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☆ Napoli fans told not to take title party onto Vesuvius
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-28 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

April 28 (Reuters) - Napoli fans preparing to celebrate the club's first Italian league title since 1990 have been told to steer clear of Mount Vesuvius, the volcano that overlooks the southern city of Naples. Park authorities became concerned at reports that Napoli's fanatical fans planned to set off flares to light up Vesuvius in the Italian national colours should the team clinch the title on Sunday, branding the stunt dangerous. Runaway leaders Napoli will secure the club's third Serie A crown if they beat visitors Salernitana and second-placed Lazio drop points against Inter Milan at San Siro. "We are all pleased for Napoli's success which will bring honour to our region and great joy for people," said Vesuvius park commissioner Raffaele De Luca. Vesuvius famously erupted in AD79 when it destroyed the nearby Roman city of Pompeii but it remains active.

☆ Hungary’s Habsburg Ambassador to the Pope, With an Offbeat Résumé
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-27 | by ( Jason Horowitz | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

When Pope Francis lands in Budapest on Friday, Eduard Habsburg, Hungary’s ambassador to the Holy See and a descendant of the defunct Habsburg dynasty that once ruled much of Europe, will greet him on the tarmac with a gag gift. “Begin now or do you want to wait for eternity?” Mr. Habsburg, 56, said he planned to ask Francis. But after a career as a zombie-movie screenwriter, cartoon producer, love-triangle novelist, anime enthusiast, sci-fi geek and media personality with monarchic sensibilities, the Hungarian government came calling. OK. That’s the same question I asked,” the amiable diplomat said over coffee in his residence last week in Rome. “You will find respect in the Vatican if you go to Rome, because the Vatican still respects traditional families.”

☆ Russia-Ukraine War News: Pope Francis Discusses Peace Efforts
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-27 | by ( Gaia Pianigiani | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +4 min

A photo provided by the Vatican shows Pope Francis, center left, with the prime minister of Ukraine, Denys Shmyhal, center right, during a private audience in the Vatican on Thursday. Pope Francis discussed peace efforts in Ukraine with the country’s prime minister, Denys Shmyhal, during a private audience at the Vatican on Thursday, their first known meeting since Russia launched its full-scale invasion. The relationship between Ukraine and Francis, who has long called for peace and decried what he called barbaric acts of war, was troubled in the early months of the conflict. Mr. Shmyhal also asked the pope for help in “returning home Ukrainian children” who have been deported to Russia. Early in the war Ukrainian officials criticized the pope’s decision not to name Russia or its president, Vladimir V. Putin, as the aggressor in the conflict.

☆ A Glamorous Masked Ball, and 100 People to Know
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-27 | by ( Katie Van Syckle | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

The Met Gala, which will be held next week, serves as the unofficial birthday party for Vogue magazine. The outfits at Time’s 100 Most Influential People in the World gala, held last night at Jazz at Lincoln Center, generally don’t involve as much forethought, but it is nevertheless an opulent affair. Tiffany Haddish wore a red and black sequined gown and Natasha Lyonne was in a black Area dress with a bedazzled oyster bodice. The storied masquerade party and annual gala dinner raises money to preserve the artworks of the flood-threatened Italian city. The event raised $1.2 million and transformed the Plaza into an arms-in-the-air dance party with the D.J.

☆ Pope allows women to vote at bishops meeting for first time
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-26 | by ( Philip Pullella | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/2] Pope Francis leaves following the weekly general audience in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican April 26, 2023. REUTERS/Guglielmo MangiapaneApril 26 (Reuters) - Pope Francis, in a historic move that could lead to more inclusiveness in decision-making in the Roman Catholic Church, will allow women to vote for the first time at a global meeting of bishops in October. The revolutionary rules, announced on Wednesday, allow for five religious sisters with voting rights. The 70 priests, religious sisters, deacons and lay Catholics will be chosen by the pope from a list of 140 people recommended by national bishops' conferences. In another last year, he named three women to a previously all-male committee that advises him in selecting the world's bishops.

☆ What Is the Synod of Bishops?
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-26 | by ( Gaia Pianigiani | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

The Synod of Bishops is a religious assembly of bishops from all over the world who gather in Rome to discuss issues vital to the Roman Catholic Church and act as an advisory body to the pope. The word synod means “coming together.” It stems from ancient Greek, and is a combination of the word “together” and “road” or “way.”Pope Francis announced on Wednesday that for the first time at an upcoming synod, women and laypeople will be able to vote. As a result, half of the 70 non-bishop voting members will be women, and five nuns will also have voting rights. Preparation for such events requires years, as church leaders hold consultations and listen to their local communities before the selected bishops travel to the Vatican to gather around the pope, who ultimately decides possible changes to the church’s discipline or administration. The Vatican has described synods as opportunities for bishops “to interact with each other and to share information and experiences, in the common pursuit of pastoral solutions which have a universal validity and application.”

