https://feeds.thelocal.com/ Read the latest news and views from Italy in English en-us news@thelocal.com (TheLocal) webmaster@thelocal.com (TheLocal) TheLocal RSS Feed The International Olympic Committee on Tuesday defended the ejection of an Italian transgender gay rights activist from the Sochi Games, saying the Olympic Park and venues were not the place for demonstrations. https://www.thelocal.it/20140218/sochi-police-right-to-expel-gay-rights-activist Tue, 18 Feb 2014 11:13:03 +0100 sochi-police-right-to-expel-gay-rights-activist A former Italian MP was arrested at the Sochi Winter Olympics on Sunday for carrying a rainbow flag reading "gay is OK", the foreign ministry has said. https://www.thelocal.it/20140217/italian-arrested-in-sochi-for-holding-gay-banner Mon, 17 Feb 2014 10:46:00 +0100 italian-arrested-in-sochi-for-holding-gay-banner With almost every other EU leader staying away from the Sochi Olympics, Italian Prime Minister Enrico Letta, who has cultivated relations with Vladimir Putin, has been forced to defend his decision to join athletes at the opening ceremony. https://www.thelocal.it/20140207/athletes-will-take-italian-values-to-sochi-pm Fri, 07 Feb 2014 14:49:00 +0100 athletes-will-take-italian-values-to-sochi-pm As the start of the Sochi Winter Olympics looms, The Local finds out why this year the competition is hotter than ever. https://www.thelocal.it/20140204/italys-ten-hottest-athletes-at-sochi Tue, 04 Feb 2014 18:00:00 +0100 italys-ten-hottest-athletes-at-sochi Italy's National Olympic Committee (CONI) has received terrorist threats, just two weeks ahead of the Sochi 2014 Winter Olympics in Russia. https://www.thelocal.it/20140123/italy-receives-terrorist-threats-ahead-of-olympics Thu, 23 Jan 2014 13:07:00 +0100 italy-receives-terrorist-threats-ahead-of-olympics