DIRS.INFO The most relevant business & tech news

☆ 'Giorgia, Listen to Us!':Italy's Farmers Call on Meloni for Help
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-15 | by ( Feb. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

ROME (Reuters) - Italian farmers descended on central Rome on Thursday to call on Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni to offer more help to them and block European Union policies they see as detrimental to their industry. A group gathered in the Michelangelo-designed Piazza del Campidoglio, home to Rome's city hall, for a noisy protest featuring cowbells and banners, including one reading "Giorgia, listen to us!" Farmers are a key constituency for Meloni's right-wing coalition, which has a close relationship with the main sector lobby Coldiretti. "We have no relationship with the government so far because it is not giving us help. According to a draft amendment seen by Reuters, due to be approved in parliament, land income up to 10,000 euros ($10,770) will be tax exempt, and there will be a 50% discount for land income in the 10,000-15,000 euro bracket.

Persons: Giorgia Meloni, Michelangelo, Mattia Buzzone, Maximus, Daniele, Angelo Amante, Alvise Armellini, Keith Weir Organizations: Farmers, Reuters Locations: ROME, Rome, Europe, Poland, France, Germany, Rome's, Sicily

☆ Israel Tones Down Criticism of Vatican's Gaza Remarks
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-15 | by ( Feb. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - Israel on Thursday toned down its criticism of the Vatican, saying that remarks by Pope Francis' deputy on the killings in Gaza were "regrettable" rather than "deplorable". War in Israel and Gaza View All 209 ImagesBut on Thursday, the embassy said it should have used the word "regrettable", and that the mix-up was the result of an imprecise translation. But any comments involving Israel have particular historical and cultural sensitivities, built up over centuries. "A more precise" Italian translation would have been "sfortunata", the embassy said, a word which means something more like unfortunate. The air and ground offensive that Israel launched in response has so far killed 28,663 Palestinians in Gaza, according to health authorities in the Hamas-run territory.

Persons: Pope Francis, Pietro Parolin, Israel, Pope Francis of, Alvise Armellini, Andrew Heavens Organizations: VATICAN CITY, Hamas, Israel Locations: Israel, Gaza, Palestinian

☆ Israeli Embassy Protests After Vatican Denounces Gaza 'Carnage'
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-14 | by ( Feb. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - Israel protested with the Vatican on Wednesday after Pope Francis' deputy defined what is happening in Gaza as "carnage" resulting from a disproportionate Israeli military response to Hamas. A day earlier, Cardinal Secretary of State Pietro Parolin reiterated the "request that Israel's right to defence, which has been invoked to justify this operation, be proportional, and certainly with 30,000 deaths, it is not." Photos You Should See View All 22 Images"No one can define what is happening in the (Gaza) Strip as 'collateral damage' in the fight against terrorism. The right to defence, Israel's right to bring the perpetrators of the October massacre to justice, cannot justify this carnage," it said. At least 28,576 Palestinians have since been killed in Israeli strikes, the health ministry in Gaza said on Wednesday.

Persons: Pope Francis, Pietro Parolin, Parolin, L'Osservatore Romano, Francis, Alvise, Jonathan Oatis Organizations: VATICAN CITY Locations: Israel, Gaza, Palestine

☆ First Female Argentine Saint Brings Together Pope Francis and Milei
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-10 | by ( Feb. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

By Alvise ArmelliniVATICAN CITY (Reuters) - Pope Francis on Sunday will elevate to sainthood the first female saint from his native Argentina, an event that will be attended at the Vatican by his former strong critic, Argentine President Javier Milei. Milei, a maverick right-wing libertarian, in the past called Francis an "imbecile", a "son-of-a-bitch preaching communism" and the devil's man on earth - but has softened his tone since taking office in December. Francis has said he hopes to be able make his first trip back to his homeland since being pope in 2013 in the second half of this year. Francis, himself a Jesuit, described her on Friday in a meeting with pilgrims from Argentina as a "gift to the Argentine people and also to the entire Church," praising her dedication to the poor. Quoting from his past writings, the pope condemned the "radical individualism" that permeates today's society as a "virus", in words that may jar with Milei's radical free-market instincts.

