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☆ Argentine Priests Defend Pope Francis Over 'Shameful' Milei Attacks
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-05 | by ( Sept. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

By Lucila SigalBUENOS AIRES (Reuters) - Priests from poor districts in Buenos Aires held a mass on Tuesday to defend Argentine Pope Francis after radical right-wing presidential candidate Javier Milei denounced him as an "imbecile" and "representative of evil". The former media 'shock jock' commentator has made a series of attacks on the pope, calling him an "imbecile who defends social justice", a "son of a bitch preaching communism" and "the representative of the evil one on Earth." "He has called Pope Francis insults like an imbecile and worse things," said Buenos Aires priest Lorenzo "Toto" De Vedia, who noted the long-running insults have gained more notoriety as Milei's popularity grows. Pope Francis, 87, lived modestly when he was Archbishop of Buenos Aires, commuting by public transport and keeping a low profile when he went to help in deprived neighborhoods of the city. To say that social justice is bullshit, excuse my language, when justice starts from the gospel," said Priest José María "Pepe" Di Paola during the mass.

Persons: Argentine Pope Francis, Javier Milei, imbecile, Pope Francis, Lorenzo " Toto, De Vedia, Pope, José María, Pepe, Di Paola, Milei, Lucila Sigal, Miguel Lo Bianco, Anna, Catherine Brigida, William Maclean Organizations: Reuters, Argentine, Argentina Locations: Sigal BUENOS AIRES, Buenos Aires

☆ Argentine priests defend Pope Francis over 'shameful' Milei attacks
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-05 | by ( Lucila Sigal | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/4] Priests attend a mass to rebuff attacks on Pope Francis by presidential candidate Javier Milei, of La Libertad Avanza coalition, in the villa 21-24 neighborhood, in Buenos Aires, Argentina, September 5, 2023. REUTERS/Agustin Marcarian Acquire Licensing RightsBUENOS AIRES, Sept 5 (Reuters) - Priests from poor districts in Buenos Aires held a mass on Tuesday to defend Argentine Pope Francis after radical right-wing presidential candidate Javier Milei denounced him as an "imbecile" and "representative of evil". loading"He has called Pope Francis insults like an imbecile and worse things," said Buenos Aires priest Lorenzo "Toto" De Vedia, who noted the long-running insults have gained more notoriety as Milei's popularity grows. Pope Francis, 87, lived modestly when he was Archbishop of Buenos Aires, commuting by public transport and keeping a low profile when he went to help in deprived neighborhoods of the city. The worst economic crisis in decades has sparked anger with traditional politics and fueled the triumph of Milei, who led an August primary vote with 30%.

Persons: Pope Francis, Javier Milei, Agustin Marcarian, Argentine Pope Francis, imbecile, Lorenzo " Toto, De Vedia, Pope, José María, Pepe, Di Paola, Milei, Lucila Sigal, Miguel Lo Bianco, Anna, Catherine Brigida, William Maclean Organizations: La Libertad Avanza, REUTERS, Argentine, Argentina, Thomson Locations: Buenos Aires, Argentina, BUENOS AIRES

☆ How is Italy solving an invasion of blue crabs? With sauteed garlic and a squeeze of lemon
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-04 | by ( ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

Agricultural industry group FedagriPesca estimates that more than half the nation’s clams and mussels were eaten by the blue crab this summer. Culinary solutionA fisherman harvests blue crabs in the lagoon of Scardovari, south of Venice, Italy, on August 11, 2023. Italian farmers’ group Coldiretti suggests serving the blue crab with rosemary in a salad, or with sauteed garlic over spaghetti. Blue crab is fast becoming a feature item at restaurants across the country, primarily as a spaghetti sauce with fresh tomatoes. Lionello Cera, who runs the two-Michelin-starred Antica Osteria Cera di Campagna Lupia, says he has tried it in various dishes, but will not be putting blue crab on his menu anytime soon.

