The Italian noun 'affanno' and the related adjective 'affannato/a' refer to shortness of breath or wheezing, commonly experienced when navigating the slopes of Italy's hilltop towns. Beyond physical breathlessness, 'affanno' can also mean worry, trouble, anxiety, sorrow, or affliction, while 'affannato' can describe someone as troubled or tormented. The reflexive verb 'affannarsi' is used to describe struggling or hustling to achieve something, such as working hard to meet a deadline or running around for money.

Applications for Italian citizenship, particularly ancestry-based jure sanguinis, are facing significant delays due to backlogs at consulates, especially in Latin America, the UK, and the US. Brexit has exacerbated the issue in the UK, with wait times for appointments now reaching nearly two years. In the US, appointments are scarce and quickly taken. Some applicants, unable to wait, have sought alternative routes such as applying in Italy or filing legal appeals. The Italian Citizenship Assistance Program (ICAP) and firms like Oliver & Partners are assisting clients with these processes, which can be costly and time-consuming. A recent legislative change aims to distribute the caseload more evenly across Italian courts, potentially speeding up the process.

Italy experienced a record-breaking tourism year in 2023, but the influx of visitors has led to issues of overtourism in popular destinations. To address this, several locations are implementing restrictions. Venice will introduce a 'tourist tax' for day trippers in 2024. Florence has banned new holiday rentals in the city center. The Cinque Terre requires reservations for Via dell'Amore, and there's discussion of limiting overall tourist numbers. The Dolomites will restrict traffic through popular mountain passes, requiring online booking. Sardinia has rules to limit environmental impact, including advance booking and fees for beach access. Other islands have introduced taxes and vehicle restrictions for tourists.

The article discusses how English movie titles are translated into Italian, often with non-literal interpretations to convey the sense and message of the films. It highlights examples of very literal or spoilery translations, inexplicable choices, untranslatable or completely different titles, attempted improvements, and English to English translations. The piece reflects on the challenges and strategies of translating film titles for Italian audiences.

From January 10th, Italy will require the 'super green pass' for a range of additional venues, including all restaurants, bars, public transport, and cultural sites, to encourage vaccine uptake and curb infection rates. The super green pass can only be obtained via vaccination or recovery, not a negative test. The Italian government also imposed a vaccine mandate for all over-50s and announced that booster doses will be available four months after the last dose. Prime Minister Mario Draghi emphasized the focus on reducing hospital pressure and saving lives.

The Italian word 'tosto' is an adjective linked to the verb 'tostare', meaning to toast, and can describe objects, situations, and people as hard or tough. It changes form based on gender and number. Metaphorically, it means challenging when referring to things, and when applied to people, it can mean tough, determined, or having nerve. An archaic use of 'tosto' is to mean quickly or soon, which is rare but still found in music annotations. The article encourages readers to use the word confidently in their daily interactions.