https://www.scmp.com/rss/518136/feed The latest news on Giorgia Meloni, Italian politician and Prime Minister of Italy, political news and updates. en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com Associated Press Associated Press The Israeli police prevented Catholic leaders from entering the Church of the Holy Sepulchre to celebrate mass on the Christian holiday of Palm Sunday for the first time in centuries, the Latin Patriarchate said on Sunday. Jerusalem’s major holy sites, including the church, are closed because of the continuing war in Iran, as the city has come under frequent fire from Iranian missiles. The Catholic Church called the police decision “a manifestly unreasonable and grossly disproportionate... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3348322/israeli-police-prevent-catholic-leaders-celebrating-palm-sunday-mass-jerusalem?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3348322/israeli-police-prevent-catholic-leaders-celebrating-palm-sunday-mass-jerusalem?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 29 Mar 2026 16:43:39 +0000 Dulue Mbachu Dulue Mbachu The Iran war has cut off a fifth of global oil and LNG supply, handing African producers “a structural advantage” in supplying global markets, although their capacity is hampered by factors beyond the Middle East conflict, according to analysts. “West and North African exports are largely insulated from the conflict, meaning barrels from Nigeria, Angola, Gabon, Algeria and Libya are viewed as lower-risk alternatives,” said Grace Goodrich and Anne-Laure Klein of Energy, Capital & Power, a Cape... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3347841/african-producers-may-have-energy-edge-during-iran-war-if-they-can-overcome-hurdles?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3347841/african-producers-may-have-energy-edge-during-iran-war-if-they-can-overcome-hurdles?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 25 Mar 2026 11:00:08 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Italian voters on Monday rejected a judicial reform backed by conservative Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, delivering a stinging setback to the right-wing government one year ahead of national elections. “Italian citizens have decided and we respect their decision as always,” Meloni said in a video posted on Instagram. She pledged, as anticipated, to complete her mandate, which runs into 2027. “We will move forward as we always have: with responsibility, determination, and above all, with respect... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3347636/italian-voters-reject-judicial-reform-setback-pm-giorgia-meloni?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3347636/italian-voters-reject-judicial-reform-setback-pm-giorgia-meloni?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 23 Mar 2026 16:57:26 +0000 Reuters Reuters European powers said ⁠on Thursday they would work together to safeguard shipping in the Red Sea and send naval and other assets to protect Cyprus as the expanding US-Iran war entered its sixth day. The conflict – which has widened beyond Gulf states to the Mediterranean, where a drone strike hit a British airbase on Cyprus on Monday, and as far afield as Asia – has convulsed global markets and sent oil and gas prices soaring. Italy, ‌Spain, France and the Netherlands will send naval assets to... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3345596/italy-send-aid-gulf-states-and-cyprus-after-iranian-strikes?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3345596/italy-send-aid-gulf-states-and-cyprus-after-iranian-strikes?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 05 Mar 2026 11:33:38 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse French President Emmanuel Macron on Thursday called on Giorgia Meloni to stop “commenting on what is happening in other people’s countries”, after the Italian prime minister expressed shock at the fatal beating of a far-right activist in France. Quentin Deranque, 23, died from head injuries after being attacked by at least six people last week on the sidelines of a far-right protest at a university in the city of Lyon. Most of the 11 suspects detained are from far-left movements, according to a... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3344040/macron-tells-meloni-stay-lane-over-remarks-far-right-activists-death-france?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3344040/macron-tells-meloni-stay-lane-over-remarks-far-right-activists-death-france?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 19 Feb 2026 14:07:37 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Call it divine intervention, or maybe just a hasty fix-it job to put an end to days of speculation and scandal. But the end result is that the Angel Meloni is no more. A painting of a cherub with a face bearing a remarkable resemblance to Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni had attracted large crowds to the Basilica of San Lorenzo in Lucina, one of the oldest basilicas in Rome. That angel’s face was gone when the church opened its doors on Wednesday: the cherub’s body remains, but the face was... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3342469/church-angel-resembling-italys-prime-minister-painted-over-after-outcry?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3342469/church-angel-resembling-italys-prime-minister-painted-over-after-outcry?