Christopher Livesay

Aqueducts once crucial to Rome's survival became trash dumps in more recent history. In one part of the ancient city, a couple of septuagenarians decided to do something about the dilapidated system.

The mayor of Cremona, Italy, blocked traffic during five weeks of recording and asked residents to please keep quiet so master musicians could play four instruments — note by note — for posterity.

This year alone, some 5,000 migrants have attempted to cross from northern Italy into France, according to local municipalities and aid groups. Some have perished along the way. Many are sent back.

Italy's populist government cracks down on migrants. Those who risked their lives to get into Italy are doing it all over again to get out of the country. In some cases, they traveling over the Alps.

Construction on a new subway line has uncovered marble busts, frescoes, mosaics, even ancient peach pits, dating back nearly 2,000 years. Archaeologists have also found an ancient military barracks.

The surge of migrants into Italy in recent years has strained local resources and fueled right-wing anger over jobs and other benefits. But one town in northern Italy is approaching the situation in a novel way — with dance.

Italy added a new item to schools' curriculum: recognizing fake news. With help from leading digital companies, the government hopes to train students to differentiate between fake and real stories.

There's housing in Venice, Italy, if you've got millions to spend on a vacation home. But some Venetians have started a movement of illegal squatting to continue living in their hometown.

Rome is home to more public drinking fountains — nearly 3,000 — than any other city in the world. But the city is turning off the taps as Italy faces a severe drought.

In Italy, parents who don't vaccinate their children face steep fines, and even risk losing custody. It's in response to a measles outbreak, after years of falling inoculation rates.

Two years ago, UNESCO gave Venice and Italy a deadline to figure out a way to manage the harmful effects of tourism or risk being placed on a World Heritage in Danger list. The deadline has passed.

Over the decades, they've tracked down looted paintings and manuscripts, and rescued artwork after natural disasters. These days, they're salvaging centuries-old works in Italy's Amatrice quake zone.

Anti-mafia police in Naples, Italy, recovered two priceless Van Gogh paintings stolen from a museum in Amsterdam in 2002. The museum reported the find on its website and says the paintings are in "relatively good condition."

Italy is giving 500 euros to every 18-year-old to spend on theater, music, books or other cultural events. The money is aimed at educating native-born Italians and assimilating immigrants.

A crime syndicate reaps billions working out of its base in Italy's Calabria region. But local farmers have found a way to resist the mob's extortion rackets.

Pope Francis canonized Mother Teresa Sunday. The nun was praised for her work helping the poor in India. But critics say she only provided minimal assistance.

Ahead of a government declared "fertility day" on Sept. 22, Italy launched a campaign to spur women to have more babies to counter a plummeting population. But the effort backfired with women calling the messages sexist and offensive.

Italy's coast guard rescued more than 6,000 migrants from scores of boats in the Mediterranean off the coast of Libya Tuesday. It was one of the largest rescues in a single day this year.

The law in Italy provides primary homeowners special funds to make dwellings safer in the event of a quake. But it doesn't apply to second homes. The majority of homes in Amatrice were second homes.

Volunteers are helping respond to an earthquake in central Italy. Many of them are migrants from Africa, who came seeking asylum. Even in the relief effort, their presence in Italy is controversial.