Environmental groups and 12 Italian citizens are suing Italian oil company Eni for knowingly causing climate damage by continuing to extract oil. The case marks the first of its kind in Italy. The allegations levelled against Eni, an Italian multinational integrated oil and gas company, are similar to those brought against Exxon and Shell. Following the exposure of company researchers’ early work on how much burning fossil fuels would affect climate change, both Exxon and Shell were accused of public deception. The resulting litigation has led to multi-billion dollar claims for damages. In 2021, Shell was declared liable for causing climate change and ordered to cut emissions by a Dutch court. Despite denials of wrongdoing by Eni, University of Miami professor Geoffrey Supran suggests that an avalanche of discovery will weaken companies’ defences, overburdened by simultaneous legal actions.
Ukrainian officials claim to have intercepted all six Russian hypersonic Kinzhal missiles that were aimed at the country’s capital Kyiv, marking the first time that the nation has destroyed multiple missiles in one go. Footage purports to show Western air defence systems destroying targets over the Ukrainian capital during the attack, part of a volley of 18 missiles. Kinzhal missiles, which Russian President Vladimir Putin has described as one of the country’s “most potent weapons”, travel on a ballistic trajectory at a maximum potential speed of 11,000 km/h and can carry conventional or nuclear warheads up to 2,000 km away.
Four riders from the Soudal Quick-Step team have withdrawn from the Giro d’Italia after testing positive for COVID-19. The team’s leader, Remco Evenepoel, had already pulled out after testing positive, despite winning the individual time trial on Sunday and reclaiming the leader’s pink jersey. His withdrawal left former Tour de France winner Geraint Thomas in the lead of the race, two seconds ahead of Primož Roglič. Other riders, including Domenico Pozzovivo and Rigoberto Urán, have also had to retire this year due to testing positive for the coronavirus.
Nine victims of clerical sexual abuse had an audience with the Pope on 19 September, after completing a 715km bicycle challenge to symbolise their desire to be “heard and seen.” The event was organised by abuse groups in the Munich and Freising archdiocese. The group of abuse victims and their supporters arrived in Rome on 18 September, having covered the distance in ten stages. They carried stones representing their emotions on their journey, including such feelings as worthlessness and suicide. The stones will be placed in the garden of the Bavarian archdiocese’s Rome meeting centre. The group has asked Pope Francis to compel the Church to punish abusers and hold bishops accountable.
At least three people have been killed and 5,000 have been evacuated due to flooding in northern Italy caused by heavy rain. Officials in the Emilia-Romagna region have warned that swollen rivers could burst their banks again, and urged people to move to upper floors of their homes and to avoid riverbanks. Civil Protection Minister Nello Musemeci confirmed three fatalities. The flood zone had been parched by drought until the heavy rains hit.
The Senate Intelligence Committee's report confirms the Mueller report's finding that Russia interfered in the 2016 election to aid Trump and harm Clinton. Putin personally ordered the hack and “Moscow’s intent was to harm the Clinton campaign, tarnish an expected Clinton presidential administration, help the Trump Campaign after Trump became the presumptive Republican nominee, and undermine the U.S. democratic process,” the report said. Neither report found evidence of direct coordination between the Trump campaign and Russia. Mueller and the Senate report found that Trump campaign officials "welcomed" any foreign assistance, even though it was illegal and against US election norms.
In the summer of 2016, the FBI opened its Crossfire Hurricane counterintelligence investigation based on a tip from an Australian diplomat who was concerned that George Papadopoulos had hinted that Russia had dirt on Clinton. After WikiLeaks released the Democratic National Committee emails, the Australian government sent a cable to the State Department summarizing what Papadopoulos had said, and the FBI quickly upgraded its probe into examining four Trump campaign advisers - Papadopoulos, energy consultant Carter Page, foreign policy expert Michael Flynn and then-campaign chairman Paul Manafort.
