Italy gave us the Roman empire and the Renaissance two of the most influential forces in European history. Has this legacy coloured Italians’ perception of themselves and their place in the world, wonders Marjorie Brennan.

Gina Lollobrigida, the 1950s and 1960s sex symbol once referred to as the most beautiful woman in the world, is threatening legal action in a real-life bizarre case that would appear fit for the big screen.