Persons: Rome, ”, Piero Cruciatti, “, They’ve, ” Enridca Franchi, Coldiretti, Giorgia Meloni, Francesco Lollobrigida, Lollobrigida, ” Gabriella Gibin, Gibin, Lionello Cera, Antica Osteria Cera, Campagna Lupia, fishmonger Organizations: Rome CNN, Getty, UNESCO, University of Siena, CNN Locations: Adriatic, Italy, Scardovari, Venice, AFP, Po Delta, Tuscany, United States, Asia, Rovigo, Roman, Testaccio

☆ Africa Climate Summit: Electric motorcycle startup Spiro expands into Kenya
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-04 | by ( Nell Lewis | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

CNN —Spiro, a startup looking to eliminate fuel-guzzling motorbikes and scooters from the roads by trading them in for electric two-wheelers, is expanding to Kenya. Ahead of the first Africa Climate Summit, which kicked off in Kenya’s capital Nairobi today, the host government announced on Friday that the e-bike and battery-swapping startup would be entering the East African country with its biggest deployment yet: 1.2 million electric vehicles. In Kenya, they will be offered 50,000 Kenyan shillings (about $344) – around a third of the price of a new electric bike – to swap their existing bike for an electric one. Last week, US company Uber also launched an electric motorbike service in Kenya, promising to roll out 3,000 bikes within six months. “We’re surpassing the symbolic but significant milestone of one million electric bikes signed with a government,” says Samain.

Persons: CNN — Spiro, Jules Samain –, polluters, Samain, Spiro, CLEMENT, CLEMENT DI ROMA, ”, ” Spiro, William Ruto, Ampersand, Uber Organizations: CNN, Africa Climate, CLEMENT DI, AFP, Getty, FIA Foundation, Spiro, McKinsey Locations: Kenya, Africa, Kenya’s, Nairobi, West, Benin, Togo, Rwanda, Uganda, China, Mombasa, Saharan Africa, Swedish, Kenyan, East

Instead, the student population at West Virginia University has dropped 10% since 2015, while on-campus expansion continued. Lawmakers recently approved a higher education funding formula rewarding schools for degree attainment, workforce outcomes and graduate wages. Mary Manspeaker, an English Ph.D. student, said she left her home state at 18 because she didn't see opportunity in West Virginia. He said the conflict reflects the fundamental question in higher education right now: How do we assess value? "And it might be in cash, endowment and buildings, but it could arguably be in other things.”___Raby reported from Charleston, West Virginia.

Persons: Jim Justice, “ We’ve, ”, Gordon Gee, “, Gee, Joey Demes, Demes, Craig Blair, Marshall, hasn’t, Eric Tarr, Lisa Di Bartolomeo, Di Bartolomeo, ’ ”, Mary Manspeaker, Peter Lake, Lake, ” ___ Raby Organizations: West Virginia's, Gov, Marshall University, West Virginia University, Lawmakers, Marshall, WVU, —, American Federation of Teachers, ”, GOP, Republican, Center, Excellence, Higher Education Law, Florida's Stetson University Locations: MORGANTOWN, W.Va, West, East Coast, Morgantown, U.S, West Virginia, Appalachia, Charleston , West Virginia

FILE PHOTO-Italy's Minister of Economy and Finance Giancarlo Giorgetti delivers a speech at the G7 High-Level Corporate Governance Roundtable in Niigata on May 11, 2023. "It may be that the tax is inappropriate, it can certainly be improved upon ... but I do not accept that it is considered an unfair tax," Giorgetti said at The European House - Ambrosetti economic forum. Bank shares tumbled before the economy ministry clarified that the new tax would amount to no more than 0.1% of their total assets. Forza Italia is also seeking an exemption for small banks and wants a guarantee the levy will not be extended beyond 2023. Giorgetti did not comment on his government ally's proposals on the bank tax.

