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Tag: Italy

  • German Crackdown Pushes Dutch ATM Bandits Towards Austria

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    FRANKFURT (Reuters) -For years, it was a common occurrence: Dutch bandits would drive to Germany and in the dead of night blow up ATMs, grab cash and speed back home on the Autobahn. 

    Now, a crackdown is bearing fruit.

    ATM attacks have dropped to 115 so far this year, less than a quarter of their peak of more than one a day – 496 – in 2022, according to German police data provided to Reuters.

    The spree of explosions has terrorized residents throughout Germany, where – in contrast to other countries – cash remains popular and ATMs are often built directly beneath apartments and in pedestrian zones. The damage has amounted to more than 400 million euros ($466.48 million) since 2020.

    “The threat level in Germany remains high, particularly in light of the use … of extremely unstable explosives,” according to a September report by Germany’s top crime-fighters at the federal criminal police, or BKA. 

    Now the gangs are driving a bit further to Austria, where using cash is still widespread. Attacks in Austria have doubled this year in what the BKA told Reuters was likely “a squeezing-out effect from Germany”. Dutch police have suspected hundreds of men are responsible, working in ever-evolving groups as new recruits replace those caught.

    GERMANS STILL LOVE TO USE CASH

    Underscoring the shift to Austria, prosecutors said a Dutchman who stole 220,000 euros from cash machines near Frankfurt in 2023 blew up ATMs in Vienna earlier this year, getting away with 89,000 euros in booty and causing 1.5 million euros in damage.

    The person was taken into custody on a European arrest warrant and is awaiting trial.

    Over the years, this modern twist on the old-fashioned bank heist arose out of two distinctly German factors, investigators say.

    First, Germany is a wealthy nation whose residents love to use cash for purchases, meaning ATMs are aplenty. And second, Germany’s famous highway network makes for a quick getaway.

    German banks have also invested more than 300 million euros in security in recent years, according to the most recent figures from Deutsche Kreditwirtschaft, an umbrella group for financial institutions, a drop in the ocean for a sector where profits collectively top 50 billion euros annually.

    The measures include mechanisms that blow a thick fog when machines are tampered with or emit dyes that render bills unusable. Many banks now lock lobbies around ATMs at night.

    The thefts are less sophisticated than many online scams, where law enforcement in Germany and across the globe are battling a surge.

    Last week, Germany announced arrests after a years-long probe of fraudsters who – with the help of German payment providers, sham websites and fictitious companies – stole more than 300 million euros from people in 193 countries.

    CASES FALL IN GERMANY, RISE IN AUSTRIA

    Cases fell this year in all but three of Germany’s 16 states, according to police statistics.

    The state of North Rhine-Westphalia, which borders the Netherlands, was one of the hardest hit in 2022 with 182 attacks. So far this year, they are down to just 25.

    Despite the decline, collateral damage is still significant, police there pointed out, with one attack in January near Cologne causing 1.8 million euros in damage.

    Police credit cooperation with Dutch investigators to locate and nab suspects. The majority of culprits have been Dutch, but some are German, French and Moldovan. Dutch police did not respond to questions from Reuters but in the past have acknowledged the trend.

    Police in the state of Hesse, home to Germany’s banking capital Frankfurt, created a tool that generates a probability forecast of an ATM getting hit, based on make, location and other variables. 

    Last week, Germany’s parliament voted to increase prison sentences for such attacks.

    In Austria, cases have risen to 29 so far this year, up from 13 in 2024, according to figures from the interior ministry, which said they first detected the Dutch gangs in 2023.

    Austrians have the highest preference for paying in cash in the euro zone, a 2024 European Central Bank study found, meaning plenty of ATMs.

    Police there said they are cooperating closely with the police in Germany and the Netherlands.

    (Reporting by Tom Sims; Editing by Tommy Reggiori Wilkes and Andrew Cawthorne)

    Copyright 2025 Thomson Reuters.

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  • A 107% U.S. import tax on Italian pasta could make your favorite spaghetti pricier — or hard to find

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    Americans may soon be paying more for their favorite Italian pasta brands — or even have trouble finding imported spaghetti — as the Trump administration eyes a new import duty on 13 of Italy’s largest pasta exporters.

    The proposal, published by the Commerce Department in September, would add a new 92% antidumping duty after a U.S. government probe found that some Italian pasta brands, including La Molisana and Pastificio Lucio Garofalo, were selling their products below U.S. market prices. Combined with the existing 15% tariff on European Union imports, the total duties on Italian-made pasta could rise to 107%.

    That would represent one of the Trump administration’s highest import duty rates on any product, according to the Wall Street Journal, which earlier reported on the pasta dispute.

    If the anti-dumping duty goes into effect, the impact on American consumers would be substantial, according to Phil Lempert, food industry analyst and editor of SupermarketGuru. Some Italian pasta makers may simply stop exporting their products to the U.S., while others might raise their prices, he added. 

    “You don’t have enough domestic manufacturing to fill up those shelves,” Lempert said. “So you’re going to walk into the pasta aisle and you’re going to see it half empty.”

    White House spokesperson Kush Desai told CBS News, “Italian pasta is not ‘disappearing.’” 

    He added that the antidumping duty is a proposal and that it is not yet final. “The pasta makers still have several months to continue participating in this review before this preliminary finding becomes finalized,” he said.

    Yet some Italian pasta companies are preparing to pull out of U.S. stores as soon as January because of the threat of the new antidumping duty, according to the Wall Street Journal. 

    Which pasta brands could be affected?

    The antidumping duties — a type of federal tariff applied to imported products sold in the U.S. for less than their market value — would impact 13 Italian pasta makers, including La Molisana and Garofalo, according to a U.S. Department of Commerce publication. The companies did not immediately respond to CBS News’ request for comment.

    • Agritalia
    • Aldino
    • Antiche Tradizioni Di Gragnano
    • Barilla 
    • Gruppo Milo 
    • La Molisana
    • Pastificio Artigiano Cav. Giuseppe Cocco
    • Pastificio Chiavenna
    • Pastificio Liguori 
    • Pastificio Lucio Garofalo
    • Pastificio Sgambaro
    • Pastificio Tamma 
    • Rummo

    What comes next for Italian pasta

    Desai, the White House spokesperson, told CBS News that the companies in question failed to adhere to multiple data requests from the Commerce Department as part of a long-running probe into Italian pasta makers that has been ongoing since the mid-1990s.

    Desai added that there’s no “hard date” for when the duties would take effect. 

    The Commerce Department and International Trade Administration did not immediately respond to CBS News’ requests for comment.

    American pasta makers have long accused their Italian rivals of unfairly undercutting them on price. But the Commerce Department’s proposal may mark a tipping point for Italian exporters that rely heavily on the U.S. market.

