Latest news with #GreenpeaceItaly
Local Italy
03-07-2025
- Climate
- Local Italy
How badly is Italy being affected by wildfires this summer?
With firefighters struggling to contain a forest blaze that's already forced the evacuation of around 5,000 people from hotels and homes on the Greek island of Crete, many people planning to travel to Italy this summer have expressed concerns about the risk of wildfires amid scorching temperatures. Italy is known to experience devastating fires during its hot summer months, especially in southern regions, where dry turf and vegetation and temperatures nearing 40C cause the flames to spread rapidly. According to a report by Greenpeace Italy and the Italian Society of Silviculture and Forest Ecology (SISEF), over four million hectares of land were affected by wildfires between 1980 and 2018 – a yearly average of nearly 107,000 hectares (roughly the size of the entire city of Rome). Though 2024 saw fewer wildfires compared to previous years, a total area of 514 square kilometres across 16 Italian regions was burned up by blazes, according to data from Italy's National Institute for Environmental Protection and Research (ISPRA). What about this year? Italy has seen little in the way of devastating wildfires so far in 2025. Between January 1st and June 9th, blazes burned a total of 34 square kilometres around Italy, with almost 70 percent of the affected area located in the southern Calabria region. But as an extreme heatwave continues to grip most of Italy, some of the country's hottest and driest regions have seen their first wildfire outbreaks in recent days. Five major fires broke out on the outskirts of Rome on Monday, June 30th. The most serious blaze affected a field in Ponte Galeria, near the city's Fiumicino airport, forcing the temporary suspension of rail services on the Orte-Fiumicino line, as well as hours-long road closures in sections of the A12 and A91 motorways. Roma Mayor Roberto Gualtieri said that local authorities were 'continuously monitoring' the situation across the capital to 'prevent and mitigate wildfires during the summer season' and punish people who don't comply with wildfire-prevention guidelines. A spate of wildfires also broke out across the southern Campania region on Monday, with the most serious blazes affecting the provinces of Caserta, Naples and Salerno. A total of 160 separate firefighting operations were conducted to put out the flames in the region, according to Italian media reports. Sardinia has also experienced several wildfires in recent days. Flights to and from Alghero Airport were temporarily suspended on Monday after a major blaze broke out outside the town of Santa Maria La Palma. Other fires occurred in the rural area around Ozieri, Muros and Ittiri, all located in the Sassari province. So what can we expect going forward? July and August are generally the months with the highest number of wildfires in Italy, as dry turf and scorching heat favour the spread of blazes. Only a small proportion of fires have natural causes, with the majority linked to intentional human actions or negligence. As peak wildfire season approaches, regions including Campania and Puglia have recently launched prevention plans aimed at bolstering fire service departments and improving firefighting equipment and vehicles. Liguria's Civil Protection Department said earlier this week that the entire region will be placed under a severe wildfire risk warning from midnight on Saturday, July 5th. The move came after Italy's fire service warned of 'meteorological and climatic conditions favourable to the outbreak and spread of wildfires' across the region. Italy's Civil Protection has also recently urged regional and provincial authorities to draw up wildfire prevention measures to 'ensure the safety of citizens' over the summer. What are the most at-risk areas in Italy? Sicily, Calabria, Sardinia and Campania are regarded by experts as Italy's most at-risk regions when it comes to wildfires. According to Greenpeace Italy, the four regions accounted for around 85 percent of the total area affected by wildfires in summer 2024. Lazio, Tuscany, Puglia, Basilicata and Liguria are also known to regularly experience major blazes during the summer.