☆ Pope Will Allow Women to Vote at Meeting of Bishops
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-26 | by ( Elisabetta Povoledo | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

The Vatican announced on Wednesday that Pope Francis would for the first time allow women to vote at a coming meeting of bishops, an important step toward giving them more say in the affairs of the Roman Catholic Church. The pope also increased the number of laypeople who will participate next October at the meeting, the Synod of Bishops, which periodically meets at the Vatican to discuss issues such as how to deal with divorced couples. The coming synod is centered on fostering a greater involvement of the faithful as the church moves forward. The Synod advises the pope and is influential, although only he makes church policy. The rule changes for the bishops’ meeting were made public on Wednesday in a document outlining the norms governing the synod.

☆ Opinion | Which Inflation Measures Matter?
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-25 | by ( Paul Krugman | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Of course, if you have been following this discussion, you have indeed heard this before. Clarity in the inflation discussion has been very hard to come by, even if you ignore the people filling my inbox with declarations that the dollar is doomed and that hyperinflation is just around the corner. I’ve compared debates among economists over each new trove of inflation data to ancient Roman priests seeking auguries in the entrails of sacrificed animals, a remark that, oddly, doesn’t seem to have won me many friends among my colleagues. It’s also disturbing that many economists always seem to come down on the same side of these debates: Optimists are always optimistic, pessimists always pessimistic. So I thought I’d devote today’s newsletter to a probably doomed attempt to bring some clarity to this discussion.

☆ Pope Francis plans to visit his native Argentina in 2024, local media reports
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-23 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

BUENOS AIRES, April 23 (Reuters) - Pope Francis, who has not visited his home country Argentina since he left for the Vatican a decade ago, said he planned to visit in 2024, local media reported on Sunday. "I always wanted to return," Francis told Argentina's La Nacion newspaper. If the visit takes place, he would travel a year after the general elections next October. "Don't link me to Argentine politics, please," the leader of the world's nearly 1.4 billion Roman Catholics is quoted as saying. Reporting by Lucila Sigal in Buenos Aires; Additional reporting by Francesca Landini in Milan; Editing by Lisa ShumakerOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ ‘Succession’ Season 4, Episode 5 Recap: Bleed the Swede
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-23 | by ( Noel Murray | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +2 min

The trip is the first big test for Kendall and Roman, who spend the first part of this episode scrutinizing emails and complaining about keeping the numbers straight across five Waystar divisions. Gerri though, on the plane ride over, encourages her people not to be so worried about these smug Swedes. Matsson pledged to buy Waystar Royco (minus ATN) for $144 a share. In a private meeting with Matsson, Kendall casts a steely eye on him and remains unfazed even when the flighty tech billionaire makes a snide comment about Waystar’s sliding stock price. So ends Round 1 of this negotiation, with Matsson slightly ahead, if only because he asked for something Kendall and Roman were not prepared to give.

☆ A 2000-year-old Roman bust that was sold for $35 at a Goodwill in Texas is heading back to its 'rightful' home in Germany
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-23 | by ( Isobel Van Hagen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

An ancient Roman marble bust found in Texas will soon return to its "rightful" home in Germany. Laura Young bought the bust in 2018 for just $35 at a Goodwill in Austin, Texas. Laura Young found the bust at a Goodwill in Austin, Texas, in 2018. While the sculpture is currently on display at the San Antonio museum, it will soon return to its "rightful home" when repatriated to Germany next month. Stephennie Mulder (@stephenniem) May 21, 2022"It's been really bittersweet," Young told CNN on Thursday.

☆ How the U.S. Clean Air Act lets closed coal plants keep polluting for years
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-22 | by ( Tim Mclaughlin | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +10 min

Under the federal program, states distribute a certain number of allowances to power plants annually. Reuters found dozens of other examples of coal plants using credits from closed facilities to help comply with pollution rules over the past five years. During the 2021 ozone season, New Madrid’s pollution was five times higher than average among coal plants participating in the NOx-reduction program, EPA data show. RED-STATE PROTESTSUtilities and lawmakers in Republican-controlled states have pushed hard against curbs on coal pollution, including the EPA’s latest NOx-reduction regulations. But even at that price, NOx allowances will find buyers among coal plants, including those that operate at high pollution rates.