    Last year, the U.S. imported pasta from Italy valued at $684 million, according to the Observatory of Economic Complexity, which offers global trade data.

    Edited by

    Aimee Picchi

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  • Italy Urges US to Unlock Pay for Military Base Workers Amid Shutdown

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    MILAN (Reuters) -Local staff at some American military bases in Italy have not been paid due to the U.S. government shutdown and Rome is in talks with U.S. authorities to resolve the issue, the Italian foreign ministry said on Saturday.

    About 2,000 non-military Italian employees, mainly at Aviano Air Base and the Vicenza army base in northeast Italy, missed their October pay despite being employed under Italian work contracts, the ministry said.

    Italian workers at U.S. Navy bases in the country, however, were paid on time as the navy applies different rules to the army and air force.

    In the United States, the record-long shutdown has left millions of federal government workers without paychecks, has frozen critical food aid and has snarled airline travel, among other impacts.

    Italy’s Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani urged both Washington and the U.S. embassy in Rome to act swiftly, regardless of when the shutdown ends.

    “(Italy’s) foreign ministry has made a request to the U.S. embassy in Rome, which confirmed that the U.S. Army and U.S. Air Force are examining with the Pentagon the possibility of using their own funds to pay the Italian employees,” the ministry said in a statement.

    (Reporting by Francesca Landini; Editing by Susan Fenton)

    Copyright 2025 Thomson Reuters.

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  • Nearly 1 million bottles of prosecco recalled from Costco

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    Costco is recalling more than 940,000 bottles of its Kirkland brand Signature Prosecco Valdobbiadene, warning that the bubbly beverage could pose a “laceration hazard.” 

    The prosecco’s manufacturer, F&F Fine Wines International Inc., has received at least 10 reports of the bottles shattering or breaking. The incidents resulted in one laceration injury, the Consumer Product Safety Commission said in a news release. 

    The prosecco was sold in green bottles with purple foil and a purple label that read “Kirkland Signature Valdobbiadene Prosecco Superiore DOCG.” The product sold for about $8, the CPSC said. 

    Customers who purchased the beverage should not attempt to open it and should place it in paper towels or a plastic bag before disposing of it, the CPSC said. 

    Kirkland Signature Valdobbiadene Prosecco DOCG bottles.

    Consumer Product Safety Commission


    The bottles were sold at Costco stores in Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, North Dakota, Nebraska, Ohio, South Dakota and Wisconsin between April 2025 and August 2025, the CPSC said in a news release. The universal product code of the affected drinks is 196633883742, and the Costco item number is 1879870. 

    The prosecco is manufactured by F&F Fine Wines International Inc., which does business as Ethica Wines. The beverage is made in Italy. 

    The same product was recalled by Costco in September. At the time, the chain said that the unopened prosecco bottles could shatter even before being opened or when not being handled, but did not respond to a request asking if any injuries had been reported. 

    Edited by

    Lucia I Suarez Sang

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  • Betting on Misery: the Dark Side of Italy’s Gambling Passion

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    PISA, Italy (Reuters) -When Luciano walked into an anti-addiction clinic in the central Italian city of Pisa, the only thing he had not lost to years of gambling were the clothes he was wearing. Everything else – family homes, savings, his dignity – was gone.

    “I devoted myself to casinos, horses, everything. Basically, I toured all the casinos in Europe; I spent all my assets, I gambled them, I gambled everything away in those places,” the 69-year-old retired railway worker told Reuters.

    Luciano’s story exemplifies some of the darker realities behind Italy’s emergence as Europe’s largest gambling market, with the spread of online and smartphone betting making it ever easier to place wagers.

    The growth of Italy’s gambling industry has outpaced Britain, Germany, and France, with gross gaming revenues – the difference between the amount wagered and the amount won – hitting 21.5 billion euros ($25 billion) in 2024.

    FAMILY VALUES, THE CATHOLIC CHURCH AND THE MAFIA

    Booming betting habits have helped to line state coffers and have put conservative Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, a self-declared defender of family values, at odds with the Catholic Church and others who have called for tighter regulation.

    “(Gambling) ruins people, it impoverishes, in many cases it destroys relationships, so it is clear that a huge effort (to control it) is needed by everyone,” the head of the Italian Bishops’ Conference, Cardinal Matteo Zuppi, said in June.

    There are indications that the mafia has a hand in Italy’s gambling addiction: this year’s “Black Book of Gambling” report, compiled by the CGIL trade union, showed betting was especially widespread in poorer and mafia-ridden southern regions.

    Italy’s anti-Mafia directorate routinely lists gambling and online betting as a sector infiltrated by mafia groups, particularly the Calabrian ‘Ndrangheta, for money laundering purposes.

    About 20.5 million Italians, 43% of the adult population, gambled at least once in 2022, with a higher incidence among men, the Italian National Research Council reported last year.

    Among them, 1.1 million spent at least one hour gambling on a typical day – a pattern common to Luciano and three other former addicts Reuters spoke to for this story. They asked for their names to be changed to protect their privacy.

    Francesco, 52, said his gambling started in childhood. He recalled how a teacher in junior high school told him off for playing dice under the desk with a classmate, for 100-lira (5 euro cent) punts.

    Although he now feels cured, gambling will always be a temptation. “It’s like a vulture sitting on my shoulder,” he said.  

    Industry representatives say the sector is committed to promoting responsible gambling, and the government agency that oversees it believes excessive curbs do not work, as they push people towards illegal betting. 

    “We estimate that there is an underground, illegal market now worth over 10% of the legal market,” Mario Lollobrigida, head of the gambling department of the Customs and Monopolies Agency, said last month.

    A senior government official added: “Italy takes a pragmatic approach towards gambling, recognising the contribution the industry makes to jobs and the economy, and is happy to support its growth, while also carefully monitoring the risks.”

    Giovanni, a 44-year-old veterinarian who managed to break his addiction to slot-machine betting around six months ago, said the government was not doing enough to curb gambling.

    “It’s as if the Italian state is encouraging citizens to gamble. There’s advertising everywhere; there are TV ads where they say, ‘Do you like easy wins?’ It’s like they want to create a problem which they then don’t know how to handle.”

    For Luciano, it took around 10 years of group therapy at Pisa’s SERD – a public health centre that also treats drug and alcohol addicts – to kick a habit that started when he picked up a flyer on a train that offered free dinner at a casino.

    “Every time I’d tell myself: fine, now I’ll go play in Monte Carlo because then I’ll win back the money I lost and solve my problems. I never solved my problems; I lost everything, I even lost my dignity,” he said, holding back tears.

    The psychologist who treated him said gambling leads to many broken homes. “We get a lot of very angry wives, and very guilty husbands,” SERD’s Dr. Rosanna Cardia told Reuters. “Sometimes, marital separation follows.”

