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Pope Francis warns pets must not replace children in Italy

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Pope Francis has expressed concern about the increasing difficulty of starting a family in Italy, stating that it has become a significant challenge that only the wealthy can afford. Speaking at a conference on Italy’s demographic crisis, he noted that pets are replacing children in many households. The country has one of the lowest fertility rates in the European Union, with births dropping to a new low of below 400,000 last year. The Pope attributed this decline to a lack of hope among younger generations, who face uncertainty, fragility, and precariousness due to difficulties in finding stable jobs, high rents, and insufficient wages.

The Pope shared an incident where a woman asked him to bless her baby, only to reveal a small dog instead. Expressing his frustration, he questioned why someone would prioritize a pet over hungry children. This remark received applause from the audience.

Italy is not the only country experiencing a decline in birth rates. Japan, South Korea, Puerto Rico, and Portugal are among the nations facing similar challenges. However, Italy’s situation is particularly worrisome due to its status as the third-largest country in the eurozone. The country could lose almost 20% of its population by 2050 while simultaneously facing a rapidly aging population, as evidenced by the tripling number of centenarians over the past two decades.

The shrinking population is a major concern, with experts warning that it could lead to the impoverishment of the nation. Italy’s Economy Minister, Giancarlo Giorgetti, predicts that the declining birth rate will result in an 18% reduction in the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) by 2042.

Several factors contribute to the declining birth rate in Italy. Young people face difficulties in finding stable employment, and the childcare support system is often inadequate, making it challenging for mothers to balance work and family life. Additionally, six out of ten mothers lack access to nurseries, and many pregnant women face resignations or dismissals from their jobs upon pregnancy.

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Italy’s Quest to Preserve Culinary Tradition: Controversy Surrounds Ban on Lab-Grown Meat

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A plan that would outlaw laboratory-produced beef and other synthetic foods has the support of Italy’s right-wing government, underlining the country’s culinary tradition and commitment to public health.

A violation of the ban might result in fines of up to €60,000 (£53,000) if the plans are approved.

The minister of agriculture and food sovereignty under a new name, Francesco Lollobrigida, spoke on the value of Italian cuisine. The measure was applauded by the farmers’ group.

But, it was a setback for certain animal welfare organisations, who had promoted lab-produced meat as a solution to problems like preserving food safety and the environment from carbon emissions.

Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni is one of the 500,000 signatories to a petition that Coldiretti and other agriculture advocacy groups have gathered in recent months to safeguard “natural food vs. synthetic food.”

She addressed a “flash mob” assembled by Coldiretti outside her office in Rome, saying, “We could only rejoice with our farmers a legislation that puts our farmers in the vanguard, not just on the topic of safeguarding quality… but also in defending consumers.”

The proposed bill came hard on the heels of a series of government decrees banning the use of flour derived from insects such as crickets and locusts in pizza or pasta.

Both initiatives were initiated by ministers who cited Italy’s renowned Mediterranean diet as their inspiration.

“Laboratory products can not guarantee quality, well-being, or the safeguarding of the Italian food and wine culture and tradition, to which part of our tradition is related,” said Mr. Lollobrigida, a member of the far-right Brothers of Italy party.

The measures, which were adopted by the ministers on Tuesday, aim to outlaw lab-produced fish and synthetic milk as well as other synthetic meals made from animal cells without harming the animal.

After “careful review,” the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) last November approved cell-cultured chicken for human consumption. Singapore’s regulatory body approved the use of lab-grown chicken meat in nuggets in 2020.

Although the European Union has not yet approved any cell-based agriculture practises, such as cultured meat, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has stated that such practises “could be considered as a promising and innovative solution… for healthy and environmentally friendly food systems.”

Commentators noted that due to the free flow of goods and services, Italy would not be able to object to the sale of synthetic beef made within the EU once it receives EU clearance.

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Italy ex-PM Silvio Berlusconi acquitted in ‘bunga-bunga’ party case

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Former Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi was cleared of paying witnesses to fabricate stories about his infamous “bunga-bunga” parties.