Persons: Finance Giancarlo Giorgetti, KAZUHIRO, Giancarlo Giorgetti, Giorgetti, Antonio Tajani, Siena, Giselda Vagnoni, Giancarlo Navach, Hugh Lawson, David Evans Organizations: Economy, Finance, Bank, League, Forza Italia, Monte, Thomson Locations: Niigata, Italy, Cernobbio

☆ Opinion: Be a good IRL human in this time of anti-LGBTQ and other attacks
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-01 | by ( Opinion Allison Hope | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

Raise voices and advocate for greater inclusion and school policies that protect rather than isolate or further marginalize students. LGBTQ+ students are heading back to school fearful and uncertain that they will be supported,” said Cheryl Greene, director of the Human Rights Campaign’s Welcoming Schools program. Not all workplace policies are created equal, and workplaces must also comply with local laws that differ by geography. Know the anti-discrimination workplace policies and best practices and ensure they align. Know the anti-discrimination workplace policies and best practices and ensure they align.

Persons: Allison Hope, CNN —, ”, Cheryl Greene, Justin Sullivan, Matthew Di Taranto, Mike Segar, Lorie Smith, Nicole Erkfitz, Erkfitz, ” Erkfitz, “ Organizations: New Yorker, The New York Times, Washington Post, CNN, Slate, Communications, Reuters, Twitter, Facebook, AMFM Healthcare Locations: New, Florida, AMFM Healthcare Northern Virginia

☆ Outrage in Italy as mother bear is shot dead, leaving cubs to fend for themselves
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-01 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/2] FILE PHOTO-Mother bear 'Amarena' walks in a street with her two cubs in San Sabastiano Dei Marsi, Italy, August 26, 2023, in this still image obtained from a social media video. Gemma Di Pietro via Acquire Licensing Rights Read moreROME, Sept 1 (Reuters) - The death of a mother bear shot near a national park in central Italy, leaving two cubs to fend for themselves, has drawn condemnation from animal rights groups and politicians. It was not clear why the bear was shot, but hunting bears is against the law in Italy. The National Park of Abruzzo, Lazio and Molise is home to around 50 brown bears, a species found in central Italy. The uproar over the shooting of the bear follows an argument over an incident in April when a bear killed a 26-year-old runner in northern Italy.

Persons: Amarena, dei Marsi, Gemma Di Pietro, Lav, Gilberto Pichetto Fratin, Luciano Sammarone, Angelo Bonelli, Claudia Cristoferi, Alvise Armellini, Nick Macfie Organizations: Sabastiano Dei, Facebook, Police, Environment, La Repubblica, Green Party, Thomson Locations: Sabastiano, Italy, San, ROME, Abruzzo, Lazio, Molise

☆ Messi to lead Argentina in opening World Cup qualifiers
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-31 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Soccer Football - International Friendly - Argentina v Panama - Estadio Monumental, Buenos Aires, Argentina - March 23, 2023 Argentina's Lionel Messi during the match REUTERS/Agustin Marcarian/File photo Acquire Licensing RightsBUENOS AIRES, Aug 31 (Reuters) - Lionel Messi will lead world champions Argentina in their opening World Cup qualifiers against Ecuador and Bolivia, the captain's first internationals since joining Major League Soccer's Inter Miami. Coach Lionel Scaloni's 32-man squad also features stalwarts including Angel Di Maria, who returned to Benfica this year, and defender Nicolas Otamendi. Argentina host Ecuador in Buenos Aires on Sept. 7 and travel to play Bolivia five days later. SquadGoalkeepers: Juan Musso (Atalanta), Emiliano Martinez (Aston Villa), Walter Benitez (PSV Eindhoven), Franco Armani (River Plate). Midfielders: Leandro Paredes (AS Roma), Rodrigo De Paul (Atletico Madrid), Guido Rodriguez (Real Betis), Facundo Buonanotte (Brighton & Hove Albion), Enzo Fernandez (Chelsea), Alexis Mac Allister (Liverpool), Exequiel Palacios (Bayern Leverkusen) and Bruno Zapelli (Athletico Paranaense).

