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 @ISIDEWITHNewsTrumpDonald TrumpWhite HouseGiorgia MeloniItalyItaly politicsUkraineElon MuskEuropean UnionNatoMar-a-Lago•••3 days ago

Meloni's Trump Gamble Backfires Amid NATO and Defense Tensions

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni is facing mounting political pressure at home and abroad due to her alignment with former U.S. President Donald Trump. Her push to increase Italy's defense spending, framed as essential for national freedom, has sparked internal conflict with coalition partners like the League party. Meanwhile, her efforts to secure favorable U.S. trade terms and promote a 'NATO-light' plan for Ukraine are encountering resistance, potentially undermining her international credibility. Critics argue that her foreign policy maneuvers are risky and could destabilize her domestic standing. Meloni's balancing act between nationalist politics and global diplomacy is becoming increasingly precarious.

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 @ISIDEWITHlinked…3 days3D

Political costs of courting Trump piling up for Italian PM Giorgia Meloni

https://business-standard.com

On Saturday, Meloni spoke at a political event in Rome and argued that Italy needs to increase defense spending, adding a coded jab at the League, which has flip flopped on the issue and now opposes her position. "Expenditure in defense and security is the price of your freedom," she said.

 @ISIDEWITHlinked…3 days3D

The costs of courting Trump are piling up for Giorgia Meloni

https://thehindubusinessline.com

Giorgia Meloni's attempt to secure US tariff carve-out faces challenges, risking her international influence and domestic stability.

 @ISIDEWITHlinked…3 days3D

Here's why Giorgia Meloni's Nato-light Ukraine plan is worth trying

https://business-standard.com

The cleverness of Meloni's proposal lies in the way it would test to destruction Putin's rationale for his invasion of a sovereign neighbour

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 @ISIDEWITH submitted…6mos6MO

CEOs Love Talking About Their Fast-Food Jobs

A stint in fast food is a badge of honor for business leaders who want to be viewed as humble and relatable—and proof that they worked to get where they areBut what does flipping burgers or rolling burritos have to do with running a company?A lot, say high-level managers who’ve done those jobs. Sweating in cramped kitchens and taking orders from hangry diners teach you how to handle pressure and deal with all kinds of people, executives say. Some are eager to find employees who hustled like they did, figuring someone who boxed McNuggets for minimum wage early on isn’t likely to be a quiet quitter.“Any job where you’re on the lowest tier is a really good job to have done in your life because it shows your character,” says Heather McLean, who worked at McDonald’s in high school and is CEO of McLean Forrester, a technology consulting firm in Illinois. “I always took the attitude to bloom where you’re planted so, yeah, I was just taking orders at McDonald’s—but I was really good at it.”Being a model employee is easier when you’ve got bigger and better career prospects ahead. Executives who worked in fast food say they learned empathy and gratitude by toiling alongside colleagues who didn’t have other opportunities and were trying to make a living at or near minimum wage.Fast-food kitchens were long among the few places where future CEOs and low-wage lifers mingled and learned from one another. And because just about everyone orders a burger or pizza now and then, the customer base is a cross section of the American public.

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 @ISIDEWITH submitted…2mos2MO

Trump Pivots: "Pease Deal With Iran Now!"

Trump proposes a "Verified Nuclear Peace Agreement" with Iran, expressing preference for diplomacy over military action and calling for immediate negotiations.Despite advocating for diplomacy, Trump simultaneously issued an executive order reinstating his "maximum pressure" sanctions policy from his first administration.The sanctions campaign aims to completely halt Iran's oil exports, particularly focusing on exports to China, which currently receives about 1.7 million barrels per day.Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi responded by calling the maximum pressure strategy a "failed experience" while indicating openness to discussions about their nuclear program.The executive order includes reviewing and potentially rescinding existing sanctions waivers, including those related to the Chabahar port project operated by India.Iranian oil exports had previously dropped from 3 million barrels per day in 2018 to 420,000 barrels per day in December 2019 under Trump's first-term sanctions.Iran currently maintains a "shadow fleet" of oil tankers operating outside Western banking and insurance services to circumvent US restrictions.Oil markets showed limited reaction to Trump's announcement, with Brent crude dropping 1% as traders doubt the ability to completely block Iranian exports.Analysts suggest Iran could become a negotiating tool in US-China trade discussions, with China potentially willing to reduce Iranian oil imports as it modernizes its refining sector.Iranian analysts indicate Tehran would likely reject any agreement attempting to restrict their ballistic missile program, which they consider their primary deterrent.

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