All articles tagged with #italy
Defector reports that the FBI’s internal schedule for Kash Patel’s Winter Olympics weekend in Italy shows mostly personal and social activities rather than official business, drawing criticism from Patel’s PR team and fueling controversy over taxpayer-funded travel.
A leaked itinerary and NYT report show FBI Director Kash Patel spent roughly six-and-a-half hours at hockey games during a taxpayer-funded Milan trip for the Winter Olympics, with only a fraction of time in official meetings, prompting questions about the trip’s purpose and security implications. The FBI insists the leak is a criminal act, while supporters say the visit included productive security and counterterrorism work; critics point to private-jet use and perceived blurring of personal time and official duties, spurring calls for oversight.
Legal scholars say the Board of Peace concentrates authority in Donald Trump rather than its member states, helping explain why key European powers and the Vatican have stayed out or refused to participate; Italy plans to attend as an observer. Debates persist over whether the Board is a treaty-based international organization or a UN-backed coordination forum. The first meeting announced multi-billion-dollar funding for Gaza reconstruction and humanitarian aid, but the amounts fall short of estimates and the arrangement leaves major questions—Hamas disarmament, Israeli withdrawal, and governance (NCAG)—unresolved, with substantial oversight and regional risk (notably Iran) shaping feasibility.
A record wave of ultra-high-net-worth individuals is relocating abroad, driven by tax efficiency, geopolitical stability, and quality of life. Dubai leads inflows to the UAE, with Portugal, Singapore, Italy, and Australia also rising as popular bases thanks to favorable visa regimes and business-friendly environments. Migration among the global rich surged from about 108,000 in 2018 to around 134,000 in 2024, with over 142,000 expected by the end of 2025, as many pursue second residencies or citizenships as hedges against future policy shifts.
FBI Director Kash Patel defended his trip to the Milan Winter Olympics to celebrate Team USA's gold medal, saying he was humbled and invited by the players. The FBI stated the visit, which involved coordinating with Italian authorities and Olympic security, was planned months in advance and not personal. Critics accuse the trip of being a taxpayer-funded vacation, and Patel has faced prior scrutiny over his use of FBI jets amid other national-security duties and investigations.
The Milan-Cortina Winter Games closed with a 2.5-hour ceremony inside Verona Arena that celebrated Italian art and culture—opera, dance and contemporary music—featuring stars like Roberto Bolle, Achille Lauro and Gabry Ponte as about 1,500 athletes entered behind flag bearers from 92 nations. Team USA highlighted the event with a record 12 golds across 16 sports, and roughly 12,000 spectators witnessed the ceremony, which included a remembrance segment for fallen athletes. The closing ended with extinguished flames on two cauldrons and a Verona-friendly light show in place of fireworks, ahead of Los Angeles 2028 and the 2030 Games in the French Alps and Nice.
Norway led the Milan-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics with 41 medals (18 gold, 12 silver, 11 bronze), while the United States finished with a record 33 medals (12 gold, 12 silver, 9 bronze). Italy was third with 30 medals, Germany fourth with 26, and Japan fifth with 24; the article also includes a full country-by-country medal table.
Authorities in Sicily released surveillance footage showing a dog carrying a bag of waste to a roadside dump as a man was identified and fined for evading regular garbage collection; the incident highlights a broader problem of waste tax evasion and illegal dumping in southern Italy, where regional collection rates can be lower than in the north.
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and French President Emmanuel Macron clashed after the killing of Quentin Deranque in Lyon, with Meloni calling it a wound for Europe and Macron accusing nationalists of meddling in France’s internal affairs; officials said both were surprised by the other’s comments as they prepare for a Franco-Italian summit in April, while Lyon prosecutors pursue seven people on charges of voluntary homicide related to the incident.
A two-year-old in Naples remains on life support in a stable but critical condition after a donor heart reportedly arrived frostbitten due to improper transport and direct contact with dry ice; prosecutors opened an investigation and doctors will decide if another transplant is viable as the family seeks a new donor heart.
Video from Italian State Police shows a man violently trying to grab a girl from her mother outside a store. Bystanders and security guards intervened, the attacker was arrested, and the child was hospitalized with a fractured femur. He is charged with attempted aggravated kidnapping and aggravated assault.
Italy captured gold in the speedskating team pursuit in Milan, beating the United States by about 4.5 seconds and celebrating with a Steph Curry–inspired “night-night” gesture; it marked Italy’s first gold in the event since hosting the 2006 Games, while the U.S., a former world-record holder who earned bronze at Beijing 2022, fell short of gold.
Lindsey Vonn’s sister Karin Kildow shared a behind‑the‑scenes look from Ca’ Foncello hospital in Treviso, Italy, where Vonn is recovering from multiple surgeries on her left leg after a crash during a comeback attempt; the Instagram Reel showcased Italian doctors and nurses, prompting lighthearted praise for the staff’s appearance while thanking them for their care and Lindsey’s ongoing recovery.
Italy stunned the United States to win the men's speed skating team pursuit by 4.51 seconds at Milan Cortina 2026, earning the hosts their first Olympic medal in the event since 2006; Canada repeated as Olympic champions in the women's team pursuit, finishing 0.96 seconds ahead of the Netherlands as Japan took bronze and the U.S. finished fourth.
Italy edged rivals to capture the Olympic men's speedskating team pursuit gold at the 2026 Winter Games in Milan, marking its first Olympic speedskating gold since 2006.