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☆ Italy's coastguard works to rescue 1,200 migrants drifting at sea
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-10 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

[1/2] The boat in distress with about 400 people on board is pictured in Central Mediterranean Sea in this handout obtained by Reuters on April 10, 2023. Giacomo Zorzi/ Sea-Watch/Handout via REUTERSMILAN, April 10 (Reuters) - The Italian coastguard is carrying out operations to rescue two boats carrying a total of 1,200 people, it said on Monday, after a surge in the number of migrants crossing the Mediterranean from North Africa over the weekend. The other rescue operation by Italian coastguard on Monday was to help a fishing boat carrying 800 people that was located over 120 miles southeast of Siracusa, in Sicily. A spokesperson for coastguard said it would take hours to complete the two ongoing operations because of difficult conditions, including the long distance form the coast. Before these two operations, the Italian coastguard had already rescued around 2,000 migrants since Friday, it said.

☆ Meet the real-life manager of the luxury hotel in Sicily where 'The White Lotus' was filmed, with rooms starting at $2,000 a night
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-09 | by ( Hannah Towey | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Lorenzo Maraviglia is the general manager of the hotel where "The White Lotus" Season 2 was filmed. He told Insider what the show gets right about his job and where it embellishes reality. That's because the renovated 14th-century convent overlooking the Ionian Sea was the central filming location of the hit-TV drama — and it's all hotel guests want to talk about. "It's funny because in "The White Lotus," Jennifer Coolidge gets killed on the cruise — so I don't know how inspiring that can be." Sabrina Impacciatore plays the hotel manager Valentina in "The White Lotus" season 2.

☆ Some Starbucks customers are complaining the company's new olive oil-infused coffee drink is making them run to the bathroom
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-08 | by ( Ramishah Maruf | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

CNN —Starbucks is betting big on olive oil infused coffee, hoping customers will be enticed by the anomaly and the health benefits of extra virgin olive oil. Science behind the painOlive oil is a staple in Mediterranean culture and some drink bits of olive oil in the region daily. But the Starbucks drink has a potentially fragile combination: caffeine, which is a stimulant, and olive oil, which is a relaxant. Former CEO Howard Schultz picked up this habit himself from olive oil producer Tommaso Asaro while in Sicily, Italy. “He thought it was a little strange.” Asaro is the chairman of United Olive Oil, through which Starbucks is sourcing its olive oil.

☆ Banksy's migrant rescue ship seized by Italy's coast guard in Lampedusa
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-26 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

MILAN, March 26 (Reuters) - A rescue ship funded by British street artist Banksy was seized in Lampedusa on Sunday after Italy's coast guard said the boat had disobeyed its instructions to head to Sicily after carrying out a migrant rescue operation. The coast guard said it had ordered the MV Louise Michel ship to dock in Trapani in Sicily after it performed an initial rescue operation in Libya's Search And Rescue area. The coast guard added that it was already on its way to assist the three other boats at the time. It ordered the Louise Michel to dock in accordance with a new law passed in Italy this year establishing a code of conduct for migrant charity ships, the coast guard said. The coast guard said it wanted to prevent the ship from taking too many people on board, thereby putting their safety at risk.

☆ Vacation destinations like Finland and Sicily are giving away free trips, flights, and hotels to revive tourism — see the full list
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-26 | by ( Hannah Towey | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Sicily is offering discounted airfare and hotel stays, and Finland is giving away 10 free trips. Taiwan said it will pay international visitors $165 and Hong Kong is giving out 500,000 free flights. Sicily, Finland, Hong Kong, and Taiwan are giving away free flights, hotel stays, excursions, and even straight cash. Hong KongThe central district of Hong Kong. Starting March 1, the tickets will be distributed by airlines Hong Kong Express, Cathay Pacific, and Hong Kong Airlines, Time Out reported.

☆ Gen Zers are basing their travel plans on where TV shows like 'The White Lotus' are set
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-24 | by ( Grace Dean | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Gen Zers and millennials are turning to movies and TV shows for travel inspiration in a trend dubbed set-jetting. This includes a boom in bookings for the hotels in Hawaii and Italy "The White Lotus" was filmed at. In particular, travelers have been scrambling to visit the resorts where the first two seasons of HBO's hit "The White Lotus" were set. When season one was broadcast, web traffic to the Four Seasons Maui resort increased 425% year-over-year, Four Seasons told Bloomberg. To visit the Taormina hotel for a week in July, many of the lower-priced options have already sold out and two-person rooms start at around $3,500 per night.

