Norway's Wealth Fund Plans to Back Paschi's Mediobanca Bid
Norges Bank Investment Management, a unit of the Norwegian central bank, will vote in favor of Monte Paschi's proposal to issue the fresh shares it needs to finance the offer, according to the unit's website.
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New York Post
13 minutes ago
- New York Post
Olive Garden brings back beloved menu special — and you get it unlimited, for a cheap price
Olive Garden's fan-favorite menu item, Never Ending Pasta Bowl, is back for a limited time — and at a cheap price. In a time when food prices seem to be constantly rising, Olive Garden is doing its customers a favor by not only bringing back its beloved unlimited pasta promotion — starting Monday, Aug. 25 — the restaurant is also keeping its $13.99 price the same. Reportedly, menu prices at restaurants have increased more than 30% over the past five years, according to the National Restaurant Association — yet the restaurant chain is trying to win over customers by keeping this item's price on the lower side. Advertisement The chain noted on X that prices may vary by location, yet this is the fourth consecutive year the limited promo is being offered at its reasonable price. In case you've been living under a rock, the Never Ending Pasta Bowl, which first debuted in the 1990s, features unlimited pasta, plus unlimited soup or salad and endless breadsticks. Since many people don't like change — Olive Garden is also appeasing fans by keeping many of their classic pasta and sauce combos but spicing things up by throwing in a new Spicy Three-Meat Sauce. Advertisement From Aug. 25 through Nov. 16, customers will be able to mix and match up to 96 possible combinations for their Never Ending Pasta Bowl — talk about really making it your own. 3 The Never Ending Pasta Bowl features unlimited pasta, plus unlimited soup or salad and endless breadsticks. Olive Garden Patrons can also get endless toppings for an additional $4.99, including crispy chicken fritta, meatballs and Italian sausage. Loyal customers who are part of Olive Garden's eClub — yes, that's a thing — can get in on the action early, with access to the beloved pasta bowl starting an entire week early, Monday, Aug. 18. Advertisement 3 Olive Garden's fan-favorite Never Ending Pasta Bowl is making a comeback at the same price of $13.99 starting Monday, Aug. 25. Christopher Sadowski Fans are obviously over the moon excited about this exciting pasta news. 'Holy smokes that is literally a deal!! Coming thru next Monday!' one person said on X. 'See me there every day until it's gone thank you,' another said. Advertisement 'I'll be there tonight for early access of this!' someone declared. 3 From Aug. 25 through Nov. 16, guests will be able to mix and match up to 96 possible combinations for their Never Ending Pasta Bowl. Christopher Sadowski Despite this good news, shockingly, back in April, Olive Garden lost its spot as the top US casual dining restaurant for seven consecutive years to Texas Roadhouse. Following the two chains are Chili's, Applebee's and Buffalo Wild Wings.
Yahoo
2 hours ago
- Yahoo
Norway wealth fund excludes six Israeli companies linked to West Bank, Gaza
By Gwladys Fouche and Louise Rasmussen OSLO/COPENHAGEN (Reuters) -Norway's sovereign wealth fund, the world's largest, will exclude another six Israeli companies with connections to the West Bank and Gaza from its portfolio following an ethics review, it said on Monday. The $2 trillion wealth fund did not name the companies it had decided to exclude but said they would be made public, along with specific reasons, once the divestments were completed. One possibility is they include Israel's five largest banks, which have been under review by the fund's ethical watchdog. Separately, the fund said it had also sold stakes in six other companies following a decision last week to only hold stakes in Israeli companies that are part of the fund's benchmark index. As of August 14, the fund had 19 billion crowns ($1.86 billion) invested in 38 companies listed in Israel, the fund's operator Norges Bank Investment Management said, a reduction of 23 companies since June 30. "More companies could be excluded," Norwegian Finance Minister Jens Stoltenberg told reporters. ETHICS REVIEW The fund launched an urgent review earlier this month after reports that it had built a stake in an Israeli jet engine group that provides services to Israel's armed forces, including the maintenance of fighter jets. The reports spurred a fresh debate about the fund's investments in Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories ahead of elections on Sept. 8, with some parties calling for the fund to divest from all Israeli companies, a step the government has ruled