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World
Italy's Commissioner pick Fitto might face a rocky road to approval
![Italy's Commissioner pick Fitto might face a rocky road to approval Italy's Commissioner pick Fitto might face a rocky road to approval](https://static.euronews.com/articles/stories/08/70/77/30/1200x675_cmsv2_c3c5237c-8d5e-5ba9-b6b0-f6c43bbb97cf-8707730.jpg)
Many agree that if Brothers of Italy’s Fitto is given the executive vice-president portfolio in charge of the economy and post-pandemic recovery, this would be a significant victory for Rome.
Italy named its EU affairs minister, Raffaele Fitto, as its next Commissioner right as the clock for nominating European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen’s new team was about to run out.
While Fitto might seem like a good fit to serve as Commissioner, he still has a long way to go before his appointment is confirmed — and the path is not without obstacles.
As a 55-year-old career politician and far-right Brothers of Italy party member, Fitto does not lack experience, having held high positions in EU institutions and the Italian government.
Most importantly, the minister for EU affairs, the South, cohesion policies and NRRP — and the former minister of regional affairs and long-time MEP — also has the backing of his party.
“I think he will end up being the most qualified among the other Commissioners,” Brothers of Italy senator Lucio Malan told Euronews.
“Fitto is extremely prepared for the role. He has the experience and the skills but he has also achieved great result these past few years having to manage recovery funds.”
Not an easy ride for Fitto?
However, things might not go so smoothly for Fitto once in Brussels.
The approval process for new Commissioners can be challenging and includes screenings and hearings.
“Liberals already said that they are not in favour of his candidacy,” political analyst Giovanni Orsina tells Euronews, “and it remains to be seen how much support Fitto will get from the (centre-right) EPP also because the Socialists and the Liberals will need the support of the EPP.”
“So if the EPP stands by him, his chances of being appointed will be greater. Anything can happen and it’s not an easy contest,” he added.
If he passes the test, Premier Giorgia Meloni’s government can benefit from Fitto’s appointment, Orsina said.
“Between June and July, Meloni was heavily criticised by opposition parties because they had accused her of isolating Italy,” he recalled.
“But if today she manages to secure an executive vice presidency for Italy, she can challenge opposition forces by showing that she played her cards well.”
But there’s another reading of Fitto’s possible appointment, which, according to Orsina, is directly linked to the Italian PM’s decision to withdraw support for von der Leyen’s re-election as European Commission president.
“Her decision at the time was part of an agreement with the EPP. If Fitto is appointed, it shows that it’s all part of the same deal,” said Orsina.
A capable survivor
However, if the relations between Meloni and VDL are not on the mend, Fitto might still have a rough path ahead and some hard questions to answer. As a Commissioner who will likely get a big economy-related portfolio, Fitto’s — and Meloni’s — opponents in the Parliament might choose to grill him over his past.
In 2006, as former president of the Adriatic coast region of Apulia, Fitto was accused of partaking in bribery ahead of the 2005 regional elections. However, judges have since cleared him of any wrongdoing, most recently at the Supreme Court of Cassation in 2017.
Similarly, in 2009, Fitto was again brought before a judge in connection to shorting the stocks of Cedis, a trading company — a move that led to its eventual bankruptcy. The charges didn’t stick this time either, and he was acquitted in 2012.
Yet, Fitto is a capable survivor, hardened by decades of navigating Italy’s famously flip-flopping-prone and intrigue-riddled politics.
Although he began his career back in the 1990s as a member of Christian Democracy — a now-defunct ruling party mainstay — Fitto came to prominence after he pledged his allegiance to Forza Italia and its populist firebrand Silvio Berlusconi.
Berlusconi, who revelled in discovering up-and-coming politicians and was responsible for bringing the likes of Meloni and far-right Lega’s Matteo Salvini to the fore, named him his minister for the regions, propelling his career upward since.
Meloni’s trust in Fitto is also quite clear. As her party’s MEP, he co-presided over the European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR) group in the European Parliament and became one of her first cabinet picks following her election victory in 2022.
