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☆ The best fashion at Cannes Film Festival so far
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-16 | by ( Leah Dolan | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

Gisela Schober/German Select/Getty ImagesGreta Gerwig in Armani Privé, May 15. Gisela Schober/German Select/Getty ImagesAnya Taylor-Joy in Dior couture, May 15. Gisela Schober/German Select/Getty ImagesSabrina Dhowre Elba in Fendi couture, May 15. Lionel Hahn/Getty ImagesJuilette Binoche in Dior couture, May 14. Gisela Schober/German Select/Getty ImagesMeryl Streep in Dior couture, May 14.

Persons: “ Barbie, Greta Gerwig, Lily Gladstone, James Bond, Eva Green, Juan Antonion Bayon, Ebru Ceylan, Francis Ford Coppola’s, “, ”, Adam Driver, Aubrey, Mad Max, Anya Taylor, Lanthimos, Emma Stone, Hunter Schafer, Joe Alwyn, Margaret Qualley, Keke Palmer, We’ve, Taylor, Joy, Naomi Campbell, Pascal Le Segretain, Chanel, Gisela Schober, Armani Privé, Sabrina Dhowre Elba, Ernesto Ruscio, Cindy Bruna, Samir Hussein, Vicky Krieps, Lionel Hahn, Meryl Streep, Dior, Mike Marsland, Neilson Barnard Organizations: CNN, haute, Getty Locations: Spanish, Turkish, France, Armani, couture, Fendi couture, Laruicci, Bottega Veneta, Dior couture, Gucci, Maison Margiela

☆ Top baby names: Mateo’s popularity is growing
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-14 | by ( Catherine E. Shoichet | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

CNN —There’s a new arrival on the list of the most popular baby names in the US. Officials also pointed out that pop culture is having an impact on the list of baby names that are rising in popularity the fastest. In a news release Friday, the Social Security Administration credited a social media influencer for inspiring the trend. Influencer Kaeli Mae, shown here attending New York Fashion Week in February, says she was surprised to learn of her name's rising popularity. Curtis Bonds/NetflixKihm traces the name’s rising popularity back even earlier, to 2015, when NFL player Cam Newton named his son Chosen.

Persons: CNN —, Mateo, Benjamin, “ Mateo, ”, Sophie Kihm, Kihm, Liam, Olivia, “, it’s, Kaeli, Kaeli McEwen, Kaeli Mae, Influencer Kaeli Mae, Manny Carabel, McEwen, Nameberry, Alitzel, Chozen, Cobra Kai, Yuji Okumoto, Kai, Curtis Bonds, Cam Newton, Barbie, Ken Organizations: CNN, Social Security Administration, Social Security, New York, US Social Security Administration, Netflix, NFL Locations: United States

☆ Opinion: What ‘Unfrosted’ reveals about my growing unease about Jerry Seinfeld
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-08 | by ( Gene | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

I love “Seinfeld.” As for the actual comedian Jerry Seinfeld, however it’s…complicated. In most of his activities outside his eponymous classic sitcom (1989-1998), Seinfeld bemuses more than amuses me. This ambivalence only obliquely affects my opinion of “Unfrosted,” Seinfeld’s recently-released feature-length Netflix comedy. Still, I’ve always had the disquieting sense of Seinfeld somehow always Getting Away With Something when he pulls off this suave, impeccably creased act. Seinfeld isn’t about unsettling his viewers and I’m in no way suggesting he should be.

