President Mattarella’s 'Third Reich' comments spark Moscow-Rome row
Russia has responded furiously after Italy's President Sergio Mattarella equated its war in Ukraine to Nazi Germany’s war of aggression during World War II, fuelling tensions between Rome and Moscow.
Russia's foreign ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova warned on Sunday that Mattarella's comments "cannot and will never be left without consequences".
Mattarella gave a speech defending multilateral institutions at the University of Aix-Marseille in France earlier this month.
Speaking about the conditions that gave rise to World War II, he warned of "authoritarian drifts" where "the criterion of domination prevailed over cooperation”.
"That was the Third Reich's project in Europe. Russia's current aggression against Ukraine is of this very nature," he continued.
Zakharova initially replied to Mattarella on Friday, accusing him of making "outrageous [and] blatantly false historical parallels".
She launched another verbal attack on Sunday, criticising "the president of a country that has historically been among those who attacked our country".
"Unfortunately, Italy was the country where fascism originated," she added, referring to Benito Mussolini's regime, which allied with Nazi Germany during World War II.
Politicians in Italy jumped to Mattarella's defence. Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said that Moscow's comments "offend the entire Italian nation".
Italy has traditionally had warm relations with Russia. But since Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Rome has firmly backed Kyiv, providing weapons and financial aid along with other NATO countries.
Italy investigates Amazon over alleged €1.2 billion tax evasion
Italian prosecutors are investigating e-commerce giant Amazon over the alleged evasion of €1.2 billion in value-added tax (VAT) it should have paid on behalf of third-party sellers, sources told AFP on Monday.
The total claim against the online retailer, including penalties, could rise to as much as €3 billion, a source in Italy's financial crimes police unit said.
The preliminary investigation, confirmed by a source within the Milan Public Prosecutor's office, involves a three-year period: from 2019 to 2021.
An Italian law passed in 2019 made e-commerce businesses responsible for VAT owed by third-party companies located outside the European Union but selling goods to customers in Italy.
Previously, these third-party sellers had been held responsible for paying VAT.
A review of transactions from 2019 to 2021 by Italy's financial crime police found that "unpaid VAT" by Amazon amounted to €1.2 billion, a source told AFP.
"If you add to this sum the penalties...you get up to three billion," the source said.
Amazon said it would not comment on ongoing investigations, but said it was "committed to complying with all applicable tax laws".
The Seattle-based tech company added that it had paid direct and indirect taxes of €1.4 billion in Italy in 2023.
A preliminary investigation by prosecutors doesn’t necessarily mean Amazon will face tax evasion charges.
Pope's hospital stay extended due to 'complex' clinical condition
Pope Francis faces a "complex clinical picture" that will require him to be hospitalised longer than originally expected after he was admitted for bronchitis four days ago, the Vatican said in a statement on Monday.
"The results of the tests carried out in recent days and today have demonstrated a polymicrobial infection of the respiratory tract that has led to a further change in treatment," the Vatican said.
"All the tests carried out until now are indicative of a complex clinical picture that will require adequate hospitalisation."
A source in the pope's entourage insisted earlier this week that there was no concern within the Vatican following his admission to Rome's Gemelli hospital on Friday.
Francis was admitted after a "very busy" two weeks, during which "he was weakened", the source told AFP.
In the days before his admission, Francis had admitted to having difficulty breathing and had asked aides several times to read his speeches aloud on his behalf.
Francis had part of one of his lungs removed as a young man and has been particularly susceptible to respiratory infections in recent years.
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