There were concerns that the FBI failed to follow investigative norms, the Durham report concluded. The report acknowledged four previous inquiries into Russian interference in 2016, but focused on the FBI’s handling of intelligence received from the Australia tip, claiming the investigation could have been opened more appropriately as an assessment or preliminary investigation.
Poland's Adrian Meronk is among the players vying for a place on the European Ryder Cup team, to face the US in October. A solid game, which included a second-place finish for greens in regulation in 2023, as well as an imposing 6’5” frame and impressive strokes gained driving statistic, make him a contender. The player also has experience working closely with Edoardo Molinari, one of Europe's vice-captains, who has a reputation for crunching numbers for future Ryder Cup teams.
A group of LGBTQ+ Catholics visited Pope Francis during his Wednesday general audience in St. Peter’s Square in a bid to encourage the church to welcome them “without discrimination.” A group of clergy abuse survivors from Germany also handed a letter to Francis calling for a more robust response to the crisis of sexual and spiritual abuse in the Catholic Church. In addition to these events, Francis interrupted the audience in order to answer a mobile phone call; the Vatican provided no details concerning the conversation.
Alexander Zverev’s ankle ligament tear in the 2022 French Open semi-final appears to be the turning point of his career, as his recent comments express growing frustration and doubt. The German tennis star is experiencing a year of setbacks and failures, with an increasing sense of doubt growing amid his recent losses. Tennis legend Boris Becker said Zverev has yet to adapt his game to tennis in 2023 and is being overtaken by younger players such as Carlos Alcaraz. Zverev has lost his spot as Germany's No.1 player to Jan-Lennard Struff, who recently reached the final of the Madrid open.
Holger Rune beats Novak Djokovic in rainy Italian Open quarterfinal clash
CNN
23-05-17 16:26
World number one Novak Djokovic has lost to Holger Rune at the Italian Open quarter-finals. The 20-year-old Dane won 6-2 4-6 6-2 in wet conditions, marking his second straight victory over Djokovic after triumphing in the Paris Masters final in November. Djokovic's defeat followed his failure to advance past the quarter-finals in his three clay court events ahead of the French Open. Realistically, he is unlikely to win the tournament without top players including Rafael Nadal and Roger Federer in the field.
The tenth and final installment of the Fast & Furious franchise, Fast X, is "monstrously silly and stupidly entertaining", according to a review in The New York Times. The film centres on the character of Dom Toretto, played by Vin Diesel, seeking vengeance after discovering that a villain he and his team destroyed in the fifth installment had a son who survived. The reviewer said Jason Momoa in the role of the villain's son made the film, which boasted a cast of more than 20 stars, including Helen Mirren, Brie Larson, and Alan Ritchson.
The Fast & Furious series continues to grow ever-more insane, with its latest installment in cinemas from May 19. Alongside a cast led by Vin Diesel and Michelle Rodriguez, Jason Momoa is the film's MVP, playing an opera-warbling, knife-sucking, pink scrunchie enthusiast. While director Louis Leterrier barely reins in the increasingly far-fetched plot, the absence of Justin Lin (who departed several weeks into production over reported creative differences with Diesel) seems to have produced a flat-out action movie with something for everyone.
World No 1 Novak Djokovic is out of the Italian Open following his defeat against Denmark’s Holger Rune. His performance was uncharacteristically poor, and his below-par physical condition suggested health issues were affecting him. Djokovic is going into this year’s French Open without having reached a clay-court semi-final, which is untypical for him. With Rafael Nadal absent from the tour since January, a couple of emerging favourites – Rune and Carlos Alcaraz – are being talked about by bookmakers. Nadal’s withdrawal from Roland Garros is expected to be announced soon. This year’s Italian Open won’t feature a final without Djokovic or Nadal for the first time since 2004. Murray’s defeat against Wawrinka in the second round of the ATP Challenger Tour event in Bordeaux further adds to his downward slide in the tennis world. Meanwhile, Djokovic might be closing his tennis centre in Belgrade following news that Romanian billionaire Ion Tiriac’s licence has been taken back.
