Welcome to “This Week in Italy” – italyMONDO!’s Newest Weekly Blog Category!

Here you’ll be able to keep up-to-date with what’s happening in Italy, in our Italian community and even in the ever-changing, always interesting Italian Blogosphere with links (and even a little commentary) to sites, pages and articles of interest.

Have an idea, article or suggestion? Feel free to send it to us through our Contact Page.

So enjoy – and see you next Sunday!

In Italy, An Offended Berlusconi Goes on the Offensive Time - September 6, 2009 As things start to cool down in Silvio Berlusconi’s sex scandal, the Italian Prime Minister goes on the offensive - taking on the Italian Media. Should be interesting, considering he owns most of it, but if it wasn’t interesting it wouldn’t be Italian politics!

Dream of Italy Seeks Travel Writing Intern(s) Dream of Italy - September 6, 2009 This is a great opportunity for a young, passionate traveler just coming out of journalism or communications school. Dream of Italy has an award-winning blog and newsletter, with what we view as some of the highest quality Italy-based content in the Blogosphere.  italyMONDO! highly recommends Dream of Italy to any Italian of origin or Italophile - and can assume the internship(s) that were just made available will mirror their quality blog.

Italy’s PM Moves to Make Nice with Pope Boston Herald - September 7, 2009 The Italian premier is quite popular in America this week! Just one day after the story of Silvio Berlusconi going on the offensive against the few parts of the media that he doesn’t own, in Boston they are talking about him “playing nice” (or at least attempting to) with the Catholic Church, with whom Silvio is have “issues” as well.

Teal Toes Contest for Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month Bleeding Espresso - September 7, 2009 One of the top Italian Blogs on the web is generating support for a great cause, spreading the word about September being Ovarian Cancer Awareness Month. How can you show your support? Paint your toenails teal! Bleeding Espresso is even offering free nail polish for five lucky readers to help in the cause, so show your support for for this great cause and go teal!

No More Kisses for San Gennaro ITALY Magazine - September 8, 2009 Looks like Swine Flu has the Catholic Church worried. As Neapolitans prepare for their city’s September 19th festival for their patron saint San Gennaro – a day when his relic, a vessel said to contain the Saint’s blood, liquefies – they will have to remember that they won’t be able to give it a kiss this year. Although the ban has existed for some time, thanks to the H1N1 virus scare the church leaders are putting their foot down this year. Niente baci!

Top Ten Italian Wines of 2008 Blog from Italy - September 8, 2009 In the blogosphere we came across a list of the top 10 Italian wines, as selected by Wine Spectator – and che sorpresa! Six of the ten are under $30 a bottle – and three are under $20!

George Clooney & Elisabetta Canalis Go Public In Venice Access Hollywood via Yahoo! News – September 9, 2009 Italy’s favorite adopted son George Clooney went public with his new Italian love, MTV presenter Elisabetta Canalis, at the Venice Film Festival this past week. Italian papers are calling them the “new Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie” – and they are reported to have been inseparable these past two weeks, spending plenty of time at his villa in Lake Como.

Italy: Elton John Figurine to Appear in Nativity Scene Adnkronos International - September 10, 2009 We hear that in Italy this is even better than getting a Grammy!

Police: American Says Baby Left in Florence is His Houston Chronicle - September 10, 2009 When a Texas man’s pregnant girlfriend returned home from Italy not pregnant, he began to think something was up! Looks like she left the baby at a church in Florence a la 1800s, where a nun found the baby and alerted authorities. On a serious note, thank God the baby was alright - and after some Italian media drama let’s pray they find him or her a good home.