hild Seats With Alarms Now Compulsory in Italy

Child Seats With Alarms Now Compulsory in Italy From Independent Online

From Independent Online

New legislation making alarmed child car seats compulsory was implemented in Italy after several cases of children being forgotten by parents inside cars. Passed by parliament in September 2018, the law entered into force this October. It amends Article 172 of the Italian Highway Code, making it mandatory for parents to use the special car seats for children up to the age of four. The anti-abandonment seats raise an electronic safety alarm if a child is left alone inside the car by hurried parents. A special national fund will be set up to subsidize 30 euros for each purchased device. The new legislation was deemed necessary since a number of fatal incidents occurred across Italy in recent years. At least eight such cases were registered in the last 12 years, according to Ansa news agency, citing data provided by Italy’s Emergency Medical Service 118 in September. The new rules apply to all Italian citizens and to foreigners visiting the country. Those not complying with the new law would receive a fine ranging from 81 to 324 euros and a five-point deduction from their driving license, in accordance with the points-based penalty system envisaged by the country’s highway code.

Sigonella Marines Help Catania Students Improve Their English Skills

Marines assigned to Special Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force -Crisis Response - Africa 20.1, deployed to NAS Sigonella, conduct a classroom language interaction project with the students of the Catania culinary and hospitality management high school IPSSEOA “Karol Wojtyla” as part of the NAS Sigonella Community Relations Program. During the school year, Sigonella volunteers from all commands and departments help hundreds of Sicilian students from all grades improve their conversational English skills

U.S. Navy photo by Alberto Lunetta

From Jerusalem Holocaust Survivor in Italy Receives Antisemitic Threats

From Jerusalem Post

Italian Holocaust survivor and Senator for Life, Liliana Segre, 89, has been placed under police protection after she received threats from farright fanatics, security sources said on Thursday, highlighting concerns about rising extremism in Italy.

Born in 1930 into a Jewish family in Milan, Segre was deported to Auschwitz in 1944 at the age of 13—one of 776 Italian children who were sent to the Nazi concentration camp. Only 25 survived.

For the past 30 years, she has been one of the more active witnesses of the Holocaust, speaking to thousands of schools and groups all over Italy. In January 2018, Segre was appointed senator for life for her contributions.

Since she took the position, Segre has become one of the most well-known and appreciated public figures in the country, working tirelessly to promote not only Holocaust remembrance but also a message of tolerance and solidarity. Along with others, she pushed for the creation of a parliamentary commission to investigate hate, racism, and antisemitism.

La Repubblica reports that she is the target of about 200 online antisemitic messages and threats every day. After the Italian Senate voted on establishing the commission on Oct. 31 and Italy’s right-wing parties did not back her proposal, the resulting controversy has only added to the abuse.

Israel’s ambassador to Italy, Dror Eydar, expressed dismay at the news Segre needed a police escort.

“An 89-year-old Holocaust survivor under guard symbolizes the danger that Jewish communities still face in Europe today,” he wrote on Twitter.

Government ministers also expressed solidarity.

“Forgive us Liliana. The politics of hate will not stop your commitment, nor ours,” said Agriculture Minister Teresa Bellanova on Twitter.

There was no immediate comment from the leaders of the main rightist parties, the League and Brothers of Italy, who had opposed Segre’s call for a parliamentary commission, warning that it could lead to censorship.

The CDEC said antisemitism appeared to be increasing in Italy, but was still much less pronounced than in France and Britain. CDEC researcher Stefano Gatti said that

until the beginning of November, 190 cases of antisemitism had been reported in Italy versus 197 in total for 2018 and 130 in 2017. Most were social media attacks and verbal insults, with just two acts of minor violence registered this year.

Italian Footballer Threatens to Quit Match After Racist Chants

From Deutsche Welle

Italian footballer Mario Balotelli stopped play and booted the ball into the crowd after fans in Verona taunted him with racial slurs. It’s not the first time the Brescia striker has been targeted with abuse.

Mario Balotelli threatened to abandon Sunday’s top-tier game between Hellas Verona and Brescia over alleged racist chants from home fans. The Serie A match at Verona’s Stadio Bentegodi was suspended for several minutes in the second half after the visibly frustrated striker kicked the ball into the stands. After play resumed, Balotelli scored a late goal, but the game finished with a 2-1 victory for Verona.

Balotelli later posted an Instagram message addressing spectators, accompanied by a video from the stands where monkey noises are clearly heard.

“To the ‘people’ in this end who made the monkey noises: Shame on you. Shame on you. Shame on you in front of your children, wives, parents, relatives, friends and acquaintances…shame,” he wrote.

Verona coach Ivan Juric denied that his team’s fans had been racist.

“Nothing happened today. No racists chants, nothing at all,” Juric told Sky Sport. “Racist abuse disgusts me, I get called a filthy gypsy all the time. But there was nothing today, not even a little bit, nothing. To say otherwise is a lie.”

Balotelli’s agent Mino Raiola told Agence France-Presse he supports his player.

“We are with Mario and we are against all forms of racism. Racists are just ignorant.”

Balotelli, who was born in Italy to Ghanaian parents, has often been targeted by racist chants during his three stints playing in his home country. The former AC Milan and Manchester City player recently returned to Italy’s Serie A after several seasons in France.

A number of other black players have also suffered abuse from soccer fans in Italy. In September, Milan midfielder Franck Kessie was targeted by Verona fans, while Inter Milan striker Romelu Lukaku was abused by Cagliari fans.