Italy

MILAN, June 27 (Reuters) - Dozens of people have been arrested in a new police raid against the 'Ndrangheta mafia that has revealed how its multiple illegal activities have spread as far as Austria and Germany, Italian authorities said on Tuesday.

Suspects, including politicians from the 'Ndrangheta home region of Calabria, face charges including mafia association, murder, extortion, fraud, rigging of public contracts, bribery and vote buying, police said in a statement.

ROME, June 27 (Reuters) - Italian authorities are looking for a tourist who scribbled graffiti on a wall of the Colosseum, with Culture Minister Gennaro Sangiuliano calling for exemplary punishment for the so-far unidentified man.

The tourist was caught in a video, posted on social media on Saturday, scratching his and his girlfriend's name with a key on an internal wall of the ancient Roman stone amphitheatre. He left the inscription "Ivan + Hayley 23".

He can be seen smiling, even as the author of the video, speaking in English and using swear words, reprimands him.

ROME, June 27 (Xinhua) -- The European Commission has finalized a proposal to provide member states with extra funding for agriculture, to offset damage from severe climate events.

The Commission said on Monday that the main part of the relief package amounts to 330 million euros (362 million U.S. dollars) for 22 EU member states. The two largest beneficiaries will be Spain, with 80.1 million euros (87.8 million U.S. dollars), and Italy with 60.5 million euros (66.3 million U.S. dollars).

21 June 2023; MEMO: The director of an Arab environmental group withdrew from a European Union (EU) training course in Italy this week after an Israeli delegation appeared at the course, leading her to call on the bloc to adhere to international law by refraining from assisting elements of Israel's occupation.

ROME, June 21 (NNN-ACN) — Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel, leading a delegation from the island visiting Italy, met with businessmen from that European country.

As reported by the president on Twitter, during the meeting he reiterated the willingness to strengthen economic, trade, investment and cooperation relations between the two nations.

Diaz-Canel ratified to the businessmen his country’s willingness to work together to strengthen relations in sectors of mutual interest.

ROME, June 17 (Reuters) - Italy's government has ruled that China's Sinochem (600500.SS) cannot designate the chief executive of tyremaker Pirelli (PIRC.MI) despite being its main shareholder with a 37% stake, a source familiar with the matter told Reuters on Saturday.

The decision is part of the measures announced this week by Rome's right-wing administration to shield the autonomy of Pirelli and its management.

Sinochem and Pirelli declined to comment.

ROME (AP) — Officials of the political party founded three decades ago by the late former Italian Premier Silvio Berlusconi vowed Friday to breathe new life into his creation and pursue battles dear to him, including overhauling the justice system he insisted was biased against him.

“This is his creature, and this is and always will be the party of Silvio Berlusconi,″ said Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani, who is now the Forza Italia party’s top official in his role as party coordinator.

ROME, June 15 (Reuters) - Italy's Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni met with Tesla (TSLA.O) CEO Elon Musk in Rome later on Thursday, a government source said, after holding brief talks with Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani in the morning.

Talks between Meloni and Musk focused on the low birth rate in Italy, the issue of deregulation in the European Union and the risks related to the use of artificial intelligence, the source said.

ROME (AP) — Adored, scorned, impossible to ignore in life, former Italian Premier Silvio Berlusconi in death drew tributes even from his critics, and ever more lavish praise from admirers, including Russian President Vladimir Putin, as well as prayers from Pope Francis.

Following word of Berlusconi’s death on Monday in a Milan hospital, where he was being treated for chronic leukemia, reaction poured in from around the world, from national leaders to announcers who burst into tears on one of his television networks, for the populist three-time premier and media mogul.

ROME (AP) — Pope Francis was “progressively improving” and sitting in an armchair working Friday, following surgery to remove intestinal scar tissue and repair a hernia in his abdominal wall, the Vatican said.

After a restful night, Francis had breakfast and read the newspapers from his armchair, spokesman Matteo Bruni said in a statement. He quoted doctors as saying Francis’ condition was “progressively improving and the post-operative course is smooth.”