Persons: Alvise, Pope Francis, Javier Milei, Francis, Maria Antonia de Paz y Figueroa, Mama Antula, Milei, Sergio Mattarella, Giorgia Meloni, Lucinda Alice Elliot, Clelia Oziel Organizations: CITY, Jesuit Locations: Argentina, Argentine, St Peter's, America, Israel, Italy, Buenos Aires

☆ Tractors Drive Past the Colosseum as Italy's Meloni Pledges Tax Help
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-09 | by ( Feb. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

By Angelo AmanteROME (Reuters) - A convoy of tractors on Friday drove past the landmarks of ancient Rome before Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni told a delegation of farmers that the government would partially reintroduce a tax break for them. Four tractors, escorted by police, crossed the city streets and passed in front of the Colosseum and the Circus Maximus, adorned with Italian flags and slogans decrying the EU's green transition. We don't want to create problems, we just want answers as soon as possible," one of the protesters, Luigi Allegrini, said. Coldiretti, the main agricultural lobby, has a close relationship with the government but the current protests are being led by smaller groups. "The government has defended farmers and contested the wrong choices imposed by the European Commission from the very beginning," Meloni told the farmers.

Persons: Angelo Amante ROME, Giorgia Meloni, Maximus, Luigi Allegrini, Roberto Rosati, Meloni, Angelo Amante, Alvise Armellini, Angus MacSwan Organizations: Italian, Farmers, European Commission Locations: Rome, Europe, Spain, Poland

☆ Italy's Meloni Urges Swift Trial for Italian Activist Held in Hungary
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-01 | by ( Feb. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +1 min

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The Italian anti-fascist activist held in Hungary for assaulting far-right militants should be granted a quick trial, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said on Thursday, wading into a controversy that is souring relations between Rome and Budapest. The case is politically sensitive due to the long-standing ties between Meloni and her Hungarian counterpart Viktor Orban, who met in Brussels as part of a summit of European Union leaders. "What I talked about with the Hungarian prime minister is ensuring that our compatriots are treated with dignity, respect, and (given) a fair trial, and I would also say a speedy one," Meloni told reporters. Prosecutors are seeking an 11-year sentence for Salis, who is next due in court on May 24. Meloni told reporters she hoped Salis could prove her innocence, and said that while in Italy prisoners are never put in chains and shackles, this was normal in Hungary.

Persons: Giorgia Meloni, Ilaria Salis, Viktor Orban, Meloni, Salis, Prosecutors, Angelo Amante, Alvise Armellini, Angus MacSwan Organizations: Italian, Union Locations: BRUSSELS, Italian, Hungary, Rome, Budapest, Italy, Meloni, Brussels, Milan

☆ Italy, EU's Oldest Country, Plans More Spending for Elderly
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-25 | by ( Jan. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

The government was set to present the package at the end of a cabinet meeting later on Thursday. With a median age of 48, Italy is the EU's oldest country, and also has the highest old-age dependency, defined as the ratio of people aged 65 and over to those of working age, according to statistics agency Eurostat. Pensions already eat up more than 15% of gross domestic product (GDP), and the Treasury expects spending to reach 17% of output in 2042. In its 2024 budget, the government earmarked around 1 billion euros for several measures aimed at addressing Italy's demographic crisis. One temporarily removes social contributions paid by working mothers with at least two children.

