Author: CNN

CNN
 — 

Here is a look at the life of Jay Inslee, governor of Washington and former 2020 Democratic presidential candidate.

Birth date: February 9, 1951

Birth place: Seattle, Washington

Birth name: Jay Robert Inslee

Father: Frank Inslee, biology teacher, coach and athletic director

Mother: Adele (Brown) Inslee, store clerk

Marriage: Trudi (Tindall) Inslee (August 27, 1972-present)

Children: Jack, Connor and Joe

Education: Stanford University, 1969-1970; University of Washington, B.A., 1973, economics; Willamette University College of Law, J.D., 1976, graduated magna cum laude

Religion: Protestant

Inslee is dedicated to addressing climate change and other environmental issues.

While in the US House of Representatives, he served on the House Committee on Energy and Commerce and on the House Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming.

He was the first governor to enter the 2020 presidential race.

At Seattle’s Ingraham High School, Inslee was the starting quarterback.

Worked his way through college doing odd jobs.

Has praised the “Green New Deal,” saying it is “raising people’s ambitions” and “making what might seem impossible within the realm of the possible,” but has not outright said he would support the entire package. Nor has he endorsed Medicare-for-all.

Established Washington’s Marijuana Justice Initiative. It allows for gubernatorial pardons for those previously convicted of a single misdemeanor marijuana crime “between January 1, 1998, and December 5, 2012, when I-502 legalized marijuana possession.”

After law school, works as an attorney with Peters, Schmalz, Leadon & Fowler (later Peters, Fowler and Inslee), and serves as a city prosecutor for over a decade.

November 1988 – Wins an open seat in the Washington House of Representatives for the 14th District against Lynn Carmichael (R) with 51.64% of the vote. Is reelected in 1990 with 61.82% of the vote.

1989-1993 – Washington House of Representatives.

November 1992 – Wins US House of Representatives seat for Washington’s 4th District against Richard “Doc” Hastings (R) with 50.84% of the vote.

January 3, 1993-January 3, 1995 – US House of Representatives.

November 1994 – Loses his reelection bid to the US House of Representatives to Hastings with 46.6% of the vote.

1995-1996 – Attorney at Gordon, Thomas, Honeywell, Malanca, Peterson & Daheim L.L.P.

September 1996 – Unsuccessful gubernatorial bid, only coming in third with 10% of the vote in the primary.

1997-1998 – Region 10 Director for the US Department of Health and Human Services under US President Bill Clinton, serving Alaska, Idaho, Oregon and Washington.

November 1998 – Wins US House of Representatives seat for Washington’s 1st District, after four years out of office, against incumbent Rick White (R) with 49.77% of the vote.

January 3, 1999-March 20, 2012 – US House of Representatives. Reelected six times.

2007 – His book, “Apollo’s Fire: Igniting America’s Clean Energy Economy,” written with Bracken Hendricks, is published.

March 10, 2012 – Announces he will resign from the US House of Representatives in order to focus on his run for governor of the state.

November 2012 – Wins the election for governor of Washington, defeating Rob McKenna (R) with 51.54% of the vote. Is reelected in 2016 with 54.39% of the vote.

January 16, 2013-present – Governor of Washington.

February 11, 2014 – Announces that he is suspending executions while he is in office, meaning he will issue reprieves when any capital cases come to his desk for action.

2015-2016, 2017-2018 – Education and Workforce Committee Chair, National Governors Association (NGA).

2016-2017, 2018-2019 – Education and Workforce Committee Vice Chair, NGA.

2016 – Endorses Hillary Clinton for president of the United States.

2017-present – Co-chair of the US Climate Alliance, a group he co-founded with California Governor Jerry Brown and New York Governor Andrew Cuomo. The Alliance pledges to uphold the Paris Climate Accord following the United States’ withdrawal from the agreement.

2017-2018 – Chairman of the Democratic Governors Association.

