A roundup of the latest news on Monday

Italian cabinet ministers meet in Rome to discuss impact of US tariffs 

Italian cabinet ministers are set to meet in Rome on Monday to discuss the impact that sweeping tariffs announced by US President Donald Trump last week may have on Italy’s economy, according to Ansa. 

“I decided to ask the two deputy prime ministers and the ministers of economy, industry, agriculture and European policy to meet me on Monday afternoon and present […] a report on the impact that this situation could have on our economy,” PM Giorgia Meloni said on Friday. 

The Italian government “must now prioritise this issue,” she added. 

On Wednesday, Trump announced new tariffs on goods imported from trading partners worldwide, including 20-percent duties on EU imports. 

Meloni told her cabinet on Friday that the new US tariffs will “certainly have a significant impact” on Italy’s economy but were “of an order of magnitude we can manage”.

The US market represents around 10 percent of Italy’s exports, according to official government data.

Italian Industry Minister Adolfo Urso on Thursday urged Brussels to “remain calm” in its approach to the new tariffs, stressing the importance of avoiding a “devastating trade war”.

Responding to tariffs with other tariffs risks “exacerbat[ing] their impact on the European economy,” he told the Italian Senate.

“We must react, but in an intelligent way […] to fully assess the direct and indirect consequences of the American measures and therefore the best response,” he added.

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Italy to rake in close to €1.2 billion from tourist tax in 2025

Revenue from Italy’s ‘tourist tax’ – a charge imposed by some Italian cities and towns on visitors staying in local accommodation overnight – will amount to €1.19 billion in 2025, according to the latest estimates from tourist tax observatory JFC.

JFC said that the number of municipalities (comuni) choosing to charge the tax stands at 1,389 in 2025 – up from 1,013 in 2023.

Italy collected €1.02 billion through the tourist tax scheme in 2024 – up by 29.1 percent against 2023, according to JFC data.

Lazio, which is home to Rome, was the region with the single highest yearly revenue in 2024, with over €300 million.

It was followed by Tuscany (€121 million), Lombardy (€114 million), Veneto (€105 million) and Trentino Alto Adige (€62 million).

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The idea behind Italy’s tourist tax (or imposta di soggiorno) is that visitors use services during their stays that are partly paid for by residents’ taxes, including city centre maintenance, subsidised public transport and free cultural events. 

The charge, which was first introduced in 2011, seeks to pass part of that cost on to tourists themselves.

Though the exact rates are decided by local authorities, the charge works on a sliding scale, with higher tariffs in place for guests staying in luxury establishments. 

Pope Francis makes surprise public appearance in St Peter’s Square

Pope Francis made a surprise public appearance in St Peter’s Square on Sunday, just two weeks after he was discharged from hospital following a serious case of pneumonia.

“A good Sunday to all. Thank you very much”, the 88-year-old pope said as he was assisted in a wheelchair to the front of the altar in the square.

The pontiff’s voice sounded stronger than when he left Rome’s Gemelli hospital on March 23rd.

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Francis, who’s currently undergoing two months of convalescence, has been advised by doctors to avoid any public activity and contact with crowds to limit the risk of infection.

But the pope spent Sunday morning blessing the faithful gathered in St Peter’s Square in an encouraging signal ahead of the upcoming Easter celebrations.

“He’s doing better, that’s clear, and he wants that to be seen,” a Vatican source told AFP on condition of anonymity.

“He’s not yet well enough to deliver a message, but well enough to make a gesture…and show up,” the source added.

Francis was in life-threatening condition on two separate occasions during his time in hospital, according to his doctors.

The Argentine pontiff, who had part of one lung removed as a young man, has suffered a series of health woes in recent years.

His declining physical state has recently sparked media speculation that he might follow the example of his predecessor, Benedict XVI, and resign, but Vatican experts have said this as an unlikely scenario at present.

With reporting from AFP.