Persons: Gene Seymour, —, Seinfeld, Jerry, George, Elaine, Kramer, Gene Seymour Jeremy Freeman, “, Jerry Seinfeld, he’s, I’d, ” Seinfeld’s, Barbie ”, ”, Seinfeld’s, Tony, Tiger, Hugh Grant, Thurl Ravenscroft, Andy Daly, Variety’s Owen Gleiberman, Unfrosted ”, Kyle Dunnigan’s Walter Cronkite, Bill Burr’s, Grant, Melissa McCarthy, James Marsden, Amy Schumer, Christian Slater, Jon Hamm, John Slattery, Larry David, David, don’t, that’s, I’ve, John Mulaney, snags, ” Seinfeld, he’d Organizations: The New York Times, Newsday, Entertainment, The Washington, CNN, Quaker Oats, Bill Burr’s JFK, Seinfeld, Netflix, Twitter Locations: Israel

☆ Mattel CEO: The success of the 'Barbie' movie was a great showcase of the strength of our brand
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-07 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailMattel CEO: The success of the 'Barbie' movie was a great showcase of the strength of our brandMattel CEO Ynon Kreiz joins CNBC's 'Money Movers' to discuss the company's next step after the success of 'Barbie,' the state of toy industry, and more

Persons: Ynon Kreiz, Barbie Organizations: Mattel

☆ European court says Italy is the rightful owner of Getty Museum bronze statue
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-03 | by ( Barbie Nadeau | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

Rome CNN —Italy has the right to confiscate a life-size bronze statue dating back to the second or third centuries B.C. The ruling came after the Getty Museum asked the European Court of Human Rights to intervene following a 2018 Italian court decree that the bronze statue should be confiscated and returned to Italy. The contested statue is being held at the Getty Villa Museum in Malibu, Los Angeles. Rolf_52/Alamy Stock PhotoThe Getty Museum does not agree with the latest ruling. Italy will now work with US authorities to return the statue, a spokesperson for the cultural ministry told CNN.

Persons: Rome, Paul, Lysippos, “, Getty, Gennaro Sangiuliano, ”, It’s, ” Maurizio Fiorilli Organizations: Rome CNN —, Paul Getty Villa Museum, European, of Human, Getty Museum, of Human Rights, The Getty Museum, Cultural Heritage Ministry, Getty Villa Museum, Getty, American, of Culture, Louvre Museum, Minneapolis Museum, CNN Locations: Rome CNN — Italy, Los Angeles , California, Italian, Italy, ”, Malibu , Los Angeles, Greece, Strasbourg, Italian State, Marche, Stabia

☆ Ryan Gosling wishes he could redo this one ‘La La Land’ scene that has been memorialized
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-03 | by ( Lisa Respers France | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +1 min

CNN —“La La Land” was both a critical and box office success, but one thing still bothers star Ryan Gosling. In a playful video interview with the Wall Street Journal, the actor shared his discontent with his performance in one memorable scene. “That [gesturing with his hand pointed up].”“It’s just a lazy, he added. “I call it ‘La La Hand.’”Gosling seemed surprised with the interviewer informed him that dancers refer to it as “hamburger hands.”“It’s a thing!” he said. The “Barbie” star also said that he thought having a background in dance “would help in ‘La La Land.’”“Then, of course, ‘Hamburger Hands Gosling’ over here,” he joked.

Persons: CNN —, ”, Ryan Gosling, “, Emma, Stone, Guy ”, Emma Stone’s, ’ ” Gosling, Barbie, ‘ Hamburger, Gosling Organizations: CNN, Wall Street Journal Locations: La, ‘ La La

☆ In Latest Stunt, Airbnb Lists the ‘Up’ House. It Floats.
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-01 | by ( Orlando Mayorquín | More About Orlando Mayorquín | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

It was meeting her Airbnb host: Christina Aguilera. “It just felt like a dream,” Ms. Garza, 26, said. When she was growing up, her bedroom was decorated with posters of the pop star. Ms. Garza had nabbed one of the “once-in-a-lifetime” promotional stays that Airbnb has occasionally listed in recent years. On Wednesday, Airbnb announced that it was expanding stunt promotions like these under a new permanent category called “Icons,” featuring unusual and ambitious partnerships with brands and celebrities

Persons: Aubrey Garza’s, Christina Aguilera, Ms, Garza, Airbnb Organizations: Scottish Highlands Locations: Las Vegas, Scottish

☆ Ancient text reveals details of Plato’s burial place and final evening, experts say
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-30 | by ( Barbie Latza Nadeau | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

It was previously only known that he was buried in the academy, but not specifically where, Ranocchia told CNN Tuesday. A statue of ancient Greek philosopher Plato in Athens, Greece. Brigida Soriano/AlamyThe text also provides more detail about Plato’s final night – and he wasn’t a fan of the music that was played. The project, called the Greek Schools project, is a five-year study using various technologies and methods to help decipher the fragile papyri. “The new readings often draw on new and concrete facts about Plato’s Academy, Hellenistic literature, Philodemus of Gadara and ancient history in general.”