Persons: Lionel Messi, Agustin Marcarian, Lionel Scaloni's, Angel Di Maria, Nicolas Otamendi, Alan Velasco, Bruno Zapelli, Lucas Esquivel, Lucas Beltran, Paulo Dybala, Geronimo Rulli, Juan Musso, Atalanta, Emiliano Martinez, Aston, Walter Benitez, Franco Armani, Nahuel Molina, Gonzalo Montiel, Juan Foyth, Marcos Senesi, Lisandro Martinez, Cristian Romero, Nicolas Tagliafico, Athletico, Leandro Paredes, Rodrigo De Paul, Guido Rodriguez, Facundo Buonanotte, Enzo Fernandez, Alexis Mac Allister, Exequiel Palacios, Nicolas Gonzalez, Lautaro Martinez, Angel Correa, Julian Alvarez, Alejandro Garnacho, Thiago Almada, Ramiro Sandolo, Janina Nuno Rios, Ed Omsond Organizations: Soccer Football, Estadio Monumental, REUTERS, Argentina, Ecuador, Major League Soccer's Inter Miami, Benfica, FC Dallas, Athletico Paranaense, Italy's Fiorentina, AS Roma, Ajax Amsterdam, Aston Villa, PSV Eindhoven, Atletico Madrid, Real Betis, Nottingham Forest, Villarreal, Manchester United, Tottenham Hotspur, Olympique Lyonnais, Brighton & Hove Albion, Chelsea, Bayern Leverkusen, Fiorentina, Inter, Manchester City, Inter Miami, Atlanta United, Thomson Locations: Argentina, Panama, Buenos Aires, BUENOS AIRES, Bolivia, Ecuador, Real, Nottingham, Bournemouth, Olympique, Benfica, Brighton, Liverpool, Athletico, Inter Milan, Manchester

☆ ETIAS and Europe's city taxes explained: When, who pays and how much?
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-24 | by ( Julia Buckley | Who Needs Etias Authorization | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

The ETIAS visa waiver program will allow entry into EU countries from $7.70. And, of course, citizens of many countries need “real” visas to EU countries – which is not only a costly process, but a time-consuming one, too. ETIAS will join the myriad accommodation and “tourist taxes” that are already charged around Europe. What other tourist taxes are there in Europe? If your ship docks at Barcelona for 12 hours or more you’ll pay 4.75 euros (3 euros regional fee and 1.75 euros city surcharge).

Persons: ETIAS, you’re, They’re, Pretty, Armando Oliveira, iStockphoto, –, you’ll, Vila Real de Santo António, it’s, doesn’t Organizations: CNN, UAE, EU, United States ’, Manchester, Edinburgh, Vila Real de Santo Locations: Europe, United States, United Kingdom, Japan, Singapore, EU, Amsterdam, Wales, Barcelona, Italy, Portugal, Catalonia, Vienna, it’s, Algarve, Faro, Vila, Rome, Venice, Paris, France, Greece, Caribbean, New Zealand

☆ Could Fed Chair Powell’s Jackson Hole speech send stocks plunging again?
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-24 | by ( Krystal Hur | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

New York CNN —With Nvidia earnings out of the way, the next test for US markets is Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell’s annual speech at the Jackson Hole economic summit on Friday. “In August of 2022, Powell knew the Fed had several more rate hikes to go. Macy’s sounds the alarm on credit card delinquenciesMacy’s is warning of a spike in customers who are failing to make credit card payments, adding to the evidence of mounting financial stress on consumers, reports my colleague Matt Egan. This situation is hurting Macy’s business, driving down credit card revenue by 36% year over year and contributing to a quarterly loss, he said. Citing worsening consumer leverage metrics, Macy’s is bracing for a further increase in “bad debt” in its credit card portfolio.

