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Italy Rape Remarks Lead to Criticism of Meloni’s Partner Andrea Giambruno

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Italian TV presenter Andrea Giambruno, who is in a relationship with Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, has faced criticism for seemingly suggesting that young women could avoid rape by not getting drunk. Giambruno made these comments in the context of recent gang rape incidents in Italy, including one involving seven men accused of gang-raping a teenager in Sicily and another where six youths allegedly raped two young cousins in Caivano near Naples.

Giambruno later clarified that his comments were taken out of context and accused his detractors of exploiting his words unfairly. He explained that he had condemned the abhorrent acts as carried out by “beasts.”

Prime Minister Meloni, despite not commenting publicly on the matter, announced her intention to visit Caivano as a show of solidarity with the victims and the community. This decision followed a plea from the mother of one of the girls who was attacked, expressing concerns for her family’s safety after the incident.

Critics, including parliamentary inquiry head Martina Semenzato and politician Chiara Gribaudo, strongly denounced Giambruno’s remarks as victim-blaming and stressed that the blame should always be on the perpetrators, not the victims. Influential figure Chiara Ferragni used her social media platform to highlight that the problem lay with the actions of men, not wolves.

Despite the controversy, Giambruno’s partner, Prime Minister Meloni, proceeded with her visit to Caivano. However, this move was met with resistance and threats due to dissatisfaction with the government’s decision to phase out a minimum income benefit. Nevertheless, Meloni reaffirmed her commitment to fighting organized crime and ensuring security and a better future for the nation’s children.

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News Trending War

Private Funeral Held for Prigozhin, Leader of Wagner Group, Confirms Press Service

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Yevgeny Prigozhin, the head of the Wagner Group, has been quietly buried in a private ceremony in his hometown of St. Petersburg, according to his press service. The ceremony, held in a restricted format, was conducted in St. Petersburg, allowing those who wanted to pay their respects to visit the Porokhovskoe cemetery. Russian authorities confirmed Prigozhin’s death following genetic analysis of ten bodies recovered from a plane crash near Moscow on August 23. The Kremlin has refuted claims of responsibility for the crash. Speculation had mounted about Prigozhin’s fate since an aborted armed uprising he led in June, leading many to refer to him as a “dead man walking.”

All ten individuals on board the crashed plane, including Prigozhin’s associate Dmitry Utkin, lost their lives in the incident in the Tver region. The Wagner press service communicated the details of Prigozhin’s funeral in a concise statement via Telegram. No additional information was provided. Prigozhin had maintained an air of mystery during his life, often disguising his identity using wigs and fake beards. Even in death, the enigma persists.

Throughout the day in St. Petersburg, rumors circulated about the location of Prigozhin’s final resting place, as no advance notice or official announcement was given regarding the timing and location of the burial. Several cemeteries were speculated upon on social media, but the actual location was different from all of them. Prigozhin’s representatives eventually disclosed that he had been laid to rest at Porokhovskoe Cemetery on the outskirts of St. Petersburg, next to his deceased father. The funeral lacked military honors and reportedly had only a small attendance.

The cemetery was closed to the public for the day, heavily guarded by law enforcement. The perimeter was lined with police, sniffer dogs, anti-drone units, and riot police, indicating the seriousness of the security measures in place. Given that the Wagner mutiny orchestrated by Prigozhin was considered a betrayal by the Kremlin, minimal attention was preferred by Russian authorities.

Cemetery officials cited Prigozhin’s family wishes in confirming the timing of the funeral, which reportedly took place at 16:00 local time on Tuesday. Reports indicated that Prigozhin’s black-yellow-red Wagner flag was displayed at the burial site. Metal detectors were set up at the entrance of the cemetery in anticipation of a potential influx of visitors. The funeral of Valery Chekalov, Prigozhin’s chief deputy who was also on the crashed plane, occurred on the same day at St. Petersburg’s Severnoe Cemetery. Chekalov, 47, was believed to oversee Prigozhin’s non-military business interests, which Western governments assert are used to fund the mercenary group.

Despite Wagner fighters’ pivotal role in Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, President Vladimir Putin’s spokesperson Dmitry Peskov confirmed that Putin would not attend Prigozhin’s funeral.

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Bavarian Deputy Leader Aiwanger Faces Scrutiny Over Historical Anti-Semitic Flyer

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Bavarian Deputy Premier Hubert Aiwanger is facing scrutiny over his involvement with an anti-Semitic pamphlet from his school days. Aiwanger, a populist conservative leader, denies writing the pamphlet that mocked the Holocaust, but he has acknowledged possessing it 35 years ago. Bavarian Premier Markus Söder has asked Aiwanger to respond to 25 questions regarding the controversy. This issue comes ahead of crucial elections in Bavaria on October 8.