Persons: Plato, Graziano Ranocchia, Ranocchia, Roman general Sulla, Brigida Soriano, ”, ” Ranocchia, Socrates, Julius Caesar, Lorenzo Di Cola, ” Kilian Fleischer Organizations: CNN, Platonic Academy of Athens, of Philology, University of Pisa, Platonic, Spartans, University of Naples, European Union, ERC – European Research Council, Greek Schools, Plato’s Academy Locations: Vesuvius, Athens, Greece, Thrace, Naples, Mesopotamia, Aegina, Sicily, Herculaneum, Italy

We'll show you everything you need to know about how to get Billie Eilish tickets, including details on accessing the pre-sale. We've got you covered if you're looking for tickets to Billie Eilish's 2024-2025 concert tour. How to get Billie Eilish ticketsInitial Billie Eilish tickets are sold through Ticketmaster. Historically, Billie Eilish tickets are snapped up pretty quickly, so fans will want to be waiting in the queue as soon as the sale starts. How much are Billie Eilish tickets?

Persons: Eilish, Oscar, Billie Eilish, Finneas, James Bond, We've, Billie Eilish's, she'll, we've, Québec, Saint, Billie, you'll Organizations: Business, Academy, Ticketmaster, IL, San Jose , CA, American Express, Heritage Bank Center Locations: North America, Canada, Australia, Ireland, Toronto, Baltimore, Philadelphia , PA, Detroit , MI, Newark , NJ, Boston, Pittsburgh , PA, New York, NY, Atlanta, Nashville, TN, Cincinnati, Saint Paul, Chicago, Kansas City ,, Omaha, Denver, Vancouver, Seattle , WA, Portland, San Jose ,, Glendale, AZ, Los Angeles , CA, States, New York , Illinois, Colorado , Virginia , Utah, Connecticut, Cincinnati , Ohio

☆ Shonda Rhimes thinks people tried too hard to make 'Barbie' a 'feminist manifesto'
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-29 | by ( Palmer Haasch | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +1 min

Shonda Rhimes said that she thought "Barbie" was a great movie. However, she thinks some people may have overhyped it as a "feminist manifesto." download the app Email address Sign up By clicking “Sign Up”, you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy . AdvertisementShonda Rhimes said that the "Barbie" movie was "delightful" — but thinks that it might have been overhyped as a feminist masterpiece. Rhimes told Variety that she saw the film at home rather than theaters, and initially declined to comment on whether or not she liked the film.

Persons: Shonda Rhimes, I'm, Ken, —, Rhimes Organizations: Service, Netflix

☆ ‘Avengers Assemble:’ Five years after ‘Endgame,’ the box office needs more than just a blip
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-25 | by ( Brian Lowry | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

For many it felt like a soothing balm, underscoring the kind of communal experience people were missing as the still-new coronavirus pandemic shuttered theaters. Even allowing for that, the operatic heights achieved by “Endgame,” which grossed nearly $2.8 billion worldwide, would have been difficult to replicate. Such a concept would have sounded particularly foreign in the run-up to “Endgame,” when Marvel and its leader, Kevin Feige, appeared to possess a Midas touch. Venezuelan filmgoers watch the first screening in Venezuela of Marvel Studios' "Avengers: Endgame" at a cinema in Caracas on April 26, 2019. Unlike “Endgame,” the challenges that face the movie business can’t be undone with a snap of the fingers.

