Friday evening news briefing: Sunak doing worse than Major
Telegraph
23-10-20 17:37
The UK Conservative Party lost two by-election seats, Mid Bedfordshire and Tamworth, due to Tory voters switching to the Reform party, according to data. The number of votes received by Richard Tice’s Reform party was greater than the Labour majority in either constituency. The defeat in Mid Bedfordshire was the largest vote majority wiped out in a by-election in post-war history. This is the second time in just over a year that this record has been set, with the Liberal Democrats claiming the victory last year in Tiverton and Honiton. The defeats have reminded Conservative MPs of the similar by-election defeats under John Major in the 1990s, which preceded their historic defeat at the 1997 general election. Meanwhile, a large majority of Israelis believe that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is responsible for the deadly Hamas attacks. 80% of Israelis said that Netanyahu should publicly accept the blame for the failures that led to the deaths of at least 1,400 Israelis.
Italy's Meloni leaves partner after sexist comments scandal
Deutsche Welle
23-10-20 15:22
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has announced that she has ended her relationship with her partner and the father of her child. The announcement came shortly after sexist comments made by her partner, Andrea Giambruno, were exposed on prime-time television. Giambruno, a television presenter, was caught making sexist and lewd comments to female colleagues off-air. Meloni did not mention the scandal in her announcement, but criticized those who tried to weaken her by targeting her personally. She also vowed to continue to defend her friendship with Giambruno and her daughter.
Giorgia Meloni Tells Italy She Is Dumping Her Longtime Partner
NY Times
23-10-20 14:31
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has announced the end of her relationship with her partner of ten years, Andrea Giambruno, after he was caught on tape propositioning other women. The footage, which aired on the Italian satire show “Striscia la Notizia,” showed Giambruno using vulgar language and making explicit gestures towards women who were not Meloni. The prime minister previously defended Giambruno’s controversial comments on rape and immigration. However, the emergence of the new footage appears to have been the last straw for Meloni. Giambruno has now been suspended from his position as an anchorman on Mediaset, his television network.
Rishi Sunak thanks Qatar for efforts to free UK hostages taken by Hamas
Telegraph
23-10-20 19:56
UK Chancellor Rishi Sunak has thanked Qatar for its efforts in negotiating the release of hostages held by Hamas, raising hopes for the release of seven British citizens still missing. Sunak met with Qatar's ruler Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani and expressed the UK government's commitment to supporting efforts to release the hostages. The news comes after Hamas released two US hostages with the help of Qatari mediation. Sunak's visit to Egypt also saw him become the first world leader to meet Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas, who condemned Hamas's attack on Israel as "terrorism".
‘Uncommentable filth’: Italy’s Meloni splits from partner after lewd remarks
The Sydney Morning Herald
23-10-21 01:23
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has left her partner, television presenter Andrea Giambruno, following the broadcast of video and audio in which he makes lewd and sexist remarks to female colleagues on his show. The footage was aired by satirical news programme Striscia la Notizia. Giambruno's show is transmitted by Mediaset, a company owned by the heirs of former Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi. There have been suggestions that the leak was a ploy by Forza Italia, the party formerly led by Berlusconi, to damage Meloni's political standing. The pair's relationship had been seen as a modern partnership; they were not married, despite Meloni's stated support for traditional families. Giambruno was previously embroiled in controversy when he made comments suggesting that women who go out at night and get drunk put themselves at risk of rape.
Sunak’s AI Guest List Risks Falling Short as Leaders Hold Back
Bloomberg
23-10-21 05:00
Several world leaders are set to skip the UK's AI summit next month, including US President Joe Biden, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, according to sources. With French President Emmanuel Macron and Japanese premier Fumio Kishida yet to decide, only Italian premier Giorgia Meloni has confirmed attendance among the G7 leaders. Although the summit will still be attended by senior officials, the lack of top state leaders undermines the event's profile. The UK aims to position itself as a leader in AI development and regulation as it forges an international approach to the technology.
How mass migration could spread the Israel-Hamas war – and what Europe is doing about it
Telegraph
23-10-21 08:00
Former US Secretary of State Henry Kissinger has criticised Germany's decision to open its borders to a large number of immigrants, saying it was a "grave mistake". Kissinger, who fled Nazi Germany as a teenager, expressed concern over the scenes of people celebrating Hamas' terror attack on Israel on the streets of Berlin. He argued that allowing in large numbers of people from different cultures and religions creates pressure groups within each country, exacerbating tensions and potentially leading to violence. Kissinger's comments reflect long-standing European concerns about "parallel societies" and the risk of the Israeli-Hamas conflict being fought on the streets of European capitals.