Söder emphasized the importance of transparency and condemned anti-Semitism, asserting that it has no place in the Bavarian government. The state parliament has requested an urgent statement on the matter. German Chancellor Olaf Scholz also called for clarification, underscoring the need to address anti-Semitism vigilantly.

The pamphlet in question contained references to a fictional competition for “the biggest traitor to the Fatherland,” with a disturbing prize of a “free flight through the chimney in Auschwitz,” referencing the Auschwitz extermination camp where countless Jews were murdered during the Holocaust. Aiwanger later admitted to having copies of the pamphlet in his schoolbag during his teenage years, but he couldn’t recall whether he distributed the material himself. He denounced the content as “disgusting and inhumane.”

The situation has generated debates over whether actions from a person’s youth should impact their political career decades later. However, the pamphlet’s offensive content has been widely condemned. In Germany, making light of concentration camps is unacceptable and can have legal consequences due to Holocaust denial being a criminal offense.

Aiwanger’s response to the situation has been criticized for lacking transparency and genuine remorse. Despite his history of fiery and populist rhetoric, he has remained reticent on this matter. Pressure is mounting on Aiwanger, especially from Söder, who aims to maintain the coalition with Aiwanger’s party but is frustrated by the timing of the controversy ahead of crucial elections.

The Free Voters party, led by Aiwanger, is expected to secure 11-14% of the vote, but if support wanes, it could spell trouble for Söder’s conservative Christian Social Union. This situation is particularly significant given upcoming elections in other German states and nationally, as the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) has been gaining traction.

The handling of the story by the newspaper Süddeutsche Zeitung has also come under scrutiny, with criticism directed at its headline suggesting Aiwanger wrote the pamphlet, even though his denial was placed behind a paywall for subscribers to access.

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News Sports Trending

Spanish FA President’s Mother Initiates Hunger Strike Due to Controversial Kiss Dispute

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Amidst the controversy surrounding the Spanish Football Federation President Luis Rubiales, his mother has commenced a hunger strike as a protest against what she perceives as an unjust campaign targeting her son.

The controversy stemmed from Rubiales’ kiss on the lips of player Jenni Hermoso during Spain’s Women’s World Cup final victory. Angeles Bejar, Rubiales’ mother, has taken refuge in a church in Motril and has declared her hunger strike to be an indefinite, continuous effort.

Rubiales has been criticized and faced calls for his resignation due to the incident. Despite his refusal to step down, he was suspended by FIFA. The media has congregated outside the church in Motril, where Rubiales grew up, as Bejar expresses her frustration with the unwarranted scrutiny her son is facing.

The Spanish government has requested the suspension of Rubiales via the Spain’s Sports Tribunal, and the Spanish Football Federation has called for an urgent meeting to assess the situation. FIFA has also instructed Rubiales, the federation, and its members to refrain from contacting Hermoso, who had earlier been threatened with legal action by the federation.

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France to Prohibit Female Students from Wearing Abayas in Public Schools

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The Education Minister of France has declared that students will not be allowed to wear abayas, loose-fitting full-length robes worn by some Muslim women, in the country’s state-run schools. This regulation will come into effect as the new school year commences on September 4.

France maintains a strict prohibition on religious symbols in public schools and government premises, citing their infringement of secular principles. The use of headscarves has been banned in state-run schools since 2004.

Education Minister Gabriel Attal stated that the intention is to prevent the identification of students’ religious affiliations solely through their appearance within classrooms. He emphasized that the abaya will no longer be permissible in educational institutions.

This decision follows extended debates surrounding the wearing of abayas within French schools. The prevalence of this garment in educational settings has fueled a political divide, with right-wing parties advocating for a ban, while left-leaning factions express concerns about the rights of Muslim women and girls.

Mr. Attal contended that secularism entails the freedom to advance through education and argued that the abaya represents a religious act aimed at challenging the republic’s dedication to the secular nature of education.

He pledged to provide comprehensive guidelines at the national level prior to the resumption of schools after the summer recess.

France had previously banned full face veils in public spaces in 2010, a move that elicited mixed reactions from the nation’s sizable Muslim community.

Since the 19th Century, France has enforced stringent regulations against religious symbols in schools, including Christian emblems like large crosses, to curtail any influence of Catholicism in public education. The nation has revised these laws over time to accommodate its evolving demographics, encompassing the Muslim headscarf and Jewish kippa. However, abayas had not been explicitly prohibited.

The discourse on Islamic symbols has intensified since a Chechen refugee beheaded Samuel Paty, a teacher who had shown caricatures of Prophet Mohammed to students near his school in a Paris suburb in 2020.