Persons: Captain, Thanos, ”, Marvel, Kevin Feige, Federico Parra, Joe, Anthony Russo, America, Russo, Joe Russo, Barbie ”, Captain America Organizations: CNN, Captain America, Marvel Studios, Marvel, DC, Warner Bros, Hollywood, “, Getty, Film, Captain, Disney Locations: Venezuela, Caracas, AFP

☆ Why auction houses are embracing luxury — and celebrity — fashion
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-25 | by ( Joan Kennedy | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

(CNN) — There’s a lot of talk about luxury’s rising prices, but it’s at auction that fashion is selling for the most eye-popping of sums. Fashion items from the sets of TV, film and even commercials can also garner high prices. Frank Augstein/APWhile selling prices are widely publicized, auction houses maintain something akin to attorney-client privilege when it comes to the identities of their bidders. In fact, much of the archival fashion seen on stars today has passed through auction. “That dress would now sell for $10 million because of that double whammy connection of a celebrity,” said Nolan.

Persons: —, Celine, Joan Didion, Levi’s, Kurt Cobain, Elton, Burberry, ”, Nicole Kidman, Lucy Bishop, Frank Augstein, Bishop, Audrey Hepburn, Diana —, Victoria, they’re, Lady Gaga, Kim Kardashian, Michael Jackson’s, Laverne Cox, Jordan Strauss, ’, Shannon Hoey, Hoey, Dior, Elizabeth Debicki, Diana, “, Meg Randell, Leigh Anne Clark —, Valentino, Saint Laurent, Chanel, Andre Leon Talley’s Birkin, Christie’s, Anna Wintour, Clark, Talley, would’ve, Andre Leon Talley's, Meghan McCarthy, Renae Plant, Diana’s, It’s, Carrie Bradshaw, Martin Nolan, Carrie Bradshaw's, Craig Blankenhorn, Barbie, Marilyn Monroe, John F, Kennedy, Nolan, Read Organizations: The, Fashion, CNN, AMC, Albert Museum, York’s Metropolitan Museum of Art, Vogue, USA, Plant, City, Julien’s, HBO Locations: London, Dallas, Palm Beach , Florida, California, Paris, Australia

☆ Toymaker Hasbro posts quarterly profit beat, slower sales decline
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-24 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

Hasbro reported a smaller-than-expected drop in first-quarter sales and handily beat profit estimates on Wednesday, as leaner inventories and steady digital gaming revenue helped cushion a drag from softer demand for toys. However, efforts to clean up its inventory throughout 2023, along with cost efficiencies, helped its operating margin expand to 15.3%, from 1.8% last year. On an adjusted basis, Hasbro reported earnings per share of 61 cents in the quarter ended March 31, compared to 1 cent last year. The toy maker said it was on track to achieve the fiscal 2024 targets it set in February. On Tuesday, Barbie maker Mattel posted a smaller-than-expected loss for the first quarter, helped by its costs-saving measures.

Persons: Barbie, Mattel Organizations: Hasbro, Walmart, Target, Revenue, Wizards, Coast

☆ Our top priority is driving organic growth, says Mattel CEO Ynon Kreiz
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-23 | by ( Jim Cramer | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Our top priority is driving organic growth, says Mattel CEO Ynon KreizMattel CEO Ynon Kreiz joins 'Mad Money' host Jim Cramer to talk quarterly results, upcoming entertainment products following the success of the Barbie movie, and more.

Persons: Ynon, Ynon Kreiz, Jim Cramer Organizations: Mattel

☆ 'Mattel is a turnaround story' when it comes to sustainability, says Helen Mbugua-Kahuki
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-22 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: 1 min

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via Email'Mattel is a turnaround story' when it comes to sustainability, says Helen Mbugua-KahukiHelen Mbugua-Kahuki, director of research at Calvert Research & Management, joins CNBC's 'The Exchange' to discuss sustainability stock picks, how the toymaker behind Barbie is going greener, and more.