See - Sada Elbalad
25-06-2025
- Entertainment
- See - Sada Elbalad
Anti-Tourism Activists Protest against Bezos-Sánchez Wedding in Venice
Rana Atef Billionaire Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and his fiancée, Lauren Sánchez, prepare to get married in Venice, Italy. However, their celebrations have reportedly been impacted by protests, which see the event as a sign of commodification of a fragile city. Anti-tourist activists from several movements, such as Greenpeace Italy and the U.K. group "Everyone hates Elon" are among those protesting against the wedding ceremony, saying city authorities were prioritizing tourism over resident needs, according Reuters. Protesters argue the city is being overrun with tourism while steadily depopulating, and needs public services and housing, not over-tourism. Amid ongoing protests, multiple media outlets, such as CNN and BBC said that there were reports about the wedding celebrations moving outside the city which led protesters to claim victory. read more Gold prices rise, 21 Karat at EGP 3685 NATO's Role in Israeli-Palestinian Conflict US Expresses 'Strong Opposition' to New Turkish Military Operation in Syria Shoukry Meets Director-General of FAO Lavrov: confrontation bet. nuclear powers must be avoided News Iran Summons French Ambassador over Foreign Minister Remarks News Aboul Gheit Condemns Israeli Escalation in West Bank News Greek PM: Athens Plays Key Role in Improving Energy Security in Region News One Person Injured in Explosion at Ukrainian Embassy in Madrid News China Launches Largest Ever Aircraft Carrier Sports Former Al Zamalek Player Ibrahim Shika Passes away after Long Battle with Cancer Videos & Features Tragedy Overshadows MC Alger Championship Celebration: One Fan Dead, 11 Injured After Stadium Fall Lifestyle Get to Know 2025 Eid Al Adha Prayer Times in Egypt Business Fear & Greed Index Plummets to Lowest Level Ever Recorded amid Global Trade War Arts & Culture Zahi Hawass: Claims of Columns Beneath the Pyramid of Khafre Are Lies News Flights suspended at Port Sudan Airport after Drone Attacks Videos & Features Video: Trending Lifestyle TikToker Valeria Márquez Shot Dead during Live Stream News Shell Unveils Cost-Cutting, LNG Growth Plan Technology 50-Year Soviet Spacecraft 'Kosmos 482' Crashes into Indian Ocean
GMA Network
24-06-2025
- Entertainment
- GMA Network
Venice divided ahead of billionaire Bezos' ‘wedding of the century'
A large banner against Amazon founder Jeff Bezos lies on the ground, placed by Greenpeace Italy activists and UK activist group Everyone Hates Elon, in St. Mark's Square, ahead of the expected wedding of Bezos and Lauren Sanchez, in Venice, Italy, June 23, 2025. REUTERS/ Yara Nardi ROME — Venice is divided ahead of next week's celebrity wedding of US tech-tycoon Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez, with some looking forward to the glitz and glamour, while others fear it will turn the scenic city of gondolas and palazzi into an amusement park. Many details of the wedding are still under wraps—including the precise day it will happen—but it is certain that scores of stars from film, fashion and business will arrive to see Bezos tie the knot— provided they can get past the protesters. One group has plastered banners on the city's famous Rialto Bridge reading "No space for Bezos!" and threatened peaceful blockades, complaining that the medieval and Renaissance city needs public services and housing, not celebrities and over-tourism. "Bezos arrogantly believes he can take over the city and turn it into his own private party venue," said Tommaso Cacciari, a leading light of the "No space for Bezos" campaign. A general view of the Grand Canal ahead of the expected wedding of Amazon founder Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez, in Venice, Italy, June 23, 2025. REUTERS/ Yara Nardi Mayor Luigi Brugnaro and regional governor Luca Zaia, on the other hand, argue that the wedding will bring an economic windfall to local businesses, including the motor boats and gondolas that operate its myriad canals. Eleven years ago actor George Clooney married human rights lawyer Amal Alamuddin in Venice, turning the city into Hollywood on the Adriatic with a weekend of lavish celebrations. Then, locals and tourists alike were excited to witness a memorable moment in the city's long history of hosting stars for its film festival, the world's oldest. Bezos, 61, the founder of e-commerce giant Amazon and the world's third-richest man, got engaged to journalist Sanchez, 55, in 2023, four years after the collapse of his 25-year marriage to Mackenzie Scott. After a swirl of media speculation about the venue of what has been dubbed "the wedding of the century" Brugnaro confirmed in March that it would take place in Venice, which last year began charging tourists a fee to enter the city. The date is expected to be some time between June 23-28 in the midst of three days of stylish celebrations. In the face of early protests from residents who feared the arrival of thousands of celebrities and hangers-on, the city issued a statement clarifying that it would involve around 200 guests and would not disrupt Venetians' everyday life. Bezos and Scott had four children together, while Sanchez was previously married to Hollywood agent Patrick Whitesell, with whom she has two children. She also has a son with NFL tight end Tony Gonzalez. — Reuters
