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Scottish Sun
3 days ago
- Scottish Sun
Scots tourist could be jailed for stealing from historic European site
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) A SCOTS tourist has been reported for theft after he was caught with artefacts from the ancient city of Pompeii. The man, 51, was stopped by Italian Carabinieri police after a guide saw him put fragments from a brick and five stones lifted from the UNESCO World Heritage Site in his backpack. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 3 The holidaymaker, 51, was reported to police after lifting artefacts from the ruins of Pompeii in Italy Credit: getty 3 The city's ruins are well-preserved after they were covered in tonnes of volcanic ash Credit: getty 3 Archaeologists have used plaster and resin to recreate human figures who were trapped under the debris when Mount Vesuvius erupted Credit: CARLO HERMANN/AFP via Getty Images He could face trial and a fine of up to £1,300 and six years in prison if convicted. Locals say those who take treasures from the site are hexed after tourists who helped themselves to ancient items suffered a series of misfortunes. A police spokesman said: "This week we caught a Scotsman before he could get away but we may have saved him from the curse. "He said he had no idea it was forbidden to remove artefacts from Pompeii. "He was trying to get out of trouble but it did not work." Officials say the man was stopped near a train station after lifting pieces of the ancient ruins during a night-time tour on Thursday. Pompeii near Naples was home to up to 20,000 people until volcano Mount Vesuvius erupted sending scorching 250°C ash clouds across the city in 79AD. The mountains of debris helped preserve the site, which is visited by 2.5million tourists each year. Tonnes of volcanic ash protected the settlement's buildings until archaeologists could unearth its basilica and temples. The Tragic History of Pompeii Voids left by human bodies which were trapped underneath have been filled with plaster and resin to recreate figures trapped by the disaster. Up to 20,000 visitors each day come to see them. An American woman who took two stones from Pompeii in 2011 says she got stage 3 breast cancer and her marriage collapsed prompting her to return the items. In 2020, a Canadian posted mosaic tiles and ceramics she had taken to a travel agent in the city claiming she suffered from bad luck, including two bouts of serious illness and financial problems. And in 2015, an English tourist returned a fragment of an art work her parents lifted decades earlier claiming it had brought years of misfortune. Gabriel Zuchtriegel, director general of the archaeological park in Pompeii, said: 'Congratulations and thanks to the attentive tour guide, to our excellent custodians and security staff, and to the Carabinieri for this collaborative effort to protect our heritage. 'Controls will be reinforced in the coming days due to the high influx of visitors during the summer.'
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Napoli's first match point as Scudetto race reaches climax
Napoli's supporters could see their team win the Serie A title this weekend. (CARLO HERMANN) Napoli will have their first opportunity to win their fourth Serie A title on Sunday night when the league leaders travel to Parma with a slender lead over Inter Milan heading into the penultimate weekend of the season. Antonio Conte's team are just one point ahead of reigning champions Inter after being held by Genoa last weekend, but a win over Parma could seal a second Scudetto in three seasons. Advertisement Conte said after last weekend's draw that Napoli had "lost their bonus" by shaving off just one of the seven points -- now six -- they needed to get to guarantee the title. "We have to go and win the other two matches, that's all there is to it," said Conte. Napoli take on Parma while Inter host Champions League chasing Lazio at the San Siro, where fans will be buoyant after watching their team reach the Champions League final and cut the gap at the top of Serie A. Anything but a win over Lazio could well hand Napoli the title as both teams play at the same time in a bumper Sunday night of football. Advertisement Nine matches will kick off at 8.45pm local time (1845GMT) with only one -- Atalanta's match at mid-table Genoa -- being of no consequence and all the others potentially decisive for the title, European qualification or relegation. And the season finale has been thrown into chaos with the closing set of fixtures potentially being moved from next weekend to this coming Wednesday and Thursday as a Scudetto play-off becomes an increasing possibility. Should Napoli and Inter finish on the same points the destination of the title will be decided by a single contest between the pair, in theory at the San Siro as Inter would lead Napoli on goal difference. However an eventual play-off could be moved to Rome's Stadio Olimpico should Italy's public safety authorities deem it necessary. Advertisement If a play-off can still happen after this weekend's matches the final fixtures will be rescheduled for midweek so that any Scudetto showdown is held at the weekend, giving Inter a full week of preparation for the Champions League final. While Inter definitely have the tougher fixture, Napoli will have a test on their hands at Parma who have given plenty of big teams a fright this season and will be keen to secure safety in front of their home support. Bologna will