Persons: Giorgia Meloni, Angelo Amante, Giuseppe Fonte, Alvise, Peter Graff Organizations: Italian, Reuters, Ageing, Pensions, Treasury Locations: ROME, Italy, Rome

☆ Pope Issues New Anti-War Plea as He Evokes Nazi Holocaust
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-24 | by ( Jan. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +1 min

VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - Pope Francis has issued a new plea against all wars as he evoked the horror of the mass killing of Jews and other victims of the Nazis ahead of Saturday's Holocaust Memorial Day. "Let us not get tired of praying for peace, for conflicts to end, for weapons to stop, for relief for exhausted populations," Francis added. The leader of the world's more than 1.35 billion Roman Catholics mentioned the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the bombing of civilians in "martyred Ukraine". He repeated his assertion that "war is always a defeat" in which "the only winners, so to speak, are weapons manufacturers". (Reporting by Alvise Armellini, editing by Angus MacSwan)

Persons: Pope Francis, Francis, Alvise Armellini, Angus MacSwan Organizations: VATICAN CITY Locations: Ukraine

☆ Two Arrested in Italy for Spreading Islamist Propaganda - Police
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-04 | by ( Dec. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: 1 min

ROME (Reuters) - Two people have been arrested in Italy for spreading online terrorist propaganda linked to militant groups Palestine Islamic Jihad, Islamic State and al-Qaeda, police in the northern city of Brescia said Monday. The suspects are a Pakistani national and an Italian citizen of Pakistani origin, a statement said. They were apprehended following a investigation that started in October 2022, they said. On Sunday, Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi said Italy remained on alert for possible terrorist attacks following the weekend attack in Paris, in which one German tourist was killed and two others were wounded. "We have confidence in our traditional prevention systems, but attention must remain high," the minister was quoted as saying by the Ansa news agency.

Persons: Matteo Piantedosi, Alvise Armellini, Bernadette Baum Organizations: Islamic Locations: ROME, Italy, Palestine, Islamic State, Brescia, Pakistani, Italian, Paris

☆ Far-right parties eye gains in next year's EU parliament elections
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-03 | by ( Alvise Armellini | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

ROME, Dec 3 (Reuters) - European far-right parties met in Italy on Sunday vowing to reshape the European Union after next year's European Parliament elections, toughening the bloc's approach on immigration and softening its climate policies to protect jobs and industry. Parties from around a dozen countries gathered in Florence, galvanised by last month's general elections in the Netherlands, which handed a surprise win to Geert Wilders' anti-immigration Freedom Party (PVV). The far-right Identity and Democracy (ID) group is now the sixth-largest in the EU assembly, also behind liberal, green and conservative groups, but current polling data place it in fourth position. Salvini, who has failed to include in his alliance Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and her poll-leading Brothers of Italy party, fronted a previous unsuccessful push in 2019 for a far-right breakthrough in EU elections. Wilders hailed Salvini, leader of the League party, as an inspiration and his "number one Italian friend."

Persons: Geert Wilders, Matteo Salvini, Salvini, Giorgia Meloni, Wilders, Tino Chrupalla, Jordan Bardella, righters, Chrupalla, Harald Vilimsky, Vladimir Putin, Chizu Organizations: European Union, Party, League, Marine, Austrian Freedom Party, Thomson Locations: Italy, European, Florence, galvanised, Netherlands, Europe, Germany, Africa, Austrian, Russia, Ukraine, Israel

☆ Serbia's Vucic says electric Fiat Panda model to be produced in Serbia
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-03 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

[1/3] Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni receives an honour guard, while walking with Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic, in Belgrade, Serbia, December 3, 2023. REUTERS/Zorana Jevtic Acquire Licensing RightsBELGRADE, Dec 3 (Reuters) - Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic said on Sunday he expects automaker Stellantis (STLAM.MI) to produce an electric Fiat Panda city car in the central town Kragujevac. Vucic said that the production of electric Panda would boost trade between Italy and Serbia above the current 4.6 billion euros a year. The current generation of the Fiat Panda is built near Naples in Italy, and the new model is expected around mid-2024. Stellantis, created in 2021 through the merger of France's PSA and Fiat Chrysler, and the Serbian government in 2022 signed a 190 million euro deal to produce electric vehicles in the Kragujevac plant which previously produced the Fiat 500L model.