    Italians’ spending on gambling has surged in the last 20 years, with year-on-year increases of more than 15% following the COVID pandemic, reaching 157.4 billion euros in 2024.

    Flutter, the world’s biggest online gambling company, bought well-known domestic player Sisal in 2021, and the national market leader Lottomatica has thrived, enjoying a fivefold revenue increase from 2020 to 2024 and taking a spot on Milan bourse’s blue-chip index in September.

    “We are doing very well in the Italian market, which is a great market both for the consumer dynamics and regulation. We think this trend is a long-term trend and will continue for a very long time,” CEO Guglielmo Angelozzi said in July.

    Against this backdrop, the state collected 11.5 billion euros in gambling taxes last year – compared to 1.4 billion euros from alcohol and 14.5 billion euros from tobacco – although revenue fell slightly from 11.6 billion euros in 2023.

    Industry experts say this was due to the spread of online gambling – subject to lower tax rates – at the expense of more heavily taxed in-person gambling, such as playing slot machines or buying scratch cards. 

    Emiliano Contini, a campaigner from the anti-addiction cooperative “Il Cammino”, said an outright ban on gambling would be unrealistic. But he called for a more honest assessment of its costs to society.

    “From 2004 to 2024, total gambling jumped from around 25 to more than 157 billion euros, but the tax intake rose only from about 7 to 11.5 billion euros: is the game really worth the candle?” 

    (Reporting by Alvise Armellini, additional reporting by Gabriele Pileri; Graphics by Stefano Bernabei; Editing by Ros Russell)

    Copyright 2025 Thomson Reuters.

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  • Nord Stream Suspect Starts Hunger Strike in Italy Over Prison Rights

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    MILAN (Reuters) -A Ukrainian man suspected of coordinating the 2022 sabotage of the Nord Stream gas pipelines has begun a hunger strike, demanding respect for his fundamental rights in prison, his lawyer said on Tuesday.

    An Italian appeals court in Bologna last month ordered that the suspect, identified only as Serhii K. under German privacy laws, should be transferred to Germany, confirming a previous ruling that it had issued last month.

    However, the former Ukrainian officer is currently held in an Italian high-security prison pending a further hearing at the Court of Cassation, the top court, which is expected to take place within about a month.

    “Since October 31, SK has been refusing food to demand respect for his fundamental rights,” his lawyer Nicola Canestrini said in a statement.

    The Ukrainian is demanding adequate nutrition, a healthy environment, dignified detention conditions and “equal treatment with other inmates regarding family visits and access to information,”, Canestrini added.

    The lawyer called for urgent intervention by the prison administration and the Italian Ministry of Justice “to ensure conditions consistent with constitutional and international standards”.

    The justice ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

    Serhii K was arrested in August near the Italian town of Rimini on a European investigation and arrest warrant issued by Germany in connection with the sabotage of the Nord Stream gas pipelines.

    In a hearing in September, Canestrini said his client denied any involvement in the attacks.

    The explosions largely severed Russian gas supplies to Europe, prompting a major escalation in the Ukraine conflict and squeezing energy supplies on the continent. No one has taken responsibility for the blasts and Ukraine has denied any role.

    (Reporting by Emilio Parodi. Writing by Cristina Carlevaro. Editing by Mark Potter)

    Copyright 2025 Thomson Reuters.

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  • Worker dies after Rome’s medieval Torre dei Conti tower partially collapses during renovation work

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    Rome — Firefighters late Monday finally managed to extract a worker from beneath rubble inside a medieval tower that partially collapsed during renovation work in the heart of Italy’s capital, but the joy of that rescue proved short-lived. 

    The man didn’t withstand the trauma he suffered and died soon thereafter.

    “I express deep sorrow and condolences, on behalf of myself and the government, for the tragic loss of Octay Stroici, the worker who was killed in the collapse of the Torre dei Conti in Rome,” Italy’s Premier Giorgia Meloni said in a statement after midnight. “We are close to his family and colleagues at this time of unspeakable suffering.”

    Onlookers watch as dust rises following the collapse of parts of the Torre dei Conti, near the Colosseum in central Rome, Italy, Nov. 3, 2025.

    Remo Casilli/REUTERS


    Images broadcast on local television had shown a trio of rescuers loading the man onto a telescopic aerial ladder, then descending and wheeling him on a stretcher into an ambulance. His state wasn’t immediately clear, but Adriano De Acutis, chief commander of Rome’s firefighters, said on state television channel RAI that he was conscious.

    “Since the conditions seem serious, they will now evaluate him and he was immediately taken to the hospital,” Lamberto Giannini, prefect of Rome, told reporters at the time.

    Rescuers had faced a complex task as they tried to use a first-floor window to get near the trapped worker. But they were forced to retreat in a cloud of debris as the structure continued to give way. Another approach on two ladders was also aborted, and a drone sent up in their stead.

    Italy Medieval Tower Collapsed

    This combo of three pictures shows a cloud of debris from a second collapse surrounding firefighters who were trying to rescue a worker after a medieval tower near the Roman Forum partially collapsed during renovation work in Rome, Italy, on Monday, Nov. 3, 2025.

    Domenico Stinellis / AP


    As dusk approached, firefighters lifted on a crane used giant tubes to suck rubble out of the second-floor window. They continued the work late into the night.

    “The operation lasted a long time because every time a part of the body was freed, there was additional rubble that covered it,” Giannini said.

    Rome Mayor Roberto Gualtieri had told reporters earlier that the worker was speaking to rescuers and using an oxygen mask. He added that rescuers were working with extreme caution in “a very delicate extraction operation” to avoid further collapses.

    Three workers were rescued unharmed after the initial midday incident, said firefighter spokesperson Luca Cari. Another worker, age 64, was hospitalized in critical condition; RAI reported he was conscious and had suffered a broken nose.

    No firefighters were injured in the ensuing operation.

    The Torre dei Conti was built in the 13th century by Pope Innocent III as a residence for his family. The tower was damaged in a 1349 earthquake and suffered subsequent collapses in the 17th century.

    Hundreds of tourists had gathered to watch as firefighters used a mobile ladder to bring a stretcher to the upper level of the Torre dei Conti during the first rescue attempt. Suddenly, another part of the structure crumbled, sending up a cloud of debris and forcing firefighters to quickly descend.

    APTOPIX Italy Medieval Tower Collapsed

    The medieval tower Torre dei Conti near the Roman Forum is engulfed by a cloud of debris from a second collapse after it had partially collapsed during renovation works in Rome, Italy, on Monday, Nov. 3, 2025.

    Domenico Stinellis / AP


    The first collapse struck the central buttress of the structure’s southern side, and caused an underlying sloped base to fall. The second damaged part of the stairwell and roof, cultural heritage officials said in a statement.

