, with a view to the winter season (Financial Times, September 21 –The bear necessities of Paola Pivi).
Figures from the cultural world are also remembered, like Tullio Pironti, “one of the most distinguished Italian publishers” who came to literature after a career as a boxer (El País, September 18 – Tullio Pironti, el pugilato de la mejor literatura) and the actor Nino Castelnuovo (The Guardian, September 19 – Nino Castelnuovo obituary). In cinema, El País also reviews The Ties by the director Daniele Lucchetti (September 17 – ‘Lazos’, la conmoción del melodrama italiano).
Luxury, lifestyle, tourism – Milan Fashion Week is once again attracting foreign journalists to an Italian fashion capital that is “again alive,” and inaugurates live runways with the Fendi show (Bloomberg, September 22 – Fendi, Del Core Lead Milan Fashion’s Runway Return*; The Guardian, September 22 – Fendi channels Studio 54 disco vibe at Milan’s opening show). Milan is also prominently featured in reports dedicated to tourism, with Le Monde recommending a hotel on Corso Como, for an “unusual and refined escape” (September 18 – A Milan, une escapade rare et raffinée) and Der Standard covering Milanese cuisine with a recipe for ossobuco with polenta (September 21 – Ossobuco alla milanese mit Polenta), while Sueddeutsche Zeitung heads east to pay homage to the Comacchio lagoon (September 22 – Die Stadt an der Lagune ). Lastly, Les Echos pays a visit to Rome, offering a “chic dolce vita” starting from a hotel near Villa Borghese (September 18 – Le repaire : Sofitel Roma Villa Borghese, la dolce vita chic).
Sports –Sports are also making the news, featuring Filippo Ganna’s world time trial title with the Italian breaking the heart of Belgian rival Wout van Aert (Reuters, September 19 – Ganna breaks Belgian hearts to retain time trial title; Le Monde, 19 September – Cyclisme : l’Italien Filippo Ganna champion du monde du contre-la-montre*). Coverage is also devoted to the European “consecration” of the Italy men’s national volleyball team, which after 16 years is European champion once again (Le Monde, September 20 – Euro 2021 de volley : les Italiens sacrés champions face à la Slovénie*), “confirming the country’s fine response to the crisis” (Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, September 20 – Der schöne blaue Sommer).
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