Persons: Giorgia Meloni, Aleksandar Vucic, Zorana, Vucic, Stellantis, Ivana Sekularac, Alvise Armellini, Alison Williams Organizations: Serbian, REUTERS, Rights, Fiat Panda, Fiat, France's PSA, Fiat Chrysler, Thomson Locations: Belgrade, Serbia, Serbian, Kragujevac, Italy, Naples

☆ Pope says he has acute, infectious bronchitis
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-30 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Pope Francis leads the Angelus prayer from Santa Marta chapel at the Vatican, November 26, 2023. Vatican Media/Handout via REUTERS/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsVATICAN CITY, Nov 30 (Reuters) - Pope Francis on Thursday said he was suffering from a highly infectious and acute form of bronchitis that has prevented him from making the trip to Dubai this weekend for the COP28 climate summit. It is a very acute, infectious bronchitis," he said. During another audience on Thursday with theologians, the pope said: "Pray for me. Cardinal Secretary of State Pietro Parolin told reporters on Wednesday he expected to lead the Vatican's delegation at the climate talks in Dubai.

Persons: Pope Francis, Francis, didn't, Vatican, Pietro Parolin, Alvise Armellini, Janet Lawrence Organizations: Vatican, Handout, REUTERS, CITY, Thomson Locations: Santa Marta, Dubai

☆ Italy's Parliament Approves Crackdown on Teenage Migrants
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-30 | by ( Nov. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

ROME (Reuters) - Italian lawmakers on Thursday approved a government decree that allows migrants aged 16 or 17 to be held in adult reception centres and gives police stronger powers to check that migrants are not falsely claiming to be under age. Under Italian and European legislation, unaccompanied young migrants are entitled to more favourable treatment. For example, they cannot be expelled and should have access to more extensive welfare and support services. It allows minors aged 16 or 17 to be held in adult migrant reception camps when places for underage migrants are not available, and says they can be held there for up to 150 days. Earlier this month, Meloni announced Italy would build migrant identification and reception centres in Albania, saying she hoped they could host as many as 36,000 sea migrants per year.

Persons: Giorgia, Meloni, Angelo Amante, Gareth Jones Organizations: Senate, Unicef Locations: ROME, Italy, Albania, Africa

☆ Pope Says He Has Acute, Infectious Bronchitis
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-30 | by ( Nov. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +1 min

VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - Pope Francis on Thursday said he was suffering from a highly infectious and acute form of bronchitis that has prevented him from making the trip to Dubai this weekend for the COP28 climate summit. It is a very acute, infectious bronchitis," he said. Francis said he had no fever but was on antibiotics, confirming what the Vatican said in a statement on Wednesday. During another audience on Thursday with theologians, the pope said: "Pray for me. Cardinal Secretary of State Pietro Parolin told reporters on Wednesday he expected to lead the Vatican's delegation at the climate talks in Dubai.

Persons: Pope Francis, Francis, didn't, Vatican, Pietro Parolin, Alvise Armellini, Janet Lawrence Organizations: VATICAN CITY Locations: Dubai

☆ Italy's Salvini says would consider a sound plan to sell railway stake
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-28 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Matteo Salvini, Italian infrastructure minister and deputy PM, attends a news conference for the government's first budget in Rome, Italy November 22, 2022. On Monday Salvini, who is also deputy prime minister, was quoted as saying that he was against selling a stake in the company. But in comments at the Foreign Press Association in Rome, he said his 'no' had referred to the absence of any current sale plans for Ferrovie dello Stato (FS). "If there were an (asset sale) plan that could bring me added value, investments, money ... ($1 = 0.9128 euros)Reporting by Alvise Armellini, writing by Gianluca Semeraro; editing by Gavin JonesOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Matteo Salvini, Remo Casilli, Salvini, Giancarlo Giorgetti, Alvise Armellini, Gianluca Semeraro, Gavin Jones Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Transport, Ferrovie dello Stato, Foreign Press Association, FS, Economy, Salvini's League, Thomson Locations: Rome, Italy, Italian, privatisations

The logo of commodities trader Glencore is pictured in front of the company's headquarters in Baar, Switzerland, July 18, 2017. REUTERS/Arnd Wiegmann/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsROME, Nov 23 (Reuters) - Glencore (GLEN.L) has decided to build a pilot project for an electric vehicle (EV) battery recycling plant outside of Italy, but still has its eye on the island of Sardinia for a larger facility, the Swiss mining group said on Thursday. "This development does not immediately impact the feasibility assessment of the larger hub project," Glencore said in an emailed statement. This initiative is important for our recycling strategy and aligns with Italy's objectives for sustainable industry development," the group added. Last month, Reuters reported that documents filed by Glencore as part of the environmental impact assessment procedure had been judged insufficient by Sardinia's regional administration.

