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Tag: ITALY

  • Lavrov in Turkey to discuss Ukraine grain exports

    Lavrov in Turkey to discuss Ukraine grain exports

    As Ukraine receives multiple-launch rocket systems and more sophisticated weapons, Moscow has vowed that it will retaliate by pushing its enemies further away…reports Asian Lite News

    Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov, who is in Ankara along with a high-level Russian military delegation, will be meeting his Turkish counterpart M Cavusoglu with not just the situation in Ukraine but also Syria on his mind.

    Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan had recently announced the launch of a new military operation in northern Syria, a move which has been opposed by Moscow, Washington and also New Delhi.

    As reported by IndiaNarrative.com last week, while India has highlighted “acts of external players” contributing to the inability to tackle terrorism in Syria, Russia said that it “received with alarm” reports of Turkey’s new military operation in northern Syria which could allow Ankara to take 600 km of the Syrian-Turkish border under its control.

    “Such a step, in the absence of the consent of the legitimate government of the Syrian Arab Republic, would constitute a direct violation of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of the Syrian Arab Republic (SAR), and would provoke an additional escalation of tension in this country,” Russian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova had said on Thursday.

    Around Ukraine, while Lavrov has said that he would not like to comment on Ankara playing any role in the issue of normalizing the situation, he insisted that his visit would take forward the telephone conversation held between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan recently.

    MOSCOW, March 5, 2020 (Xinhua) — Russian President Vladimir Putin (R) meets with his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Moscow, Russia, on March 5, 2020. Russia and Turkey agreed Thursday on a ceasefire in the de-escalation zone in Syria’s northwestern province of Idlib, after talks between Russian President Vladimir Putin and his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan which lasted for about six hours. (Sputnik/Handout via Xinhua/IANS)

    “President Putin outlined in detail how to unblock food supplies from the Black Sea ports mined by Ukrainians, from the ports of the Sea of Azov controlled and cleared by the Russian Federation. Of these, there are reliable routes through the Kerch Strait to the Bosphorus and the Dardanelles,” said the Russian foreign minister before leaving for Ankara.

    Russia has maintained that its military has been declaring humanitarian corridors in the Black and Azov Seas for the exit of foreign ships, which are being “held hostage” by the Ukrainian authorities.

    “In order for ships to use these corridors, the Ukrainians must clear mines. Our Turkish colleagues declared their readiness to help in this. I think our military will agree on how best to organize this, so that through the minefields that need to be removed, the ships go to the open sea. Further, we guarantee – independently or with Turkish colleagues – their fine-tuning to the straits and further to the Mediterranean Sea,” said Lavrov.

    As Ukraine receives multiple-launch rocket systems and more sophisticated weapons, Moscow has vowed that it will retaliate by pushing its enemies further away.

    “The more long-range systems are supplied to the Kyiv regime, the further we will move the Nazis away from the line from which the threats to the Russian population of Ukraine and the Russian Federation come from,” said Lavrov.

    Russian President Vladimir Putin has already warned of destroying those military facilities in Ukraine that have not yet been targeted by the Russian forces if Kyiv continues to receive supply of Multiple Launch Rocket Systems (MLRS) from the West.

    Lavrov said that the newly supplied weapons to Ukraine are capable of hitting targets not only near the border, but also “more remote regions” of the Russian Federation.

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  • Italy backs Finland-Sweden NATO bid, Turkey says no

    Italy backs Finland-Sweden NATO bid, Turkey says no

    Draghi said that the application for membership in the military alliance was sparked by security worries in the wake of the conflict between Russia and Ukraine…reports Asian Lite News

     Italy’s Prime Minister Mario Draghi told journalists that Italy backs the bid by Finland and Sweden to join NATO.

    Draghi met the press on Wednesday along with Finland’s visiting Prime Minister Sanna Marin at Palazzo Chigi, the seat of Italy’s government, Xinhua news agency reported.

    He said that Italy was willing to speed up the two applicant countries’ accession procedures.

    Erdogan



    Draghi said that the application for membership in the military alliance was sparked by security worries in the wake of the conflict between Russia and Ukraine.

    Finland and Sweden, both members of the European Union (EU), formally applied for NATO membership on Wednesday. All 30 current NATO member states must approve the applications of new members.

