featured Trending

G7 to Use Frozen Russian Assets for $50 Billion Ukraine Loan

By 181 0

The G7 has agreed to utilize frozen Russian assets to raise $50 billion (£39 billion) for Ukraine to aid in its defense against Russian forces. President Joe Biden emphasized this decision as a signal to Russia that the support for Ukraine remains steadfast. However, Moscow has warned of “extremely painful” retaliatory actions. The funds, anticipated to be available by the end of the year, are intended to support Ukraine’s war effort and economic stability in the long term.

At the G7 summit in Italy, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Biden signed a 10-year bilateral security agreement between the US and Ukraine, which Ukraine hailed as “historic.” This agreement involves US military and training aid but does not commit US troops to combat. It aims to enhance Ukraine’s defense capabilities, support its defense industry, and aid in economic and energy recovery. It also stipulates consultations at the highest levels in case of future Russian attacks on Ukraine to decide necessary support measures.

Separately, about $325 billion in Russian assets were frozen by the G7 and the EU following Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine. These assets generate approximately $3 billion annually in interest. The G7 plan involves using this interest to cover the annual interest on a $50 billion loan for Ukraine, sourced from international markets.

President Biden, at the summit in Puglia, Italy, reiterated that the $50 billion loan would support Ukraine and send a strong message to Russian President Vladimir Putin. Zelensky expressed gratitude for the continued support from the US and other allies, calling the security deal with the US the strongest since Ukraine’s independence in 1991. Other G7 leaders, including UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, praised the loan deal as transformative.

The $50 billion loan compares significantly with the $61 billion in US military aid agreed upon in May. A senior White House official noted the loan would support various needs, including military, budget, humanitarian, and reconstruction efforts. While the frozen funds’ interest is seen as a symbolic victory for Ukraine, some in Kyiv had hoped for the release of the entire $300 billion frozen fund. However, the European Central Bank opposed this, citing risks to international order.

The funds from the loan will not immediately impact the war, as they are expected later in the year. Ukraine continues to seek more immediate military aid, such as air defense systems and F-16 fighter jets, which could start arriving in the summer. Zelensky mentioned that the new security agreement includes US shipments of these aircraft.

The loan arrangement symbolizes a significant move where Russia’s frozen assets are repurposed to support Ukraine’s defense. Although this marks a turning point, it is unlikely to change Russia’s stance on the war. Most of the frozen Russian central bank assets are in Belgium, and international law prevents their direct confiscation for Ukraine’s benefit. Russia has condemned the West’s actions as criminal and has hinted at severe retaliatory measures. European investors have around €33 billion stuck in Russia, complicating the situation further.

Picture Courtesy: Google/images are subject to copyright

News Trending

Italy’s Meloni basks in G7 limelight with Western leaders

By 191 0

Two contrasting accommodation options were presented for the G7 summit in Puglia, Italy: the luxurious Borgo Egnazia resort, known for hosting celebrities like Madonna and the Beckhams, and a deteriorating ship moored off Brindisi for the 2,600 police officers, criticized for its appalling conditions. The resort houses world leaders, while the ship, costing the Italian government €6m and now under fraud investigation, exemplifies the disparity in treatment.

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, buoyed by her party’s success in the European elections, hosts the summit, highlighting Italy’s newfound political stability compared to other G7 nations facing political turmoil. Meloni’s government is portrayed as the strongest amidst leaders like Biden, Sunak, and Trudeau, who are struggling domestically.

Low expectations surround the summit due to the precarious political climate in many G7 countries. However, a significant plan to loan Ukraine $50bn from frozen Russian assets is anticipated. Additionally, Sunak will announce substantial support for Ukraine’s energy and humanitarian needs.

Sessions will address the climate crisis, investment in Africa, the Middle East ceasefire, and AI regulation, with Pope Francis attending for the first time. Efforts to broaden global consensus include inviting leaders from Brazil, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and Algeria. Locals in Puglia, like ice-cream maker Vincenzo Iannacone, express pride and excitement for the summit, hoping it brings positive attention to their region.

Picture Courtesy: Google/images are subject to copyright

News Trending

Giorgia Meloni Opens Up as Italy Votes in EU Elections

By 293 0

Italians have begun voting on the third of four days of European elections taking place across 27 EU nations. Although these votes are for the next European Parliament, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni hopes the outcome will strengthen her position in Italian politics. She has even encouraged voters to “just write Giorgia” on their ballots.

Most EU countries are voting on Sunday after several weeks of turmoil during which two European leaders and other politicians were physically attacked. On Friday evening, Denmark’s Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen was assaulted in the street in Copenhagen ahead of Sunday’s Danish vote. She sustained minor whiplash, according to her office, and a suspect has been detained.

