The Day Antonino Zichichi Died

On February 9, Italian editorial priority was dominated by the death of physicist Antonino Zichichi at age 96. Morning headlines across all major outlets transitioned from Olympic updates to retrospectives on his role as a scientific communicator and founder of the Gran Sasso Laboratories. By early afternoon, the focus shifted to the judiciary as the Milan Prosecutor's Office placed the delivery giant Glovo under judicial control for systemic labor exploitation and 'caporalato.' Simultaneously, the legal saga surrounding former Minister Sangiuliano advanced with Maria Rosaria Boccia being sent to trial for stalking. Conservative editors continued to frame the withdrawal of comedian Andrea Pucci from Sanremo as a 'leftist purge,' a narrative countered by liberal outlets highlighting his controversial rhetoric. Evening coverage was split between a tragic case in Bordighera, where a mother was arrested for the death of her two-year-old daughter, and a geopolitical shift. Reports of the collapse of the Franco-German fighter jet project led editors to highlight a potential German pivot toward the Italian-led GCAP program.