    Turkey, however, has said it opposed the membership of the two Nordic countries.

    Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Wednesday that Turkey will not approve Sweden’s NATO membership if the country does not extradite “terrorists” upon Turkish request.

    Erdogan also told Sweden and Finland delegations not to bother coming to Ankara to convince it to approve their NATO bids.

    ALSO READ: Former Pak envoy to Italy fired for sexual harassment

  • Folktales Reimagined in Italy

    Folktales Reimagined in Italy

    Bodour Al Qasimi inaugurates ‘Folktales Reimagined’ exhibition in Italy

     Bodour Al Qasimi, President of the International Publishers Association (IPA), founder and honourary president of The UAE Board on Books for Young People (UAEBBY), inaugurated ‘Folktales Reimagined’ – an exhibition jointly organised by UAEBBY and House of Wisdom (HoW) at the Biblioteca Salaborsa Library in Bologna, Itlay, to promote intercultural dialogue and the creative exchange of ideas between the UAE and Italy.

    The exhibition is part of Sharjah’s Guest of Honour programme at the 59th Bologna Children’s Book Fair (BCBF). Curated by UAEBBY, ‘Folktales Reimagined’ is a cross-cultural creative project that was launched during the Sharjah World Book Capital 2019 celebrations, and witnessed artists from two very different cultures reimagine and offer artistic interpretations of each other’s most popular folk tales.

    Five artists from the UAE have reimagined the legends and fables from Italy through the lens of their unique ideas, expressions, and perspectives, while artists from Italy were commissioned to do the same with some of the best-known tales from the UAE.

    Held as part of the ‘BOOM! Grow with Books’ festival alongside BCBF 2022, the exhibition embodies the vision of both Sharjah and Bologna on the strengthening of cultural dialogue and exchange of creative ideas between the two cities. The project presented new creative prospects for artists, illustrators and the children’s literature industry in both nations, and the resulting exhibition has offered the community a vibrant platform for inter-cultural appreciation.

    The UAEBBY also organised a discussion panel at BCBF 2022 to turn the spotlight on the artistic and cultural experiences and learnings of the ‘Folktales Reimagined’ project’s participants. The discussion was led by Nicoletta Gramantieri, Head of the Salaborsa Ragazzi Library; Amira Bin Faris, Programs Manager, House of Wisdom; Francesca Dell’orto, Illustrator; Ayesha Al Badi, Illustrator; the panel was moderated by Dr. Yasmine Motawy, Senior Instructor at the American University in Cairo, Egypt.

    ALSO READ:Skills project launched for Indians in UAE

    The speakers discussed reinvigorating folktales through such projects and enable children’s book illustrators push their creative boundaries by undertaking a cross-cultural artistic journey like the one they were offered by ‘Folktales Reimagined’. They also stressed that stories serve as a nexus for dialogue and understanding between peoples and cultures and promotes the exchange of ideas between readers, publishers and authors.

    The project highlights the importance of creative exchange between cultures, and unveils a significant fact – if people delve deep into popular folktales, they will realise the common human values that bring them together, no matter how dissimilar their cultural backgrounds.

  • India, Italy review bilateral trade

    India, Italy review bilateral trade

    They reviewed their cooperation in the political, trade & economic, defence, science & technology, energy, health, consular and cultural spheres….reports Asian Lite News

    The eighth session of the India-Italy Foreign Office Consultations were held on Monday in Rome where both sides reviewed the entire gamut of bilateral relations.

    The Indian delegation was led by Reenat Sandhu, Secretary (West), Ministry of External Affairs and the Italian delegation was led by Luca Sabbatucci, Director General for Global Affairs in Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The last FOC was held in 2019 in New Delhi.

    Taking to Twitter, MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said, “8th India-Italy FOC held in Rome on 14 Feb.Led by Secy West @reenat_sandhu & DG Luca Sabbatucci @ItalyMFA_int, the two sides discussed strengthening cooperation in energy transition, trade & investment, health, S&T, start ups & innovation, infrastructure and the Indo-Pacific.”

    They reviewed their cooperation in the political, trade & economic, defence, science & technology, energy, health, consular and cultural spheres. Furthermore, they expressed satisfaction at the renewed momentum in bilateral relations thanks to regular high-level exchanges and shared commitment of both sides to further intensify cooperation in a wide range of areas.