Persons: Helen Mbugua, Barbie Organizations: Mattel, Calvert Research & Management

Within days, millions of TikTok videos using music from Universal artists went mute, and since then guessing which side would blink first has become a media-business parlor game. Backing this up, one study found that TikTok users reported experiencing higher levels of flow than Instagram users. Corey Basch, who analyzed 100 popular TikTok videos with the hashtag mentalhealth for a 2022 study, emerged concerned about the looping effect of the algorithm. Cerave Sales increased by more than 60 percent in 2020 after skin care became a lockdown pastime and TikTok users discovered the drugstore mainstay. Cat Crack Catnip It briefly sold out in 2021 after TikTok users posted videos of their cats going crazy for it.

Persons: randos, TikTok, you’ve, Sydney Sweeney, Glen Powell, ”, “ Wonka, Barbie, “ Oppenheimer, —, goofing, cavorting, Sue Fleishman, Z’s Walter Cronkite, Spehar, Donald J, Trump, he’s, Caitlin Clark’s, Joe Biden, Justin Bieber, Abbie Richards, Richards, Britney Spears, Taylor Swift, Olivia Rodrigo, Lil Nas X, Fleetwood Mac, Rodrigo, Billie Eilish, Drake, Swift, ByteDance, can’t, Mark Warner, hasn’t, Al, ear on, Li Organizations: Fleetwood Mac, Facebook, Sony, Universal, Warner Bros, White, Pew Research Center, YouTube, The New York Times, Kansas City Chiefs, Media, Colgate, Universal Music Group, ByteDance, Intelligence Committee, e Locations: United States, Beijing, Biden’s, TikTok, Singapore, View, Calif, China, American

☆ Led by stars like Taylor Swift and Caitlin Clark, women keep breaking boundaries (and records) in entertainment
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-18 | by ( Oliver Darcy | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

The highest-grossing film in recent memory is Greta Gerwig’s “Barbie.” And the most-watched basketball star is Caitlin Clark. Beyoncé’s first country album, “Cowboy Carter,” topped Billboard’s charts with nearly half a million copies sold in its debut week. Meanwhile, Swift is set to release her highly anticipated album, “The Tortured Poets Department,” on Friday. The impact of a once-in-a-generation star like Swift will surely inspire interest in other female-led performers, spawning even greater appetite and opportunities. Compare that to the NBA’s top pick Victor Wembanyama, who signed a $55 million contract with the San Antonio Spurs.

Persons: New York CNN —, Taylor Swift, Greta Gerwig’s “ Barbie, Caitlin Clark, Swift, Beyoncé’s, Cowboy Carter, ”, Tom Poleman, CNN’s Alli Rosenbloom, ” “ It’s, ” Poleman, Clark, Barbie ”, Gerwig, didn’t, Victor Wembanyama, “, Hoda Kotb, Caitlin Organizations: New York CNN, Poets Department, Clark’s Hawkeyes, South Carolina Gamecocks, NBA, WNBA, Street Journal, NCAA, Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, Warner Bros . Pictures, CNN, Indiana Fever, San Antonio Spurs Locations: New York, America

☆ Victoria Beckham at 50: Posh Spice’s most memorable fashion moments
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-17 | by ( Leah Dolan | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

Her image shifted in 2008 after she launched her eponymous fashion brand, which has since shown regularly at London, New York and Paris Fashion Weeks. While her wardrobe today tends to skew more subtle, there’s still nothing Victoria can’t style out — including, most recently, a pair of crutches to support her broken ankle. LBDs and all-black looks were a mainstay of Victoria's wardrobe as Posh Spice, demonstrated here at Grosvenor House in London during the Ivor Novello Awards in 1997. Andreas Rentz/Getty ImagesHer penchant for color-blocking, particularly in bright reds and oranges, have become a signature feature of Victoria's look — shown here during a visit to New York in 2017. Raymond Hall/GC Images/Getty ImagesShadows of her '90s style are still visible in her wardrobe today.

