Troni's Italian Bistro set to open in Union Village
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Wales Online
14 minutes ago
- Wales Online
Woman quits £43K corporate job to pick grapes for free in Italy - 'it's awesome'
Woman quits £43K corporate job to pick grapes for free in Italy - 'it's awesome' Ayla Lannen left her nine-to-five marketing job to break out of her 'monotonous' routine and avoid 'burn-out' A woman quit her £43,000 corporate job to pick grapes in rural Italy after a 'devastating' break-up - and is urging others to adopt a simpler life. Ayla Lannen decided to quit her nine-to-five marketing job earlier this year in a bid to break out of her 'monotonous' routine and avoid 'burn-out'. The 27-year-old also felt spurred into quitting the corporate grind following the end of her three-year relationship, which led her to reconsider the trajectory of her life. Ayla decided to leave her high-earning job as an engagement manager in marketing for a slower pace of life in rural Italy. Last month, Ayla flew from London for the Italian countryside to take an unpaid job picking grapes at a winery every day. Despite receiving no income, Ayla has all her meals and accommodation included, insisting that she's getting paid more than enough in experience and core memories. Ayla added that she's learned more in her weeks working at the winery than in the years she spent climbing the corporate ladder. Now a certified fruit-picker, Ayla is urging others to consider swapping out their own nine-to-fives for a simpler life outdoors. She plans to eventually return to London but to work in hospitality so that she can maintain the 'flexibility' to travel that her new lifestyle brings. Ayla, who is originally from Sydney, Australia, said: "I learned a lot in my old job but I felt like something was lacking and missing from my life. The 27-year-old felt spurred into quitting the corporate grind following the end of her three-year relationship, which led her to reconsider the trajectory of her life. (Image: KennedyNews/@fromayla) "I was spending four hours a day commuting into work. It was getting monotonous and repetitive. It could've led to burn out. I just felt a disconnect and fatigue. I just thought, do I really want to keep grinding every day for my paycheck and not really have anything to show for it. "What kind of propelled me to go to the UK was that I had just gotten out of a three-year relationship with my ex. We had just drifted apart and got to the point where I couldn't do it anymore. It was devastating. "We were living together and after that ended it was a sudden halt in where I thought the rest of my life was heading. "I had time to re-evaluate the trajectory of where I wanted to be. All of my friends are in long-term relationships. I'm just doing the complete opposite. "People say 'aren't you worried about not finding someone?' but that's not even on my cards right now." The idea came when Ayla stumbled upon a website advertising grape-picking near the neighbourhood of Tortona, Italy. Article continues below Ayla Lannen, 27, working as a grape-picker in Italy after leaving her office job (Image: KennedyNews/@fromayla) A week later, Ayla moved her life into the Italian countryside, where she spends her mornings and evenings working among the vineyards. Ayla said: "I really wanted to have that authentic experience of working in a winery. "I'm just in the fields picking grapes - it's awesome. The family is teaching us about what the whole process entails. "And my love for wine is part of the reason why I chose this too. It's very quiet here and you have that time to reflect. "I feel like I learned more in two weeks at the winery than I did in two years at my old job. Although I'm not getting paid any actual income, I'm getting paid in experience and building these core memories I'll always hold onto. Money comes and goes. "I think it'll actually make me a better worker if I ever go back into corporate. There is no timeline and it's your life at the end of the day. Never live your life for someone else. "I definitely recommend it - it's an amazing experience. It's everything I've ever needed at this time in my life. Even though it's 'unconventional', you can always go back to that corporate lifestyle. It'll always be there." Ayla plans to return to live and work in London but vows not to return to a corporate job to maintain her freedom. Ayla said: "I know I'm going to come back to London eventually, I know I want to be based here. "I want to be able to relax, travel and have that flexibility so am planning on getting a job in hospitality after. I want the flexibility to travel again."
Euractiv
17 minutes ago
- Euractiv
EU fails to secure US tariff exemption for wine and spirits
The European Commission did not succeed in securing an exemption for wine and spirits from the 15% tariff imposed by the US on the bloc's exports, but negotiations are still ongoing, EU trade chief Maroš Šefčovič assured. In 2024, transatlantic exports of wine and spirits totalled around €9 billion, with €4.9 billion accounted for by wine alone – making the US the largest market for EU alcoholic beverages. Both sectors have long lobbied for exclusion from the new duties introduced in the July EU-US agreement. Presenting the joint statement, Šefčovič acknowledged that negotiators 'didn't succeed' in securing an exemption. 'I just would like to add one very important word and this is 'yet',' the Commissioner said, stressing that his team 'will be looking at different ways how we can address this issue,' hinting that talks will continue. 'I don't want to say it will be easy, and I don't want to offer false promises,' he added cautiously. France has also expressed hope that the exemption could still be negotiated. "The agreement leaves open the possibility of additional exemptions, and we will work on this," French Trade Minister Laurent Saint-Martin posted on X. Producers brace for impact In the meantime, EU producers are preparing for significant losses. "This is a blow to the most exposed sector among the top 10 categories of Italian products destined for the US, accounting for 24% of total global exports and worth around €2 billion per year", the Union of Italian Wines warned in a statement. 'We are hugely disappointed,' the president of the French Federation of Wine and Spirits Exporters Gabriel Picard told the national press, echoed by the European spirits sector through its industry group SpiritsEUROPE. The outcome represents a 'missed opportunity' to demonstrate the EU's commitment to fair and reciprocal trade, said Hervé Dumesny, Director General of SpiritsEUROPE. The sector is now urging negotiators to keep talks alive. What's in for agriculture As announced, the joint statement states that the EU will "provide preferential market access for a wide range of US seafood and agricultural goods". However, senior EU officials told the press on Thursday that the bloc will not provide any preferential access for US products in "sensitive sectors" such as poultry, beef, sugar and ethanol. "For now, the Commission failed to defend EU agri-food offensive interests," the agricultural think tank Farm Europe stated, concluding that "if this is the starting point for future, more sensible negotiations, EU agriculture is starting many steps behind". Angelo Di Mambro contributed to reporting (adm, cs)
RTÉ News
17 minutes ago
- RTÉ News
Italy's Mediobanca gets ECB approval for Banca Generali deal
Italy's merchant bank Mediobanca has received European Central Bank approval to buy private bank Banca Generali and create Italy's second-largest wealth manager, as it seeks to thwart a takeover bid from Monte dei Paschi di Siena. The ECB has also approved the acquisition of direct and indirect shareholdings that together amount to more than 10% of the Mediobanca Banking Group's consolidated own funds. The ECB's green light paves the way for merchant bank Mediobanca to launch its offer if it wins shareholder backing at a vote due on August 21. Mediobanca had originally scheduled the vote for June but had to push it back as the proposal lacked sufficient support. Meanwhile, state-backed Monte dei Paschi (MPS) is attempting to buy Mediobanca, amid a consolidation wave sweeping Italian banking. By cutting its MPS stake to below 12% from the 68% it acquired in a 2017 bailout, Rome has brought on board as leading MPS shareholders, Italy's billionaire Del Vecchio and Caltagirone families. To fend off the MPS bid, Mediobanca CEO Alberto Nagel, in April proposed buying Banca Generali, which is owned by Generali, Italy's biggest insurer, whose key investors are Mediobanca, the Del Vecchios and the Caltagirones. Under Italian takeover rules, Mediobanca needs shareholder approval for the Banca Generali deal due to the MPS bid, which would become more costly if Mediobanca buys Banca Generali. Generali, which would acquire its own shares by tendering its 50.2% Banca Generali stake, said this month it was open to continue discussing the proposal.