The 86-year-old multibillionaire media tycoon was charged with paying young showgirls and other witnesses to provide false testimony on the allegedly pornographic gatherings.

The remaining 28 defendants were all found not guilty, including Moroccan dancer Karima El Mahroug, also known as Ruby, who was involved in a previous Berlusconi case. Berlusconi has had numerous legal battles.

Right-wing senator Ruby successfully appealed his conviction for paying for sex with a minor prostitute in the Ruby case. He denied having had intercourse with Ruby, and she denied ever having worked as a prostitute.

He has asserted innocence throughout his legal proceedings and charged that the prosecution is out for revenge on account of his political views. He argued that the gatherings, which some people had referred to as “orgies,” were actually formal dinners.

In 2013, Berlusconi was sentenced for tax fraud, which was the sole trial that resulted in a conviction. Italian justice was sympathetic with him because of his advanced age; he completed a year of volunteer work at a nursing home close to Milan. Between 1994 and 2011, Berlusconi served as prime minister three times. In the “bunga-bunga” trial, he was accused of paying witnesses millions of euros in hush money, but he insisted that the money was offered as compensation for persons connected to the notorious parties who had their reputations damaged.

He was temporarily barred from political office over his conviction for tax fraud, but won a seat in the Senate in 2022 elections.

His Forza Italia party plays a key role in Italy’s ruling right-wing coalition, led by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni. She hailed his acquittal as “excellent news that puts an end to a long legal case that also had important repercussions on Italian political and institutional life”.

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Italy shooting: Three women shot dead in Rome cafe

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A guy opened fire at a cafe in Rome, killing three women and wounded four others, one of whom was a friend of Italy’s incoming prime minister. Inside, the residents’ committee of a nearby block was holding a meeting.

Rome’s mayor, Roberto Gualtieri, called the shooting a “terrible episode of violence” and said he would be present at a Monday emergency meeting. In detention is a 57-year-old suspect. According to reports, he has a history of disagreements with certain of the committee’s board. The vice-president of the committee, Luciana Ciorba, was at the café in the Fidene neighbourhood, according to the Italian newspaper La Repubblica.

She claimed that the shooter had shouted “I’ll kill you all” as he entered the club on Sunday before pulling his gun. According to reports, he was overcome by neighbourhood residents before being arrested by authorities. One of the injured, thought to be two women and two men, is still in a critical condition.

Giorgia Meloni, the prime minister, identified one of the victims as her friend Nicoletta Golisano. Sabina Sperandio and Elisabetta Silenzi were the names of the other two deceased women. Ms. Meloni expressed her sympathy to Ms. Golisano’s family in a Facebook post, saying she would always remember her friend as “beautiful and happy.”

A shooting range from which the suspect is suspected of stealing the weapon used in the attack has been closed, according to Ms. Meloni, and is the subject of an inquiry. The suspect, whose identity has been made public by the Italian press but not by the police, has not yet been explained by the police. It is believed that the attack was not political in nature.

According to reports, the suspect and the board of residents of the apartment building have been engaged in a protracted argument. In October, Giorgia Meloni, the head of the far-right Brothers of Italy party in Italy, was elected as the nation’s first female prime minister.

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Italy stops adult male migrants from disembarking

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35 men have been unable to disembark from a migrant ship that has been demanding entry to an Italian port for two weeks due to Italy’s new far-right government.

In Sicily, passengers with disabilities and minors were permitted to disembark. One of four migrant-carrying ships awaiting approval to dock in Italy was the Humanity 1.

Giorgia Meloni, the next Italian prime minister, has vowed to crack down on migrants crossing the Mediterranean from North Africa. According to the UN, 85,000 migrants have arrived on boats in Italy since the year began, one of the main access routes into Europe. Many of the migrants embark on their journey in small boats and are saved by relief ships.

On Sunday morning, 144 individuals in total were permitted to disembark the Humanity 1, which flies the German flag. The “flag state” should look after those who do not “qualify” as vulnerable, according to Matteo Piantedosi, the interior minister of Italy.

