Italy readies special furlough scheme to save workers from heatwave
Reuters
23-07-25 15:01
Italy is implementing special measures to help construction and agricultural firms keep their staff at home during a heatwave. The government is expected to discuss a furlough scheme at a meeting on Wednesday. The new decree will allow construction and agricultural firms to apply for temporary lay-offs without the hours being counted in overall limits. However, the CGIL union said the proposals did not go far enough, as they did not include support for delivery firms or seasonal workers. The government and unions are also working on a memorandum of understanding to support workers in other sectors during heatwaves.
Nine nations battle wildfires as Met Office warns UK could be next
The Independent
23-07-27 04:12
Wildfires have spread across nine Mediterranean countries, killing over 40 people and destroying homes and livelihoods. The fires have been fueled by high temperatures and strong winds, creating a "perfect storm" for their spread. The affected countries include Greece, Portugal, Italy, France, Croatia, Spain, Turkey, Gran Canaria, and Algeria. Thousands of firefighters are working to contain the blazes, and several areas have been put into a state of emergency. The island of Rhodes in Greece experienced the largest evacuation in Greek history, with over 20,000 people forced to flee their homes and hotels. The heatwave is expected to continue, with temperatures exceeding 44C in some areas of Greece.
Biden is welcoming far-right Italian Prime Minister Meloni for White House talks
The Independent
23-07-27 04:06
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni will meet with President Joe Biden on Thursday to discuss Ukraine, China, and migration from North Africa to Europe's southern shores. The Biden administration initially had concerns about Meloni's far-right ideology but has been reassured by her support for Ukraine and her apparent willingness to distance Italy from China's Belt and Road Initiative. Meloni's visit comes as Italy prepares to take up the presidency of the Group of Seven industrialized nations next year.
Biden and Meloni May Find Common Ground at White House
NY Times
23-07-27 04:01
Giorgia Meloni, Italy’s far-right prime minister, is set to visit US President Joe Biden at the White House on Thursday. Many see this as a surprising meeting, given that Biden has previously compared Meloni’s far-right values to “semi-fascism”. However, the meeting highlights how the two leaders are in agreement over several international issues, such as support for Ukraine, a suspicion of China and the need to bolster NATO. Since her election in September, Meloni has made moves towards the centre, easing concerns among European liberals and moderates. She has adopted a less confrontational approach and has stuck to Italy’s commitments to receive pandemic recovery funds from the EU. She has also turned away from right-wing allies in Hungary and Poland. Meloni has also taken a more proactive approach to immigration, working with Europe to find a solution to the issue. She has called for more legal routes for migrants and has been involved in an agreement to slow illegal immigration. However, critics warn that her centrist move may not last if Donald Trump returns to the White House, and many point to her erosion of gay rights as a particular concern.
US: Biden thanks Italy's Meloni for Ukraine, China support
Deutsche Welle
23-07-27 23:11
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's visit to the White House brought together two leaders with differing domestic policies but common ground on foreign policy. Italy, which takes over the rotating G7 presidency next year, has taken a tough stance on Russia's invasion of Ukraine and may withdraw from China's Belt and Road Initiative. President Joe Biden thanked Meloni for Italy's support of Ukraine and the two leaders pledged to maintain support for Ukraine for "as long as it takes." They also discussed issues such as peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait, the Indo-Pacific, and cyber security.
Italy’s Meloni says she prefers Republicans but has ‘great relationship’ with Biden
The Sydney Morning Herald
23-07-28 02:15
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has said that she has a clear preference for Republican politics in the United States, but that this does not prevent her from having a good relationship with President Joe Biden. Meloni, who met with Biden at the White House, did not clarify whether she still supports former President Donald Trump or has changed her opinion. Meloni's right-wing coalition has differing views on abortion and LGBTQ rights compared to Biden. Despite these differences, Meloni and Biden vowed to deepen economic ties and strengthen cooperation on challenges posed by China.
Live Ukraine-Russia war latest: Ukraine 'recaptures' village amid counteroffensive
Telegraph
23-07-28 07:29
Ukraine claims to have recaptured the village of Staromaiorske in the Donetsk region, marking one of the first victories on the southern front since the country's counter-offensive began in June. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky posted a video on Telegram showing soldiers celebrating the capture of the village. Russian military bloggers have also confirmed the Ukrainian forces' success. The counter-offensive aims to sever a land bridge to Crimea. The news comes as fierce fighting continues in southeastern Ukraine and US Abrams tanks are expected to arrive in September to support Ukraine.
