Giuseppe Conte was only formally tasked by Italian president Sergio Mattarella with forming a new government on 23 May Presidenza della Repubblica

Giuseppe Conte was only formally tasked by Italian president Sergio Mattarella with forming a new government on 23 May Presidenza della Repubblica

Italy in turmoil

The resignation of prime minister-in waiting, Giuseppe Conte, has thrust Italy into turmoil and the likelihood of fresh elections just three months after the 4 March poll. Conte stepped down, less than a week after being charged with forming a government, after Italian president Sergio Mattarella refused to accept the nomination by the Five Star Movement and La Lega of the Eurosceptic Paolo Savona for the role of finance minister in the new government. “The uncertainty over our position within the euro has alarmed Italian and foreign investors who have invested in securities and companies,” Mattarella is cited as saying by The Guardian. Five Star Movement and La Lega are calling for fresh elections as the president seeks to install a temporary government of unelected technocrats, possibly under former IMF official Carlo Cottarelli.

Eurotunnel warning on customs

Eurotunnel’s director of public affairs has issued a warning that the UK government’s post-Brexit customs models are likely to causes hold-ups that will seriously disrupt businesses. “Additional checks at the border would delay the speed and frequency of delivery, result in wastage and lost production, and add to costs for consumers,” John Keefe of the tunnel operator said in The Guardian.

Sturgeon heads to Brussels

Scottish first minister Nicola Sturgeon will this week meet with Michel Barnier to express Scotland’s concerns over Brexit negotiations. Sturgeon wants the UK to remain in the customs union after it leaves the EU and, Bloomberg reports, she has urged Theresa May’s government to “put jobs and living standards first”.

Starbucks closes for training

Starbucks is running a nationwide anti-bias training session for its US staff on Tuesday, The Guardian reports. More than 8,000 of its coffee shops will close for the four-hour training, which is the result of an incident in a Philadelphia store where an employee called the police on two black men accused of trespassing as they waited for a meeting.

Racing win Cup

Racing won its first ever Coupe de Luxembourg by beating Hostert in a penalty shoot-out on Sunday. Despite being reduced to 9 men after two players received second yellow cards, the capital city team managed to hold out and keep the match scoreless until the end of extra time. They then won 5-4 on penalties after Hostert missed two of their spot-kicks and Racing only failed once.

Judokas calls Ramos tackle dangerous

The European Judo Union has joined a chorus of critics over Sergio Ramos’s tackle on Mohamed Salah in Saturday’s Champions League Final. It likened it to the banned waki-gatame manoeuvre, which it called a “dangerous technique”.