The past year has been full of unpleasant surprises, most notably Britain’s decision in its June 23 referendum to leave the EU.

Shares in Italian banks Banca Monte Paschi di Siena and UniCredit had mixed fortunes as both took steps to raise fresh funds.

The Italian president's office says that foreign minister Paolo Gentiloni has formed a new government.

Zombie-banks, anti-EU sentiment and a stagnant economy are just some of the issues facing a country that would be too big to bail out, writes Philippe Legrain

If you thought this year has already exceeded the limit for political upheavals, Mario Draghi is warning there may not be much respite in 2017.

Markets took a lost referendum and the resignation of Italian prime minister Matteo Renzi on the chin, but Irish taxpayers and Government advisers here will be peering into the distance to see what European elections next year will hold for the sale of AIB, as shares in Italian banks fell sharply.

IN the grand ledger book of European liberal democracies — one that may need to be rebound soon enough — only time will tell if the defeat, and subsequent resignation, of Italy’s prime minister Matteo Renzi might be counter-balanced by the victory of centrist candidate Alexander Van der Bellen in Austria’s presidential election on Sunday.

Italy's president has asked Premier Matteo Renzi to delay stepping down until parliament can pass a critical budget law due later this month.

Italy's populist opposition 5-Star Movement says it is ready to run the country after voters triggered the demise of prime minister Matteo Renzi with a stinging defeat on his reforms referendum.

The referendum result in Italy, which comes after Donald Trump's election last month and the Brexit referendum in June, could now potentially trigger a further bout of political and economic turmoil not just in Italy, but across Europe too, argues Andrew Hammond.

Here’s a briefing on some of the stories and issues highlighted on irishexaminer.com today.

WE will know, early next week, if the fear and the disappointment that swept Donald Trump into the White House and that swept Britain — probably — out of the European Union were isolated game-changers or early warnings of a gathering storm.

A huge downward revision by the UK government of its bailed-out banks has once again put a spotlight on the over-valuation of AIB and other banks here on the State’s books.

US president Barack Obama has joined European leaders to discuss security and economic challenges as President-elect Donald Trump prepares to take office.

Irish bond markets, along with other debt markets in Europe, traded wildly yesterday, while CRH rose again on stock markets as investors tried to second-guess the effects of the unexpected election of Donald Trump will have on Europe’s politics and companies.

Italian prime minister Matteo Renzi has pledged to find temporary housing for all those displaced by a series of powerful earthquakes in a central mountainous region.

The Taoiseah has said he has not appointed a Brexit minister as it is “far too serious” a responsibility for one person to handle.

The cost of imports may have risen but the depreciation of sterling has given a boost to the UK economy and lower and middle income earners will benefit, writes Kyran Fitzgerald.

Italy’s Prime Minister Matteo Renzi, facing a key referendum at home later this year, accused Germany, France and Spain of breaking European Union rules on deficit control and spending.

Relatives of victims of the Italian earthquake have gathered in Amatrice for an evening Mass remembering dozens of the 292 people killed.

Strong aftershocks have damaged two key access roads into quake-struck Amatrice, threatening to isolate the tiny Italian hilltop town as hopes fade that firefighters will find any more survivors from the earthquake that killed at least 278 people.

Aftershocks in central Italy have rattled residents and rescue workers trying to find more earthquake survivors.

The death toll from the earthquake that hit central Italy has risen to 247, Italy's civil protection agency announced last night.

Latest: Italy's civil protection agency has upgraded the provisional death toll from Italy's 6.1-strength earthquake to 73.

A magnitude 6.1 earthquake has struck central Italy, levelling buildings as people slept, with one mayor saying his town "isn't here any more".

The leaders of Germany, France and Italy will meet today to discuss how to keep the European project together in the second set of talks between the premiers of the eurozone’s three largest economies since Britain’s shock vote to leave the bloc.

German growth slowed less than predicted in the second quarter while Italian output unexpectedly stagnated, signalling diverging fortunes for two of the region’s biggest economies as they brace for any fallout from Britain’s decision to leave the EU.

Italy’s highest court gave the green light to a referendum that Prime Minister Matteo Renzi says will guarantee political stability and on which he has staked his future.

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