    Queen Paglinawan, 27, was attending to a client in a gelato parlor next door when the tower first started coming apart.

    “I was working and then I heard something falling, and then I saw the tower collapse in a diagonal way,″ Paglinawan, 27, told The Associated Press as yet more rubble crashed down.

    The tower, which has been closed since 2007, is undergoing a 6.9 million euro (nearly $8 million) restoration that includes conservation work, the installation of electrical, lighting and water systems and a new museum installation dedicated to the most recent phases of the Roman Imperial Forum, officials said.  

    TOPSHOT-ITALY-ACCIDENT-MONUMENT

    Firefighters work on the site after a part of the medieval tower Torre dei Conti collapsed near the Roman Forum in the historic center of Rome on Nov. 3, 2025.

    TIZIANA FABI/AFP via Getty Images


    Before the latest phase was started in June, structural surveys and load tests were carried out “to verify the stability of the structure, which confirmed the safety conditions necessary” to proceed with work, including asbestos removal, officials said. The current work, carried out at a cost of 400,000 euros ($460,000), was just about complete.

    Italian prosecutors arrived at the scene as the rescue operation was underway, and were investigating possible charges for negligent disaster and negligent injuries, Italian media reported. It is common in Italy for investigations to begin while an event is ongoing and before possible suspects are identified.

    German student Viktoria Braeu had just finished a tour at the nearby Colosseum and was passing by the scene during the firefighters’ initial rescue attempt.

    “And then we were like, ‘It’s probably not long until it’s going to go down,’ and then it just started erupting,’” said Braeu, 18.

    Earlier on Monday, Prime Minister Meloni had shared her hopes for a successful rescue.

    “My thoughts and deepest sympathies go out to the person currently fighting for his life under the rubble and to his family, for whom I sincerely hope that this tragedy will have a positive outcome,” Meloni said in a statement.

    “I would like to thank all the law enforcement officers, firefighters, and rescue workers who are intervening with courage, professionalism, and dedication in this extremely difficult situation.”

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  • Europe’s Role Reversal: The Problem Economies Are Now Further North

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    The European debt crisis of the early 2010s created an image of a continent cleaved in two: The fiscally responsible core countries led by Germany versus the spendthrift southern periphery of Portugal, Italy, Greece and Spain—disdainfully dubbed PIGS.

    Nowadays, there has been a role reversal. Europe’s three biggest economies are stuck in a cycle of weak growth, leading to widening budget deficits. France is the epicenter of this shift and remains mired in a budget and political crisis, while the U.K. is eyeing tax hikes to try to narrow the gap and avoid spooking markets. Famously frugal Germany and the Netherlands are taking on debt, albeit from lower levels.

    Copyright ©2025 Dow Jones & Company, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 87990cbe856818d5eddac44c7b1cdeb8

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  • Italy will be the latest country to require age verification for porn sites

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    Later this month, Italian citizens will have one extra step to go through before getting on porn sites. On Friday, Italy’s regulatory agency for communications, known as AGCOM, announced an age verification system that’s meant to prevent minors from accessing websites with pornographic content. The initial list of sites covers around 50 sites, including Pornhub, XHamster and OnlyFans.

    The new rule will require users to get verified through “certified third parties,” which could be another company, bank or mobile operator that already has the relevant info. Once the third party verifies the user’s age, it will issue a code that grants access to the porn site. While the legislation’s stated goal is to prevent harm to minors, the age verification process uses a “double anonymity” system to quell privacy concerns. In order to protect user privacy, porn sites can only see if a user is of age and not their identity, while the third-party verifier can only see the user’s identity and not the website they’re trying to get on.

    According to the legislation, users have to do this each time they try to get on affected porn sites. AGCOM said the new rule goes into effect on November 12, and any porn sites that are found non-compliant could be hit with penalties of up to 250,000 euros.

    Italy is the latest in the European Union to implement age verification rules, after France put a similar system into place in the summer. Just outside the EU, the UK also recently introduced its own age verification process that requires either a selfie or government ID. Since then, Pornhub said that UK visitors to its site have plummeted 77 percent.

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  • A First-Timer’s Guide to the Dolomites

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    Where to stay in the Dolomites

    The Dolomites have no shortage of extraordinary accommodations, where design-forward hotels often become the destinations themselves. Forestis, perched 6,000 feet above sea level in Brixen, is a sanatorium-turned-five-star hotel with a minimalist aesthetic that embraces its surroundings. The Dolomites provide a breathtaking backdrop, visible through every angle, including the hotel’s floor-to-ceiling lobby windows or from the outdoor bed of a Tower Suite—the property’s signature among its 62 guest rooms. Daily wellness programming includes sound baths, guided Wyda forest walks inspired by Celtic wisdom, and Aufguss rituals, a 10-20 minute sauna experience where an Aufguss Master pours essential oils over hot stones and skillfully twirls a towel to circulate the air, all set to the rhythm of the music. This summer, Forestis quietly debuted Yera, the 14-course (cellphone-free) multi-sensory dining experience paired with housemade, fermented alcohol-free drinks, all set inside a cave. 

    About 90 minutes east in Avelengo, Italy’s German-speaking region, Chalet Mirabell feels like a whimsical fairytale. Anchored by a natural swimmable pond and roaming alpacas, the family-owned five-star resort caters to both families and couples with dedicated dining areas and pools for each. Adults can enjoy the variety of wellness programming offered daily, retreat to one of three pools, or head to the 65,000-square-foot spa at the heart of the property. 

    The hotel’s 70 cozy guest rooms blend natural wood and modern accents with plush furnishings in warm tones. Many of the guest rooms are equipped with fireplaces, free-standing tubs, and private balconies overlooking the mountains. For large groups or multi-generational families, choose from one of three mountain villas that can accommodate up to 12 guests. This winter, the sister property Chalet Zuegg debuts, with ski-in, ski-out access to Merano 2000, the town’s premier ski area.
    In Pinzolo (population: 3,000), Lefay Resort & Spa Dolomiti is the only five-star resort in Madonna di Campiglio. The nearly 54,000-square-foot spa is the resort’s crown jewel, with nine saunas and steam rooms spread out across three floors. Of the resort’s 88 alpine guest rooms and 21 residences, the Exclusive Spa Suites elevate your wellness experience to the next level. At just over 1,000 square feet, each suite features a massive whirlpool, private sauna and walk-in wardrobe for all your cozy mountain layers, hiking gear and après-ski essentials.

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  • Analysis-Turkey Pressing for Western Fighter Jets to Claw Back Regional Edge

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    By Ece Toksabay and Jonathan Spicer

    ANKARA (Reuters) -Anxious to bolster its air power, Turkey has proposed to European partners and the U.S. ways it could swiftly obtain advanced fighter jets as it seeks to make up ground on regional rivals such as Israel, sources familiar with the talks say.  