Italy intends to leave ‘atrocious’ partnership with China
Telegraph
23-07-30 17:06
Italy's defence minister, Guido Crosetto, has confirmed that the country will leave China's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), calling the decision to join it "atrocious." Italy is the only Western power to sign up to the BRI, and the government has been signalling for weeks that it wishes to reverse that decision. However, Crosetto stressed that Italy would need to withdraw from the BRI "without producing disasters" due to China's importance on the world stage. Italy's prime minister, Giorgia Meloni, will visit China soon to discuss the decision.
The West, including the US and Europe, is seeking to strengthen ties with India in response to China's assertiveness and Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The US sees India as a potential alternative base for supply chains as they diversify away from China. Europe is also keen to boost trade links with India and reshape supply chains, but has different priorities. However, there are obstacles to better Indo-European relations, including Europe's visa policies, demands that India condemn Russia's invasion of Ukraine, and Europe's focus on human rights, which can ruffle feathers in Delhi.
Italy: Tricky exit looms from China Belt and Road deal
Deutsche Welle
23-08-02 17:07
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni is considering whether to end Italy's participation in China's Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), according to the country's Defense Minister Guido Crosetto. In an interview with Italy's Corriere della Sera newspaper, Crosetto described Italy's 2019 entry into the BRI as "an improvised and atrocious act." Meloni's coalition contains two parties accused of being too close to Russia, so taking a tough stance on China could help to balance those controversial positions. Meloni has also been an outspoken critic of China's human rights record. The nonbinding infrastructure deal is set to automatically renew for a further four years in March 2024, unless Meloni decides to end it. Italy was the first G7 country to join the BRI, and a nonrenewal could be embarrassing for China. However, China did not respond when Central and Eastern European states pulled out of another cooperation agreement, the 16+1 format, in 2021 and 2022. Some experts believe that China is unlikely to retaliate if Italy withdraws from the BRI.
Giorgia Meloni sues British frontman of Placebo over calling her a fascist
Telegraph
23-08-02 19:21
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni is reportedly taking legal action against Brian Molko, the lead singer of British rock band Placebo, after he called her a fascist during a concert last month. Molko made the remarks about Meloni, who leads the hard-right Brothers of Italy party, during a performance at the Sonic Park festival in Stupinigi. Police investigated the incident and prosecutors launched an investigation on 17 July, resulting in the prime minister deciding to take legal action against Molko for defamation and contempt of Italy's institutions. Under Italy's criminal code, public defamation of the republic can be punished with a fine ranging from €1,000 to €5,000.
Italy's Prime Minister, Giorgia Meloni, who is a climate sceptic, is facing an electoral challenge with climate scepticism among her voters. Italy has suffered more than any other European country except Greece this year from extreme weather events. A survey last year found that 82% of Italians believe climate change is man-made, more than in any other European country surveyed. The head of the energy and environmental department of Meloni's party says that the party has doubts over human contribution to climate change and that the party's policy is to promote renewables with the aim of reducing Italy's energy dependence on other countries.
Citizens’ handout is over, Italians told by text message
Telegraph
23-08-04 04:28
The Italian government led by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni is planning to cut unemployment benefits, arguing that there are plenty of job opportunities available in the country. The government intends to phase out the "citizens wage" benefit, which provides €550 ($640) per month to 1.7 million households to help with basic expenses. Opposition parties have warned that this could lead to violent protests and civil unrest, but ministers argue that there are numerous job openings in various regions of Italy. The government will replace the citizens wage with two new benefits, although details are still unclear.
China raps Italy for 'malicious' criticism of Belt and Road
Deutsche Welle
23-08-04 11:40
China has accused "some forces" within the Italian government of politicizing the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), saying that their recent criticism of the BRI is an attempt to disrupt cooperation. The Chinese Foreign Ministry warned that this "malicious hype" goes against the trend of history and will hurt others without benefiting oneself. The criticism came after Italian Defense Minister Guido Crosetto labeled Italy's decision to join the BRI as an "improvised and atrocious act." Italy became the first and only G7 nation to join the BRI in 2019, signing 29 deals worth $2.8 billion. However, Italy is unlikely to renew its BRI deal when it expires in 2024, and Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has said that it is possible to have good relations with Beijing without being part of the pact. Italy's withdrawal would deal a blow to the BRI, which has already been scaled back as recipient countries struggle with unpayable debts related to infrastructure projects. Critics of the BRI see it as a tool for Beijing to increase its geopolitical and economic influence while burdening low-income countries with unmanageable debts.