Denmark's Holger Rune, 20, beats Djokovic again to reach Italian Open semis
CBC
23-05-17 18:48
Unheralded Danish player Holger Rune has beaten 22-time Grand Slam winner and world number one Novak Djokovic for the second time in six months, winning 6-2, 4-6, 6-2 in the quarterfinals of the Italian Open in Rome. Rune, 20, defeated Djokovic in the Paris Masters final last November. Djokovic had appeared to be struggling with physical issues ahead of the French Open, which starts on 30 May. Rune now faces either Casper Ruud or Francisco Cerundolo in the semifinals.
Leaders of the G7 countries – the US, Japan, Germany, France, the UK, Italy and Canada – face several challenges as they gather in Hiroshima. The global economic outlook is unstable, while Russia continues its actions in Ukraine and China expands its economic and strategic growth. The G7 will need to address several issues, including enlisting middle countries such as those in Africa, and addressing China without creating undue confusion. Moreover, with concerns around nuclear proliferation and use re-emerging, the monitoring architecture of nuclear arsenals needs to be maintained to avoid future use of nuclear weapons. Finally, as global temperatures continue to rise and heatwaves become deadlier, coordinated responses and the regulation of cryptocurrency will become increasingly important.
Iga Swiatek retired from her Italian Open quarterfinal match against Elena Rybakina due to a right thigh injury. The top-ranked Swiatek had won the first set 6-2 but Rybakina won the second 7-6 (3). Swiatek grasped her right knee during the second-set tiebreaker and took a medical timeout before returning with her upper right thigh bandaged. She retired after four more games. The retirement ended Swiatek’s 14-match winning streak in Rome and raises questions over her status for the upcoming French Open, where she is the defending champion. It’s the third time that Rybakina has beaten Swiatek this year.
The latest installment of the Fast and Furious movie franchise features a record-breaking four Oscar-winning actresses, including Dame Helen Mirren, Brie Larson, Charlize Theron and Rita Moreno. Speaking to the cast of Fast 10, the actors commented on how the franchise has worked hard to portray leading women roles for actresses over the years, particularly since the introduction of Michelle Rodriguez as Letty in the early 2000s. A combination of the role of Vin Diesel as an anchor in the film, its organic-feeling diversity and producers' recognition of the need to generate the space to have strong female characters, has helped make the series a hit.
The Fast and the Furious movie franchise has gone from telling stories of underground drag racing in Los Angeles to a more cohesive action franchise in the style of Mission Impossible. The franchise mix of gender, age and culture helped it grow to become the highest-grossing franchise in Universal history, which is a testament to its staying power. Vin Diesel has also been key in the casting of both an iconic male and female cast while also being likened to a TV showrunner in piecing together the cast, signing off on plots, and creating the franchise’s mythology. However, Diesel’s domination over all aspects of the films reportedly led to some creative tension with other cast members.
92-year-old British painter Bridget Riley has completed her first ceiling painting, which now adorns the barrel vaults of the foyer at the British School at Rome. The work, entitled Verve, is composed of vibrant stripes of red, blue, lilac, turquoise, yellow and white. Riley agreed to the project, which was carried out by three assistants for three weeks, after deciding her original idea of creating a Discs painting for the refectory would clash with its boxed wooden ceiling. “I believe that art in buildings is not about impact, it’s about interest”, said Riley, who is known for her Op Art pieces but considers the basis of colour to be instability. Founded in 1901, the British School provides research facilities and residencies for Commonwealth artists and researchers.
Novak Djokovic has said that a new generation of tennis players has finally arrived after he lost to 20-year-old Dane Holger Rune in the Italian Open quarterfinals on Wednesday. Djokovic’s loss to Rune means that neither Djokovic nor the injured Rafael Nadal will play in the final for the first time in 19 years. Djokovic said that Carlos Alcaraz, who will become world No. 1 from this Monday, is the leader of the new generation. Djokovic and Nadal share the record for most men’s Grand Slam titles with Federer retiring last year.
