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Silvio Berlusconi: Former Italian PM’s eldest children get majority stake

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After much speculation, Silvio Berlusconi’s will has been revealed, showing that he has bequeathed a majority stake in the family’s holding company Fininvest to his two eldest children, Marina and Pier Silvio. They will jointly own 53% of the family firm. Berlusconi, who passed away on June 12, was one of Italy’s wealthiest individuals, with a vast empire spanning real estate, television, cinema, and sports. His will also revealed that Marina and Pier Silvio, his children from his first marriage, will receive larger shares compared to his three other children from his second wife. The two eldest children have been involved in managing the family business since the early 1990s and have stated that no single shareholder will have overall individual indirect control of Fininvest.

In addition to his children, Berlusconi allocated €100 million to Marta Fascina, his partner at the time of his death. Although they were not married, Berlusconi referred to her as his wife on his deathbed. He left €100 million to his brother Paolo and €30 million to his close aide Marcello Dell’Utri. The distribution of Berlusconi’s other valuable assets, such as luxurious villas, has not been clarified yet and may present challenges in dividing them equally among his offspring. These properties include Villa San Martino in Arcore, a historic mansion covering 3,500 square meters, as well as homes in various locations such as Lake Maggiore, Rome, Cannes, and the Caribbean.

Among his properties, Villa Certosa in Sardinia stands out as a prestigious asset. Berlusconi purchased the mansion in the 1970s and hosted world leaders there, including Vladimir Putin and George W. Bush. The mansion, with 126 rooms and elaborate features like a fake erupting volcano, is estimated to be worth €259 million.

Silvio Berlusconi was a highly influential figure in Italy’s history, leaving a lasting impact on politics, media, football, and society. His will included a handwritten letter expressing his gratitude and love for his children. However, the question remains whether the family unity he maintained during his lifetime will persist after his passing and how that might affect the future of his business empire.

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The majority of UK lawmakers claim that Boris Johnson deceived the legislature

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354 members of the House of Commons vote in favour of a report from the COVID epidemic ‘Partygate’ incident that said the former prime minister lied about it.

A study that suggested punishing former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson for misleading the legislature about illegal, intoxicated parties hosted during the COVID-19 outbreak was approved by lawmakers in the country.

The report from the privileges committee, which recommended that the former leader should have his parliamentary pass removed, was approved by the House of Commons on Monday by a vote of 354 to 7. It would have also suggested a 90-day suspension from the legislature if he hadn’t already resigned.

Johnson abruptly left the House of Commons ten days ago after reading a draught of the report and branding the investigation a “witch hunt.”

Theresa May, a member of the Conservative Party and Johnson’s predecessor as prime minister, remarked, “It is important to show the public that there is not one rule for them and another for us.”

House of Commons Leader Penny Mordaunt urged lawmakers to “do what they think is right” as she opened the five-hour discussion. Mordaunt, a Conservative like Johnson, declared she will support the Commons Privileges Committee’s findings with her vote.

“This matters because the integrity of our institutions matter. The respect and trust afforded to them matters,” said Mordaunt. “This has real-world consequences for the accountability of members of Parliament to each other and the members of the public they represent.”

A few Johnson supporters stood forward to support the former leader. “I cannot see the evidence where Boris Johnson misled Parliament knowing, intentionally, or carelessly,” said MP Lia Nici.

Rishi Sunak, the prime minister of India, was among the several Conservative MPs who skipped the discussion. He remained aside out of concern for upsetting Johnson’s surviving fans.

The prime minister had “a number of commitments,” according to Sunak’s spokesperson Max Blain, including a meeting with the president of Sweden.

Johnson, who celebrated his 59th birthday on Monday, wasn’t either. He left his position as prime minister in September 2022, although he continued to serve as a member of parliament until June 9, when he resigned after learning of the Privileges Committee’s conclusions.

The debate on Monday was the most recent repercussion of the “Partygate” affair concerning events at Downing Street and other government facilities in 2020 and 2021.

When it was revealed that political staffers had birthday parties, garden parties, and “wine time Fridays” during the pandemic, it infuriated Britons who had abided by the regulations put in place to stop the coronavirus’s spread but were unable to visit friends and family or even say goodbye to relatives who were dying in hospitals.

In response to Partygate, Labour Party MP Chris Bryant claimed that “there is visceral anger” among people.

The Sunday Mirror newspaper’s publishing of a video this week of staff members dancing and drinking at a Conservative Party headquarters event in December 2020, when mingling between different families was prohibited indoors, brought back memories.

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europe times european news trendy daily Australian government loses bill blocking ill asylum seekers
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Australian government loses bill blocking ill asylum seekers

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The Australian government lost major votes on a bill for evacuating sick refugees held in offshore facilities, to be transferred to Australia for medical treatment. For over a decade, this is the first time a government has lost vote on its own legislation in the lower house.

The move is a push forward for PM Scott Morrison’s minority government’s immigration policy, which is highly controversial. Australia has sent asylum seekers arriving by boat to detention centres on Nauru and Papua New Guinea, since 2013. Doctors have been warned regarding the insufficiency of medical facilities on the islands, while the UN has previously described the camp conditions as “inhumane”.

“There is no form of this bill that does not weaken our border protection.” said Mr Morrison. He also added that it could help criminals and terrorists enter the country.

Sunaya Paison
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Protest against Catalan independence referendum
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Madrid mass protest demanding Socialist prime minister resign

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Thousands of people gathered and protested Madrid on Sunday against the government’s handling of the Catalan question, as the country braced for the landmark trial of 12 separatist leaders this week. Protesters were angered by the government’s outreach to Catalan separatists and calls for new elections in Spain.

The people gathered were weaving Spanish flags and were residing the slogans for the nation’s security forces and for Sanchez to resign. Pablo Casado, who asked the voters to punish Sanchez’s socialists in upcoming European, local and regional elections in May, said that “The time of Sanchez’s government is over,”. During the upbeat demonstration recordings of popular music including Lady Gaga were also played.

The public proceedings at Spain’s supreme court, which are expected to last three months and which will be broadcast on television, will focus on the independence referendum held in October 2017 and the regional parliament’s subsequent unilateral declaration of independence.

Sunaya Paison
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Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido proclaims himself acting president

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Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido declared himself as the country’s interim president on Wednesday. He said that he would be willing to assume the presidency on an interim basis with the support of the armed forces to call elections. The US promptly weaved their support for this. The street was brimming with Venezuelans demanding an end to the socialist government of President Nicolas Maduro.

“I swear to formally assume the national executive powers as acting president of Venezuela to end the usurpation, a transitional government and hold free elections.” said Guaido to the supporters gathered in front of the National Assembly. He was found to be holding the constitution in his his hand when he did the declaration.

As the other South American Governments and the United States, Columbia and Brazil also have already recognized the MP as President instead of Maduro. The US president Donald Trump, tweeted regarding this situation as “The citizens of Venezuela have suffered for too long at the hands of the illegitimate Maduro regime. Today, I have officially recognized the President of the Venezuelan National Assembly, Juan Guaido, as the Interim President of Venezuela.”

Sunaya Paison
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