out. Norway's parliament in June rejected a proposal for the fund to divest from all companies with activities in the occupied Palestinian territories. "This debate helps sharpen our practices," said Stoltenberg. Critics say only a complete withdrawal from investing in Israeli companies would protect the fund against possible ethical breaches. Stoltenberg said that, from now on, the ethics watchdog and NBIM would have more frequent and faster exchanges of information to more rapidly identify problematic companies. Ethical exclusions from the fund are based on recommendations from the fund's watchdog, though NBIM can also divest from companies if it assesses that a company poses too much of a risk to the fund, whether the risk is ethical or not. "With more exchanges of information between the Council on Ethics and Norges Bank, it is possible that there could be more divestments of that kind in future," said Stoltenberg. Last Monday, the fund announced it was terminating contracts with all three external asset managers who handled some of its Israeli investments. ($1 = 10.1890 Norwegian crowns) Sign in to access your portfolio
Newsweek
8 hours ago
- Newsweek
Gen Z Woman Leaves LA After 15 Years, Buys 17-Room Italian House for $31K
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. A Generation Z Canadian expat has swapped Los Angeles for a medieval Sicilian village after snapping up a €27,000 ($31,000) house with 17 rooms and a castle view. Kiki Leigh, 28, had lived in Los Angeles for nearly 15 years before stumbling across a TikTok video that changed her life. From TikTok Scroll to Italian Castle Views The clip featured Sicily, and its reputation for affordable real estate, and, within a week, Leigh was on a plane to the Italian island. "I bought the property in June 2024 after seeing a TikTok video of cheap homes for sale in Sicily," Leigh told Newsweek. "I booked a trip about a week later and, soon after, I was in Mussomeli looking at homes." Nestled in the heart of Sicily, Mussomeli is a historic village known for its medieval castle and breathtaking countryside views—a far cry from the bustling streets of Los Angeles. From left: A view from Kiki Leigh's Sicilian home; and the poster poses for the camera. From left: A view from Kiki Leigh's Sicilian home; and the poster poses for the camera. @ Renovating a 17-Room Sicilian House The house, which cost Leigh just €27,000, spans 17 rooms. While the structure is sound, the property requires a significant face-lift. Renovations began in March 2025 and are expected to take eight months. "The home needs roughly €140,000 of work," Leigh said. "The house I'm creating is my dream home, so I will be keeping it and living there full time when it's complete this fall." A Tale of Two Housing Markets While the 17-room house needs a lot of work, the price tag is a far cry from real estate prices in North America. Property company Redfin says the median sale price in July 2025 was about $652 per square foot, or roughly €6,200 per square meter. By contrast, data from shows the average asking price across the Sicily in June 2025 was just €1,167 ($1,362) per square meter. Prices range from €682/m² ($796/m²) in Caltanissetta, where Mussomeli is located, to €1,294/m² ($1,510/m²) in Palermo. That means homes in Los Angeles cost about five times more than the Sicilian regional average—and nearly 11 times more than in Mussomeli. From left: The front door is seen from inside the home; and a view from a balcony. From left: The front door is seen from inside the home; and a view from a balcony. @ Foreign Buyers Are Flocking to Sicily Sicily has become a hotspot for international buyers drawn to its cheap homes, warm climate, and rich cultural history. Many towns, including Mussomeli, have run "€1 home" schemes in recent years to combat depopulation, but even traditionally priced properties offer remarkable value compared to North American or Northern European markets. For Leigh, the move is not just about cost savings but also about lifestyle. "This is the house I've always dreamed of," she said. "It's not an investment to flip; it's where I want to live." A New Life in the Mediterranean Once renovations are finished this fall, Leigh will leave behind the high rents and traffic of Los Angeles for a slower-paced life in Sicily, surrounded by history, food, and sunshine. She shared her story on TikTok, showing off the home just four months into renovations with its hundreds of years of history and incredible number of rooms. "It's still not finished, but it's finally starting to feel like a home, not just a wild idea," Leigh said on TikTok. With thousands of followers, she has been sharing her journey on TikTok where she hopes to inspire others, just like she was inspired on TikTok.