☆ Under Lisbon's streets, ancient Roman galleries tell story of the past
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-22 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

[1/5] View of Roman galleries under downtown is seen in Lisbon, Portugal, April 20, 2023. The city remained under Roman control for several centuries. The galleries were first discovered in 1771, when Lisbon was being rebuilt after the devastating Great Earthquake of 1755. Tickets to visit the galleries usually sell out within 15 minutes. Reporting by Catarina Demony, Miguel Pereira and Pedro Nunes in Lisbon; Editing by Matthew LewisOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Italy’s new tourism ambassador is Botticelli’s Venus, brought to life by AI
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-21 | by ( Barbie Latza Nadeau | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +1 min

But a new marketing campaign by Italy’s tourism ministry has turned the ancient deity into a “virtual influencer”—with the help of artificial intelligence technology. “A Venus in the role of a modern influencer will lead every international visitor by the hand to discover our country,” the announcement from the Ministry of Tourism promises. Some are computer-generated, while others feature a human model whose face is never seen but who has the same long, wavy hair. “I’m 30—ok, maybe just a little bit older,” Venus says. “I’m a virtual influencer.”

☆ Saadiyat: The 'island of happiness' just off Abu Dhabi
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-21 | by ( Chris Dwyer | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

Jon Arnold Images Ltd/Alamy Stock PhotoWhile Abu Dhabi itself is home to bombastic contemporary architecture, Saadiyat – an easy 20-minute drive from downtown and Abu Dhabi International Airport – is a natural wonderland, edged by small sand dunes. Elevated boardwalks protect them from beachgoers – part of a conservation project led by Jumeirah at Saadiyat Island Resort and its inhouse marine biologist. Department of Culture and Tourism Abu DhabiOpen year-round, Saadiyat Beach Golf Club is home to a Gary Player signature 18-hole golf course. Luc Castel/Getty ImagesInaugurated in 2017, The Louvre Abu Dhabi is France’s largest cultural project abroad. Louvre Abu Dhabi isn’t the only highbrow place on Saadiyat – behind the dunes there are two world-class educational institutions, too.

☆ Ukraine-Russia War: Live Updates
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-20 | by ( Helene Cooper | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +4 min

As she told her story with the help of an interpreter, some members of the House committee grew visibly emotional. At one point, the turret of an armored vehicle was pointed at them, Ms. Bobrovska said. Ms. Bobrovska said he and other Ukrainian children were visited by Russia’s commissioner for children’s rights, Maria Lvova-Belova, who informed them that they would be adopted. Roman eventually managed to return to Ukraine with the help of volunteers, Ms. Bobrovska said, but she did not detail how, citing safety concerns. The prosecutor general of Ukraine, Andriy Kostin, addressed the Republican-led House committee after the survivors’ testimony to urge increased international pressure on Russia to return the children.

☆ U.S. princess evicted from Rome villa famed for Caravaggio fresco
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-20 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

REUTERS/Remo Casilli/File PhotoROME, April 20 (Reuters) - A U.S.-born princess was evicted on Thursday from a Roman villa featuring the only known fresco by Italian baroque artist Caravaggio, and denounced her ousting as a travesty of justice. "I am being brutally evicted from a home which I have lovingly taken care of for the past 20 years," Princess Rita Jenrette Boncompagni Ludovisi said on Twitter shortly before leaving her home along with her four small dogs. Princess Boncompagni Ludovisi, 73, told Reuters in January that the tours were organised to raise money for maintenance. A former actress, Playboy model and ex-wife of a U.S. congressman, Boncompagni Ludovisi married the late Prince Nicolo Boncompagni Ludovisi, scion of one of Europe's most aristocratic families, in 2009. In his will, he gave his wife the right to stay in the Rome villa for the rest of her life.

☆ US-born princess evicted from Rome villa famed for Caravaggio fresco
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-20 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

They are among the discordant calls made by Spanish and EU bureaucrats as Spain's drive to hand out 77 billion euros ($84 billion) in grants from EU pandemic recovery funds becomes mired in complexity, according to interviews with business associations, government officials, companies and consultants. Spain is the EU pilot project for disbursing grants from the largest stimulus package in the bloc's history, an overall pot of 724 billion euros, including loans. A year into the disbursement process, about 23.5 billion euros had been awarded as of December last year, according to the latest figures published by the government last month. That's a sluggish pace, given the EU and Spain have set a deadline of the end of this year to award all 77 billion euros. Meanwhile, only about 9 billion euros have actually reached the businesses awarded funds, according to calculations by the Esade Centre for Economic Policy, a Madrid-based think-tank that tracks the pandemic recovery cash.