European leaders are now warning of the potential security consequences of the Israeli-Hamas war. There are fears that tensions between communities will be heightened, leading to an increase in extremism. Jewish schools across Europe have closed due to fears of anti-Semitic attacks, and there have been protests and clashes with police in several countries. European attitudes towards migrants have hardened since the 2015 migrant crisis, with support for anti-immigrant parties surging and anti-migrant governments in power in several countries. Many European countries are unwilling to accept more migrants, fearing that it will exacerbate existing conflicts and tensions.
The article also looks at the risks in specific countries. In Germany, which has taken in more migrants than any other European country, there are concerns about the creation of parallel societies and tensions between different groups. France has experienced a series of Islamist terror attacks and tensions between the Muslim community and the government over issues such as secularism and the ban on the veil. Spain has called for the suspension of citizenship processes for Muslims to prevent the creation of parallel societies, while Belgium has faced criticism for its failure to integrate its immigrant population and has had a high number of jihadists fighting in Iraq and Syria. In Sweden, there are concerns about the rise of gang violence and the creation of parallel societies, while Italy is facing increased security risks and concerns about possible terrorist infiltrations. The UK has also seen pro-Palestinian demonstrations and concerns about extremism.
A shaky economy has forced Italy's far-right prime minister to scale back her populist agenda
CBC
23-10-22 08:00
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has marked her first year in power by separating from her partner after it emerged he had sexually harassed female colleagues. Meloni has risen from the leader of a far-right party to Italy's first female prime minister. However, she has had to deal with a divided left-wing opposition and a decline in street protests. Further, the Italian economy is still heavily indebted, and inflation, oil prices and import costs could rise if the conflict in the Middle East worsens. Meloni's hands are tied by the need to reduce the deficit, meaning she is unable to implement populist measures. Economists claim that spending on future generations has been insufficient, with Italy's birth rate falling and no clear plan to counter the decline. Additionally, Meloni has overseen a crackdown on migration, extending the time migrants can be detained and requiring asylum seekers to live in migrant centres without access to legal help or language lessons.
The Right is winning everywhere, except Britain – when Labour wins, it won’t mean the country has turned Left
Telegraph
23-10-23 13:05
The UK is out of step with the rest of the Western world, with far-right parties gaining power in several countries while progressive leaders lose support, according to an op-ed in The Telegraph. The writer argues that the Labour Party's likely victory in the next general election will be due to a desire for change rather than a popular endorsement of progressive ideas. The writer also suggests that the UK's first-past-the-post electoral system makes it difficult for new parties to gain power, and predicts that a new right-wing party will eventually emerge to challenge Labour.
Giorgia Meloni’s eventful home life whips up a national family drama
Financial Times
23-10-23 16:52
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has split from her partner after it was revealed he had harassed female colleagues. Meloni, who is known for her advocacy of traditional family values, has been praised for her decision to leave her partner, with some commentators calling it a turning point for Italian society. The split has also raised speculation about tensions within Meloni's conservative coalition.
Top Italian finance official criticises government over bank windfall tax
Financial Times
23-10-25 04:00
The Italian government's windfall tax on banks was "communicated badly", according to a senior official at the country's treasury. Federico Freni, the economy and finance under-secretary, said the subsequent market turmoil reflected "a credibility issue". The government has since diluted the tax, which was originally planned to levy up to 40% of banks’ net interest income. UniCredit has become the first to set aside non-distributable reserves to cover the levy.
‘Does he know what Google is?’ Anger as Italy appoints 85-year-old AI tsar
Telegraph
23-10-25 10:13
A decision to appoint an 85-year-old as Italy's AI tsar has caused bafflement and stoked political tensions within the ruling coalition. Giuliano Amato, a former prime minister and head of the constitutional court with no apparent IT expertise, will lead a new commission to assess the risks posed by the technology. Critics suggested that Mr Amato might struggle to Google AI, let alone understand the fast-moving challenges of algorithms, machine learning and ChatGPT.