European leaders have expressed their shock at the latest attack amid elections involving around 373 million European voters. Last month, Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico survived an assassination attempt and was only recently discharged from the hospital. Several German politicians have also been targeted.

While these elections are intended to be separate from national politics, the reality is often different, especially in Italy. Meloni, who leads the far-right Brothers of Italy (FdI), was appointed prime minister in 2022. She has taken the unusual step of putting her name at the top of her party’s ballot, despite having no plans to take a seat in the European Parliament.

Since becoming prime minister in 2022, Meloni has enjoyed steady poll ratings, helped by a fragmented centrist and left-wing opposition and the decline of her junior coalition partner, Matteo Salvini’s League party. To counter this trend, Salvini has shifted his party’s rhetoric further to the right. The League’s election posters, which criticize EU-backed initiatives like electric cars and tethered caps on plastic bottles, have drawn both ridicule and attention.

Salvini’s lead candidate, Roberto Vannacci, has also drawn attention. The army general, dismissed after self-publishing a book with homophobic and racist views, has doubled down on these views since becoming a League candidate. His messages are frequently amplified by the media, which could translate into votes for the League. If not, Salvini’s leadership could be in jeopardy.

Similarly, the left-wing Democratic Party (PD) leader Elly Schlein must match the 19% vote share from the 2019 elections to maintain her position. Further to the left, Ilaria Salis, a self-described antifascist activist detained in Hungary since 2023, is running on the Left/Greens platform.

These European elections hold significant importance. While the Netherlands voted on Thursday, with exit polls suggesting a tight race between a left-green alliance and Geert Wilders’ Freedom Party, other countries like Ireland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Latvia, and Malta are voting across the weekend. Germany is voting on Sunday, with the center-right CDU/CSU expected to surpass Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s Social Democratic Party.

In France, President Emmanuel Macron’s Renaissance party is competing for second place with the Socialist party, trailing Marine Le Pen’s National Rally (RN). Macron, warning of the threat to Europe from the surge of the right, has called for a high turnout. Slovak Prime Minister Robert Fico, recovering from surgery after an assassination attempt, has recently criticized Slovakia’s liberal opposition. Hungary’s Viktor Orban, opposing EU support for Ukraine, warned that Europe is nearing a point of no return in preventing conflict from spreading beyond Ukraine’s borders.

Italy’s polls will be the last to close at 23:00 (21:00 GMT) on Sunday, with initial projections combining provisional results and estimates expected shortly after.

Picture Courtesy: Google/images are subject to copyright

News Trending

Italy hit by severe flooding after heavy rain

By 263 0

Storms and heavy rainfall have caused significant flooding in northern Italy, with cities like Padua and Vicenza heavily affected. Emergency services have been using dinghies to rescue residents, and footage shows cars floating in the streets. The governor of the Veneto region described the severe weather as a “water bomb.” In contrast, southern Italy, including Sicily, is experiencing an unusual heat wave with temperatures reaching up to 35°C.

Professor Marco Marani from the University of Padua, an expert on climate change, told Corriere del Veneto that extreme weather events are becoming more frequent due to global warming. In Padua, the banks of the Muson dei Sassi river collapsed, causing severe flooding. In Borgo Mantovano, Lombardy, a freight train was overturned by gusts up to 200 km/h. Milan saw 130 mm of rain in one day, leading to flash floods, the most intense May rainfall in over 170 years.

The Veneto region declared a state of red alert, particularly between Vicenza and Verona, where 70 mm of rain fell in 30 minutes, causing water basins to overflow. One person is missing in Como after a bridge collapse.

In the south, Sardinia is experiencing dry conditions, adversely affecting wheat harvests, and water restrictions are expected later in the summer. Prof. Marani emphasized the scientific evidence linking increased frequency of extreme weather events to climate change, underscoring the need to revise water defense calculations and manage climate change effectively.

A recent State of the Climate report by the EU climate agency Copernicus and the World Meteorological Organization highlighted the urgency of climate action and improved flood defenses, noting that in 2023, one-third of European rivers breached high flood thresholds, with 16% surpassing severe levels.

Picture Courtesy: Google/images are subject to copyright

News Trending

Five dead in new Italian workplace tragedy

By 212 0

Five workers tragically lost their lives in an accident at a sewage treatment plant near Palermo in Sicily. Another worker was found unconscious and rushed to the hospital. This incident adds to a concerning trend of workplace fatalities across Italy, sparking outrage among workers and trade unions.