The refugees’ attitude is particularly gloomy, according to the charity that operates the ship: “One individual just had a breakdown,” Petra Krischok of SOS Humanity told the AFP news agency. According to the charity, it is against international law to stop those in need of assistance from disembarking.

While three further ships carrying about 900 people have also asked to enter an Italian port, they have not yet been permitted to dock.

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Giorgia Meloni: Italy’s new PM takes aim at migrant boats in debut speech

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Giorgia Meloni, Italy’s new far-right leader, emphasised her goal to stop migrant boats from crossing the Mediterranean in her first speech to MPs. She reiterated her campaign promise to stop boats leaving North Africa for Italy, saying, “We must end illicit departures and human trafficking.”

Italy has always served as a hub for unauthorised immigrants travelling to Europe. This year, more than 77,000 people have attempted the extremely risky crossing into Italy, placing stress on nearby communities. The Brothers of Italy party is led by Ms. Meloni, 45, who was elected as leader of a right-wing alliance.

She addressed the lower house of parliament, “We do not seek in any way to dispute the right to asylum for individuals escaping wars and persecutions. In terms of immigration, what we want to accomplish is make it impossible for people traffickers to choose who gets into Italy.

She referred to herself as a “underdog” and acknowledged the responsibility of becoming the first female leader of her nation while paying thanks to the many Italian women who had come before her in “breaking this ultimate glass ceiling.”

She was greeted with a standing ovation and cries of “Giorgia, Giorgia”.

Even though the Meloni government was only sworn in on Saturday, it has already reverted to a stance taken in 2018–19 by one of its parties, the far-right League.

Matteo Piantedosi, the new interior minister, threatened to restrict ports to two rescue boats carrying hundreds of migrants just before the prime minister spoke, claiming that the Ocean Viking and Humanity1 were breaking the law.

Mr. Piantedosi was instrumental in the prior policy that forbade migrant-carrying rescue boats from arriving in Italian ports. That ultimately led to the League’s leader, Matteo Salvini, facing charges of kidnapping and obstructing the arrival of the rescue vessel Open Arms transporting 147 migrants in Sicily in 2019.

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Italy votes as far-right Meloni looks for victory

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In an election that is being widely watched around Europe, Italians will decide whether to elect their most right-wing administration since World War Two. Giorgia Meloni, the leader of the far-right Brothers of Italy party, is attempting to unite two other right-leaning parties in order to become the nation’s first female prime minister.

She dislikes being associated with Italy’s fascist past despite having softened her image. Up to 23:00, nearly 51 million Italians may use their right to vote (21:00 GMT). Long lines were observed at some polling places in Rome by lunchtime, when turnout had reached over 19%, a level similar to that of the previous election four years prior.

Enrico Letta, the leader of the center-left, was Ms. Meloni’s main opponent. Matteo Salvini, a supporter of the far-right, voted in Milan. There are 4.7 million foreign voters and 2.6 million first-time voters. When the polls close, exit polls will be released, and the results will be available hours later.

One voter hailed her “strong character,” while another claimed she had voted to keep the extreme right out, in the southern Rome neighbourhood of Garbatella, where the Brothers of Italy leader grew up. Emma stated, “I don’t want to win; it’s not who I want to win.”

Giorgia Meloni has toned down her rhetoric towards Europe and supports Western sanctions against Russia.

But she continues to support the old fascist adage, “God, fatherland, and family,” which was popularised by Benito Mussolini.

A unity administration led by Mario Draghi, a well-liked former head of the European Central Bank, governed Italy for a year and a half. One of the few party leaders who steadfastly declined to participate was Giorgia Meloni.

The primary goal of the Draghi administration was to implement the reforms that were agreed upon as part of the EU’s eye-watering €200 billion (£178 billion) in grants and loans for post-Covid recovery. Meloni wants those measures to be reviewed in light of the energy crisis because by July the administration had disintegrated. Additionally, she has expressed a desire to “protect” Italy’s national interests within the EU. It seems sense that many European leaders are anxiously monitoring this vote.

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