continue their bid for Champions League football at Fiorentina after making history on Wednesday night by winning the Italian Cup. Vincenzo Italiano's team beat sorry AC Milan -- at Roma -- 1-0 to win the storied club's first major trophy since 1974, and a spot in Europe's top club competition is still a possibility. Advertisement Bologna are two points behind fourth-placed Juventus, who host Udinese and are favourites to take the last Champions League spot. Man to watch: Cristian Chivu An Inter icon as a player and a coach in their youth set-up until last summer, Chivu could give his old club a huge hand in defending their league title. Chivu, who as a player won three Serie A titles and the 2010 Champions League over six seasons at Inter, is in his first senior coaching job at Parma and has almost secured his team's Serie status for next season. Promoted Parma were in the relegation zone and on a seven-match losing streak when Chivu replaced Fabio Pecchia in mid-February but are now four points above the drop zone. Advertisement Defeats to high-flying Como and fellow strugglers Empoli mean relegation is still a possibility with a trip to Atalanta coming up after the visit of Napoli. Key stats 1 - A single point separates Napoli from Inter. 17 - The number of games more Inter have played this season compared to Napoli. Fixtures (times GMT) Saturday Genoa v Atalanta (1845) Sunday Cagliari v Venezia, Fiorentina v Bologna, Verona v Como, Inter Milan v Lazio, Juventus v Udinese, Lecce v Torino, Monza v Empoli, Parma v Napoli, Roma v AC Milan (all 1845) td/nr
Yahoo
01-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Napoli eye Scudetto as Inter hope for post-Barca bounce-back
Napoli are three points ahead of Inter at the top of Serie A (CARLO HERMANN) Napoli are closing in on a second Serie A title in three seasons ahead of their trip to struggling Lecce on Saturday, the first of four matches against modest opposition which could confirm a stunning league crown. Coach Antonio Conte has repeatedly stated that Napoli's position as Inter Milan's main rivals for the Scudetto would have been "unthinkable" at the start of the season. Advertisement And it is true that Conte has performed a minor miracle in taking a club still reeling from the worst title defence in Serie A history to three points clear at the top of the league with less than a month left in the season. No-one would have imagined Napoli even challenging for the Champions League positions when, as Conte said, they began this season by melting "like snow in the sun" in a humiliating 3-0 defeat at Verona. But Conte, aided by the key signings of Romelu Lukaku and Scott McTominay late in the summer transfer window, has created a new team on the ashes of the one which broke a three-decade title duck two years ago. Napoli have already guaranteed at least a top-four finish but Conte can taste his fifth Scudetto as coach after a hat-trick with Juventus and the 2021 title won with Inter. Advertisement "It's all in our hands," said Conte after last weekend's 2-0 win over Torino, earned with a McTominay double. "We worked really hard and are seeing the fruits of that labour... Seeing where we started from, that's remarkable." It hasn't been all been easy going at Napoli however as Conte has made it very clear he wants serious investment in the team if he is to stay in Naples. Conte is well aware of the advantage he has had by not having any European commitments in his first season at Napoli, as reigning champions Inter wobble under the weight of an exhausting campaign. Advertisement Inter held Barcelona to a thrilling 3-3 draw on Wednesday night and will probably be without captain Lautaro Martinez after he was forced off just before half-time in Catalonia with a thigh problem. Just below Napoli and Inter the battle for the two remaining Champions League spots is extremely tight with six points separating Atalanta in third and eighth-placed Fiorentina. Atalanta should at least stay four points clear of fifth spot as Gian Piero Gasperini's team take on doomed Monza, and also have the luxury of not playing at home where they have won just one domestic fixture since the turn of the year. Meanwhile fourth and fifth do battle on Sunday night when Juventus travel to Bologna in a key test for both teams, and sixth-placed Roma's 18-league match unbeaten streak will be put to the test with the visit of Fiorentina. Advertisement Player to watch: Riccardo Orsolini Winger Orsolini has been one of Serie A's best players this season and his goal against Inter 10 days ago both helped Napoli retake top spot and boosted Bologna's Champions League hopes. The 28-year-old moved to Bologna in 2018 after failing to make the grade at Juventus and Atalanta, and he recently described his arrival at Juve from Ascoli a year before as a moment in which he thought he would never be good enough to play top-flight football. Orsolini faces Juve with an opportunity to strike a blow against both his former clubs and secure Champions League qualification for the second straight season. Advertisement Key stats 3 - Napoli's points lead over Inter heading into the final four games of the season. 6 - The number of teams battling for two Champions League spots. Fixtures (times GMT) Friday Torino v Venezia (1845) Saturday Cagliari v Udinese, Parma v Como (1300), Lecce v Napoli (1600), Inter v Verona (1845) Sunday Empoli v Lazio (1030), Monza v Atalanta (1300), Roma v Fiorentina (1600), Bologna v Juventus (1845) Monday Genoa v AC Milan (1845) td/jc
