Italy

Moscow, Russia

Banning Russian Oil, Part II

Part I occurred when President Biden banned the importation of all Russian fossil fuels on March 8. A month later, Congress passed legislation to codify the embargo. Getting the European Union onboard is proving cumbersome.

May 12, 2022 - Politico

A person experiencing homelessness sleeps on the sidewalk, atop the stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

Reimagining Homelessness and Mental Health: 'Radical Hospitality' in Trieste, Italy

Kerry Morrison, founder of Heart Forward LA, shares her journey researching the “failures” of the U.S. mental health system, and what L.A. could learn about radical hospitality from a city with a robust community-based approach—Trieste, Italy.

December 21, 2021 - The Planning Report

A high-speed Trenitalia Frecciarossa (red arrow) train, pictured at the Milan Central Station.

Intercity High-Speed Rail Outlasts Italy's National Airline

European countries are committing to making intercity rail the preferable option compared to domestic and intra-continental flights. The shift seems to be working in Italy.

October 15, 2021 - CNN Travel

Bangkok, Thailand

The World's Highest Rates of Coronavirus Infections and Deaths

Brazil and the U.S. lead the world in daily COVID-19 cases and deaths. Western Europe is undergoing a third wave of infections, resulting in a new round of lockdowns, yet most of these nations are not among the 12 hotspots shown on a global tracker.

March 22, 2021 - Bloomberg News

Public Transit

Pandemic Watch: What's Going on in Europe?

A coronavirus resurgence is spreading across much of Europe, forcing Italy into a new lockdown a year after it became the first Western country to resort to the drastic measure. The coronavirus has returned in the form of more transmissible variants.

March 18, 2021 - The New York Times

Coronavirus Protest

Academic Studies: Staying at Home Saved Millions of Lives Globally

Separate coronavirus studies from the University of California at Berkeley and Imperial College London published June 8 in the journal Nature show the life and health-saving value of domestic stay-at-home orders, global lockdowns, and other measures.

June 15, 2020 - The Washington Post

Port

Shipping Delays Causing Construction Slowdown

Materials procured overseas are taking longer to arrive in the United States, and the delays are causing a ripple effect in the construction industry.

April 7, 2020 - The New York Times

Spanish Steps

How Coronavirus Has Transformed Italy's Urban Spaces

Italy has been hit hard by the pandemic, and slowing the spread of the virus has meant dramatic changes in urban life.

April 3, 2020 - The Conversation

Coronavirus

President Extends Coronavirus Guidelines; No Packed Churches Expected on Easter

Shortly after the two health experts on his task force estimated that the COVID-19 death toll could reach 200,000 and that no metro area would be spared, President Trump announced on Sunday that he would extend the 15-day guidelines through April.

March 30, 2020 - The Washington Post

Public Transit Ridership

40 Million Californians Ordered to Stay At Home to Contain Coronavirus

The largest state in the country has been ordered to shelter in place.

March 20, 2020 - California Coronavirus (COVID-19) Response

Shipping San Francisco Bay

Bay Area Ordered to Shelter in Place

Six Bay Area counties have taken drastic action to curb the spread of the deadly coronavirus. "Please read this Order carefully. Violation of or failure to comply with this Order is a misdemeanor punishable by fine, imprisonment, or both."

March 17, 2020 - San Francisco Chronicle

A Nation of 60 Million on Lockdown

Should the United States be watching Italy for lessons on how to contain and mitigate the coronavirus?

March 11, 2020 - CNN

Green Hydrogen, Plus Storage, Key to Los Angeles' Plan for Carbon-Free Electricity

The Los Angeles municipal utility will convert a Utah coal power plant to run on natural gas in 2025. According to a proposal unveiled Dec. 10, the plant will incrementally be converted to run entirely on hydrogen, a zero-emission fuel, by 2045.

December 22, 2019 - Utility Dive

Climate Change

Climate Change Education to Be Compulsory in Italy

Critics of a plan to require Italian students to learn about climate change and sustainability say climate action can't wait for the next generation to come of age.

November 15, 2019 - The New York Times

Rome, Italy

Denied: No Sitting on Rome's Spanish Steps

Rome's Spanish Steps are no longer a place for sitting.

August 9, 2019 - Associated Press

Genova Bridge

Government Blames Deadly Bridge Collapse on Toll Company

At least 39 people died when the Ponte Morandi bridge collapsed in Genoa, Italy during a storm on Tuesday. The cable-stayed bridge is part of a viaduct on the A10 toll road that goes to France, operated and maintained by Autostrada per l'Italia.

August 16, 2018 - NPR

Swiss Federal Railways

Connecting Central Europe, North to South

Large-scale road and rail projects aim to facilitate travel from the south of Italy all the way up to Sweden and Finland.

April 4, 2018 - The Economist

Diesel Gas

German Cities to Breathe Easier After Court Ruling on Diesel Car Bans

Unlike banning sales of new internal combustion vehicles at a future date, the German court ruling applies to the operation of older, diesel-powered cars in the country's most polluted cities. It's up to the cities, though, to enact the bans.

March 2, 2018 - The New York Times

AS Roma Stadio Olympico, Rome, Italy

Rome's Urban Planning Chief Quits in Stadium Dispute

Paolo Berdini, Rome's councilor for urban planning, has resigned from his position after clashing with the city's mayor over a new soccer stadium for AS Roma.

March 7, 2017 - Business Insider

Arborea, Sardinia, Italy

Inside Mussolini's Fascist New Town

Founded in 1928, the fascist new town of Arborea (formerly known as Mussolinia) still shows hints of the divergence between the traditional towns of Sardinia and the modernist leanings of its founders.

November 30, 2016 - Wallpaper

Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools

This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.

Planning for Universal Design

Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.

Top Books

An annual review of books related to planning.

Top Schools

The definitive ranking of graduate planning programs.

100 Most Influential Urbanists

The who's who of urbanism, according to Planetizen readers.

Urban Planning Creators You Should Know

A short list of voices on social, video, and podcasting platforms.