Persons: Victoria Beckham, David Beckham, Victoria, ”, ” Victoria, “, Ivor Novello, Dave Benett, Dave Hogan, Mick Hutson, Redferns, Jade, David, Chris Eades, Shutterstock, Marc Piasecki, Victoria's, Birkin, Robyn Beck, Suhaimi Abdullah, forgoing, Andreas Rentz, Raymond Hall, Pascal Le Segretain Organizations: CNN, Spice Girl, burberry, Paris, Vogue, Grosvenor House, Spice, Wembley Arena Victoria, VH1, Hulton, Burberry, LA Galaxy, Cannes Locations: England, London , New York, Victoria, Grosvenor, London, Ibiza, Paris, California, AFP, Singapore, New York

☆ Forget traveling to the Netherlands. I saw millions of colorful tulips without having to leave the US.
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-16 | by ( Bernadette Rankin | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

I've always dreamed of traveling to the Netherlands to visit the famous tulip festival. Instead, I visited Mount Vernon, Washington, during the height of the Skagit Valley Tulip Festival. AdvertisementThe Netherlands' legendary tulip fields have always been on my bucket list. After seeing the monthlong event referred to as "the Netherlands of the Northwest" by the festival's executive director, I knew I had to visit the Skagit Valley Tulip Festival. AdvertisementIf you have time and don't mind paying the admission price for each farm, I highly suggest visiting all four participating Skagit Valley Tulip Festival farms.

Persons: I've, —, Bernadette Rankin, Bernadette Rankin Next Organizations: Tulip, Service Locations: Netherlands, Mount Vernon , Washington, Skagit, Northwest Washington, Seattle, RoozenGaarde

☆ Taylor Swift, Rihanna, Blackpink's Lisa: Celebrities spotted at Coachella 2024
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-15 | by ( Amanda Goh | Ayomikun Adekaiyero | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +9 min

The annual Coachella music festival, held in Indio, California, is underway. Here are the celebrities who have attended the music festival so far. The likes of Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez, Taylor Swift, and even Blackpink's Lisa have been spotted among the audience. Here are the celebrities who have been seen enjoying Coachella 2024 so far. Taylor Swift and Travis KelceTaylor Swift and Travis Kelce at Neon Carnival held during the Coachella Music and Arts Festival on April 13, 2024 in Thermal, California.

Persons: Taylor Swift, Rihanna, Lisa, —, Lana Del Rey, Tyler, Jeff Bezos, Lauren Sanchez, Travis Kelce Taylor Swift, Travis Kelce, Gilbert Flores, Swift, Jason, Lauren Sánchez, Kris Jenner's, Corey Gamble, Lana Del Rey's, Rocky, Shakira, Blackpink's Lisa LISA, BLACKPINK, Bizarrap's, Blackpink's Lisa, Blackpink, Barry Keoghan Barry Keoghan, Tommaso Boddi, Sabrina Carpenter's, Keoghan, Carpenter, Justin Bieber, Jaden Smith Bieber, Smith, Hailey Bieber Hailey Bieber, Campbell Puckett, 🌵🎡, Rob e, mee, fou, ann u, e, Lew, tim e Organizations: Service, Billboard, Los Angeles Times, Coachella Music, Arts Festival, Getty, NFL, Coachella, AP, Valley Music, Arts, spo Locations: Indio , California, Thermal , California, Coachella, Singapore, fes, Fes

☆ Lego is cashing in big time on its adult fan base, doubling its revenue in the last decade
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-14 | by ( Katie Balevic | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Lego is cashing in on adult fans buying high-priced Lego sets. The $850 Millennium Falcon set is part of how Lego doubled its revenue in a decade. Lego knows that and is cashing in on its base of adult fans willing to dish out hundreds of dollars on elaborate sets. "Nowadays it's not so geeky," Sian Twynham, another adult Lego builder, told the Journal. AdvertisementWhether it's nostalgia or strategic marketing, toy companies are seeing big returns when they rebrand kids products for adult audiences.

