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Marco Setaccioli challenged Marco Travaglio's calculations on European and Russian military spending, stating that Travaglio had indicated 450 billion euros for Europe and 150 for Russia and had argued that Russia had reason to fear Europe, which had invaded it four times in the last 200 years. According to Setaccioli, in the current year Russia would have spent around 17 trillion rubles on defense, equivalent to 181 billion euros, a figure indicated, according to him, by most analysts. He noted that the nominal comparison did not take purchasing power into account: applying indices developed by specialized research centers, Russian spending would rise to 574 billion international dollars, compared to about 700 billion for the entire EU. He added that the EU would have three and a half times the population of Russia and a GDP nine times greater. Setaccioli argued that the Russian federal budget did not show all military costs. He cited studies by economist Craig Kennedy, according to which part of the spending would be financed through subsidized loans and would thus remain on the banks' balance sheets. He also recalled an investigation by Dozhd', which, according to him, had documented pressures on private companies to hire people before signing contracts with the military and to supplement salaries with corporate funds. He added that at least three militias would be linked to Gazprom, which would cover part of the costs. For these reasons, he dismissed as false the claim that Russia spent less than the EU. Historically, Setaccioli criticized Travaglio's reconstruction, according to which the Napoleonic and Nazi invasions, along with interventions in Crimea and support for the Bolsheviks, would justify Russian fears toward Europe. Setaccioli listed Russian troop interventions in Poland in 1939, Finland in 1939-1940, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, and Romania in 1940, Bulgaria in 1944, Hungary in 1956, Czechoslovakia in 1968, Moldova in 1992, Georgia in 2008, and Ukraine in 2014 and 2022. He stated that there were no Russian regions occupied by European countries, while eight regions—one in Moldova, two in Georgia, and five in Ukraine—would be under Russian control. Finally, Setaccioli accused Travaglio of presenting a selective and misleading reconstruction to make Russia appear not dangerous, portray Europe as a threat, and argue that rearmament was unnecessary and risky. In his view, that reasoning could legitimize a potential Russian attack on Europe and constituted a form of collaborationism. #Russia #Europa #Difesa (translated)

On the night between October 24 and October 25, 2026, we will return to standard time by moving the hands back one hour, providing an extra hour of sleep, but highlighting the obsolescence of energy saving due to the increased consumption of air conditioners. #OraSolare #CambioOrario #RisparmioEnergetico (translated)

Bankers are not paid with the City’s top hat, but investors and savers to whom "we must ensure that there is certainty of the law," Patuelli said, referring to the Constitution, which does not stipulate that anyone should be beaten down. #MatteoSalvini #BancheItaliane #LeggediBilancio (translated)

Matteo Salvini criticizes the banks, arguing that their giant profits, with a tax rate of 19.2%, justify an extraordinary levy of 5 billion, while the president of Abi, Antonio Patuelli, defends the sector by highlighting constitutional rights and the importance of legal certainty for investors and savers. #MatteoSalvini #BancheItaliane #LeggediBilancio (translated)

The Ministry of Economy has announced guaranteed minimum coupons of 22.25% for the Btp Valore Insieme and quarterly coupons for the Btp Valore in the first five years, with the placement expected from October 19 to 23, reserved for individual savers. #BtpValore #Risparmio #Investimenti (translated)

A resolution has been presented to the Chamber of Deputies to make daylight saving time permanent, in the context of a heated debate on the abolition of the time change in Europe, highlighting both the potential benefits and risks related to this choice. #OraLegale #CameraDeiDeputati #RisparmioEnergetico (translated)

The Treasury has announced that the BTp Valore Insieme will have a final maximum coupon of 22.25%, while the traditional BTp Valore will see yields increase from 3.7% in the first two years to 4.7% in the fifth year, with both securities available to savers from October 19 to 23. #BTpValore #Rendimenti #Investimenti (translated)

Meanwhile, the wishes have arrived from across the ocean: the president of the United States, Donald Trump, who in the past has not spared any kind of attacks on the American Pope, said, speaking with reporters after a rally in Arizona, that he hopes he "gets well soon." #PapaLeoneXIV #Vaticano #Guarigione (translated)

The article discusses the upcoming return of standard time in Italy and the reasons why many advocate for the abolition of the double time change, emphasizing that it does not lead to significant energy savings and could have negative effects on health. #OraLegale #OraSolare #RisparmioEnergetico (translated)

It is right to sanction Putin, who is the aggressor, but Europe was not born to bet on military victories against a military superpower: instead of sending weapons indefinitely, we should send negotiators. The United States is making a fortune doing business with Putin: it is an irresponsible deal, while here we risk a world war at home. Conte adds: “This will lead to a division in Europe and revive dangerous nationalisms, rather we should commit to a European defense with joint investments and substantial savings in spending; that 800 billion for rearmament should be redirected towards growth, towards an Agency for artificial intelligence that provides rules and policies to train workers, towards a housing plan that guarantees young people the ability to stay, towards infrastructure that does not involve a bridge over the strait, towards a new Pnrr for renewable energies and healthcare.” #GiuseppeConte #ConsiglioEuropeo #Ucraina (translated)

The agreement being finalized between the EU and the Italian government involves neutralizing the higher cost of gas on the final price of electricity, reducing the wholesale price and providing savings to consumers, pending approval by the European Commission. #DecretoBollette #Energia #CommissioneEU (translated)