    NATO-member Turkey, which has the alliance’s second-largest military, aims to leverage its best relations with the West in years to add to its ageing fleet 40 Eurofighter Typhoons, for which it inked a preliminary agreement in July, and later also U.S.-made F-35 jets, despite Washington sanctions that currently block any deal. 

    Strikes by Israel – the Middle East’s most advanced military with hundreds of U.S.-supplied F-15, F-16 and F-35 fighters – on Turkey’s neighbours Iran and Syria, as well as on Lebanon and Qatar, unnerved Ankara in the last year. They laid bare key vulnerabilities, prompting its push for rapid air power reinforcement to counter any potential threats and not be left exposed, officials say.

    Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan has sharply criticised Israel’s attacks on Gaza and elsewhere in the Middle East and once warm relations between the two countries have sunk to new lows. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has warned that Turkey’s bases, rebel allies and support for the army in Syria posed a threat to Israel.  

    Greece, a largely symbolic but sensitive threat for Turkey, is expected to receive a batch of advanced F-35s in the next three years. In years past, jets from the two NATO states engaged in scattered dogfights over the Aegean, and Greece has previously expressed concerns about Turkish military build-up.

    TURKEY WOULD BUY SECOND-HAND PLANES TO GET THEM FAST

    For the Typhoons, Turkey is nearing a deal with Britain and other European countries in which it would promptly receive 12 of them, albeit used, from previous buyers Qatar and Oman to meet its immediate needs, according to a person familiar with the matter. 

    Eurofighter consortium members Britain, Germany, Italy and Spain would approve the second-hand sale proposal, in which they would provide Turkey with 28 new jets in coming years pending a final purchase agreement, the person said. 

    Erdogan is expected to discuss the proposal on visits to Qatar and Oman on Wednesday and Thursday, with jet numbers, pricing, and timelines the main issues. 

    Erdogan is then expected to host British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz later this month, when agreements could be sealed, sources say. 

    A UK government spokesperson told Reuters that a memorandum of understanding that Britain and Turkey signed in July paves the way “for a multibillion-pound order of up to 40 aircraft,” adding: “We look forward to agreeing the final contracting details soon.”

    German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul, who was in Ankara last week, said Berlin supported the jets purchase and later told broadcaster NTV that a deal could follow within the year.

    Turkey’s defence ministry said no final agreement had been reached and that talks with Britain were moving in a positive direction, adding other consortium members backed the procurement. Qatar and Oman did not immediately comment. 

    TURKEY, US HAVE POLITICAL WILL TO RESOLVE ISSUES

    Acquiring the advanced F-35s has proven trickier for Ankara, which has been barred from buying them since 2020 when Washington slapped it with CAATSA sanctions over its purchase of Russian S-400 air defences. 

    Erdogan failed to make headway on the issue at a White House meeting with President Donald Trump last month. But Turkey still aims to capitalise on the two leaders’ good personal ties, and Erdogan’s help convincing Palestinian militant group Hamas to sign Trump’s Gaza ceasefire agreement, to eventually reach a deal. 

    Separate sources have said that Ankara considered proposing a plan that could have included a U.S. presidential “waiver” to overcome the CAATSA sanctions and pave the way for an eventual resolution of the S-400 issue and F-35 purchase. 

    Turkey’s possession of the S-400s remains the main obstacle to purchasing F-35s, but Ankara and Washington have publicly stated a desire to overcome this, saying the allies have the political will to do so. 

    The potential temporary waiver, if given, could help Ankara increase defence cooperation with Washington and possibly build sympathy in a U.S. Congress that has been sceptical of Turkey in the past, the sources said.

    “Both sides know that resolving CAATSA needs to be done. Whether it is a presidential waiver or a congressional decision, that is up to the United States,” Harun Armagan, vice chair of foreign affairs for Erdogan’s ruling AK Party, told Reuters.

    “It looks awkward with all of the other diplomacy and cooperation happening at the same time.” 

    Turkey’s foreign ministry did not respond to questions about floating a waiver to U.S. counterparts or discussions on resolving the S-400 issue. The White House did not immediately comment on whether Ankara raised a waiver option.

    A State Department spokesperson said Trump recognizes Turkey’s strategic importance and that “his administration is seeking creative solutions to all of these pending issues,” but did not elaborate further.

    Asked about Turkey’s separate agreement to buy 40 F-16s, an earlier generation fighter jet, a U.S. source said that talks have been dogged by Turkish concerns about the price and desire to buy the more advanced F-35s instead. 

    TURKEY HAS DEVELOPED ITS OWN STEALTH FIGHTER

    Frustrated by past hot-cold ties with the West and some arms embargoes, Turkey has developed its own KAAN stealth fighter. Yet officials acknowledge it will take years before it replaces the F-16s that form the backbone of its air force.

    Jet upgrades are part of a broader effort to strengthen layered air defences that also includes Turkey’s domestic “Steel Dome” project and an expansion of long-range missile coverage. 

    Yanki Bagcioglu, an opposition CHP lawmaker and former Turkish Air Force brigadier general, said Turkey must accelerate plans for KAAN, Eurofighter and F-16 jets. 

    “At present, our air-defence system is not at the desired level,” he said, blaming “project-management failures.”

    (Reporting by Ece Toksabay in Ankara and Jonathan Spicer in Istanbul; Additional reporting by Humeyra Pamuk in Washington; Editing by Alexandra Hudson)

    Copyright 2025 Thomson Reuters.

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  • Pope Leo Holds First Meeting With Survivors of Catholic Sexual Abuse

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    VATICAN CITY (Reuters) -Pope Leo met with survivors of sexual abuse by Catholic clergy for the first time on Monday, participants said, days after the Vatican’s child protection commission accused senior Church leaders of being too slow to help victims.

    Leo held a meeting with Ending Clergy Abuse, an international coalition of survivors, the group said. The encounter lasted about an hour and was “a significant moment of dialogue,” they said.

    The 1.4-billion-member Church has been shaken for decades by scandals across the world involving abuse and cover-up, damaging its credibility and costing it hundreds of millions of dollars in settlements.

    An unusually critical report from the Vatican’s own child protection commission, issued on Thursday, faulted senior bishops for not providing information to victims about how their reports of abuse were being handled, or whether negligent bishops had been sanctioned.

    Gemma Hickey, a Canadian survivor who took part in Monday’s meeting, said Leo listened carefully to the victims.

    “Pope Leo is very warm, he listened,” said Hickey. “We told him that we come as bridge-builders, ready to walk together toward truth, justice and healing.”

    (Reporting by Joshua McElwee, editing by Gavin Jones)

    Copyright 2025 Thomson Reuters.