☆ Princess Rita Jenrette Boncompagni evicted from villa with original Caravaggio in Rome
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-20 | by ( Barbie Latza Nadeau | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

Rome CNN —Princess Rita Jenrette Boncompagni Ludovisi – formerly Rita Carpenter, the former wife of Republican US Rep. John Jenrette – has been evicted from the home she once shared with the late Prince Nicolo Boncompagni, after an inheritance dispute with his children. Princess Rita confirmed her eviction from the historic Casino dell’Aurora in central Rome to CNN on Wednesday. Princess Rita Boncompagni Ludovisi poses for a photograph outside Villa Aurora in Rome, Italy, November 16, 2021. A statue of Pan by Michelangelo is seen outside Villa Aurora. Princess Rita told reporters at the Casino dell’Aurora as she left on Thursday that she is writing a new book about her latest ordeal.

☆ Chelsea: How American billionaire owner blew over $600 million but ended up with nothing this season
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-20 | by ( Thomas Schlachter | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

CNN —“We’re all in – 100%,” US billionaire businessman Todd Boehly told Chelsea fans upon his arrival at the club in May 2022. Chelsea crashed out of the Champions League after losing to Real Madrid 4-0 on aggregate. Following the loss against Real Madrid, Chelsea captain Thiago Silva spoke candidly to reporters on the issues that come with this kind of spending. Besides Kai Havertz and Marc Cucurella, no Chelsea outfield player has started more than 20 games in the Premier League this season. The Blues are on course to have their lowest scoring season in Premier League history with their current total of 30 goals.

☆ ‘Rear View,’ a Show About Butts, Is Forward Thinking
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-20 | by ( Jason Farago | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +2 min

The four art dealers who trade together as LGDR have opened a gallery on East 64th Street with a preposterous inaugural exhibition — but before you take that the wrong way, remember the etymology. Preposterous, adjective: from the Latin prae-, meaning “before,” and posterus, or “coming after.” Something preposterous is turned the wrong way. …I had better stop; “Rear View,” with more than 60 paintings, sculptures and photographs of human figures facing the more interesting way, invites a preposterous amount of wordplay. Many of the artists in “Rear View” channel their backward glances through the classical ideal. Michelangelo Pistoletto, the Arte Povera artist, places a concrete copy of the Aphrodite of Knidos in a pile of trash.

☆ Kendall Roy's 'Succession' penthouse is on sale for $29 million
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-19 | by ( Hafsa Khalil | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +1 min

The penthouse at 180 East 88th Street, which featured as the home of Jeremy Strong’s character in HBO’s Emmy-winning hit show, “Succession,” is on sale for $29 million. A spiral staircase leads to the second floor and to the roof landing. Sean HemmerleThe interior of the five-bedroom apartment covers 5,508 square feet and includes two living rooms, four bathrooms, a private elevator and a spectacular, sculptural spiral staircase. Sean HemmerleThe three-story home was originally listed by Corcoran for $33 million in 2022, but dropped to its current price this year. And for anyone with a bit more to spend, Roman Roy’s (Kieran Culkin) equally opulent Upper West Side apartment is also on sale, for a cool $38 million.

☆ Maserati's going electric while simultaneously reconnecting to its gas-powered past
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-19 | by ( Peter Valdes-Dapena | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

Next year, Maserati will reveal a fully electric sedan for which they will be no gas-powered version at all. So does Ferrari, Maserati’s sister brand until a few years ago when it was spun off under its own stock symbol. The Maserati Grecale SUV has an aggressive driving feel. Now that the spinoff of Ferrari has left Maserati the company’s only ultra-luxury brand, Grasso feels more is expected, he said. “We can only be at ease when Maserati’s profitability is above Stellantis’s profitability,” he said.

☆ Russian soldiers 'forced me to dig my own grave': US lawmakers hear accounts of Russian war crimes
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-19 | by ( Jennifer Hansler | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

CNN —A 57-year-old Ukrainian woman from Kherson testified to US lawmakers that Russian forces beat her, threatened to rape her and forced her to dig her own grave. Lyubov’s story was one of two powerful and horrific testimonies shared with House Foreign Affairs Committee members at a hearing about Russian war crimes Wednesday. Ukrainian Prosecutor General Andriy Kostin, who also testified at the hearing, said his office registered around 80,000 incidents of potential war crimes, and to date has convicted 31 Russians for war crimes in Ukrainian courts. “These are more than war crimes. Roman was able to make his way back to Ukraine with the help of volunteers from the country, the representative said.

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