Persons: Jerome Powell’s, Powell, ”, — Powell, “, Tom Graff, Matt Egan, ” Adrian Mitchell, Danielle Wiener, Bronner, Qiana Di, Di Bari, Read Organizations: CNN Business, Bell, New York CNN, Nvidia, Kansas, Fed, Dow Jones, “, Bureau of Labor Statistics Locations: New York, Wyoming, Maui, United States, Qiana Di Bari, Lahaina, Kahului

China operates talent programs at various levels of government, targeting a mix of overseas Chinese and foreign experts. China has previously said its overseas recruitment through the TTP aimed to build an innovation-driven economy and promote talent mobility, while respecting intellectual property rights, according to the state-run Xinhua news agency. It said that anyone who recommends a candidate who is then selected for the talent programs would receive "diamonds, bags, cars, and houses". In some cases, these people said, those experts will be offered roles at Chinese chip companies' overseas operations. ($1 = 7.1475 Chinese yuan renminbi)Reporting by Julie Zhu, Fanny Potkin, Eduardo Baptista and Michael Martina; editing by David CrawshawOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Florence Lo, Xi Jinping, Qiming, Dean Boyd, Nick Marro, Chen Biaohua, Chen, Ma Yuanxiao, Dawei Di, Di, Zhuji, Julie Zhu, Fanny Potkin, Eduardo Baptista, Michael Martina, David Crawshaw Organizations: REUTERS, Washington, Reuters, China, Ministry of Industry, Information Technology, U.S . Commerce Department, Xinhua, Ministry of Science, Technology, U.S, government's National Counterintelligence and Security Center, Economist Intelligence, China Center for Information Industry Development, China Semiconductor Industry Association, Qiming, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Harvard, Stanford, HK, LinkedIn, Hangzhou Juqi Technology, Fortune, Beijing Institute of Technology, BIT's School of Integrated Circuits, Electronics, Britain's University of Nottingham, University of Hong, BIT, Communist Party's Organization Department, Zhejiang University, Communist Party, Thomson Locations: China, HONG KONG, SINGAPORE, WASHINGTON, U.S, China's, Qiming, Beijing, Hangzhou, ResearchGate, University of Hong Kong, Ma, Zhejiang, Wenzhou, Cambridge

☆ Many Maui restaurants were destroyed in the fires. For those that survived, their future remains uncertain
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-23 | by ( Danielle Wiener-Bronner | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

An aerial view of destruction on Front Street on August 11, 2023 in Lahaina, Hawaii. In Lahaina, a historic area and popular tourist destination that was hit particularly hard by the fires, restaurants are big business. Restaurants are an important part of the tourism sector, which is responsible for 75% of all private-sector jobs in Maui. Their restaurants survived, but their future is uncertain. In Kula, about an hour’s drive from Lahaina, fires damaged the Kula Sandalwoods Inn & Cafe, which has been in Monica Loui’s family for decades.

Persons: Qiana Di, Di Bari, ”, Di Bari’s, Pepe, …, Di, ” Di Bari, Justin Sullivan, Baris, Sheryl Matsuoka, They’re, Javier Barberi, Barberi, Robert Gauthier, Barberi couldn’t, Hana Hou, “, it’s, Monica Loui’s, you’re, ” Loui, she’s, Caleb Hopkins, We’re, Hopkins, he’s, “ We’re, Hou Hospitality, Josh Green’s, Hawaii Josh Green, Rick Bowmer, Barry Allison, Kihei, we’ve, —, Catherine Thorbecke Organizations: New, New York CNN, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Hawaii Restaurant Association, Los Angeles Times, Hawaii Gov, FEMA, ” Locations: New York, Maui, Qiana Di Bari, Lahaina, Italian, Di Bari, Lahaina , Hawaii, United States, Kahului, “, Kula, Loui’s, GoFundMe, Hawaii

