Italy

ROME (AP) — Global prices for food commodities like grain and vegetable oils were the highest on record last year even after falling for nine months in a row, the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization said, as Russia’s war in Ukraine, drought and other factors drove up inflation and worsened hunger worldwide.

ROME, Jan. 3 (Xinhua) -- Gasoline and diesel prices in Italy have surged dramatically after a discount on fuel-related excise duties expired.

According to data from the Italian Ministry of Environment and Energy Security, national average prices were 1.64 euros (1.74 U.S. dollars) per liter for gasoline and 1.71 euros for diesel at self-service pumps during the week ending Dec. 31.

ROME, Dec 28 (NNN-XINHUA) – The Bank of Italy said yesterday, it will exchange the Croatian kuna at parity value, after the country adopts the euro currency on Jan 1.

In July, the Council of the European Union approved Croatia as the 20th country to gain accession to the euro currency.

In 2020, Croatia joined the European Exchange Rate Mechanism (EERM), establishing the value of the kuna at 7.5345 per euro.

ROME (AP) — Pope Francis has revealed in an interview published Sunday that shortly after being elected pontiff in 2013 he wrote a resignation letter in case medical problems impede him from carrying out his duties.

Speaking to the Spanish newspaper ABC, Francis said he gave the note to Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, who then was the Vatican secretary of state. The pontiff added that he presumes that the prelate currently in that Vatican No. 2 role, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, now has the written instruction.

ROME, Dec 14 (NNN-XINHUA) – The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), reported yesterday that, it received a new grant worth 150 million U.S. dollars, to help fund assistance to vulnerable households in war-torn Yemen.

The contribution was provided by the World Bank, based on multi-agency contributions. It more than doubles the amount of money UN agencies have provided for resilience projects in Yemen, since early 2021.

ROME (AP) — A Vatican cardinal sued a Canadian woman for defamation in a Canadian court on Tuesday after she accused him of sexual assault while he was archbishop of Quebec.

Cardinal Marc Ouellet, head of the Vatican’s bishops’ office, is seeking 100,000 Canadian dollars (US$74,000) in compensatory damages for “injury to his reputation, honor and dignity,” according to a copy of the complaint provided by Ouellet’s office.

ROME, Dec 13 (Reuters) - Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said on Tuesday that the European Union must remain united in helping Ukraine resist Russian aggression, while stepping up efforts to promote a ceasefire.

Addressing the Italian parliament ahead of an EU

summit this week, Meloni said the diplomatic room for manoeuvre to achieve a ceasefire in the 10-month-old war appeared "extremely limited" but Italy would do its best to promote any such initiative.

ROME (AP) — A man opened fire Sunday during a condominium board meeting in a coffee shop in northern Rome, killing three people and injuring others, authorities and witnesses said.

Rome Mayor Roberto Gualtieri called an emergency security meeting for Monday after what he called “the grave episode of violence that has struck our city.” In a tweet, he confirmed three people were killed in the shooting in the working class neighborhood of Fidene.

“The shooting occured in an enclosed outdoor seating area of the bar, called “Il Posto Giusto,” or “The Right Place.”

ROME (AP) — Batool Haidari used to be a prominent professor of sexology at a Kabul university before the Taliban takeover of Afghanistan. She taught mixed classes of male and female students, and helped patients struggling with gender identity issues.

Her husband owned a carpet factory, and together they did their best to provide a good education for their 18-year-old son and two daughters aged 13 and eight.

ROME, Dec 8 (Reuters) - Pope Francis broke down and cried on Thursday as he mentioned the suffering of Ukrainians during a traditional prayer in central Rome.

The pope's voice began to tremble as he mentioned the Ukrainians and he had to stop, unable to speak, for about 30 seconds. When he resumed the prayer, his voice was cracking.

The crowd, including Rome Mayor Roberto Gualtieri who was right next to the pope, applauded when they realised he was unable to talk and saw him crying.