Persons: Arnd, Glencore, Li, Francesca Landini, Jan Harvey, Keith Weir Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, UIL, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Baar, Switzerland, Italy, Sardinia, Swiss, Portovesme, Europe, North America, CISL, Sardinian

The logo of commodities trader Glencore is pictured in front of the company's headquarters in Baar, Switzerland, July 18, 2017. REUTERS/Arnd Wiegmann/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsROME, Nov 23 (Reuters) - Glencore (GLEN.L) has decided to build a pilot project for an electric vehicle (EV) battery recycling plant outside of Italy, but still has its eye on the island of Sardinia for a larger facility, the Swiss mining group said on Thursday. "This development does not immediately impact the feasibility assessment of the larger hub project," Glencore said in an emailed statement. This initiative is important for our recycling strategy and aligns with Italy's objectives for sustainable industry development," the group added. The Swiss group did not specify where it would build the pilot plant.

Persons: Arnd, Glencore, Li, Francesca Landini, Jan Harvey, Keith Weir Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, Union, Hub, Reuters, UIL, Thomson Locations: Baar, Switzerland, Italy, Sardinia, Swiss, Portovesme, Europe, North America, Sardinian, CISL

Wilders' win sent a warning shot to mainstream parties across Europe ahead of European Parliament elections next June, which will likely be fought on the same issues as the Dutch election: immigration, cost of living and climate change. A fan of former U.S. President Donald Trump and Hungary's eurosceptic Prime Minister Viktor Orban, Wilders is openly anti-Islam, and anti-EU and said "the Netherlands will be returned to the Dutch." "I would be very happy to become the Dutch prime minister, of course," Wilders told party members who welcomed him with champagne and cake, adding that he was willing to negotiate. "But the first thing is a significant restriction on asylum and immigration," Wilders said. "The high level of support for anti-European forces in the Netherlands is bitter," Germany's EU Minister Anna Luehrmann said.

Persons: Wilders, eurosceptics, Geert Wilders, We've, Herman Borcher, Donald Trump, Viktor Orban, Mark Rutte, Yves Herman Acquire, Rene Cuperus, It's, Cuperus, Anna Luehrmann, Muhsin Koktas, Bart Meijer, Charlotte van Campenhout, Anthony Deutsch, Johnny Cotton, Toby Sterling, Petra Wischgoll, Alvise Armellini, Dominique Vidalon, Sudip Kar, Ingrid Melander, Bernadette Baum, Toby Chopra Organizations: Freedom Party, Labour, Green, People's Party for Freedom and Democracy, Coalition, REUTERS, Statistics, Clingendael Institute, EU, Islamic, Thomson Locations: Europe, AMSTERDAM, Netherlands, Enschede, The Hague, Statistics Netherlands, Ukraine, Moroccan, Amsterdam

REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration Acquire Licensing RightsROME, Nov 15 (Reuters) - Italy's Leonardo (LDOF.MI) is trimming its stake in U.S. unit DRS (DRS.O) as new CEO Roberto Cingolani looks to expand the state-controlled group with major roles in European defence projects. Two sources at Leonardo confirmed that the DRS deal was part of that strategy. Cingolani, a former government minister who became CEO in May, has embraced the need to create broader European alliances to take advantage of rising defence budgets. It has pointed to its cross-border MBDA European missile company joint venture with Airbus (AIR.PA) and BAE Systems (BAES.L) as a model for the projects. Some analysts expressed surprise that the company was reducing its stake in DRS, acquired 15 years ago in a $5.2 billion deal when the Italian group was known as Finmeccanica.