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  • Car of investigative journalist threatened by mafia is destroyed by bomb minutes after his daughter walks by

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    A car belonging to one of Italy’s leading investigative journalists exploded outside his home overnight, prompting an investigation by Italy’s anti-mafia authorities and condemnation Friday from Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and others. No one was injured.

    The explosion late Thursday targeting Sigfrido Ranucci, lead anchor of state-run RAI3’s Report investigative series, occurred on the eighth anniversary of the car bomb slaying of Maltese investigative journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia.

    “The force of the explosion was so strong that it could have killed anyone passing by at that moment,” Report said in a statement on X.

    Ranucci had just returned home at the time, and his daughter had walked by a half-hour before, Report said in a statement. The blast destroyed the car, damaged another family car next to it, as well as the front gate of Ranucci’s home in Pomezia, south of Rome.

    Police, firefighters and forensic crews reported to the scene, and magistrates from the Rome district of the anti-Mafia police were investigating, Report said. Video shot by Ranucci, who has been under police protection since 2021 because of his hard-hitting investigations, showed the mangled remains of the cars and the gate.

    This image released by investigative journalist Sigfrido Ranucci shows his destroyed car, left, outside his home after an explosive device detonated beneath it, in Pomezia, near Rome, Italy, on Thursday, Oct. 16, 2025. 

    Sigfrido Ranucci / AP


    Meloni expressed her solidarity with Ranucci and condemned what she called “the serious act of intimidation he has suffered.”

    “Freedom and independence of information are essential values of our democracies, which we will continue to defend,” she said in a statement posted on social media.

    In comments to journalists outside the offices of RAI, Ranucci said the explosion was an “escalation” of what he said were two years of threats that he believed were related to Report’s investigations into the links between the Cosa Nostra, ‘Ndrangheta and far-right crime groups and notable past Mafia hits.

    Asked if the explosion would have a chilling effect on Report’s work, he said his colleagues were used to working under difficult conditions.

    “Whoever thinks they can condition the work of Report by doing something like this will get the opposite effect,” he said. “The only thing this does is maybe makes us waste some time.”

    Italian journalist unions, politicians and others also expressed solidarity.

    Report is one of the few investigative programs on Italian television and regularly breaks news involving prominent Italian politicians, business leaders and public figures. Ranucci has been sued multiple times for defamation and, just this week, was absolved in the latest case he had faced.

    The blast occurred on the eighth anniversary of the Oct. 16, 2017 murder of Daphne Caruana Galizia, who wrote extensively about suspected corruption in political and business circles in Malta. Like Ranucci, she had faced dozens of libel suits intended to silence her reporting. Two men were sentenced to life in prison earlier this year after being convicted of complicity in the murder. Two other people pleaded guilty in 2022 to carrying out the murder and were sentenced to 40 years in prison.

    “Order to kill you”

    Report is known for its in-depth investigative reports and Ranucci has also written a book on the mafia.

    In a 2021 television program, he described how a former prisoner told him that mobsters “had given the order to kill you” after his book was published, but the hit “was stopped.”

    Ranucci told Corriere he had also received various threats recently, including finding two bullets outside his house.

    On Sunday, he revealed the highlights of the upcoming Report series on social media, including investigative reports into the powerful ‘Ndrangheta organized crime group in Calabria and the Sicilian Mafia.

    According to campaign group Reporters Without Borders, Italy ranks 49th in the world for press freedom.

    Pavol Szalai, RSF’s Europe head, told AFP it was “the most serious attack against an Italian reporter in recent years.”

    “Press freedom itself is facing an existential threat in Italy,” Szalai added.

    The group warned in its last update that journalists who investigate organized crime and corruption are “systematically threatened and sometimes subjected to physical violence.”

    About 20 journalists currently live under permanent police protection after being the targets of intimidation and attacks, it said.

    The most high-profile journalist is Roberto Saviano, best known for his international mafia bestseller “Gomorrah.”

    Saviano linked the attack on Ranucci to a political climate in Italy in which journalists are seen as legitimate “targets.”

    The Italian journalists’ federation FNSI said earlier this week that 81 reporters had been victims of acts of intimidation, including 16 cases of physical assault, in the first half of 2025, the Reuters news agency reported.

    “The attack on Sigfrido Ranucci sets the clock of democracy in Italy back decades,” Alessandra Costante, FNSI’s Secretary General, said in a statement Friday.

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  • Bomb Explodes Outside Home of Top Italian Investigative Journalist

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    ROME (Reuters) -A bomb exploded outside the home of one of Italy’s top investigative journalists late on Thursday, damaging two cars and a nearby house, prompting messages of solidarity for the reporter from colleagues and politicians.

    Sigfrido Ranucci, who hosts RAI’s weekly “Report”, Italy’s best-known investigative journalism programme, has been for years under police protection. He said both he and his newsroom had received many threats of various kinds, including bullets.

    The rudimentary device, likely made from firework explosives, was planted outside the front gate of Ranucci’s house in Campo Ascolano, about 30 kilometres (19 miles) south of Rome, the journalist told RAI state broadcaster on Friday.

    He added that the explosion happened about 20 minutes after he had returned home.

    Both cars – belonging to Ranucci and his daughter – were practically destroyed. Nobody was injured, with Ranucci saying “apart from the shock, all is OK”.

    The reporter said he could not say whether the bomb was linked to his work. ANSA news agency said anti-Mafia prosecutors had opened an investigation for criminal damage with aggravating circumstances of mafia-style methods.

    Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni condemned the “serious act of intimidation”, adding that “freedom and independence of information are essential values of our democracies, which we will continue to defend”.

    Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi said Ranucci’s police escort would be stepped up.

    “Report” has often clashed with the government, resulting in several members of Meloni’s rightist coalition – including Finance Minister Giancarlo Giorgetti, Industry Minister Adolfo Urso, her Brothers of Italy party and her head of cabinet Gaetano Caputi – suing the programme.

    (Reporting by Giulia Segreti and Alvise Armellini; Editing by Alex Richardson)

    Copyright 2025 Thomson Reuters.

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  • One year on, Italian migrant camps in Albania near-empty

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    One year after Italy opened migrant camps in Albania intended to hold people intercepted at sea, the legally contested centres lie almost empty.

    Numerous NGOs have criticised living conditions inside the camps, and Italian courts have struck down several attempted deportations to Albania.

    But as the European Union discusses the possibility of creating its own “return hubs”, Italy’s far-right government appears committed to sending migrants to offshore detention centres in Albania.

    – ‘Very concerning’ –

    On October 16, 2024, two detention centres opened in the port of Shengjin and the village of Gjader, located in northern Albania but managed by Rome.

    That same day, dozens of cameras filmed the arrival of the first Italian naval ship carrying 16 men from Egypt and Bangladesh, arrested at sea as they tried to reach the EU.