    Moreover, they took stock of the progress in implementation of the Plan of Action agreed during the virtual summit in November 2020 and welcomed the Strategic Partnership on Energy Transition launched by the two Prime Ministers in October 2021 which offers fresh opportunities for deepening our multi-faceted ties.

    The two sides also discussed India-EU relations and agreed on the need to commence negotiations on the India-EU Free Trade and Investment Agreements at the earliest. India welcomed Italy’s interest in the implementation of the EU’s Indo-Pacific guidelines and the India-EU connectivity partnership.

    Discussions also covered regional and global issues of mutual interest, including multilateral cooperation at various international fora. Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to enhancing consultation and cooperation bilaterally and in the regional and multilateral contexts.

    Both sides agreed to hold the next consultations at a mutually convenient date in New Delhi. (ANI)

    ALSO READ: India non-commital on funding curbs on British NGOs

  • Govts urge citizens to leave Ukraine amid fears of invasion

    Govts urge citizens to leave Ukraine amid fears of invasion

    Canada is closing its embassy in Kyiv temporarily, moving diplomatic operations to Lviv, as is Australia…reports Asian Lite News

    Fearing an invasion of Ukraine by Russia, many countries are urging their citizens there to leave and are cutting back their diplomatic staff.

    Among the countries that have called on their nationals to leave Ukraine are the United States, Germany, Italy, Britain, Ireland, Belgium, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Canada, Norway, Estonia, Lithuania, Bulgaria, Slovenia, Australia, Japan, Israel, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

    France advised against travel to border areas of northern and eastern Ukraine, but has not told its citizens to leave the country.

    Romania, which borders Ukraine, has strongly recommended its nationals avoid travel to the country and to “re-evaluate the need to stay” if already there.

    Diplomatic presence cut back

    Moscow has recalled some of its diplomatic staff, saying it fears “provocations”.

    The United States ordered the departure of most of its diplomatic staff in Kyiv, saying a Russian offensive could begin “any day now”. Washington will maintain a consular presence in the western city of Lviv.

    Canada is closing its embassy in Kyiv temporarily, moving diplomatic operations to Lviv, as is Australia.

    European Union bodies recommended non-essential diplomatic personnel in Kyiv leave the country and telecommute from abroad.

    Romania has withdrawn non-essential personnel from its embassy in Kyiv, and Israel has evacuated the families of embassy diplomats and staff.

    The Dutch airline KLM announced Saturday that it was suspending its flights to Ukraine until further notice.

    But the Ukrainian infrastructure ministry said Sunday the country would leave its airspace open despite the possibility of a Russian invasion.

    ALSO READ-Economy rebounds by record 7.5% from pandemic in 2021

  • Sergio Mattarella stays as Italian President

    Sergio Mattarella stays as Italian President

    His swearing-in speech before Parliament was welcomed with long applauses and a standing ovation….reports Asian Lite News

     Italian President Sergio Mattarella has been sworn in for a second seven-year term.

    His re-election, which Parliament voted with a broad majority on January 29, came after the country’s major political forces failed to find a deal on a possible successor, reports Xinhua news agency.

    Although initially reluctant, Mattarella accepted to serve a second term citing a” sense of responsibility during the (current) health and economic emergency” linked to the Covid-19 pandemic.

    He stressed it again at the opening of his address on Thursday, saying: “Parliament and regional representatives made their choice … it has been a new and unexpected call of duty for me, which I cannot and I do not want to avoid.”

    His swearing-in speech before Parliament was welcomed with long applauses and a standing ovation.

    Addressing lawmakers, Mattarella stressed the country’s need of unity in this delicate phase of recovery, and outlined some of the priorities to deal with in the short future, including a broad reform of the judiciary system.

    The President also spoke against “the forced compression of parliamentary debate,” which occurred in the last two years, thus affecting Parliament’s role in favour of the cabinet, because a swift decision-making process was needed in the Covid-19 emergency.

    “Within a necessary collaborative dialogue with the cabinet, Parliament should always be given adequate time to examine and evaluate crucial draft bills,” Mattarella stressed.

    This is the second time a head of state is re-elected in Italy since 1948.