Persons: Leonardo, Dado Ruvic, Roberto Cingolani, Cingolani, Intesa Sanpaolo, Leonardo's, Nick Cunningham, Giulia Segreti, Armellini, Kirsten Donovan Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, DRS, Global Combat Air, Leopard, Airbus, BAE Systems, Agency Partners, Thomson Locations: U.S, East, Europe, Italy, Britain, Japan, Leonardo's Milan, Italian, Rome

☆ Vatican Confirms Ban on Catholics Becoming Freemasons
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-15 | by ( Nov. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - The Vatican has confirmed a ban on Catholics becoming Freemasons, a centuries-old secretive society that the Catholic Church has long viewed with hostility and has an estimated global membership of up to six million. "Active membership in Freemasonry by a member of the faithful is prohibited, because of the irreconcilability between Catholic doctrine and Freemasonry," the Vatican's doctrinal office said in a letter published by Vatican media on Wednesday. The same office said last week that transgender people can be baptized, serve as godparents and act as witnesses at Catholic weddings. The letter on Freemasons cited a 1983 declaration, signed by the late Pope Benedict XVI, at the time the Vatican's doctrine chief, stating that Catholics "in Masonic associations are in a state of grave sin and may not receive Holy Communion". The group says it has 180,000 male members, with two parallel female lodges in England having another 5,000 members, and estimates global Freemasonry membership at around six million.

Persons: Pope Francis, Pope Benedict XVI, Queen Elizabeth's, Prince Philip, Winston Churchill, Peter Sellers, Alf Ramsey, Rudyard Kipling, Arthur Conan Doyle, Alvise Armellini, Nick Macfie Organizations: VATICAN CITY, Vatican, Freemasons, Catholic Church, United, Lodge of Locations: Philippines, Lodge of England, England

☆ Vatican confirms ban on Catholics becoming Freemasons
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-15 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Pope Francis gestures as he leaves after the weekly general audience, in Saint Peter's Square at the Vatican, November 15, 2023. REUTERS/Remo Casilli Acquire Licensing RightsVATICAN CITY, Nov 15 (Reuters) - The Vatican has confirmed a ban on Catholics becoming Freemasons, a centuries-old secretive society that the Catholic Church has long viewed with hostility and has an estimated global membership of up to six million. "Active membership in Freemasonry by a member of the faithful is prohibited, because of the irreconcilability between Catholic doctrine and Freemasonry," the Vatican's doctrinal office said in a letter published by Vatican media on Wednesday. The letter on Freemasons cited a 1983 declaration, signed by the late Pope Benedict XVI, at the time the Vatican's doctrine chief, stating that Catholics "in Masonic associations are in a state of grave sin and may not receive Holy Communion". The group says it has 180,000 male members, with two parallel female lodges in England having another 5,000 members, and estimates global Freemasonry membership at around six million.

Persons: Pope Francis, Remo Casilli, Pope Benedict XVI, Queen Elizabeth's, Prince Philip, Winston Churchill, Peter Sellers, Alf Ramsey, Rudyard Kipling, Arthur Conan Doyle, Alvise Armellini, Nick Macfie Organizations: Vatican, REUTERS, CITY, Freemasons, Catholic Church, United, Lodge of, Thomson Locations: Saint Peter's, Philippines, Lodge of England, England

☆ In very rare move, Pope dismisses conservative US bishop Strickland
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-11 | by ( Philip Pullella | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

VATICAN CITY, Nov 11 (Reuters) - Pope Francis has dismissed Bishop Joseph E. Strickland of Tyler, Texas, one of his fiercest critics among U.S. Catholic conservatives, a Vatican statement said on Saturday. It is very rare for a Roman Catholic bishop to be relieved of his duties outright. Usually bishops in trouble with the Vatican are asked to resign before submitting a resignation, which the pope accepts. Popes make such moves, considered drastic, when a bishop refuses a request to resign. Francis named the bishop of Austin, Texas, Joe Vasquez, as the interim administrator of the diocese, the statement said.