☆ Chibuike Ifedilichukwu: Nigerian upcycling artist creates portraits from waste
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-16 | by ( Aneta Felix | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

But where others see trash, 37-year-old Nigerian artist Chibuike Ifedilichukwu sees opportunity. He creates portraits of celebrities from discarded aluminum cans, making a bold statement about waste management in the country. One day in 2021, while accompanying his wife to an antenatal clinic, Ifedilichukwu says he stumbled upon a pile of dumped plastic strips. I found that nobody does this pattern of art,” Ifedilichukwu told CNN. Although he wears gloves when he works, he says he’s been cut many times by sharp-edged cans, craft knives, scissors, needles and steel wire.

Persons: Chibuike Ifedilichukwu, Ifedilichukwu, “, ” Ifedilichukwu, Chibuike, ”, Cardi, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Don Jazzy, Greta Thunberg, Leonardo di Caprio, Davido, Ifedilichukwu Ifedilichukwu, he’s, “ It’s Organizations: CNN —, CNN, Ifedilichukwu Locations: Nigeria, Anambra, Awka

☆ How Hip-Hop Conquered the World
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-10 | by ( Wesley Morris | More About Wesley Morris | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +2 min

“La di da di, we like to party” alongside “I never prayed to God, I prayed to Gotti.” Hip-hop arose from want. Hip-hop is Julia Roberts after being written off in “Pretty Woman” by that snooty sales lady: Big mistake. There’s almost nowhere hip-hop hasn’t been: the White House, the Pulitzers, the Oscars, the sitcom, the Louvre, syllabi, country radio, fashion week, Sesame Street. Even when its practitioners aren’t Black, maybe especially when they’re white, hip-hop incriminates the country that drove its people to dream it up in the first place. Hip-hop is what this country gets.

Persons: “, Gotti, ”, Julia Roberts, Gucci Mane, Bey, it’s, Eminem, Nicki Minaj, Kendrick Lamar, we’re Organizations: Black America, “, bohemians Locations: America

☆ Natural gas prices are spiking again. Here’s why
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-10 | by ( Olesya Dmitracova | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

London CNN —Natural gas prices have spiked again this week, just as Europe prepares for the heating season. The price of Dutch natural gas, the European benchmark, has jumped 24% to €40 ($44) per megawatt hour since Tuesday on news of potential industrial action at liquefied natural gas (LNG) plants in Australia. US natural gas prices have climbed 18% so far this month. “As much of the spare LNG supply comes from the US, natural gas prices there have also jumped higher,” he added. The sudden rise in gas prices follows a recent run-up in oil prices, driven by production cuts by major exporters such as Saudi Arabia and Russia.

Persons: Brad Gandy, Tom Marzec, ”, Russia —, Bill Weatherburn, Brent, Weatherburn, Massimo Di Odoardo, Wood Mackenzie, “, Woodside, — Hilary Whiteman Organizations: London CNN, Offshore Alliance, Chevron, North West, Woodside Energy Group, Facebook, CNN, —, Capital Economics, European Union, Asia —, Reuters Locations: Australia, Europe, Russia, Ukraine, Norway, LNG, United States, Qatar, Moscow, Saudi Arabia, Marzec, “, Asia, Asia — Japan, —, Brisbane

☆ Fact Check-Video shows Sicilian theatre, not child sacrifice den
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-09 | by ( Reuters Fact Check | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Information about performances part of the 2022/2023 theatrical season at Teatro Donnafugata is viewable on the website (here), (here). Teatro Donnafugata has also been documented by visitors on Google Maps (goo.gl/maps/RtFsf9f6xAkE3dph6) and Tripadvisor (bit.ly/3qnqkKD ); as well by the theatre itself on its social media channels (youtu.be/GsL6i7rgH1M?t=348), (here), (here). Teatro Donnafugata did not respond to a request for comment. This video shows Teatro Donnafugata, a small threatre underneath a palace in Sicily that is open to the public. Read more about our work to fact-check social media posts (here).