    Mattarella’s predecessor Giorgio Napolitano served a second term, and only for less than two years.

    After the swearing-in ceremony, an acrobatic flight team exhibited in a traditional aerial parade as the President and Prime Minister Mario Draghi were being driven from the lower house to the Quirinale presidential palace.

    In Italy, the President is traditionally a ceremonial figure that represents national unity.

    However, the role becomes crucial in the case of major political impasses.

    ALSO READ: Putin, Macron hold marathon talks on Ukraine

  • Italy again fails to elect President

    Italy again fails to elect President

    Media and commentators had already predicted the outcome of the fourth round as the major parties failed to reach a consensus on a single candidate….reports Asian Lite News

    Italy’s lawmakers and regional representatives, also known as the Grand Electors, held and failed a fourth attempt to elect the country’s 13th President.

    MPs from both houses plus 58 representatives of the regional governments have been voting for four days now to elect the successor to 80-year-old Sergio Mattarella, whose seven-year term ends on February 3, reports Xinhua news agency.

    The threshold needed for election was lowered on Thursday from two-thirds (absolute) majority support in the first three election rounds to a simple majority of 505 votes.

    Media and commentators had already predicted the outcome of the fourth round as the major parties failed to reach a consensus on a single candidate.

    Furthermore, 441 electors abstained on Thursday — most of them believed to be from the centre-right coalition, 261 cast blank ballots and 166 voted for outgoing President Mattarella, who thus received the largest number of votes to date.

    Italy’s presidents serve a seven-year term. Mattarella has made clear that he does not want a second term.

    Meanwhile, representatives of the two main blocs in Parliament — the centre-left and the centre-right — continued their intense negotiations, mostly behind closed doors.

    As of Thursday, the names of three possible contenders were floated in the media: Pier Ferdinando Casini, former speaker of the lower house of Parliament; Elisabetta Belloni, director general of The Department of Information Security (DIS); and current Prime Minister Mario Draghi.

    Draghi is reportedly seen as a major contender.

    At the same time, several parties have voiced concerns that his election as President might create a leadership vacuum in the government.

    In Italy, the president’s role is largely ceremonial and is usually chosen among figures perceived as non-partisan and with broad political and constitutional knowledge.

    However, the president’s role becomes crucial in case of political crises, since he or she is tasked with solving major deadlocks between the government and Parliament.

    ALSO READ: Italy under moderate pandemic risk as 4 regions turn ‘yellow’

  • Expo 2020 generating innovative ideas for education

    Expo 2020 generating innovative ideas for education

    Italian Education Undersecretary Rossano Sasso said Wednesday that Expo 2020 Dubai was generating “innovative ideas” for education that “the political world must consider”…reports Asian Lite News

    “The political sphere must keep up with the times and what we offer in terms of education and training must be up to that of the rest of the world,” Sasso, who was accompanied by Italy’s Expo Commissioner Paolo Glisenti as he visited the Italian pavilion, told the Italian News Agency (ANSA).

    Sasso expressed “pride” at the Italy pavilion, saying it showed the country’s “tradition, innovation, richness and culture”, thanking the Commissioner Glisenti for the excellent job.

    “I discovered many things during the visit, but the best thing is the young volunteers, 60 male and female Italian students who bear witness to our greatness. I felt proud to be Italian today.”

    ALSO READ: Expo 2020 passes half-way mark, with just 87 days left

    Returning to the innovative ideas on education to emerge at Expo, he said, “We absolutely must upgrade what we offer.”

    When I was speaking to the commissioner, I explained that I was honoured to be the first signatory of legislation that abolished the 1938 royal decree and finally makes a double degree possible in Italy too.

    “Whereas previously a student who wanted to study engineering and medicine at the same time had to go abroad, it has been possible for some weeks to do this in Italy too.

    “But this is just one small element to show the whole political world that Italy must move fast because the rest of the world is a train that is moving forward.”

  • Italy under moderate pandemic risk as 4 regions turn ‘yellow’

    Italy under moderate pandemic risk as 4 regions turn ‘yellow’

    Italy has seen a spike in new coronavirus cases through December 2021, mostly due to the effects of the Omicron variant…reports Asian Lite News

    Amid a recent surge in new Covid-19 cases, half of Italy is currently under moderate pandemic risk, as the regions of Lombardy, Piedmont, Lazio and Sicily turned “yellow” after the number of people who tested positive for the virus in hospital and intensive care units increased above national parameters.