Business Recorder
24-06-2025
- Business
- Business Recorder
Jeff Bezos's gala wedding in Venice met with protestors
VENICE, Italy: Global environmental lobby Greenpeace added its voice on Monday to protests against this week's celebrity wedding in Venice between American tech billionaire Jeff Bezos and journalist Lauren Sanchez. The event, expected to attract some 200 guests including U.S. President Donald Trump's daughter Ivanka and son-in-law Jared Kushner, as well as scores of stars from film, fashion and business, has been dubbed 'the wedding of the century'. But some locals see the celebration as the latest sign of the brash commodification of a beautiful but fragile city that has long been overrun with tourism while steadily depopulating. Activists from Greenpeace Italy and UK group 'Everyone hates Elon' (Musk) unfolded a giant banner in central St Mark's Square with a picture of Bezos laughing and a sign reading: 'If you can rent Venice for your wedding you can pay more tax.' Local police arrived to talk to activists and check their identification documents, before they rolled up their banner. 'The problem is not the wedding, the problem is the system. We think that one big billionaire can't rent a city for his pleasure,' Simona Abbate, one of the protesters, told Reuters. Mayor Luigi Brugnaro and regional governor Luca Zaia have defended the wedding, arguing that it will bring an economic windfall to local businesses, including the motor boats and gondolas that operate its myriad canals. Zaia said the celebrations were expected to cost 20-30 million euros ($23-$34 million). Bezos will also make sizable charity donations, including a million euros for Corila, an academic consortium that studies Venice's lagoon ecosystem, Italy's Corriere della Sera newspaper and the ANSA news agency reported on Sunday. Earlier this month, anti-Bezos banners were hung from St Mark's bell tower and from the famed Rialto bridge, while locals threatened peaceful blockades against the event, saying Venice needed public services and housing, not VIPs and over-tourism. The exact dates and locations of the glitzy nuptials are being kept confidential, but celebrations are expected to play out over three days, most likely around June 26-28.
AsiaOne
24-06-2025
- Politics
- AsiaOne
Greenpeace joins protests against gala Bezos wedding in Venice, World News
VENICE, Italy — Global environmental lobby Greenpeace added its voice on Monday (June 23) to protests against this week's celebrity wedding in Venice between American tech billionaire Jeff Bezos and journalist Laura Sanchez. The event, expected to attract some 200 guests including US President Donald Trump's daughter Ivanka and son-in-law Jared Kushner, as well as scores of stars from film, fashion and business, has been dubbed "the wedding of the century". But some locals see the celebration as the latest sign of the brash commodification of a beautiful but fragile city that has long been overrun with tourism while steadily depopulating. Activists from Greenpeace Italy and UK group "Everyone hates Elon" (Musk) unfolded a giant banner in central St Mark's Square with a picture of Bezos laughing and a sign reading: "If you can rent Venice for your wedding you can pay more tax." Local police arrived to talk to activists and check their identification documents, before they rolled up their banner. "The problem is not the wedding, the problem is the system. We think that one big billionaire can't rent a city for his pleasure," Simona Abbate, one of the protesters, told Reuters. Mayor Luigi Brugnaro and regional governor Luca Zaia have defended the wedding, arguing that it will bring an economic windfall to local businesses, including the motor boats and gondolas that operate its myriad canals. Zaia said the celebrations were expected to cost 20-30 million euros (S$29-S$44 million). Bezos will also make sizable charity donations, including a million euros for Corila, an academic consortium that studies Venice's lagoon ecosystem, Italy's Corriere della Sera newspaper and the ANSA news agency reported on Sunday. Earlier this month, anti-Bezos banners were hung from St Mark's bell tower and from the famed Rialto bridge, while locals threatened peaceful blockades against the event, saying Venice needed public services and housing, not VIPs and over-tourism. The exact dates and locations of the glitzy nuptials are being kept confidential, but celebrations are expected to play out over three days, most likely around June 26-28. [[nid:717630]]
