Residents of Rome have shared their feelings on soaring prices and economic struggles with a China Global Television Network (CGTN) reporter, with many echoing growing public frustration over inflation and U.S. tariffs.
Some European countries are already struggling with an inflation crisis, largely driven by the Middle East conflict pushing oil prices higher.
One local musician called Rocco spoke about soaring prices and the impact of U.S. tariffs, while calling for wage reforms.
"What is the most pressing matter right now? Prices are skyrocketing, the rent, the bills and all sorts of expenses. The U.S. tariffs have especially caused us a lot of troubles. [The government must] fix the wages, especially minimum wages. Wages are completely out of place, especially in the artistic fields. We can't eat if prices are this high," he said.
Francesca, a designer, said her living standards have declined due to inflation and heavy taxes, which have left small businesses and artisans struggling.
"My standard of living has indeed declined due to inflation and taxes. Honestly, even a small shop can't make any money, because taxes are over 65 percent. People almost have no purchasing power. The tourism sector has collapsed. Artisans are not protected at all. We are not shielded," she said.
Salesman Antonio expressed frustration over endless conflicts driving up costs and the country's failure to help ordinary people.
"These wars seem endless. New conflicts keep popping up every day. They naturally drive up the costs. In my view, the state has not fulfilled its due responsibilities towards its citizens, towards common people," said Antonio.
Mario Stampone, who owns a car repair shop, highlighted the soaring cost of spare parts and the squeeze on his profit margins.
"My biggest challenge right now is to keep the repair costs down while expenses explode. But our hands are tied because we must buy spare parts for repairs, and the spare part prices are soaring. Every single component is at least 30 percent to 40 percent more expensive. This reflects on our bills as well. We have to make invoices for exorbitant amounts. In the end, what we actually keep is around 15 percent to 20 percent," he said.
Businessman Luca urged the government to invest in alternative energy sources to break free from the current international order.
"In light of these challenges, I would urge the government to develop alternative energy sources. This will help us break free from the international order. It will also effectively reduce emissions. You too can live in a more livable and cleaner environment, a less chaotic and more stable world," he said.
Italians voice frustration over soaring prices
Floods triggered by rounds of torrential rain in the aftermath of Typhoon Maysak have left 39 people dead and nine reported missing in south China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, local authorities said on Thursday.
The death toll includes casualties resulting from a severe breach of a reservoir dam in the regional capital city of Nanning, according to a flood control and disaster relief press conference held at noon on Thursday.
However, officials noted that the death and missing tolls may overlap, as technical identification of some victims is still ongoing.
Following further verification, it was determined that the breach in Liulan Reservoir in Nanning has resulted in 26 deaths, including five unidentified individuals, and seven reported missing cases, said Ding Wei, vice mayor of Nanning.
Nanning had evacuated and resettled a total of 64,500 residents to safer places by Thursday morning. Meanwhile, the city has delivered 100,000 essential items to affected residents, including clothing, drinking water, food, medicine and power banks.
Following the dam breaches at Liulan Reservoir and Yunbiao Reservoir, local authorities invited water experts to the site to provide guidance on emergency rescue and disaster relief.
The experts mainly focused on assessing the dam breaches, and studying relevant measures to lower water level.
"Starting from Wednesday, we have repaired roads leading to the Liulan Reservoir. As of this morning, access to the dam crest is restored. Starting today, we will start dredging work," said Zhai Jianjia, deputy director of Nanning's water resources bureau.
Communication base stations in disaster-hit Hengzhou and Binyang County, both under the jurisdiction of Nanning, are now operating at 87.7 percent of regular capacity. Power has been restored to 63,000 households in these two areas, while traffic flow has resumed across several highway sections and major roads.
"Over 4,200 personnel and more than 1,300 vehicles have been mobilized to clean up silt, garbage and debris, and to conduct post-disaster epidemic prevention work. Over 300 specialists have been dispatched to severely affected areas such as Yunbiao Town and Xiaoyi Town in Hengzhou City, and Gantang Town in Binyang County to conduct environmental monitoring and disinfection," said Ding.
For the transportation of emergency supplies, Nanning relies on expressways and national and provincial highways to transport supplies to distribution points at the boundaries of flooded road sections, and then uses inflatable boats, drones, and other means to transfer them to resettlement sites for the affected people, ensuring their basic needs are met.
Floods in south China's Guangxi leave 39 dead, 9 reportedly missing: authorities