Meloni's ex-partner loses TV show over lewd remarks
BBC
23-10-25 10:31
Andrea Giambruno, the ex-partner of Italian Prime Minister Georgia Meloni, has been dropped as host of a national TV show after making sexist comments that were leaked to another programme. TV company Mediaset stated that Giambruno would maintain an editorial role on the show. Last week, Meloni announced that she was separating from Giambruno after a recording of his comments was broadcast on a satirical TV show. Giambruno's presenting role on Mediaset channel Rete4 has been replaced by journalist Manuela Boselli. Italian reports suggest that the fallout from Giambruno's remarks is contributing to tensions within the Meloni government.
‘Does he know what Google is?’ Anger as Italy appoints 85-year-old AI tsar
Telegraph
23-10-25 10:13
A decision to appoint an 85-year-old as Italy's AI tsar has caused bafflement and stoked political tensions within the ruling coalition. Giuliano Amato, a former prime minister and head of the constitutional court with no apparent IT expertise, will lead a new commission to assess the risks posed by the technology. Critics suggested that Mr Amato might struggle to Google AI, let alone understand the fast-moving challenges of algorithms, machine learning and ChatGPT.
Emmanuel Macron latest ‘heavy hitter’ likely to snub Rishi Sunak’s AI summit
Telegraph
23-10-26 20:32
French President Emmanuel Macron will not attend the AI summit organised by UK Chancellor Rishi Sunak next week. Macron is opting to visit central Asia instead. He is the fourth G7 leader who will not attend the summit, with Joe Biden, Olaf Scholz, and Justin Trudeau also declining the invitation. Macron had been tipped to attend the summit, which aims to position the UK as an AI trailblazer.
Ursula von der Leyen to attend Britain’s AI summit after Macron and Biden snub Sunak
Telegraph
23-10-27 15:21
Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, will attend the AI Safety Summit hosted by UK Chancellor Rishi Sunak. The summit aims to address potential risks associated with artificial intelligence (AI). Several world leaders, including US President Joe Biden and French President Emmanuel Macron, have declined to attend the event. However, US Vice President Kamala Harris will attend in place of Biden and deliver a speech. António Guterres, Secretary General of the United Nations, will also attend the summit. The attendance of von der Leyen and Guterres is seen as a victory for the UK government, which has struggled to secure high-profile attendees.
The Good. The Bad. The Ugly. Inside Berlusconi’s Art Collection.
NY Times
23-10-27 14:00
Silvio Berlusconi, the former Italian prime minister and media mogul, amassed a collection of approximately 25,000 paintings through late-night shopping on art shopping television channels. Berlusconi's heirs are now deciding what to do with the collection, which is estimated to be worth around $20 million. Many of the paintings are stored in a hangar and there have been rumors of fires in the building, but the family denies this. While some of Berlusconi's dealer friends believe the family wants to sell the artworks, the family has stated that they are in no rush to divide up the collection.
EU leaders fail to mediate between Kosovo and Serbia
Financial Times
23-10-27 13:37
Leaders of the European Union's (EU) largest countries, including Germany, France, and Italy, have failed in their attempt to mediate between Serbia and Kosovo over concerns of another violent conflict. The leaders met with the prime minister of Kosovo, Albin Kurti, and Serbian president Aleksandar Vučić in an attempt to bring them back to the negotiation table, but no breakthrough could be achieved as both countries refused to give in on key demands. The EU has expressed concerns over the deadlock in negotiations and recent terrorist attacks in the region.
Emmanuel Macron to enshrine women’s right to abortion
Guardian
23-10-29 16:30
French President Emmanuel Macron has pledged to enshrine a woman's right to an abortion in the country's constitution by the end of 2023. The move follows restrictions on abortion rights in other countries, including the US, and aims to unconditionally guarantee the right to abortion in France. Macron's government will submit a draft to France's highest administrative court in the coming week. The revision of the French constitution requires either a referendum or approval by both houses of parliament, with Macron likely to convene a special congress to avoid a referendum.
No 10 fends off claims Rishi Sunak being snubbed over AI safety summit
Guardian
23-10-30 16:09
UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson's summit on artificial intelligence (AI) is set to be attended by a relatively small number of international leaders, with many of them sending junior ministers or officials instead. US President Joe Biden, French President Emmanuel Macron, and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz are among those who have chosen not to attend. The most prominent politicians expected to be at the summit are European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. The summit aims to discuss the existential risks posed by AI.