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 05 Feb 2026 05:20:53 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni joked on Saturday that she does not look like an angel, after a row blew up in the media over a restored fresco in a Rome church. Some of Italy’s press have been asking whether the premier served as inspiration for a cherub painted in a chapel in the Basilica of San Lorenzo in Lucina, located a few metres (yards) from the main building of the Italian government. The basilica is one of the oldest Christian churches in the city. The newspaper La Repubblica... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3341968/was-fresco-redone-look-meloni-italy-pm-says-shes-no-angel?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3341968/was-fresco-redone-look-meloni-italy-pm-says-shes-no-angel?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 31 Jan 2026 17:50:08 +0000 Finbarr Bermingham Finbarr Bermingham After a weekend of US President Donald Trump threatening to slap tariffs on EU countries for opposing his drive to acquire Greenland, the question on European lips on Monday was: will the bloc finally punch back? A string of national leaders has come out against the US president’s gambit, part of a long-running campaign to make the giant autonomous Danish territory part of America, with speculation mounting that the use of duties could trigger European retaliation. To keep Trump engaged in... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3340459/punch-back-or-punching-bag-eu-weighs-response-trumps-greenland-tariff-threat?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3340459/punch-back-or-punching-bag-eu-weighs-response-trumps-greenland-tariff-threat?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 19 Jan 2026 12:46:41 +0000 Reuters Reuters European Union ambassadors reached broad agreement on Sunday to intensify ‌efforts to dissuade US President Donald Trump from imposing tariffs on European allies, while also preparing retaliatory measures should the duties go ahead, EU diplomats said. Trump vowed on Saturday to implement ‍a wave of increasing tariffs from February 1 on EU members Denmark, Sweden, France, Germany, the Netherlands and Finland, along with Britain and Norway, until the US is allowed to buy Greenland, a step major EU... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3340351/eu-considers-us108-billion-retaliatory-tariffs-us-over-trumps-greenland-threat?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3340351/eu-considers-us108-billion-retaliatory-tariffs-us-over-trumps-greenland-threat?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 18 Jan 2026 20:05:19 +0000 Reuters Reuters Governments reacted cautiously on Sunday to US President Donald Trump’s invitation to join his “Board of Peace” initiative aimed at resolving conflicts globally, a plan that diplomats said could harm the work of the United Nations. Only ‍Hungary, whose leader is a close Trump ally, gave an unequivocal acceptance in response to the invitations, which have been addressed to some 60 nations and began arriving in European capitals on Saturday, according to diplomats. Other governments appeared... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3340349/world-leaders-show-caution-trumps-broader-board-peace-amid-fears-un?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3340349/world-leaders-show-caution-trumps-broader-board-peace-amid-fears-un?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 18 Jan 2026 17:43:10 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Switzerland held a national day of mourning on Friday for the 40 people who died in an Alpine bar fire during a New Year’s Eve celebration, as prosecutors requested that one of the managers be placed in pre-trial detention. Valais region’s chief prosecutor Beatrice Pilloud said in a statement the detention of the man was needed to avoid a “risk of flight”. The man’s wife and co-manager will remain free under judicial supervision, the statement said. A Swiss business register lists French couple... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3339409/swiss-bar-owner-put-pre-trial-detention-over-deadly-new-years-eve-fire?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3339409/swiss-bar-owner-put-pre-trial-detention-over-deadly-new-years-eve-fire?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 09 Jan 2026 19:33:36 +0000 Finbarr Bermingham Finbarr Bermingham Late last year, as European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen began her second term in office, a giant purple banner was draped over the side of the EU executive arm’s headquarters, declaring: “United for our Future, 2024-2029.” While unity among the EU’s 27 member states has always been elusive, it has rarely been more critical. Its leaders will gather on Thursday to try to round off the year with a collective bang, but there is growing fear it will end with a series of disparate... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3336817/after-year-shocks-europe-faces-crunch-talks-ukraine-china-and-its-economic-future?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3336817/after-year-shocks-europe-faces-crunch-talks-ukraine-china-and-its-economic-future?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 18 Dec 2025 06:00:12 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse World leaders voiced horror and revulsion at Sunday’s mass shooting in which 15 people were killed and dozens injured at Sydney’s Bondi Beach. Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the “shocking and distressing” attack, which Australian police are calling a “terrorist” incident, was “beyond comprehension”, after assailants fired on a gathering celebrating the Jewish festival of Hanukkah. Israel’s President Isaac Herzog condemned what he called a “very cruel attack on Jews” by “vile... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3336413/world-leaders-express-horror-bondi-beach-terror-attack-vigils-are-held-victims?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/australasia/article/3336413/world-leaders-express-horror-bondi-beach-terror-attack-vigils-are-held-victims?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 14 Dec 2025 21:49:55 +0000 Vincenzo La Torre Vincenzo La Torre Brunello, Il Visionario Garbato (Brunello: The Gracious Visionary), a film about the life and vision of Italian designer Brunello Cucinelli, premiered in Rome in December. Known as the King of Cashmere, Cucinelli established his eponymous label in 1978 and has since built a luxury empire based in his hometown of Solomeo, in the Umbria region of Italy. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Brunello, Il Visionario Garbato... https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/people/icons-influencers/article/3335275/who-was-brunello-cucinelli-film-premiere-jonathan-bailey-italian-pm-giorgia-meloni?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/magazines/style/people/icons-influencers/article/3335275/who-was-brunello-cucinelli-film-premiere-jonathan-bailey-italian-pm-giorgia-meloni?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 05 Dec 2025 02:52:19 +0000 Bloomberg Bloomberg Italy’s centre-left opposition is testing out a big-tent alliance, guessing it’s the best way to unseat Giorgia Meloni at the next general election. The rest is still being worked out. The alliance pulls together parties with disparate political beliefs – the centre-left Democrats, the populist Five Star Movement, the left-wing Greens and Left Alliance and several smaller groups. The goal is to rally behind single, strategically chosen candidates and consolidate the anti-Meloni vote. The plan... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3333843/italian-left-gathers-anti-meloni-campaign-despite-rivalries?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3333843/italian-left-gathers-anti-meloni-campaign-despite-rivalries?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 23 Nov 2025 08:38:35 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse A jar of “carbonara sauce” for sale at the European Parliament in Brussels has whipped up Italian emotions after criticism that it does not contain the right ingredients. Italy’s agriculture minister Francesco Lollobrigida unleashed his ire earlier this week after posting a picture of the offending pot on social media. The minister decried the sauce for containing pancetta – a pork product similar to bacon – which is apparently a major culinary faux pas in food-loving Italy. He said it was an... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3333763/carbonara-sauce-eu-parliament-causes-stir-italy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3333763/carbonara-sauce-eu-parliament-causes-stir-italy?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 21 Nov 2025 18:41:19 +0000 William Zheng William Zheng Top Chinese diplomat Wang Yi will visit Italy and Switzerland from October 7 to 12, according to China’s foreign ministry. Wang would attend the 12th joint meeting of the China-Italy government committee and the fourth round of the China-Switzerland foreign ministers’ strategic dialogue, the ministry said in a statement on Sunday. His trip follows the extension of an olive branch by Rome to state-backed Chinese group Sinochem International Corp, the main shareholder in Italian tyremaker... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3327915/chinas-top-diplomat-wang-yi-visit-italy-and-switzerland-week-foreign-ministry?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3327915/chinas-top-diplomat-wang-yi-visit-italy-and-switzerland-week-foreign-ministry?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 05 Oct 2025 08:44:51 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Israel said on Thursday it would deport pro-Palestinian activists on an aid flotilla intercepted at sea as they headed towards Gaza, adding that none of the vessels had successfully breached its maritime blockade. The Global Sumud Flotilla of around 45 vessels began its voyage last month, with politicians and activists including Swedish climate campaigner Greta Thunberg heading to Gaza, where the United Nations says famine has set in. The Israeli navy has intercepted vessel after vessel at sea... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3327648/israel-deport-intercepted-gaza-aid-flotilla-activists-including-greta-thunberg?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3327648/israel-deport-intercepted-gaza-aid-flotilla-activists-including-greta-thunberg?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 02 Oct 2025 09:18:12 +0000 Reuters Reuters European Union leaders backed plans on Wednesday to bolster the bloc’s defences against Russian drones as they met in Copenhagen days after airspace intrusions by unmanned aircraft rattled Denmark. European authorities have accused Russia of brazen violations of the region’s airspace, including with recent incursions by drones over Poland and fighter planes over Estonia. “Europe must be able to defend itself,” Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen said after the EU summit. “We need to... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3327558/eu-leaders-discuss-drone-wall-repel-russia-after-airspace-violations?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3327558/eu-leaders-discuss-drone-wall-repel-russia-after-airspace-violations?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 01 Oct 2025 18:34:11 +0000 Mohammed Sinan Siyech Mohammed Sinan Siyech Earlier this month, the UK witnessed protests calling for tighter immigration laws. The protest, which took place in central London, featured polarising figures such as convicted criminal Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, better known as Tommy Robinson, as well as French far-right politician Eric Zemmour and Elon Musk, who addressed the crowd virtually. The crowd demanded that Britain be protected from immigrants – in particular those seen as Muslim – and their impact on rising prices. Such... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3325811/why-anti-immigration-politicians-are-still-bringing-foreign-workers?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3325811/why-anti-immigration-politicians-are-still-bringing-foreign-workers?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 22 Sep 2025 21:30:07 +0000 Bloomberg Bloomberg US President Donald Trump proclaimed Charlie Kirk a “martyr for American freedom” in a memorial ceremony to commemorate the political activist as Erika Kirk said she forgave the man who gunned down her husband. “On that day, this evangelist for American liberty became immortal,” Trump said on Sunday before tens of thousands of mourners inside the State Farm stadium in Glendale, Arizona. “He’s a martyr now for American freedom.” Trump described how Kirk would ask him to fly across the country to... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3326322/trump-pays-tribute-charlie-kirk-tens-thousands-attend-memorial-service?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3326322/trump-pays-tribute-charlie-kirk-tens-thousands-attend-memorial-service?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 21 Sep 2025 21:16:07 +0000 Robert Delaney,Finbarr Bermingham Robert Delaney,Finbarr Bermingham US President Donald Trump said on Monday that he was brokering a meeting between Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky and their Russian counterpart, Vladimir Putin, to be followed by a trilateral meeting that would include the US leader. The declaration followed back-to-back meetings at the White House, including Trump’s in-person meeting with the Ukrainian president, in which he also dangled the possibility of US troops supporting Ukraine. He also met jointly with Zelensky, European... https://www.scmp.com/news/us/diplomacy/article/3322287/speaking-white-house-trump-and-zelensky-say-trilateral-putin-may-follow?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/us/diplomacy/article/3322287/speaking-white-house-trump-and-zelensky-say-trilateral-putin-may-follow?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 18 Aug 2025 18:13:00 +0000 Finbarr Bermingham Finbarr Bermingham European leaders have vowed to turn the screws on Moscow after a high-stakes US-Russia summit in Alaska failed to result in a ceasefire in Ukraine. After a flurry of post-summit calls on Saturday, a coalition of Ukraine allies rallied around Kyiv, insisting that Russia could not veto its future membership of Nato or the European Union. Nor could there be limitations on “Ukraine’s armed forces or on its cooperation with third countries” as part of any peace agreement, read a statement quickly... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3322098/european-leaders-rally-behind-ukraine-after-trump-putin-summit-fails-deliver-ceasefire?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3322098/european-leaders-rally-behind-ukraine-after-trump-putin-summit-fails-deliver-ceasefire?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 16 Aug 2025 11:49:41 +0000 Reuters Reuters Italy’s decision to approve the construction between Sicily and the mainland of what would be the world’s longest single-span bridge has set the stage for a legal battle that could further delay a project first conceived by the ancient Romans. Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s right-wing government gave its final approval for the bridge over the Strait of Messina on Wednesday, earmarking €13.5 billion (US$15.8 billion) for a project that has been under discussion for more than 50 years. The Strait... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3321190/legal-battle-looms-over-italy-plan-build-worlds-longest-suspension-bridge?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3321190/legal-battle-looms-over-italy-plan-build-worlds-longest-suspension-bridge?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 08 Aug 2025 06:11:38 +0000 Associated Press,Agence France-Presse Associated Press,Agence France-Presse Pope Leo XIV presided over a final mass in Rome for over one million young people on Sunday, the culmination of a youth pilgrimage that has drawn Catholics from across the world. On Saturday night, before a twilight vigil led by the pope, organisers had confirmed the attendance of 800,000 people in the vast, open-air space on Rome’s eastern outskirts, and on Sunday the Vatican said that number had grown to one million people. Most of those attending slept on the ground in tents, in sleeping bags... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3320560/half-million-young-catholics-invade-rome-awaiting-pope-leo-holy-year-youth-festival?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3320560/half-million-young-catholics-invade-rome-awaiting-pope-leo-holy-year-youth-festival?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 02 Aug 2025 18:14:00 +0000 Zhaoyin Feng Zhaoyin Feng At around 9:30 nearly every morning, 81-year-old Claudio Gatta passes the famous Accademia Bridge on the Grand Canal in Venice and steps into Bar Foscarini, ordering an espresso and a tuna sandwich for breakfast. He will have two more espressos there in the afternoon. True to his Italian roots, he has stuck to this coffee routine for as long as he can remember. Equally unmoving, Bar Foscarini has been around for more than 70 years, a quintessential Italian coffee bar, with a long, dark marble... https://www.scmp.com/postmag/culture/article/3318570/meet-chinese-baristas-keeping-italian-cafe-culture-alive?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/postmag/culture/article/3318570/meet-chinese-baristas-keeping-italian-cafe-culture-alive?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 23 Jul 2025 01:00:12 +0000 Reuters Reuters An apparent Israeli strike on Gaza’s sole Catholic church killed two people and injured several others, the Latin Patriarchate of Jerusalem said on Thursday. “Two persons were killed as a result of an apparent strike by the Israeli army that hit the Holy Family Compound this morning,” the Patriarchate said in a statement. Earlier, there were conflicting reports about whether the attack had caused deaths. The Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) said it was “aware of reports regarding damage caused to... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3318628/israeli-strike-gazas-only-catholic-church-kills-2-cathedral-official-says?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3318628/israeli-strike-gazas-only-catholic-church-kills-2-cathedral-official-says?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 17 Jul 2025 11:47:12 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press The horrific killing of a police bloodhound, who helped find nine people throughout his sniffer dog career, has outraged Italians and sparked a criminal investigation to find his killers. Bruno, a seven-year-old bloodhound, was found dead on Friday morning in his shed in southern Taranto. His trainer, Arcangelo Caressa, said that he had been fed bits of dog food laced with nails. In a social media post on Tuesday, Caressa urged police to “find the killers before I do”. Prime Minister Giorgia... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3317441/outrage-italy-heroic-police-dog-bruno-killed-vile-cowardly-attack?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3317441/outrage-italy-heroic-police-dog-bruno-killed-vile-cowardly-attack?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 08 Jul 2025 16:00:09 +0000 Josephine Ma Josephine Ma Within hours, the Israel-Iran ceasefire announced by US President Donald Trump appears to have collapsed. Initially, there was a glimmer of hope for de-escalation. Israel confirmed its acceptance of the ceasefire proposal and even reopened its airspace for emergency flights, while Iranian state media said a ceasefire had been “imposed on the enemy” after Tehran’s missile attacks on an American base in Qatar. Iran reportedly issued a warning before launching the strikes in response to “blatant... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3315691/does-iran-need-change-thats-iranians-decide?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3315691/does-iran-need-change-thats-iranians-decide?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 24 Jun 2025 13:17:29 +0000 Reuters Reuters Pope Leo warned politicians on Saturday of the challenges posed by the rise of artificial intelligence (AI), addressing its potential impact on younger people as a prime concern. Speaking at an event attended by Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and parliamentary delegations from 68 countries, Leo revisited a topic that he has raised on a number of occasions during the first few weeks of his papacy. “In particular, it must not be forgotten that artificial intelligence functions as a tool for... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3315342/pope-leo-warns-against-ai-soulless-machines-vatican-address?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3315342/pope-leo-warns-against-ai-soulless-machines-vatican-address?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 21 Jun 2025 12:17:44 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Italians vote over two days starting Sunday on referendums that would make it easier for children born in Italy to foreigners to obtain citizenship and on providing more job protections. But apparent low public awareness risks rendering the vote invalid if turnout is not high enough. Campaigners for the change in the citizenship law say it will help second-generation Italians born in the country to non-European Union parents better integrate into a culture they already see as theirs. Italian... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3313547/italians-vote-citizenship-labour-protection-referendums-amid-low-turnout-concerns?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3313547/italians-vote-citizenship-labour-protection-referendums-amid-low-turnout-concerns?