    Their identities were first verified at the port. Then they were sent to the Gjader camp, where they could wait for an asylum claim to be processed if they lodged one.

    But very quickly, four of the men were identified as “vulnerable” and sent back to Italy.

    Within two days, the remaining 12 men would be sent back too, after an Italian court ruled against their detention.

    The court cited disagreements over the list of “safe” origin countries created by the Italian government, which included nations that do not meet European legal criteria.

    A year later, Italian judges have repeatedly rejected deportations, slowing plans to place up to 3,000 migrants in the camp.

    According to legal expert Gianfranco Schiavone, a report by Italian NGOs found that in all, 132 people were sent to the Albanian centres.

    Of them, only 32 have been repatriated, although details on how many were returned to Italy or sent to another country are unclear.

    It is also hard to obtain official confirmation about the programme details and camp conditions — the Albanian authorities referred AFP’s query to the Italians, who did not answer specific questions about the scheme.

    “The situation is very concerning due to the extreme difficulty for detainees to exercise their fundamental rights in general,” Schiavone said.

    According to a report by a group of NGOs, at least nine people have attempted suicide while being held in the camps, and there have been 21 cases of self-mutilation.

    – ‘The Italian experiment’ –

    Amid ongoing legal battles, Italy plans to use the camps as detention facilities for people awaiting deportation after already being deemed to be “illegal” migrants by Italian authorities.

    This repurposing will also likely be blocked by European courts, Schiavone said.

    “There is no provision for the administrative detention of foreigners awaiting expulsion in Italy to be carried out in a non-EU country.”

    But this could change in a few months if the “return regulation”, currently under debate in the European Parliament, is adopted: the framework would open the way to the creation of migrant centres outside the EU’s borders.

    Since her election in 2022, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has made fighting irregular immigration a key policy of her government.

    The legalisation of Meloni’s experiment would represent a significant political win for her far-right Fratelli d’Italia (FDI) party.

    But Filippo Furri from the Italian NGO ARCI said that he hopes the EU reconsiders this approach and instead deems it “illegal or economically unsustainable”.

    Meanwhile, the risk for people migrating is that “this Italian experiment spreads to other countries”, he said.

    During a visit to Albania in May, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer expressed his desire to create “return hubs”.

    But his Albanian counterpart Edi Rama was reluctant to open another programme in his country and said the Italian model “takes time to test”.

    “If it works, it can be replicated. But not in Albania, elsewhere in the region,” Rama said.

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  • UN Agency Says 13.7 Million People Face Severe Hunger Due to Global Aid Cuts

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    ROME (Reuters) -Almost 14 million people in Afghanistan, Democratic Republic of Congo, Haiti, Somalia, South Sudan and Sudan risk severe hunger due to cuts in global humanitarian aid, the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) warned on Wednesday.

    The WFP’s biggest donor, the United States, has slashed its foreign aid under President Donald Trump, and other major nations have also made or announced cuts in development and humanitarian assistance.

    “WFP’s funding has never been more challenged. The agency expects to receive 40% less funding for 2025, resulting in a projected budget of $6.4 billion, down from $10 billion in 2024,” the Rome-based agency said.

    A WFP report, titled “A Lifeline at Risk”, warned that cuts to its food assistance could push 13.7 million people from “crisis” to “emergency” levels of hunger, one step away from famine in a five-level international hunger scale.

    “The gap between what WFP needs to do and what we can afford to do has never been larger. We are at risk of losing decades of progress in the fight against hunger,” WFP executive director Cindy McCain said.

    “It’s not just the countries engulfed in major emergencies. Even hard-won gains in the Sahel region, where 500,000 people have been lifted out of aid dependence, could experience severe setbacks without help, and we want to prevent that,” she added.

    (Reporting by Alvise Armellini, editing by Gavin Jones)

    Copyright 2025 Thomson Reuters.

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  • Rick Steves’ Simple Fashion Tip To Avoid Unwanted Attention In Italy As A Woman

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    The gifts and pleasures of travel last a lifetime, with our memories, experiences, and personal growth the greatest souvenirs. While shared journeys with family, friends, or a significant other are often intensely rewarding, many women’s reservations about traveling on their own have evaporated in recent decades. An empowering embrace of living life without barriers, solo adventures can be life-changing for many hardcore introverts.

    European travel expert Rick Steves says in his blog that “For the most part, the upsides of solo travel (independence, self-discovery) and the downsides (loneliness, extra costs) are the same for women and men.” But if you’re a woman traveling alone and you have some anxiety about that, you may want to consider these tips to make traveling alone easier and safer for women. And if southern European countries like Italy are on your itinerary or wish list, as they should be, you should consider an additional factor beyond which cities to visit or the best places to stay: the possibility of unwanted male attention, which can really put a damper on an otherwise pleasant day.

    Italy is a safe country overall, with excellent transportation and infrastructure. Healthcare facilities are up to par, the people are friendly, and the food is world-renowned. The country is overflowing with history, charm, art, architecture, and enough quaint villages to keep you busy for years. However, Italian men are known for giving women more attention than desired at times, which can cause discomfort and fear when unsolicited. Steves acknowledges in his blog that, in Europe, overt violence toward female travelers is rare. But the unwanted attention can be a nuisance and can even spiral into harassment if not handled correctly. Therefore, Steves recommends that women arm themselves with this secret weapon when traveling solo in Italy: a pair of dark sunglasses.

    Read more: Why Travelers Should Avoid Airport Lounges

    How sunglasses discourage unwanted advances

    Woman in gondola in Venice wearing sunglasses – Valentinrussanov/Getty Images

    Many female travelers are interested in getting to know the culture and meeting locals when exploring in another country. But sometimes, their seemingly innocent gestures — like a smile and friendly but lingering eye contact — can send out mixed signals. In his blog, Rick Steves explains that, in Mediterranean countries like Italy, when a woman allows extended eye contact with a man, they may perceive it as an invitation to initiate conversation. Wearing dark sunglasses, then, gives a woman the freedom to gaze freely without having to worry about how it will be interpreted by others.

    In this way, sunglasses are more than a mere fashion statement. They endow wearers with a veil of anonymity, allowing them to feel bolder and more confident yet, at the same time, more private and insular. Sunglasses also create a kind of protective barrier between wearers and those trying to assess their vulnerability, making it more challenging for strangers to approach when not directly invited.

    It’s always recommended for travelers to learn a few words or phrases in Italian, but solo female travelers should learn a curt phrase or two to shoo away those who are too persistent. For example, when you say “basta” in Italy, it is well understood that you want to be left alone. If you continue to feel threatened, walk toward a group of women or head to a hotel lobby, but hopefully this won’t ever be necessary. Above all, savor your solo adventures, and when in doubt, rock your shades — your multifaceted fashion accessory.