Persons: —, Jonny Edmondson, We've, Julia Goldin, Lego's, Sian Twynham, Greta Gerwig's, toymaker Mattel, execs Organizations: Service, Star, Wall Street, Warner Bros, Hasbro, Associated Press

☆ Italy’s prime minister says surrogacy ‘inhuman’ as party backs steeper penalties
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-13 | by ( Barbie Latza Nadeau | Christopher Lamb | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —Italian prime minister Giorgia Meloni says surrogacy is “inhuman” and is backing steeper penalties against the practice, including fines of up to $1 million and multiple-year prison sentences. “I continue to believe that surrogacy is an inhuman practice,” Meloni said at a conference ‘For a Young Europe: Demographic Transition, Environment, Future’ in Rome on Friday. Meloni’s comments against surrogacy fall in line with the views held by the Catholic Church. “The demographic challenge, and the economic sustainability to which it is connected, is one of the main challenges for us,” she said. The move to criminalize surrogacy is largely seen as a move against the LGBTQ+ community.

Persons: Giorgia Meloni, Meloni’s, “, ” Meloni, ’, Pope Francis, ” Organizations: CNN, Catholic Locations: Italy, Europe, Rome, ”

☆ Florence’s famed Ponte Vecchio to be restored to former glory with two-year makeover
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-12 | by ( Barbie Latza Nadeau | Issy Ronald | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —In the seven centuries since the Ponte Vecchio was first built in Florence, Italy, the bridge has watched the city changing around it, surviving floods, fires and the Nazi invasion in World War II. Now, the famed bridge itself is getting a two-year makeover, at the cost of about €2 million, to restore it to its former glory, the city of Florence and the Marchesi Antinorini winemakers announced on Wednesday. “This is a historic project because Ponte Vecchio has never had a restoration intervention of this technical complexity,” Florence’s mayor Dario Nardella told reporters on Thursday. Such is the Ponte Vecchio’s significance that it was the only bridge across the Arno River spared by the retreating German army towards the end of World War II. Previous replacement joints will be upgraded, the stone itself will be strengthened and the footpath’s stone will be restored too.

Persons: Vecchio, Ponte Vecchio, ”, Dario Nardella, “, Marchesi Antinori, Piero Antinori, Tod’s Organizations: CNN, Diesel Locations: Florence, Italy, Nazi, Venice

☆ Aosta Valley, Italy: 22 year-old French woman found dead in church was searching for ghosts, police say
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-10 | by ( Barbie Latza Nadeau | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

Rome, Italy CNN —A 22-year-old French woman whose blood-drained body was found in an abandoned church in northern Italy’s Aosta Valley over the weekend had been looking for a haunted house believed to contain ghosts, according to police. There are also two other missing persons cases in the area which police say could be related. Some of the blood had been scraped off the floor and removed from the crime scene, police told CNN. The woman had no documents or cellphone on her when a local resident discovered her decomposing body, police say. The area prosecutor Manlio D’Ambrosi told local media that they are also investigating the presence of a burgundy colored van that was spotted on surveillance footage near the abandoned church last week.

Persons: Italy CNN —, ”, Roberto Testi, Manlio D’Ambrosi Organizations: Italy CNN, La Salle, CNN, Police Locations: Rome, Italy, Aosta, Lyon, La, France

☆ Commercial featuring nuns taking potato chips for communion sparks outrage in Italy
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-10 | by ( Barbie Latza Nadeau | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +1 min

Rome CNN —A potato chip commercial that features nuns receiving the crispy snacks for communion is “blasphemy” and should be taken off the air, according to an Italian Catholic organization. The spot by Amica Chips features doe-eyed young nuns inside a convent delighting that their communion wafer, known as the host, is actually a potato chip. A mother superior figure looks on as the nuns giggle, and it is revealed that it was her that substituted the hosts for potato chips in the box where communion wafers are kept, called a tabernacle. Catholics believe the communion wafer represents the body and blood of Christ. A nun about to receive a potato chip from a priest in the commercial.

Persons: Rome, ”, giggle, Instagram Giovanni Baggio, Baggio, Avvenire, Jesus Organizations: Rome CNN, Italian Catholic, Amica, Catholic Locations: Italian, “

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