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 08 Jun 2025 09:52:31 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Vladimir Putin discussed the war in Ukraine with Pope Leo in a telephone call on Wednesday, with the Kremlin claiming the Russian president wanted peace through diplomacy. Putin however also claimed “the regime in Kyiv is betting on an escalation of the conflict and carrying out of acts of sabotage against civil infrastructure on Russian territory”, it said in a statement. In the phone call, Putin “reaffirmed his interest in bringing about peace by political and diplomatic means”, the Kremlin... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/russia-central-asia/article/3313096/putin-and-pope-leo-discuss-ukraine-war-pontiff-presses-peace?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/russia-central-asia/article/3313096/putin-and-pope-leo-discuss-ukraine-war-pontiff-presses-peace?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 04 Jun 2025 20:48:22 +0000 Reuters Reuters Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov cast doubt on Friday over the Vatican as a potential location for peace talks between Russia and Ukraine, saying that the Holy See itself would find it uncomfortable to host two mainly Orthodox Christian nations. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said on Tuesday that Pope Leo had confirmed his willingness to host talks, during a phone call with her. The Vatican press office declined to comment further. Pope Leo, the first US-born pontiff, said soon... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/russia-central-asia/article/3311617/russia-casts-doubt-over-vatican-potential-venue-ukraine-peace-talks?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/russia-central-asia/article/3311617/russia-casts-doubt-over-vatican-potential-venue-ukraine-peace-talks?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 23 May 2025 13:58:45 +0000 Associated Press Associated Press Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni hosted a key trilateral meeting in Rome on Sunday, bringing US Vice-President J.D. Vance and EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen to the same table, hoping to usher in what she said could be a “new beginning”. It was a diplomatic score for Meloni, who has been touted as a potential bridge-builder with the Trump administration, but so far had been unable to provide decisive breakthroughs amid increasingly strained relations with her main European... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3310840/italys-meloni-scores-diplomatic-win-bridge-builder-bringing-us-eu-same-table?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3310840/italys-meloni-scores-diplomatic-win-bridge-builder-bringing-us-eu-same-table?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 18 May 2025 19:27:17 +0000 Agence France-Presse Agence France-Presse Gaza rescuers said at least 80 people were killed in Israeli bombardment across the Palestinian territory on Wednesday, as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke to US envoy Steve Witkoff about the release of hostages. Negotiations for the release of the captives held in Gaza have been ongoing, with the latest talks taking place in the Qatari capital Doha, where US President Donald Trump was visiting on Wednesday. Netanyahu’s office said the premier had discussed with Witkoff and his... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3310395/gaza-rescuers-say-80-killed-israeli-strikes?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3310395/gaza-rescuers-say-80-killed-israeli-strikes?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 15 May 2025 02:23:45 +0000 Stephen Olson Stephen Olson US President Donald Trump has always appeared sincere in his belief that “trade wars are good, and easy to win”, but his recent policy swerves and mood-music shifts suggest he is coming to realise he has overplayed his hand in waging a trade war against the world. Trade partners from Beijing to Brussels are relishing the sight of Trump scrambling to back off from his preposterous “reciprocal” tariffs, while painting a rosy picture of the prospect of “fair” trade deals and seeming to eschew his... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3309089/picking-global-fight-may-not-be-best-strategy-trump-finding-out?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3309089/picking-global-fight-may-not-be-best-strategy-trump-finding-out?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 06 May 2025 21:30:08 +0000 Bloomberg Bloomberg Pirelli took a first step to distance itself from its main investor, declaring on Monday that China’s Sinochem no longer has control over the Italian tyremaker. The company downgraded the governance status of the Chinese conglomerate following a request from Italian regulators. The board clashed over the decision, with five of the company’s Chinese directors opposing it and one abstaining, Pirelli said in a statement on Monday. The board comprises 15 members. While the end of controlling status... https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/3308306/pirelli-sidelines-chinas-sinochem-over-control-italian-tyremaker?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/business/companies/article/3308306/pirelli-sidelines-chinas-sinochem-over-control-italian-tyremaker?