Italy: Meloni pressured by welfare cuts and slowing economy
Deutsche Welle
23-08-04 11:13
The Italian government has begun implementing welfare cuts, with 160,000 people being informed of reductions in their payments via text message. The move has prompted protests in the streets, with some accusing Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni of "taking from the poor and giving to the rich." The cuts come as Meloni seeks to phase out a basic income support scheme for low-income households and replace it with two more restrictive schemes. Meloni argues that the previous scheme, known as the "citizen income," was ineffective in helping people find jobs. However, critics argue that the cuts fail to address the nation's north-south divide and that there are areas where jobs simply do not exist. Recent data also showed that the Italian economy unexpectedly shrank by 0.3% in the second quarter, despite predictions of zero growth. Meloni's government has seen a three-point drop in approval ratings and is facing protests and social unrest.
Europe blinks in its commitment to a great green transition
Washington Post
23-08-06 08:00
Europe is starting to feel the financial and political burden of moving away from fossil fuels and towards renewable energy. The European Union and Britain have committed to going 'net zero' by 2050, but opposition is growing over green targets. Last week, UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced plans to open up the North Sea to more oil and gas drilling, despite the country's commitment to emissions cuts. The EU has also been divided over green vehicle regulations, with Germany arguing for an exception for cars that run on carbon-neutral e-fuels. Meanwhile, Italy and others are seeking to loosen vehicle exhaust emissions regulations. Surveys show strong support for emissions cuts, but less enthusiasm when it comes to making lifestyle changes or spending a lot of money. Critics argue that the costs of transitioning to net zero are too high, especially when major polluters like China and Russia are not following suit.
Vivek Ramaswamy's Hindu faith is front and center in his GOP presidential campaign
The Independent
23-08-06 12:06
Vivek Ramaswamy, a biotech entrepreneur and Republican presidential candidate, is garnering support in the party dominated by conservative Christians. Ramaswamy is the second Hindu presidential candidate in the nation, following Tulsi Gabbard, and has been steadily rising in the polls. He has shared 10 core beliefs as part of his campaign, with "God is real" and "There are two genders" topping the list. Ramaswamy gained attention with his book "Woke Inc: Inside Corporate America’s Social Justice Scam," which criticizes corporations for using social justice causes as a smokescreen. On the campaign trail, Ramaswamy has emphasized his faith and its similarities with Judeo-Christian values. He has positioned himself as an ardent defender of religious liberty and has stated that he has more in common with people of all faiths than those with no faith at all. While his approach has drawn support from influential Christian leaders, Hindu Americans and Indian Americans tend to vote Democratic and be progressive on social issues. Some are divided over Ramaswamy's candidacy due to his eagerness to equate Hindu and Christian teachings. However, his candidacy is seen as an important shift in American politics and has the potential to inspire Hindu Americans.
Italy shocks banks with 40 per cent windfall tax for 2023
The Globe and Mail
23-08-08 10:55
Italy has approved a one-off 40% tax on banks' profits from higher interest rates, a move that has sent banking shares tumbling across Europe. The tax will be applied in 2023, with banks paying the sums by June 30, 2024. It will only apply to the net interest margin earned in 2022 or 2023, depending on which sum is bigger, and above given thresholds for a yearly increase. The Italian government wants to use the proceeds to help those struggling with the cost of living, such as mortgage holders.
The Treasury could save itself billions a year – but it mustn’t give in to temptation
Telegraph
23-08-08 16:00
The European Central Bank (ECB) recently announced that it will stop paying interest on minimum reserve balances from next month. The UK Treasury, which has seen its payments to the Bank of England to cover losses on quantitative easing (QE) increase significantly in recent months, will now be considering whether to follow the ECB’s lead. The Bank of England currently pays interest on central bank reserves, which increased to around £840bn due to QE. If the Bank of England were to stop paying interest on reserves, the Treasury could save itself around £1bn per year. However, there are concerns that this could be seen as a form of government default. The ECB has said that its decision is aimed at improving the efficiency of the monetary transmission system, but critics have argued that it is a fiscal rather than a monetary decision.
Italy backtracks with cap on windfall tax after bank shares slide
Financial Times
23-08-08 20:51
Italy has scaled back its proposed windfall tax on banks after the surprise levy plan caused shares in major Italian lenders to drop sharply. The finance ministry announced that the tax on net interest income would be capped at 0.1% of risk-weighted assets, a fifth of the level previously estimated by Citi analysts. The tax, still awaiting parliamentary approval, would be applied to the net interest income generated from the gap between banks' lending and deposit rates. The measure was introduced after political pressure to do more to help households affected by rising rates and inflation.
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