Persons: Arturo Brachetti, ”, Vicky Di Quattro, “ Vicky, Bracchetti, Donnafugata, Read Organizations: Facebook, Reuters, Teatro, Google, Donnafugata Locations: Sicily, Italian, Ragusa Ibla

☆ Dozens of Migrants Die After Boat Sinks in Strait of Sicily
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-09 | by ( Emma Bubola | More About Emma Bubola | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Dozens of migrants died after their boat capsized in the Strait of Sicily, with just a handful rescued, survivors reported on Wednesday, as yet another perilous attempt to cross the Mediterranean in a rickety, unsuitable vessel ended in disaster. Four people, including a child, were saved, according to Flavio di Giacomo, a spokesman with the International Organization for Migration, a United Nations agency, citing the survivors’ own testimony. The migrants were from Guinea and the Ivory Coast, he added, and they had departed from the Tunisian city of Sfax before being spotted and rescued by a commercial boat. They arrived on the tiny Italian island of Lampedusa, south of Sicily on Wednesday. Survivors told the U.N. migration agency that 41 had drowned out of a total of 45 onboard.

Persons: Flavio di Giacomo, Giacomo Organizations: International Organization for Migration, United, Migrants Locations: Strait, Sicily, United Nations, Guinea, Ivory Coast, Tunisian, Sfax, Lampedusa, Tunisia, Saharan Africa, Europe

☆ Italian bank tax flip-flop leaves lasting scars
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-09 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

LONDON, Aug 9 (Reuters Breakingviews) - The Italian government has raced to soothe bank investors spooked by its ill-thought-out bank windfall tax. The government has now said that the levy will be capped at 0.1% of total assets. If so, and applied to banks’ Italian businesses, then the total haul would be just under 2 billion euros, according to UBS. Still, bank shares have only partially recovered. They do not reflect the views of Reuters News, which, under the Trust Principles, is committed to integrity, independence, and freedom from bias.

Persons: tanking, Siena, That’s, Giorgia Meloni, Neil Unmack, Francesco Guerrera, Streisand Neto Organizations: Reuters, Banca Monte dei, UBS, Banca, Banco, Twitter, Siemens, Thomson

☆ Italy’s bank tax may be anything but “one-off”
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-08 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Italy's Infrastructure Minister Matteo Salvini attends the upper house of parliament ahead of a confidence vote for the new government, in Rome, Italy, October 26, 2022. REUTERS/Guglielmo MangiapaneLONDON, Aug 8 (Reuters Breakingviews) - As summer surprises go, the one Matteo Salvini sprung on Italy’s banking sector on Monday evening was as unwelcome as they get. In a late-night press conference, Italy’s deputy prime minister announced a windfall levy on lenders’ profits to help pay for cheaper mortgages and income tax cuts. The government is looking to raise less than 3 billion euros from the tax, Reuters reported citing sources close to the matter. Shares in Italy’s two largest banks – Intesa Sanpaolo (ISP.MI) and UniCredit (CRDI.MI) – dropped more than 5% in morning trading.

Persons: Matteo Salvini, Guglielmo Mangiapane, –, Siena, Francesco Guerrera, headwinds, Peter Thal Larsen, Streisand Neto Organizations: Italy's, REUTERS, Guglielmo Mangiapane LONDON, Reuters, Banco, Banca Monte dei, Twitter, Siemens, Thomson Locations: Rome, Italy, Spain, Hungary

☆ A $700 million superyacht linked to Putin was seized in Italy last year. It's being treated to a refurb while it waits, and authorities won't say who's paying for it.
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-07 | by ( Huileng Tan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Scheherazade, a $700 million superyacht linked to Russian President Putin, is being refitted in Italy. Italy seized the yacht in 2022 following sweeping sanctions against Russia over the Ukraine war. A $700 million superyacht reportedly linked to Russian President Vladimir Putin is sitting in an Italian port and being refitted on the unnamed owner's dime, the Financial Times reported Sunday. US authorities believe the superyacht could belong to Putin, The New York Times reported in March last year. Other Russian oligarch-linked yachts that have been seized include the $81 million Alfa Nero and the $48 million Phi.