Two government officials told Reuters the government was concerned about the deal because Nebius's activities were funded by Yandex. A third, separate source said Nebius is part of Yandex's Dutch holding company, Yandex NV, and would be part of the new international company post-restructuring. "They were basically told that as long as they're connected to a Russian company, it's not going to work," one of the sources told Reuters. "Our Dutch holding company is in the process of divesting its Russian business – unfortunately this isn't a fast process," Shtan said. Energy issued a statement last month saying neither the company nor its chief executive, Michael Bobrov, has any connection with Russia.

☆ I took a cruise around the Mediterranean. Here are 5 things that surprised me — from the coffee to the navigation.
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-16 | by ( Christian Mayer | Nathan Rennolds | Business Insider Deutschland | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Insider's Christian Mayer took a trip around the Mediterranean on the AIDAblu cruise ship. I recently booked a spontaneous weeklong cruise with the German cruise line Aida Cruises, a subsidiary of Carnival Corporation and PLC, one of the largest cruise companies in the world. The cruise sailed around Italy and Malta, starting off in Civitavecchia, a town on the west coast of Italy near Rome. A tiny ship approached the outer wall of our huge cruise ship, and, in whipping winds, the pilot climbed an outer ladder onto our ship. The ship served Starbucks coffeeThe price of the cruise included filter coffee with breakfast.

☆ More than 1,000 migrants brought ashore in Italy after multiple rescues
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-11 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

ROME, March 11 (Reuters) - More than 1,000 migrants were brought ashore to southern Italy on Saturday after coastguards launched major rescue operations for three boats struggling in rough seas off Calabria. Local officials said a further 200 migrants had been picked up off the coast of Sicily and would be ferried to Catania later in the day. Prosecutors are investigating whether Italian authorities should have done more to prevent the disaster. Late last year, it cracked down on charity rescue boats, accusing them of acting as a taxi service for migrants. However, departures have nonetheless picked up dramatically, with roughly 17,000 migrants reaching Italy by boat so far this year against some 6,000 in the same period of 2022.

☆ Sister's note led police to mafia boss Messina Denaro
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-03 | by ( Alvise Armellini | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Rosalia (Rosetta) Messina Denaro, 67, was detained in Sicily on mafia membership charges, Carabinieri police said, releasing a 57-page arrest warrant. Her brother, Matteo Messina Denaro, 60, was Italy's most wanted man until his arrest on Jan. 16, after 30 years on the run. Italian authorities had already said that Messina Denaro was snared by his failing health, but on Friday they revealed the source of the key tip. 'BIG STRAWBERRY'While on the run, Messina Denaro followed mafia tradition in communicating with relatives and affiliates via "pizzini", small pieces of paper sometimes written in code. Rosalia's husband, Filippo Guttadauro, is another convicted Sicilian mobster, while her daughter Lorenza is Matteo Messina Denaro's defence lawyer.

☆ These 3 destinations in Europe and Asia will give you free hotel stays, flights, and cash to take your next vacation there
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-02 | by ( Hannah Towey | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Taiwan said it will pay international visitors $165 and Hong Kong is giving away 500,000 free flights. The governments of Sicily, Hong Kong, and Taiwan are pumping billions into the programs, which range from free flights, hotel stays, and excursions — to straight cash. Gary Yeowell/Getty ImagesSicily, a historic island in the South of Italy, first launched its "See Sicily" travel promotion two years ago and recently announced its revival for 2023. Hong KongThe central district of Hong Kong. Starting March 1, the tickets will be distributed by airlines Hong Kong Express, Cathay Pacific, and Hong Kong Airlines, Time Out reported.