    Ready to discover more hidden gems and expert travel tips? Subscribe to our free newsletter for access to the world’s best-kept travel secrets.

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  • Ferrari Is Finally Going Electric With Its First EV. Rival Lamborghini Isn’t Far Behind

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    Ferrari has unveiled the technology which will power its hotly-anticipated first electric car, the Elettrica, as the 78-year-old luxury Italian sportscar maker looks to add battery power to its hybrid and petrol-engine models.

    In a closely-guarded event at its Maranello headquarters, a Ferrari-red cover was pulled back on a stage to reveal the Elettrica’s production-ready chassis: a car base, with battery pack and electric motor, though with no wheels or outer shell.

    The completed car, which Ferrari is expected to present next year at a global premiere, will have a top speed of 310 kilometres per hour (193 miles) – slightly slower than most of its engined models and a range of at least 530 km.

    The four-door, four-plus seat car will have a specially-designed sound system to amplify actual vibrations from its powertrain to create a distinctly electric Ferrari sound, rather than just faking engine noise.

    The unveiling of the inner workings of Ferrari’s maiden electric car marks a milestone for the auto industry that is grappling more widely with a shift from the internal combustion engine to the electric battery.

    “Today… is an historic day for us. We all have goosebumps,” said CEO Benedetto Vigna, who said the electric car would complement, not replace, the company’s existing models. “The EV is an addition, not a transition.”

    Ferrari needs an EV for the next generation of rich kids

    Like other high-performance brands, Ferrari has been cautious about electrification. Reuters reported in June that it had delayed a second EV model until 2028 because of a lack of demand. Rival Lamborghini, part of Volkswagen, has delayed its first EV until 2029, saying the market is not ready.

    Luxury automaker Porsche forged ahead with EVs, but has been caught between a crowded Chinese market and Western buyers who still want Porsche’s loud combustion engines. Delays to its EV roll-out have hit parent Volkswagen.

    Ferrari is aiming to have 20 percent of its model line-up fully-electric by 2030, its long-term business plan unveiled on Thursday shows. That is below the 40 percent target it set for 2030 in its business plan three years ago.

    Ferrari is under less pressure than mainstream automakers to go electric ahead of a 2035 European Union ban on new fossil-fuel car sales, as it can sell combustion-engine models running on higher-cost synthetic e-fuels its customers can afford. 

    But wealthy younger buyers are keen to go electric.    

    “If you think about the next generation of kids, to remain relevant, maybe Ferrari needs an electric line-up that represents the pinnacle of its type,” former Aston Martin CEO Andy Palmer told Reuters.

    Ferrari needs “an EV that is more than an EV”

    The Ferrari Elettrica, expected to cost at least 500,000 euros ($580,400), Reuters reported last year, comes almost two decades after the first hybrid technology appeared in its Formula One cars in 2009. Ferrari began selling hybrid models in 2019.

    The Elettrica’s chassis and body will be made from 75 percent recycled aluminium and the battery is fully integrated into the floor to help lower its centre of gravity, which will help with performance and speed. It will have a fast-charging battery.  

    Industry experts said the challenge for brands like Ferrari was how to create something more than just a high-spec version of a premium EV, which already has instant acceleration.

    The upcoming Tesla Roadster, for example, is advertised with a top speed of more than 250 mph.

    Ferrari’s cars, which start with a price tag of more than 200,000 euros, need to offer more.

    “If Ferrari is going to be successful, it has to bring to the market an EV that is more than an EV,” Palmer said. “(It) is not offering you acceleration, it’s not offering you top speeds because you can buy that in a 30,000 euro BYD.”

    Phil Dunne, a managing director at consultancy Grant Thornton Stax, said demand was yet to catch up, but Ferrari’s strength would be offering its large base of wealthy consumers the same experience and feeling its combustion-engine models do today.

    “If their customers want to be environmentally friendly today, they can have a Tesla, they can have some other EV,” Dunne said. “Teslas can give you an amazing feeling of power, but it doesn’t feel anything like a Ferrari.”

    ($1 = 0.8615 euros)

    Reporting by Giulio Piovaccari in Maranello; Editing by Nick Carey, Adam Jourdan and Jane Merriman.

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  • Pope Leo Tells US Bishops to Address Trump’s Immigration Crackdown

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    VATICAN CITY (Reuters) -Pope Leo told U.S. bishops visiting him at the Vatican on Wednesday that they should firmly address how immigrants are being treated by President Donald Trump’s hardline policies, attendees said, in the latest push by the pontiff on the issue.

    Leo, the first U.S. pope, was handed dozens of letters from immigrants describing their fears of deportation under the Trump administration’s policies during the meeting, which included bishops and social workers from the U.S.-Mexico border.

    “Our Holy Father … is very personally concerned about these matters,” El Paso Bishop Mark Seitz, who took part in the meeting, told Reuters. “He expressed his desire that the U.S. Bishops’ Conference would speak strongly on this issue.”

    “It means a lot to all of us to know of his personal desire that we continue to speak out,” said Seitz.

    The Vatican did not immediately comment on the pope’s meeting.

    Elected in May to replace the late Pope Francis, Leo has shown a much more reserved style than his predecessor, who frequently criticised the Trump administration and often spoke in surprise, off-the-cuff remarks.

    But Leo has been ramping up his criticism in recent weeks.

    The pope questioned on September 30 whether the Trump administration’s anti-immigration policies were in line with the Catholic Church’s pro-life teachings, in comments that drew heated backlash from some prominent conservative Catholics.

    The White House has said Trump was elected based on his many promises, including to deport criminal illegal aliens.

    One of the letters given to the pope on Wednesday, shared with Reuters, described a family with two members who did not have legal permission to stay in the U.S. and who were afraid to leave the house for fear of deportation.

    “I believe the Pope should speak out openly against the raids and the unfair treatment the community is experiencing,” read the letter, written in Spanish.

    Leo also met privately with a group of about 100 American Catholics involved in ministry with migrants on Tuesday evening, thanking them for their work.

    (Reporting by Joshua McElweeEditing by Ros Russell)

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  • Opinion | The World’s Worst Job Is in France

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    Where do they think they are—Italy? France on Monday lost another Prime Minister—the fifth in two years—as Paris burns through senior political leaders at the pace you used to see in Rome. Don’t expect the revolving door to slow down any time soon.

    The latest victim of political dysfunction à la française is Sébastien Lecornu, who quit after less than a month as PM. He’d come into office promising a “profound break” with the gridlock of the recent past. Then this weekend he introduced a new cabinet stacked with politicians associated with unpopular President Emmanuel Macron. The backlash in the obstreperous legislature prompted his resignation a day later.

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