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 29 Apr 2025 04:00:44 +0000 The funeral for Pope Francis was intended to be a stripped-down affair to honour the simplicity of the man. Instead, the attendance of President Donald Trump has turned it into a high-profile stage for international diplomacy at a moment of geopolitical turmoil. With the world in the throes of a trade war, markets gyrating wildly and a truce between Ukraine and Russia hanging in the balance, everyone from Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelensky to Britain’s Keir Starmer and France’s Emmanuel Macron is... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3308049/simple-funeral-pope-francis-becomes-way-see-trump?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/united-states-canada/article/3308049/simple-funeral-pope-francis-becomes-way-see-trump?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 26 Apr 2025 11:19:29 +0000 British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said on Monday that a lack of coordination between UK police and intelligence agencies is partly responsible for a surge in the number of migrants reaching the UK in small boats across the English Channel. At an international meeting on boosting border security and tackling people-smuggling, Starmer expressed frustration at the difficulty of stopping thousands of people a year risking the dangerous sea crossing from France. “We inherited this total... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3304644/uks-starmer-blames-lack-joint-action-he-struggles-stop-migrants-crossing-channel?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3304644/uks-starmer-blames-lack-joint-action-he-struggles-stop-migrants-crossing-channel?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 31 Mar 2025 20:47:03 +0000 SCMP will report on the inauguration day of US president-elect Donald Trump live from 12am Tuesday HKT. The live blog will be made freely available as a public service to our readers. Please consider supporting SCMP’s journalism by subscribing. Get faster notifications on the latest updates by downloading our app. When Donald Trump is sworn in as the 47th president of the United States on Monday, a new chapter of geopolitical uncertainty will be written, potentially ushering in an intensified... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3295285/donald-trumps-inauguration-us-china-rivalry-opens-new-and-uncertain-chapter?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3295285/donald-trumps-inauguration-us-china-rivalry-opens-new-and-uncertain-chapter?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 20 Jan 2025 01:00:18 +0000 Britain, Italy and Japan on Friday launched a joint venture to develop a supersonic next-generation fighter jet by 2035, replacing the Eurofighter Typhoon. Britain’s BAE Systems, Italy’s Leonardo and Japan Aircraft Industrial Enhancement Co Ltd (JAIEC) will each hold a 33.3 per cent share in the new venture, “marking a pivotal moment for the international aerospace and defence industry”, they announced in a press release. JAIEC is a firm jointly funded by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) and... https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3290759/japan-uk-italy-develop-next-generation-fighter-jet?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/asia/east-asia/article/3290759/japan-uk-italy-develop-next-generation-fighter-jet?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 13 Dec 2024 14:33:14 +0000 This article has been made freely available as a public service to our readers. Please consider supporting SCMP’s journalism by subscribing. Get faster notifications on the latest updates by downloading our app. The European Union is planning for talks with Donald Trump’s transition team as it seeks to head off a major economic and political shock after his convincing victory in Tuesday’s US presidential election. High on their wish list will be keeping the tap open for US funds to flow to... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3285492/eu-has-wish-list-trump-support-his-tough-china-agenda-will-be-expected?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/article/3285492/eu-has-wish-list-trump-support-his-tough-china-agenda-will-be-expected?utm_source=rss_feed Wed, 06 Nov 2024 18:41:32 +0000 UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Monday praised the migration policies of Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni as the centre-left British leader aimed to learn how her nationalist conservative government has made “remarkable progress” in reducing the number of migrants reaching Italy’s shores by boat. The meeting in Rome between the two leaders came after at least eight seaborne migrants died off the French coast over the weekend trying to cross the English Channel. The Labour Party prime minister is... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3278790/uk-pm-starmer-seeks-learn-melonis-tough-migration-policies-meeting-rome?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3278790/uk-pm-starmer-seeks-learn-melonis-tough-migration-policies-meeting-rome?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 16 Sep 2024 21:30:55 +0000 Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni pledged unwavering support for Ukraine after a meeting with President Volodymyr Zelensky on Saturday, in which they discussed Kyiv’s plans to end the war with Russia and reconstruction efforts. The conservative prime minister met the Ukrainian leader on the sidelines of the annual TEHA business forum on Lake Como, as Italy prepares to host next year’s conference on Ukraine’s reconstruction. Meloni told the forum Italy would never backtrack on its support for... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3277628/italys-meloni-pledges-support-ukraine-after-meeting-zelensky?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/europe/article/3277628/italys-meloni-pledges-support-ukraine-after-meeting-zelensky?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 07 Sep 2024 14:05:16 +0000 Giorgia Meloni’s trip to Beijing last month was meant to be a relaunch of relations with China after Italy’s exit from Xi Jinping’s signature Belt and Road Initiative a year ago. The main outcome from the trip was the signing of a three-year action plan to increase cooperation in a range of areas from trade to green development. Beijing also called on Rome to help promote its relations with the European Union but observers said there was little sign that the Italian prime minister – with a... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3274720/italys-giorgia-meloni-willing-and-able-help-china-improve-ties-eu?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3274720/italys-giorgia-meloni-willing-and-able-help-china-improve-ties-eu?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 17 Aug 2024 14:00:17 +0000 Iran on Tuesday rejected Western calls to stand down its threat to retaliate against Israel for the killing of Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran late last month. “The declaration by France, Germany and Britain, which raised no objection to the international crimes of the Zionist regime, brazenly asks Iran to take no deterrent action against a regime which has violated its sovereignty and territorial integrity,” foreign ministry spokesman Nasser Kanani said in a statement. “Such a... https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3274243/biden-european-leaders-tell-iran-stand-down-its-threats-attack-israel?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/world/middle-east/article/3274243/biden-european-leaders-tell-iran-stand-down-its-threats-attack-israel?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 12 Aug 2024 19:02:41 +0000 It all began more than 700 years ago when Italian merchant Marco Polo, embarked on his legendary journey to China. His tales of Chinese urban life, flourishing commerce, convenient transport systems and sophisticated social structures captivated the European imagination and inspired explorers like Christopher Columbus. Last month, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni stepped onto Chinese soil, aiming to rejuvenate relations. The visit, coming after Italy’s withdrawal from China’s Belt and Road... https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3273417/what-marco-polo-and-matteo-ricci-can-teach-china-and-italy-today?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/opinion/world-opinion/article/3273417/what-marco-polo-and-matteo-ricci-can-teach-china-and-italy-today?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 11 Aug 2024 01:30:12 +0000 Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni signed a three-year action plan during her current visit to China, meeting with her counterpart Li Qiang as well as with President Xi Jinping. Meloni, fresh from gains made by her far-right Brothers of Italy party in European elections last month, had intended to visit China late last year, but put the trip off after she terminated her country’s participation in China’s Belt and Road Initiative. Following are some of the developments in the relationship... https://www.scmp.com/plus/article/3272468/italy-china-skip-over-belt-and-road-backtrack?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/plus/article/3272468/italy-china-skip-over-belt-and-road-backtrack?utm_source=rss_feed Tue, 30 Jul 2024 09:00:38 +0000 China has asked Italy to play a “constructive role” in promoting a “positive and stable” relationship with Europe during Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s visit to Beijing. “It is hoped that Italy will understand and support China’s development philosophy and play a constructive role in promoting enhanced dialogue and cooperation between China and the European Union,” President Xi Jinping told Meloni. He added: “China and Italy, as two ends of the ancient Silk Road, have a long history of... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3272366/china-urges-italy-play-constructive-role-ties-between-beijing-and-europe?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3272366/china-urges-italy-play-constructive-role-ties-between-beijing-and-europe?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 29 Jul 2024 13:24:24 +0000 Ten months after a planned China visit was scrapped, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni is likely to land in Beijing later this month, the result of the two countries “letting diplomacy work” after Rome quit the Belt and Road Initiative, analysts say. Sources with knowledge of the trip said Meloni was likely to visit China on July 29 and 30, with President Sergio Mattarella possibly following with a stopover in November. Enterprise Minister Adolfo Urso is now in Beijing to lay the groundwork... https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3269134/italian-pm-meloni-likely-visit-china-month-reward-cautious-diplomacy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/news/china/diplomacy/article/3269134/italian-pm-meloni-likely-visit-china-month-reward-cautious-diplomacy?utm_source=rss_feed Thu, 04 Jul 2024 07:25:34 +0000