Latest news with #AlessandroGarofalo
Straits Times
3 days ago
- Politics
- Straits Times
Milan's La Scala theatre fires usher who shouted 'Free Palestine' at gala event
FILE PHOTO: People stand outside of the La Scala opera house on the day of the season opening of La Scala theatre in Milan, Italy December 7, 2024. REUTERS/Alessandro Garofalo/File Photo MILAN - Milan's famed La Scala opera house has fired one of its ushers after she shouted a pro-Palestinian slogan at a gala event attended by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni earlier this month, two trade unions said on Thursday. The woman shouted "Free Palestine" as Meloni was taking her seat in the Royal Box at a May 4 concert in honour of the Asian Development Bank meeting in Milan, the theatre's trade unions said. Contacted by Reuters, La Scala had no immediate comment. "In the dismissal order, signed by superintendent Fortunato Ortombina, it is emphasized that she betrayed trust by disobeying service orders, but we believe that she listened to her conscience," the CUB union said in a statement. "We will deploy all trade union actions to defend this brave girl who has our utmost solidarity," CUB added. Italy's government has been a vocal supporter of Israel, but its foreign minister said on Wednesday Israel's continued assault on the Gaza Strip had become unacceptable and had to stop immediately. Israel launched its campaign on the Palestinian enclave in response to the devastating Hamas attack in southern Israel on Oct 7, 2023, that killed some 1,200 people and saw 251 taken hostage into Gaza, according to Israeli tallies. The campaign has killed more than 54,000 Palestinians, Gaza health officials say, and left the enclave in ruins. In Italy, opposition parties are planning a rally on June 7 calling for an end to the war in Gaza, while unions at La Scala have asked for a banner to be put up before performances on June 6 and 11 saying "Ceasefire, stop the massacres". REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
The Star
22-05-2025
- Sport
- The Star
Soccer-Napoli fans calm as city holds breath for Scudetto showdown
FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - Serie A - Napoli fans watch Parma v Napoli - Naples, Italy - May 18, 2025 Napoli fans watch the match in a square in Naples REUTERS/Alessandro Garofalo/File Photo NAPLES, Italy (Reuters) - As a thrilling season comes to an end, Napoli fans remain calm and confident as the city prepares for a historic night with the Serie A title hanging in the balance ahead of Friday's final match. The season has gone right down to the wire, with Napoli and Inter Milan battling for supremacy. Napoli hold a slender one-point lead heading into Friday's finale at home against Cagliari while Inter play at Como at the same time. After stumbling to two consecutive draws, the title race may have become too close for comfort for the Campania club, after stumbling to two consecutive draws. But the optimism is still there. "Last week was nervous because we didn't get the result. But I am confident we will win this tomorrow," Mario Verde, a cafe owner on the island of Capri told Reuters. Now the fans of the football-mad city are preparing for the party. Light blue floods the streets as Napoli shirts drape from balconies and shop-fronts, the city holding its breath ahead of the most thrilling finale in years. "A win for Napoli is special because it's a win for the entire south of Italy. The north often looks down on the south. They win most of the titles. So this title would be for the south," Verde added. The city of Naples is getting ready for the evening, with over 450,000 people having queued for tickets to the final match. Authorities are expecting enormous crowds throughout the city. Twenty big screens will be set up across Naples as fans gather to witness the club's potential fourth Scudetto - and their second in just three years, but fans are not taking anything for granted. "Here in Naples, we don't talk about victory yet because we are very superstitious, but we usually say one thing: 'It won't happen, but if it does...'," fellow Napoli fan Giuseppe Coppola said with a smile. About 660 kilometres to the north, the mood is similarly calm among Inter fans, who also have the Champions League final against Paris St Germain to look forward to at the end of the month. "I'll just watch — it's not in our hands. We'll experience it calmly," life-long Inter Milan fan Andrea Comin told Reuters by email, adding he was not worried. "I believe the team has been focused on the Champions League final for quite some time now," he added when asked if he was concerned that the European title had taken priority over Serie A for Inter. (Reporting by Tommy Lund in Gdansk and Ian Ransom in Naples, additonal reporting by Alberto Chiumento in Gdansk; Writing by Tommy Lund, editing by Toby Davis)
The Star
22-05-2025
- Sport
- The Star
Soccer-Police seize rogue Napoli merchandise ahead of title decider
FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - Serie A - Napoli fans watch Parma v Napoli - Naples, Italy - May 18, 2025 General view of Napoli shirts for sale in Naples REUTERS/Alessandro Garofalo/File Photo ROME (Reuters) - Italian police said on Thursday they had seized more than 20,000 items of counterfeit Napoli merchandise as soccer fans in the southern city of Naples gear up to celebrate another Serie A title. Vintage and current shirts in the blue of Napoli, shorts, scarves and caps were among the items seized in raids on the central Via Toledo and in the tightly packed Spanish Quarter, police said on Thursday. The goods seized had an estimated commercial value of over 300,000 euros ($340,000). Police are investigating 18 people for alleged counterfeiting, receiving stolen goods and commercial fraud. They include a 71-year-old man who had set up shop at the foot of the 'Maradona Mural' in the Spanish Quarter, a site that honours the former captain of Napoli and Argentina. Poor quality items were being sold for 50 euros to fans and tourists. Napoli have a one-point lead over Inter Milan and will be Italian champions for a fourth time if they beat Cagliari at home on Friday. Soccer-mad Naples staged wild celebrations when the team won the title in 2023, their first scudetto since a golden era when Maradona led them to glory in 1987 and 1990.($1 = 0.8853 euros) (Writing by Keith Weir, editing by Ed Osmond)
Straits Times
22-05-2025
- Sport
- Straits Times
Police seize rogue Napoli merchandise ahead of title decider
FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football - Serie A - Napoli fans watch Parma v Napoli - Naples, Italy - May 18, 2025 General view of Napoli shirts for sale in Naples REUTERS/Alessandro Garofalo/File Photo ROME - Italian police said on Thursday they had seized more than 20,000 items of counterfeit Napoli merchandise as soccer fans in the southern city of Naples gear up to celebrate another Serie A title. Vintage and current shirts in the blue of Napoli, shorts, scarves and caps were among the items seized in raids on the central Via Toledo and in the tightly packed Spanish Quarter, police said on Thursday. The goods seized had an estimated commercial value of over 300,000 euros ($340,000). Police are investigating 18 people for alleged counterfeiting, receiving stolen goods and commercial fraud. They include a 71-year-old man who had set up shop at the foot of the 'Maradona Mural' in the Spanish Quarter, a site that honours the former captain of Napoli and Argentina. Poor quality items were being sold for 50 euros to fans and tourists. Napoli have a one-point lead over Inter Milan and will be Italian champions for a fourth time if they beat Cagliari at home on Friday. Soccer-mad Naples staged wild celebrations when the team won the title in 2023, their first scudetto since a golden era when Maradona led them to glory in 1987 and 1990.($1 = 0.8853 euros) REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
The Star
07-05-2025
- Sport
- The Star
Soccer-Barcelona's defensive frailty costs them European dream
Soccer Football - Champions League - Semi Final - Second Leg - Inter Milan v FC Barcelona - San Siro, Milan, Italy - May 6, 2025 General view of the score board in extra time REUTERS/Alessandro Garofalo BARCELONA (Reuters) -Barcelona's dreams of a Champions League, Copa del Rey and LaLiga treble have vanished after Inter Milan roared back from the brink of elimination to grab a phenomenal 7-6 aggregate win and end the Spaniards' European campaign in the semi-final. Another show of attacking genius by teenager Lamine Yamal and midfielder Pedri had put Hansi Flick's side within touching distance of their first Champions League final in a decade - before they succumbed to the same defensive flaws they have been getting away with for most of the season. Barcelona are an attacking juggernaut with 163 goals in 56 games this season: 43 of those in 14 Champions League games. But they have also been playing with fire at the back, conceding 24 goals in Europe's top-flight competition including four to Benfica, three to Borussia Dortmund and seven to Inter in the semi-final games. Barca's thrilling season has included eight fightback wins in all competitions, including against Atletico Madrid, Benfica, Celta Vigo and a couple against bitter rivals Real Madrid. But defeat in Milan showed they have to add some defensive steel to their swashbuckling attack. After conceding 16 goals in their last seven matches, Barca's young squad has learned a painful lesson against a veteran Inter side chasing a fourth Champions League title and their first in 15 years after losing to Manchester City in the final two years ago. Over both games, Inter scored seven goals in only 10 shots on target - ruthlessly illustrating Barcelona's vulnerability. The Italians withstood a storm thanks to their fantastic goalkeeper Yann Sommer who made 14 saves over both legs of the semi-final. Barca lost Germany keeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen early in the season and resorted to veteran Wojciech Szczesny, who came out from retirement but could not make the necessary impact in two close games in Barcelona and Milan. LALIGA NOW THE PRIORITY The five-times European winners cannot spend long licking their wounds: they must quickly turn their attention to LaLiga, where they top the table and on Sunday host rivals Real Madrid, who trail them by four points with four games to go. Unbeaten domestically since late December, Barcelona will try to grab a fourth consecutive victory over Real this season and a second in less than a month after a win in extra time that earned them the Copa del Rey title a few days ago. "It's very cruel. It's true that the team gave everything and deserved to be in the final, but we're young and we have to learn from this and next year we'll give even more of a fight," Pedri told reporters on Tuesday. "Now we're hurt, but we have to focus on Real Madrid because on Sunday the league is at stake for us." (Reporting by Fernando Kallas; Editing by Andrew Cawthorne)