This announcement marks the inaugural significant policy decision of Mr. Attal, who was appointed as France’s education minister by President Emmanuel Macron in the summer of 2023 at the age of 34.

The CFCM, a national entity representing numerous Muslim associations, has asserted that articles of clothing alone do not inherently constitute religious symbols.

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Spanish Football Federation to Pursue Legal Action Against Jennifer Hermoso for Alleged False Statements

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The Spanish Football Federation (RFEF) has announced its intention to pursue legal recourse in response to statements made by Jenni Hermoso concerning the federation’s president, Luis Rubiales. This follows a controversial incident where Rubiales kissed Hermoso on the lips after Spain’s Women’s World Cup victory over England. While Hermoso claimed that she did not give consent for the kiss, the RFEF disputes her account and asserts that evidence supports Rubiales’ innocence.

Represented by the players’ union Futpro, Hermoso has stated that she did not attempt to lift President Rubiales during their embrace on the podium. In response, the RFEF has released images of the embrace along with a detailed analysis, asserting that Hermoso did indeed exert force to raise Rubiales off the ground.

The RFEF expressed its intent to initiate legal actions against Hermoso or any party involved in spreading what they deem to be false information. This move comes amidst larger tensions within Spanish football, as 81 female players have declared their refusal to represent Spain’s national team until Rubiales steps down. The controversy has even extended to the men’s team, with Real Betis striker Borja Iglesias also announcing his refusal to play under Rubiales’ leadership.

The RFEF’s decision to pursue legal action follows international criticism of Rubiales’ behavior at the Women’s World Cup final. Rubiales had faced calls for resignation from government ministers, and Fifa had initiated disciplinary proceedings against him. Despite mounting pressure, Rubiales remained defiant and vowed to continue his position as president, asserting that the kiss was consensual and mutual.

The situation has also spurred solidarity among players, as evidenced by wristbands worn during a National Women’s Soccer League game in the United States, which bore the message ‘Contigo Jenni’ (With you Jenni). Prominent players like Alex Morgan have expressed their support for Hermoso and the Spanish players, condemning the alleged assault, misogyny, and failures of the Spanish federation.

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Denmark intends to impose prison sentence for publicly incinerating the Quran

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In response to a series of Quran burnings that sparked outrage in Muslim countries, the Danish government has introduced a proposal to prohibit the public burning of religious texts, including the Quran. Justice Minister Peter Hummelgaard emphasized that such acts not only harmed Denmark’s reputation but also posed a risk to its citizens’ safety. The new legislation aims to classify improper treatment of the Quran or Bible as a criminal offense, carrying penalties of fines and potential imprisonment for up to two years.

The Danish government, which holds a center-right stance, aims to convey a message to the international community through this move. Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen highlighted that recent weeks have witnessed around 170 demonstrations, some involving the burning of Quran copies near foreign embassies. Denmark’s intelligence agency, PET, has cautioned that these incidents have escalated the terrorist threat.

Denmark’s neighboring country, Sweden, has also experienced similar Quran burnings, leading to concerns about worsening security. However, both Denmark and Sweden had been cautious in their response due to their strong tradition of freedom of expression. Sweden abolished its blasphemy laws in the 1970s.

Denmark’s decision to address this issue gained momentum after further Quran burnings occurred in both countries in July. The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) urged its member nations to take appropriate action against countries where such desecration occurred.

The Danish justice minister clarified that the proposed change in the law wasn’t directed at verbal, written, or satirical expressions. Rather, the focus was on curbing actions that only fueled division and hatred. Deputy Prime Minister Jakob Ellemann-Jensen stressed the importance of responsible behavior even while exercising freedom of expression.

Denmark acknowledged that it couldn’t ignore the negative implications of these actions on its security. Meanwhile, Sweden’s Prime Minister, Ulf Kristersson, noted that his country wouldn’t follow Denmark’s approach, citing the need for potential constitutional amendments.

The Danish government plans to present the proposed legal changes on September 1st, with the aim of passing them in parliament by year-end. The prohibition is expected to be included within a section of the criminal code that addresses public insults toward foreign states, flags, or symbols.

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Putin Speaks Out Regarding Reported Death of Prigozhin

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Vladimir Putin has ended his silence concerning the reported demise of Yevgeny Prigozhin, approximately 24 hours after the crash of Prigozhin’s private jet associated with the Wagner group.

The Russian president commented that the leader of the mercenary organization was a “gifted individual” who had “made significant errors in his life.” Putin also extended condolences to the families of the presumed 10 individuals on the plane that went down northwest of Moscow on Wednesday evening.

Nonetheless, he refrained from directly confirming Prigozhin’s death. Speculation about the cause of the fatal crash and Prigozhin’s presence on the plane has been rampant since the incident occurred.