☆ Russian oligarchs' superyachts have avoided the US west coast and the Mediterranean since Russia invaded Ukraine, heat maps show
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-25 | by ( Kate Duffy | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Russian oligarchs' superyachts were detected in different regions after the Ukraine war began. Heat maps show oligarchs' yachts have avoided America's west coast and the Mediterranean. The MediterraneanSpire MaritimeSpire's data found that the Mediterranean was a hotspot for Russian oligarchs' superyachts before Russia invaded Ukraine. Turkey still offers a safe haven for Russian oligarchs' assets because it's yet to sanction Russia for its aggression against Ukraine. Arabian SeaSpire MaritimeSpire's data also honed in on the movements of Russian oligarchs' yachts around the Arabian Sea.

☆ The bright orange Aperol spritz cocktail mystified some Redditors after appearing on 'The White Lotus.' Now the maker of Aperol says the show has boosted US sales.
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-23 | by ( Mary Hanbury | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

The Italian cocktail, Aperol Spritz, appeared multiple times on HBO's "White Lotus" series. According to Campari, the maker of Aperol, the apéritif is gaining market share in the US, in part because of its repeated appearances in "The White Lotus." Aperol Spritz has often been seen as a divisive drink. Aperol sales, which account for 22% of Campari's total portfolio, grew by nearly 50% in the US in 2022. Campari isn't the only business to see a boost from what has been dubbed as "The White Lotus" effect.

☆ Starbucks is launching olive oil infused-coffee, and even interim CEO Howard Schultz acknowledged there was 'some skepticism' about the drink
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-22 | by ( Huileng Tan | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Starbucks launched a new line of olive oil-infused coffee on Tuesday. Starbucks interim CEO Schultz had called the new line "transformative" and likened it to "alchemy." Now, the coffee giant is peddling its new Oleato line — essentially, olive oil-infused coffee. Customers in certain markets can also ask for a spoonful of olive oil to be added to beverages such as espressos and tea lattes. Schultz added Starbucks would not be making any health claims for the olive oil-infused drinks, per The Journal.

☆ Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz calls new olive oil coffee drinks 'transformational'
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-21 | by ( Rebecca Picciotto | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Starbucks' new line of olive oil-infused coffee drinks could disrupt the industry, interim CEO Howard Schultz told CNBC's Jim Cramer on Tuesday. Alongside olive oil coffee, Starbucks is also unveiling an Oleato espresso martini, which will be available in select locations in Italy, as well as Seattle and New York. Schultz is launching the new coffee line ahead of his April departure as interim CEO. Starbucks' olive oil coffee comes as the company continues to navigate a tough macro environment, though Schultz has maintained optimism. He noted that the company has added roughly $40 billion to its market cap since he started as interim CEO.

☆ Starbucks’ new drinks have a spoonful of olive oil in every cup
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-21 | by ( Danielle Wiener-Bronner | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

There’s an Oleato latte with oat milk and olive oil, an Oleato ice shaken espresso with oat milk, hazelnut flavor and olive oil, and the Oleato golden foam cold brew, made with a version of Starbucks’ sweet milk foam infused with two olive oil servings. Starbucks Oleato drinks are made with exra virgin olive oil. Coming full circleLast year Schultz met olive oil producer Tommaso Asaro, who introduced him to the practice of consuming a tablespoon of olive oil each day. “He thought it was a little strange.” Asaro is the chairman of United Olive Oil, through which Starbucks is sourcing its olive oil. Howard Schultz and Tommaso Asaro, chairman of United Olive Oil, which produces the Partanna olive oil that Starbucks is using for Oleato.

Solar panels are seen in Sicily, Italy. Europe wants to significantly increase its solar-power capacity by the end of this decade. As Europe ends its dependence on Russian natural gas, the region wants solar energy to become its prime source of electricity by 2030. One challenge will be achieving that without creating an energy dependency on China. Chinese companies now control over 80% of the solar supply chain worldwide, dominating the production of panels and their components.

☆ These heat maps show the dramatic change in the movements of oligarchs' superyachts since Russia invaded Ukraine
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-08 | by ( Kate Duffy | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

☆ The next 'White Lotus' is expected to be filmed in one of these locations in Asia
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-07 | by ( Chris Dwyer | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

When the HBO black comedy "The White Lotus" premiered in the summer of 2021, it took viewers to Hawaii's sunny Maui. The Maldives was named-dropped near the end of season two of "The White Lotus," leading fans to speculate it would be the next filming location. Cue the theories that "The White Lotus" is heading to the Southeast Asian nation known as "The Land of Smiles." Two characters spent the night in Villa Tasca in the second season of "The White Lotus." Beyond "The White Lotus," the broader trend of traveling to visit iconic TV and movie locations continues to grow.

