For First Time Venice Deploys Flood Barrier as Storm Drives Up Tide

 Venice deployed its long-delayed flood barriers for the first time on Saturday as forecasters warned that storms could combine with high tides to inundate the city.

Italy orders to cull over 20,000 turkeys after bird flu outbreak confirmed in farm

Italian authorities on Monday ordered the cull of some 20,000 turkeys, after an outbreak of highly pathogenic H5N8 avian influenza was confirmed in a farm in the northeast of the country.

A second powerful earthquake 6.1 magnitude struck central Italy near Perugia (local time: 21:18 Depth 20 km)

Two earthquakes have struck central Italy - the second registering at a magnitude of 6.1 - in the same region struck in August by a devastating quake that killed nearly 300 people.

Heavy snow batters northern Italy

Friday was a hard day for northern Italy, where many cities woke up covered in snow and had to cope with major traffic disruption and severe inconvenience for the population...

Big Ships Will Soon Be Banned From Venice's Historic Center

ROME (AP) — Italy has moved ahead with plans to block big cruise ships from sailing past Venice's historic center, authorizing an environmental study for an alternate route that it hopes will still satisfy the city's key tourism industry.

Cruise ships currently can pass within 300 meters (1,000 feet) of Venice's iconic St. Mark's Square, granting a stunning view to those aboard but presenting a jarring sight against the backdrop of Venice's Byzantine architecture.

Residents, activists and environmentalists have long opposed cruise ship traffic in Venice.

Πλημμύρισε η ιστορική πόλη της Βενετίας(27/10/12)

Acqua Alta Venezia, 130 cm sul livello medio mare 

( 27 ottobre 2012)

New satellite data reveals sea-level rise

The city of Venice is investing billions in a new flood defence system to protect against sea level rises

(CNN) -- Sea-levels are rising unevenly around the world, with Pacific countries in particular suffering significant increases over the past two decades, according to accurate new satellite data.

On average, global sea-levels have been rising at about three millimeters (mm) a year, however, this masks large differences between regions of the world.