Persons: Pope Francis, Bishop Joseph E . Strickland, Strickland, Francis, Joe Vasquez, Phil Pullella, Alvise Armellini, Kirsten Donovan Organizations: CITY, U.S, Roman, Vatican, Bishops Conference, Thomson Locations: Tyler , Texas, Tyler, Austin , Texas

☆ Booking.com settles Italian tax dispute with 94-million euro payment
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-10 | by ( Emilio Parodi | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo Acquire Licensing RightsMILAN, Nov 10 (Reuters) - Travel website Booking.com (BKNG.O) has agreed to pay about 94 million euros ($100.25 million) to settle a tax dispute in Italy, Genoa prosecutors said on Friday. Italy's Guardia di Finanza tax police alleged in June 2021 that Booking.com evaded 153 million euros of value added tax (VAT) in connection with holiday rentals from 2013 to 2019. Last November, Dutch magistrates accepted a European investigation order (OIE) sent by Italy allowing Italian prosecutors to question two former Booking.com chief financial officers as part of the investigation. Private accommodation sites which are not professionally run often have no VAT number, and Italian tax authorities believe the online travel agency should in such cases act as a withholding agent, collecting tax. In another similar case involving a company's responsibility to collect tax on behalf of tax authorities, an Italian judge on Monday seized 780 million euros from short-term rentals platform Airbnb (ABNB.O).

Persons: Dado Ruvic, Booking.com, Italy's, Toby Sterling, Alvise Armellini, Aurora Ellis Organizations: REUTERS, Apple, Facebook, Italian Revenue Agency, Prosecutors, U.S ., Holdings, Union, Thomson Locations: Italy, Genoa, Booking.com, Netherlands, Friday's, Italian, Delaware, Amsterdam

☆ It's Not Guantanamo, Italy's Tajani Says, Defending Albania Migrant Camps
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-09 | by ( Nov. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +1 min

PARIS (Reuters) - A deal that allows Italy to build migrant reception and detention camps in Albania respects European Union rules, Italy's foreign minister said on Thursday, dismissing suggestions they were an Italian Guantanamo Bay. Italian opposition parties have denounced Meloni's plans as a deportation, with Riccardo Magi, a lawmaker with the centrist +Europa group, evoking the notorious Guantanamo Bay extrajudicial camps used by the U.S. in Cuba to detain Islamist terrorism suspects. It's a normal humanitarian accord," Tajani said. The German government agreed to look into whether asylum procedures could be carried out outside the European Union, though Chancellor Olaf Scholz expressed scepticism on whether that was constitutionally possible and if countries would agree to it. (Reporting by John Irish; additional reporting by Alvise Armellini; editing by Nick Macfie)

Persons: Giorgia Meloni, Meloni's, Riccardo Magi, Antonio Tajani, It's, Tajani, Chancellor Olaf Scholz, John Irish, Alvise, Nick Macfie Organizations: PARIS, European, of Human Rights, Court, Justice, European Union Locations: Italy, Albania, Italian Guantanamo, U.S, Cuba, Guantanamo, Germany

The EU's proposed "Euro 7" law would tighten limits on health-harming pollutants from combustion engine cars. The European Commission, which drafts new EU laws, has said the health benefits would far outweigh the costs. However, EU countries and lawmakers - which are in charge of negotiating the final law in the coming months - have each agreed to weaken the rules. Green lawmakers criticised the vote as a missed chance to reduce the roughly 70,000 premature deaths per year in Europe attributed to vehicle pollution. "The EU is missing the opportunity to be the future leader in green technology," Green EU lawmaker Bas Eickhout added.

Persons: Yves Herman, Alexandr Vondra, Bas Eickhout, Adolfo Urso, Kate Abnett, Alvise Armellini, Sharon Singleton Organizations: REUTERS, Rights, New, European Commission, Commission, Italy's Industry, EU, Thomson Locations: Brussels, Belgium, Rights BRUSSELS, Union, Europe, Italy, Czech Republic

Search resuls for: "Alvise Armellini"

25 mentions found