    These four regions added to Liguria, Friuli Venezia Giulia, Veneto, Marche and Calabria, plus the autonomous provinces of Trento and Bolzano, pushing the total number of yellow zones across the country to 11, reports Xinhua news agency.

    In the four-tiered system implemented in Italy since late 2020, the yellow zone indicates a low-intermediate, or moderate risk of virus transmission; the orange and red zones indicate the medium and high risks respectively, while the white zone stands for a low risk.

    Considering the success of the vaccination rollout in the country, however, the yellow zone currently entails a low level of restrictions that include wearing facemasks outdoors and using FFP2 face masks only on public transport, cinema and theatres.

    Adding to this, only people holding the “super” green pass — the certificate showing proof of Covid-19 vaccination or recovery from the infection within 6 months — are allowed to be served indoors in bars and restaurants in the yellow zone.

    Italy’s remaining 10 regions are still in the white zone category and under the most relaxed anti-pandemic rules, which still require people to wear facemasks in any indoor place, and ban unvaccinated people from sitting in restaurants and bars, cinemas, sport venues, nightclubs and stadiums.

    As in several other European countries, Italy has seen a spike in new coronavirus cases through December 2021, mostly due to the effects of the Omicron variant.

    ALSO READ: France detects new Covid variant, 12 infected

    As of Tuesday morning, the country’s caseload and death toll stood at 6,396,110 and 137,786, respectively.

    On December 30, Italy recorded 126,888 new cases against the previous day, surpassing the threshold of 100,000 daily cases for the first time in the country.

    Over 144,000 daily cases were then registered on December 31, and over 141,000 on January 1, according to data by the Health Ministry.

    However, the surge has come amid a high participation in the vaccination plan, which has so far helped keep the number of serious or deadly cases very low compared to the earlier waves.

    So far, nearly 86 per cent of people aged over 12 have been fully vaccinated in Italy, and over 64 per cent of the target population have received the booster shot.

    About 9.2 per cent of children aged 5-11 have received at least one vaccine dose.

  • Italians Urged To Join Covid Fight

    Italians Urged To Join Covid Fight

    In what was due to be his last New Year speech as the country’s President, Sergio Mattarella has thanked Italians for their “maturity and sense of responsibility” during the two years of the coronavirus pandemic…reports Asian Lite News

    Mattarella, 80, was elected Italy’s 12th President on January 31, 2015, and his seven-year mandate will end in January 2022. He repeatedly made clear he would not be available for re-election.

    Italians Urged To Join Covid Fight

    “In these days, I have been going over what we have lived together in the last two years: the time of a pandemic that shocked the world and our lives,” he said on Friday in a 15-minute speech broadcast live from the Quirinale Presidential palace.

    Mattarella stressed — “as an invaluable heritage of humanity” — the self-sacrifice of physicians, healthcare workers and all those who have committed themselves to fight the coronavirus, Xinhua news agency reported.

    Then, he thanked common people who put their trust in science, followed the recommended anti-pandemic rules and chose to be vaccinated against Covid-19.

    “This means almost all Italians, which I want to thank for their maturity and sense of responsibility,” he noted.

    On December 31, as the new Omicron virus variant is pushing up infections, Italy registered over 144,000 cases, the largest daily increase since the pandemic began.

    Yet, some 85.8 per cent of the population over 12 years has completed the vaccination cycle. This has so far allowed the country to largely contain the most serious cases of the disease and the number of people in need of hospitalisation and emergency care.

    ALSO READ: Italy meets EU recovery fund targets, govt ready to keep supporting economy: PM

    “The vaccines are a valuable tool, not because they ensure invulnerability but because they allow us to reduce damages and risks for ourselves and for the others,” he noted.

    Finally, recalling that Italy has shown tangible signs of economic recovery in 2021, and has managed the pandemic in a way that drew appreciation from other European major countries, Mattarella said.

    “My wishes for you are more intense than ever because — along with the need to look at the New Year with confidence and hope — I feel the need to thank each and everyone of you for having shown Italy’s true face: hard-working, creative, and supportive,” he added.