The workers were discovered unconscious and without masks, raising serious questions about safety protocols at the Casteldaccia facility. It’s believed they succumbed to toxic gas poisoning, with one worker narrowly escaping to raise the alarm.

Giovanni D’Aleo, one of the workers, recounted hearing his colleagues’ cries for help but being unable to save them. The men were working in an underground tank accessible only by a small hatch at street level. The toxic gas concentration at the time of the accident was reportedly ten times higher than the danger limit.

Firefighters arrived at the scene to find seven workers inside. They retrieved the bodies of the deceased and rescued one worker in critical condition, while another was found unharmed.

As of now, there has been no official statement from AMAP, the regional group responsible for wastewater treatment in the area.

This tragedy comes shortly after an explosion at a hydroelectric plant near Bologna claimed the lives of seven workers during maintenance work.

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni emphasized the need for a thorough investigation into the incident, while President Sergio Mattarella stressed the importance of clarity regarding the accident’s circumstances. The incident underscores the urgent necessity for a collective effort among all stakeholders—entrepreneurs, institutions, and society—to ensure workplace safety.

Picture Courtesy: Google/images are subject to copyright

News Trending

Alicudi: Italian island offers goats up for adoption

By 211 0

The mayor of a remote Italian island, overwhelmed by an excess of wild goats, is proposing to give them away. Riccardo Gullo conceived the idea after a census revealed that the goat population outnumbered the island’s human inhabitants by sixfold, with only 100 residents.

These goats, adept at navigating the island’s steep terrain in Alicudi, part of the Aeolian archipelago off Sicily, have become a nuisance by causing damage to gardens and allotments as they expand into residential areas.

To address the issue, the mayor is accepting applications for individuals interested in “adopting” a goat, with a deadline set for April 10th. Originally inhabitants of Alicudi’s rugged mountains and cliffs, the goats have progressively encroached upon inhabited regions, causing havoc by destroying vegetation, knocking down walls, and even entering homes.

Dubbed as browsers due to their feeding habits, which involve consuming leaves and fruits at head-height, these goats can wreak havoc on vegetation if left unchecked. Mr. Gullo mentioned receiving inquiries from interested parties, including a farmer from Vulcano Island, another member of the Aeolian archipelago, who is keen to acquire several goats for cheese production, notably Ricotta cheese.

Vulcano, like Alicudi, is one of the seven islands constituting the Aeolian archipelago, designated as a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Picture Couretsy: Google/images are subject to copyright

News Trending

Giorgia Meloni: Italian PM seeks damages over deepfake videos

By 224 0

Giorgia Meloni, the Prime Minister of Italy, is pursuing €100,000 (£85,374) in damages after deepfake pornography featuring her was shared online. Scheduled to appear in court in Sassari on July 2nd, Meloni aims to testify against the production of these videos, where her face was digitally imposed onto explicit content. The culprits, a 40-year-old man believed to have created the videos and his 73-year-old father, are currently under investigation and face defamation charges.

Italian authorities tracked down the individuals through the mobile device used to upload the content. The distribution of such material constitutes a criminal offense in Italy. The videos, which circulated widely on a US pornographic website, prompted Meloni’s legal team to pursue damages. If successful, the €100,000 compensation will be directed to a fund supporting women who have suffered from male violence.

Maria Giulia Marongiu, Meloni’s lawyer, emphasized the symbolic nature of the requested sum, intending to encourage victims to come forward and challenge such abuses of power. Notably, the deepfake videos predate Meloni’s appointment as prime minister in 2022. Unfortunately, instances of deepfake pornography have become increasingly prevalent online, causing significant distress to victims whose likenesses are manipulated in explicit contexts.

Picture Courtesy: Google/images are subject to copyright

News Trending

Shackled woman in Hungary court sparks Italy anger

By 279 0

Italy has expressed strong concern and summoned Hungary’s ambassador after images of Ilaria Salis, a 39-year-old Italian woman, shackled in a Budapest court triggered public and political outrage. Salis, accused of participating in violent assaults against neo-Nazi sympathizers in February 2023, faced restraints on her hands and feet during the court appearance. The attacks occurred following a neo-Nazi rally in Budapest, with alleged far-left militants assaulting individuals after the “Day of Honour” rally.

A video showing anti-fascist activists beating a Hungarian person circulated widely in Hungary, leading to Salis’ arrest along with two German nationals. Salis faces charges of conspiracy to commit assault causing grievous bodily harm, with a potential 11-year jail term if convicted. Her case gained attention in October when her father highlighted the harsh conditions of her detention. Images of Salis in shackles during the court hearing sparked further outrage, with an online petition garnering over 90,000 signatures demanding her return to Italy.

Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani summoned the Hungarian ambassador to inquire about the perceived violation of fundamental norms on detainee conditions. While Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, an ally of Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban, has not commented, there are calls for her intervention. The Five Star Movement leader urged Meloni to prioritize the rights and dignity of Italians over political alliances.

Salis’ lawyer criticized the scenes in court as a clear violation of the European Convention on Human Rights. Allegations of unsanitary conditions in Hungarian prisons were contested by the prison service, emphasizing high hygiene standards. However, human rights groups reported overcrowded and understaffed prisons in Hungary.

The case, dominating Italian headlines, has also attracted attention in Hungary and Europe. Concerns were raised about the use of physical restraints in court and the perceived repressive nature of Hungary’s judiciary system. The president of the European Parliament Committee on Civil Liberties deemed the scene in the EU state’s court as “appalling.” Salis’s lawyer expressed pessimism about the trial’s outcome and called for Salis to serve pre-trial detention in Italy, citing EU law allowing citizens to be held on house arrest in their resident member country.

Picture Courtesy: Google/images are subject to copyright

News Sports Trending

Luis Rubiales: Fifa uphold three-year ban against ex-Spanish football federation chief

By 262 0

Luis Rubiales, the former president of the Spanish football federation, has been unsuccessful in his appeal against a three-year ban from football-related activities imposed by FIFA. This decision follows an incident where Rubiales kissed Jenni Hermoso on the lips after Spain’s Women’s World Cup final victory against England. Hermoso later filed a legal complaint, alleging that the kiss was not consensual.

FIFA stated that Rubiales violated the principles of fair play and displayed offensive behavior, citing Article 13 of the FIFA disciplinary code. The governing body’s appeal committee expressed satisfaction that Rubiales behaved contrary to these principles during and after the final of the FIFA Women’s World Cup. The ban could potentially be contested before the Court of Arbitration for Sport.

A Spanish judge has proposed that Rubiales should stand trial over the incident, describing the kiss as “not consensual and… a unilateral and surprising initiative.” Prosecutors had previously charged Rubiales with sexual assault and coercion. Despite Rubiales maintaining that the kiss was a “consensual peck,” the controversy led to his resignation as the president of the Spanish football federation, sparking a global conversation about sexism in women’s sports.

The incident also had repercussions in the coaching staff, as World Cup-winning manager Jorge Vilda was sacked in September and is under investigation as part of the criminal case against Rubiales. Jenni Hermoso, who claimed her image was tarnished by the kiss, made a return to the national side in October, scoring a crucial 89th-minute winner against Italy.

Picture Courtesy: Google/images are subject to copyright

News Trending

Matteo Salvini: Italian deputy PM takes stand in migrant kidnap trial

By 240 0

Italian Deputy Prime Minister Matteo Salvini defended his hard-line approach to illegal migration during a recent court appearance in Sicily. The charges against him include kidnapping and dereliction of duty for preventing migrants from disembarking an NGO ship in 2019, when he served as the interior minister in a previous government. Salvini, the leader of the right-wing League party, denied the charges, stating that he acted in the interest of national security.

In August 2019, a migrant rescue vessel from the Spanish NGO Open Arms arrived near Italian shores carrying 147 rescued migrants. Salvini immediately signed a decree banning the vessel from entering Italian territorial waters, leading to a nearly three-week standoff at sea. The prolonged situation caused a public outcry, with reports of deteriorating conditions onboard, including a scabies outbreak and a decline in the migrants’ physical and mental well-being.

Salvini asserted during his court appearance that he believed the situation onboard the ship was not at risk and that he acted in full consciousness. He expressed pride in taking responsibility for his actions, emphasizing his role in fighting human trafficking and saving lives. Salvini also claimed that no migrant died at sea while he was the minister of the interior, a statement contradicted by UNHCR data showing 926 deaths in the central Mediterranean between June 2018 and September 2019.

Despite Salvini’s claim of a 90% reduction in migrant arrivals under the “closed ports” policy, it is important to note that migration flows are influenced by various factors, including the political situation in the migrants’ origin countries. Salvini sought to demonstrate the government’s backing for his hard-line approach, stating that the entire Italian government, including Prime Minister Conte at the time, supported his immigration policies.

The trial, which began in October 2021, could result in Salvini facing up to 15 years in prison if convicted. Oscar Camps, the founder of Open Arms NGO, expressed hope that the trial would bring about justice and that Salvini would face consequences for his choices, which he deemed personal.

Picture Courtesy: Google/images are subject to copyright