During a briefing, a Pentagon spokesperson stated that the United States believed it likely that Prigozhin was killed in the crash. Nearby villagers reported hearing a loud noise before witnessing the aircraft plummet.

One theory under investigation suggests the possibility of a bomb being smuggled aboard, according to reports in Russian media. A US official informed CBS News that an explosion on the plane seemed the most plausible cause.

An alternative theory presented by a Telegram channel linked to Prigozhin suggested that the plane might have been shot down by Russian anti-aircraft forces. However, the Pentagon dismissed this, stating no evidence supported the claim.

Authorities are questioning ground staff at Moscow’s Sheremetyevo airport, where the plane took off, and reviewing CCTV footage. Prigozhin, the head of the Wagner mercenary group, was once considered a loyalist to Putin but fell out of favor after leading a short-lived rebellion in Russia in June.

The Kremlin initially remained silent after the crash. President Putin even participated in a Brics summit via video link the next morning without mentioning the crash that had attracted global attention.

However, Putin’s stance changed on Thursday evening when he conveyed condolences to the victims’ families and acknowledged initial data suggesting Wagner employees were on the ill-fated flight. He described Prigozhin as a person with a complex life, acknowledging both his achievements and mistakes.

Though Putin spoke in the past tense about Prigozhin and expressed sympathy for the victims’ families, he didn’t definitively confirm Prigozhin’s death. When Prigozhin and his armed group rebelled, Putin denounced their actions as betrayal and vowed retribution.

A subsequent arrangement allowed Wagner fighters a choice between joining the Russian army or relocating to Belarus with no penalties. This development puzzled experts and the public, given Prigozhin’s apparent freedom of movement.

Russian forensic specialists have initiated victim identification, while Putin noted that DNA tests would require time. Among those on the plane were Wagner co-founder Dmitry Utkin and the group’s financial manager, Valeriy Chekalov. All 10 individuals on the plane, including passengers and crew, are presumed deceased.

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Spanish Football Federation President, Luis Rubiales, Declines to Resign from Position

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Luis Rubiales, the president of the Spanish football federation, has declined to step down from his position despite controversy surrounding his behavior at the Women’s World Cup final.

After Spain’s 1-0 victory over England, Rubiales kissed forward Jenni Hermoso on the lips and made a crotch-grabbing gesture during celebrations. He addressed an extraordinary general assembly convened by the federation, stating that he would not resign and calling the situation a “social assassination.”

Rubiales apologized for the incidents and expressed his readiness to defend his ideals, asserting that he didn’t deserve the criticism he was facing. Despite calls for his resignation, Rubiales defended the kiss as a spontaneous, mutual, and consensual gesture, stating that he would fight against the backlash.

While some criticized his actions, including Spain’s Prime Minister and a union representing Hermoso, others, including Hermoso herself in a later statement, came to his defense.

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Nvidia, Leading AI Chip Manufacturer, Witnesses Over 100% Growth in Sales

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Nvidia, a prominent technology company, has achieved record-breaking sales by more than doubling its revenue due to the surging demand for its artificial intelligence (AI) chips. The company reported revenue exceeding $13.5 billion (£10.6 billion) for the three months leading up to June. Furthermore, Nvidia anticipates a continued surge in sales during the present quarter and plans to repurchase $25 billion worth of its own stock.

In New York’s extended trading, Nvidia’s stock saw a boost of over 6.5%, adding to its substantial gains throughout the year. The company has also projected revenue of approximately $16 billion for the three months ending in September. This estimate significantly exceeds Wall Street’s predictions and translates to an impressive rise of about 170% in comparison to the same period last year.

Jensen Huang, Nvidia’s CEO, declared the dawn of a new computing era, emphasizing the global shift towards accelerated computing and generative AI among various companies. The standout performance was primarily driven by Nvidia’s data center division, which encompasses AI chips. The unit’s revenue exceeded $10.3 billion, marking a remarkable surge of over 170% from the previous year. This growth was attributed to the adoption of its next-generation processors by cloud computing service providers and major consumer internet companies.

Nvidia’s market value has soared to over $1 trillion this year, with its shares more than tripling in value. This accomplishment propelled Nvidia into the “Trillion Dollar Club,” joining the ranks of publicly traded US giants like Apple, Microsoft, Alphabet, and Amazon.

The increasing fascination with Nvidia’s success has been noted by experts. The company, previously recognized for producing graphics processing units for computer games, has now become a foundational player in the AI domain. It is reported that Nvidia’s hardware underpins the majority of AI applications, with an estimated 95% share in the machine learning market. Notably, technologies like ChatGPT, which relies on Nvidia’s graphics processing units for its training, are anticipated to reshape how computers are used and their role in society.

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