☆ A Swedish-made fighter jet could tip the scales against Russia in Ukraine, but it might not get there any time soon
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-05 | by ( Sebastien Roblin | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +16 min

Ukraine's air force remains in the fight almost a year after Russia's shambolic invasion. Sooner or later, Ukraine must induct new jet fighters into service — and they sure aren't buying them from Russia. JAS-39 Gripen: background and capabilitiesA Swedish JAS 39 Gripen at Bobo, Norway in October 2018. A Hungarian Air Force JAS-39 Gripen in August 2010. JAS-39 Gripen vs. F-16A US Air Force F-16 takes off from Aviano Air Base in Italy in June 2020.

Catalano's brother, Agostino, was a policeman who died in a 1992 bomb that killed anti-mob magistrate Paolo Borsellino - a attack that prosecutors say Messina Denaro helped mastermind. The last confirmed sighting of Messina Denaro was in 1993, making it difficult for police to identify the most wanted man in Italy. Only one of them decided to collaborate with justice," said Roberto Piscitello, a prosecutor who tried to capture Messina Denaro from 1996 to 2008. FALSE IDENTITYPolice say they managed to catch Messina Denaro after learning from wiretaps of his relatives that he had cancer. BUSINESS CONTACTSMagistrates said they found evidence that Messina Denaro had visited Spain, Greece and Austria over the years.

[1/4] A member of Doctors Without Borders (MSF) looks at a migrant after he was rescued by the ship 'Geo Barents' during a search and rescue (SAR) operation in the Mediterranean Sea, January 25, 2023. La Spezia is the furthest and northernmost destination that Italy has assigned to an NGO ship. Forcing NGO ships to reach ever-more distant ports increases costs at a time when budgets are stretched by inflation and higher fuel costs following Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Last month, the SOS Mediterranee NGO appealed for donations, saying fuel charges for its Ocean Viking rescue ship had increased by over 1 million euros during 2022. The new docking destinations policy adds to a December decree which forces NGO ships to request and head to a port "without delay" after each rescue, rather than continue looking for boats in distress.

☆ Italian Movie Star Claudia Cardinale Had a Thing for Brigitte Bardot’s Ponytail
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-24 | by ( Marc Myers | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Claudia Cardinale, 84, is an Italian actress who starred in more than 100 films, including “8½” and “The Pink Panther.” Twenty of her films will be screened by New York’s MoMA, with restorations by Italy’s Cinecittà, starting Feb. 3. She and her daughter, Claudia Squitieri, spoke with Marc Myers. I grew up in Tunis, the capital of Tunisia. At the time, Tunisia was a French protectorate with a thriving economy. Sicily was only two hours away by boat, so over time a large Sicilian community had emigrated to Tunis for work.

☆ You can rent out Daphne and Harper's Sicilian villa from 'The White Lotus' for around $6,000 per night on Airbnb
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-20 | by ( Dan Latu | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

The Villa Tasca is available for around $6,000 per night with a three-night minimum on Airbnb. The Villa Tasca has inspired famous opera composers, according to its website. The Villa Tasca grounds include a 20-acre garden and citrus grove. Courtesy of the Airbnb Photographer CommunityIn "The White Lotus," the villa is located in the town of Noto, known for its baroque architecture. But the Villa Tasca actually is located in Palermo, Sicily's capital and where other tragic storylines in season 2 take place.

☆ Watch: California Floods Leave Behind Washed Away Houses, Submerged Cars
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-18 | by ( Wall Street Journal | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Watch: Italy Arrests Most-Wanted Mafia Boss Italy’s Carabinieri military police arrested the country’s most notorious mafia boss in Sicily after a 30-year manhunt. Matteo Messina Denaro was at a clinic in the outskirts of Palermo when police swarmed the area and captured him on Monday. Photo: Agence France-Presse/Getty Images

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