The ball is in VDL’s court
Many agree that if Fitto is given the executive vice-president portfolio in charge of the economy and post-pandemic recovery, this would be a significant victory for Italy.
According to Gianni Pittella, former vice-president of the European Parliament and S&D MEP, “the vice-presidency role would allow Fitto to cover a wide range of issues and if he is in charge of the pandemic recovery funds.
“It would give him the opportunity to look after Italy, which is the largest recipient of the Next Generation EU funds,” Pittela, now mayor of Lauria, told Euronews.
“If he is also given responsibility of the economy (portfolio), he would oversee the stability pact, which is crucial for Rome.”
As Orsina pointed out, the economy portfolio is even more relevant to Meloni’s government, given that the EU has placed Italy under the excessive deficit procedure. For now, all eyes are on der Leyen, who will soon present her team and their portfolios.
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World
UTA Boards Uwe Boll Thriller ‘Run,’ Starring Amanda Plummer, James Russo (EXCLUSIVE)
![UTA Boards Uwe Boll Thriller ‘Run,’ Starring Amanda Plummer, James Russo (EXCLUSIVE) UTA Boards Uwe Boll Thriller ‘Run,’ Starring Amanda Plummer, James Russo (EXCLUSIVE)](https://variety.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/Boll-Run_┬⌐2024AxelStock_240424-22-von-47.jpg?w=1000&h=563&crop=1)
UTA Independent Film Group has acquired Uwe Boll’s upcoming migrant crisis thriller “Run,” starring Emmy and Tony award winner Amanda Plummer (“Star Trek: Picard”) and James Russo (“Horizon: An American Saga – Chapter 1”).
UTA will handle global sales for the pic, produced by Boll’s U.S.-Canadian shingle Event Film and his German outfit Boll Films.
UTA takes over from the film’s initial sales company, Stuttgart-based Kinostar, headed by “Run” executive producer Michael Roesch. The move is seen as an advantage for potential worldwide deals.
“We are thrilled to work with UTA for the global sales of ‘Run’ and can’t wait to introduce the movie to audiences around the world,” said Boll.
“We are excited that UTA loves the strong performances of our ensemble cast as much as we do, and we can’t wait to start working with them,” added Roesch.
The film’s cast includes Ulrich Thomsen and Oscar nominee Barkhad Abdi (“Captain Phillips”).
“Run” examines how the ongoing migrant waves crossing the Mediterranean Sea by boat to Europe are changing the lives of all involved — migrants (Abdi, Sammy Sheik and British newcomer Hannah Balogun), smugglers (Michel Quissi, Costas Mandylor), local police (Daniel Sauli), local business owners (Russo, Thomsen and Kristen Renton) and tourists (Plummer).
The film, edited by frequent Robert Rodriguez collaborator Ethan Maniquis, is currently in post-production at Tunnel Post in Santa Monica.
“Run,” Boll’s 36th feature, follows in the wake of his latest movie, “First Shift,” which also features Renton and Sauli. It was released in theaters and on demand via Quiver on Aug. 30.
The filmmaker’s works include high-profile video game adaptations like “In the Name of the King,” with Jason Statham, cult favorites, including “Postal” and “Rampage,” and fact-based pics “Attack on Darfur” and “1968 Tunnel Rats.”
World
Ancient plant life unearthed in 53-million-year-old forest in Tasmania
![Ancient plant life unearthed in 53-million-year-old forest in Tasmania Ancient plant life unearthed in 53-million-year-old forest in Tasmania](https://static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2024/09/ancient-plant-fossils-rainforest.jpg)
A recent Ph.D. graduate’s excavation of an ancient forest near Strahan in western Tasmania exceeded expectations with the discovery of new plant species.
Fossils were discovered during a 2020 excavation led by Dr. Miriam Slodownik, a recent graduate of the University of Adelaide. The goal of the dig was to “understand the ancient ecosystems of Tasmania,” Slodownik told Fox News Digital in an email.