Persons: Putin, Vladimir Putin, It's, Eduard Khudainatov, Alexei Navalny, Nero Organizations: Russia, Financial Times, Marina di, Sea Group, Bloomberg, The New York Times, Kremlin, Phi, Italian Sea Group Locations: Italy, Ukraine, Marina, Milan, Russian

☆ Italy's MPS sees 2023 profit above 1 billion euros after tenfold rise
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-04 | by ( Valentina Za | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

FILE PHOTO-The logo of Monte dei Paschi di Siena bank is seen in a bank entrance in Rome, Italy August 16, 2018. Like peers, Monte dei Paschi (MPS) reaped the benefits of higher rates which have allowed banks to charge more for loans while what they pay out on deposits lags. To fund the voluntary staff exits by sending people into early retirement, Lovaglio oversaw a 2.5 billion euro ($2.7 billion) capital raise in tough markets last November. Shares in MPS traded 3.5% higher by late morning at 2.568 euros each. Core revenues jumped 10% on a quarterly basis to 941 million euros, leapfrogging expectations, with net interest income nearly doubling from last year and up 15% from the first quarter.

Persons: Max Rossi, Siena, Monte, Luigi Lovaglio, Lovaglio, Andrea Orcel, Valentina Za, Alvise Armellini, Keith Weir Organizations: REUTERS, STATE, MPS, Bankers, Thomson Locations: dei, Siena, Rome, Italy, MILAN

☆ Bloomsbury US CEO killed in boating accident on Italy’s Amalfi Coast
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-04 | by ( Barbie Latza Nadeau | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

Adrienne Vaughan, 45, was the president of Bloomsbury US, the British parent company confirmed to CNN, and she was traveling in Italy with her husband and two children, who survived the accident. The captain of the Tortuga did not test positive for any substances and is not under investigation, the prosecutor’s office said. Both boats were approaching the Fiordo di Furore area of the Amalfi Coast around 6 p.m. local time on Friday when the accident occurred. Vaughan was thrown into the water and died after being injured by the Tortuga’s propellers, the Salerno prosecutor’s office confirmed. The Amalfi Coast Guard unit responded to the accident.

Persons: Harry Potter, Adrienne Vaughan, Marinella Guglielmotti, Vaughan Organizations: CNN, Bloomsbury US, Coast Guard, Salerno Port Authority Locations: British, Amalfi Coast, Salerno, Italy, Tortuga, Amalfi, Castiglione, U.S, Rome

☆ Italy's Banco BPM lifts 2023 profit goal after solid quarter
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-02 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

A woman walks in front of the Banca Popolare di Milano (BPM) bank in downtown Milan, Italy, January 29, 2016. REUTERS/Alessandro Garofalo/File PhotoMILAN, Aug 2 (Reuters) - Italian bank Banco BPM (BAMI.MI) on Wednesday joined bigger peers in lifting its 2023 net profit goal - the third such upgrade in as many consecutive quarters - as the sector reaps the benefits of higher interest rates. Italy's third-largest bank said it now expects a full-year net profit of at least of 1.2 billion euros, or 80 euro cents per share up from a previous 75 euro cents per share. Banco BPM said net profit for April-June came in at 359 million euros, above a 335 million analyst consensus compiled by Reuters. The bank said it would update its shareholder reward targets when it presents a new business plan by the end of December.

Persons: Alessandro Garofalo, MILAN, Andrea Mandalà, Valentina Za Organizations: Banca Popolare, REUTERS, Banco, Wednesday, Reuters, Thomson Locations: Milan, Italy

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