Slodownik’s research was published in the American Journal of Botany on Aug. 27, 2024.
“I’ve always been fascinated by the idea that regions near the poles, areas we associate with extreme cold and ice, were once covered in dense forests,” Slodownik said. “To study this, I looked for places where we could find rocks that formed during the right time and at the right place.”
Dr. Miriam Slodownik discovered numerous plant fossils in Tasmania during excavations in 2020. She published her research in August 2024. (Professor Gregory Jordan)
MOM, SON DIG UP ANCIENT OBJECT OFTEN FOUND NEAR BURIAL GROUNDS WHILE GARDENING
“Tasmania turned out to be a perfect location, not only because it was accessible (in contrast to Antarctica, which is much harder to reach) but also because previous research had already indicated the presence of fossils,” Slodownik continued. Fossils were previously found during a 2003 excavation conducted by the University of Tasmania led by professor Gregory Jordan, Slodownik said.
Even though Slodownik had past findings on her side, the success of the more recent excavation turned out to be greater than what was previously expected.
The goal of understanding ancient ecosystems was far exceeded by also discovering new plant species along the way.
“We did not expect to find new species,” Slodownik told Fox News Digital.
![Strahan, Tasmania](https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2024/09/1200/675/strahan-tasmania.jpg?ve=1&tl=1)
The fossils were found near the town of Strahan on the west coast of Tasmania. (Auscape/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)
Among the significant fossils found included relatives of living plants such as Araucaria, Slodownik noted, as well as relatives of the Wollemi pine, an ancient and extremely rare plant. Fewer than 100 adult trees are known to exist today.
12-YEAR-OLD BOY STUMBLES UPON STUNNING ANCIENT FIND WHILE WALKING DOG IN ENGLAND: ‘RELATIVELY RARE’
Fossils often tell larger stories about the conditions of the world around them at the time when they lived.
The forest in which these plant fossils were found dates back 53 million years, according to a news release about the find from the University of Adelaide.
“The fossils tell an incredible story. Around 50 million years ago, a lush, ‘tropical-like’ forest thrived near the polar circle. This was during a time of peak global temperatures, so much so that even regions close to the poles, areas we now think of as icy and barren, were covered in dense vegetation,” Slodownik explained.
“At that time, Tasmania was positioned at the polar circle and was still connected to Antarctica, which served as a land bridge to South America. Because of this connection, many fossil plants we found in Tasmania are quite similar to those of the same age found in South America,” Slodownik continued.
![Plant fossils in Tasmania](https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2024/09/1200/675/plant-fossils.jpg?ve=1&tl=1)
Among the fossils found were new plant species, something Slodownik did not expect from the dig. (Dr. Miriam Slodownik)
“Overall, these fossils provide us with a fascinating glimpse into how Earth’s climate and continents have shifted dramatically over millions of years,” Slodownik concluded.
World
A fire in a school in Kenya has killed 17 students and seriously burned 13 others, police say
![A fire in a school in Kenya has killed 17 students and seriously burned 13 others, police say A fire in a school in Kenya has killed 17 students and seriously burned 13 others, police say](https://dims.apnews.com/dims4/default/dcac1a4/2147483647/strip/true/crop/700x394+0+28/resize/1440x810!/quality/90/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fassets.apnews.com%2F90%2F29%2F4e3c1cc7446089a9101a7bdff4c8%2Fdefaultshareimage-copy.png)
NAIROBI, Kenya (AP) — A fire in a school dormitory in Kenya killed 17 students and seriously burned 13 others, police said Friday.
There are fears that the death toll may rise, police said.
The cause of the fire Thursday night at Hillside Endarasha Primary in Nyeri county was being investigated, police spokesperson Resila Onyango said.
“We are investigating the cause and will take necessary action,” she said.
School fires are common in Kenyan boarding schools, where many students stay because parents believe it gives them more time to study without long commutes.
Some fires have been started by students during protests over the workload or living conditions. In 2017, 10 high school students died in a school fire in the capital, Nairobi.
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