July 5, 2017 – Inslee signs Washington’s paid family and medical leave act into law. It is considered one of the most generous such laws in the nation.

November 6, 2018 – Loses a bid to enact a statewide carbon emissions tax, for the second time in two years.

March 1, 2019 – Releases a video announcing his presidential candidacy.

March 14, 2019 – Signs a bump stock buy-back program into law a week before a nationwide ban takes effect. The devices, which replace the standard stock and grip of a semi-automatic firearm, make it easier to fire rounds from such a weapon by harnessing the gun’s recoil to “bump” the trigger faster.

August 21, 2019 – Suspends his 2020 presidential campaign.

August 22, 2019 – Announces that he is running for a third term as governor.

November 3, 2020 – Wins reelection to a third term as governor.

June 30, 2022 – Inslee issues a directive that bars state police from cooperating with out-of-state investigatory requests related to abortion in his efforts to make the state a “sanctuary” for those seeking abortion services. The decision comes after the US Supreme Court ruled to strike down Roe v Wade, the 1973 legal precedent which guaranteed people’s federal constitutional right to abortion. The historic ruling essentially leaves abortion laws in states’ hands.

September 9, 2023 – Inslee endorses State Attorney General Bob Ferguson for the 2024 Washington gubernatorial election race.

A Houthi drone struck a US-owned and operated vessel in the Gulf of Aden on Wednesday, according to US Central Command, marking the second time this week the Iran-backed rebel group has succeeded in targeting a US vessel.

No one was injured aboard the vessel, CENTCOM said, which suffered “some” damage. The ship, which is flagged in the Marshall Islands, remains seaworthy and continued on its way, the statement said. 

Earlier Wednesday, a spokesman for the Houthis claimed responsibility for the attack, saying they had launched a series of direct missiles at the American ship.  

On Monday, a Houthi anti-ship ballistic missile struck another US-owned and operated vessel in the Gulf of Aden. It appeared to be the first time since the Houthis began attacking international shipping lanes in mid-November that they had succeeded in hitting a US-owned and operated commercial ship.

Earlier this week, the US Transportation Department issued an alert to US merchant ships, advising them to steer clear of the southern part of the Red Sea until further notice.

Officials advised that although the decision is ultimately up to companies and individual vessels, “it is recommended” US-flag and US-owned commercial vessels avoid the area “until further notice.”

CNN
 — 

Here’s a look at the life of Charles III, King of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms.

Birth date: November 14, 1948

Birthplace: Buckingham Palace, London, England

Birth name: Charles Philip Arthur George Windsor

Father: Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh

Mother: Queen Elizabeth II

Marriages: Camilla Parker Bowles (April 9, 2005-present), Lady Diana Spencer (July 29, 1981-August 28, 1996, divorced)

Children: with Princess Diana: William (June 21, 1982), Henry “Harry” (September 15, 1984)

Education: Trinity College, Cambridge, UK, B.A., 1970, Royal Air Force College Cranwell, Lincolnshire, UK, 1971

Military: Royal Navy 1971-1976. In 2012, Queen Elizabeth appointed him honorary five-star ranks in the three military branches of army, navy and air force: He is Admiral of the Fleet, Field Marshal and Marshal of the Royal Air Force.

Britain’s longest serving monarch-in-waiting.

First royal heir to earn a university degree.

President or patron of more than 400 charitable organizations.

Enjoys playing polo, skiing, fishing and hunting. His hobbies include gardening, painting and writing.

As a child, he acted in school productions, sang in the school choir, played the trumpet, the cello and the electric guitar.

His other interests include architecture and its effects on the environment, farming, alternative medicine and different religions.

February 6, 1952 – Three-year-old Prince Charles becomes the heir apparent, when his grandfather dies and his mother ascends the throne.

July 26, 1958 – Is named Prince of Wales and Earl of Chester, by his mother before Parliament. He is the 21st Prince of Wales and the first since 1936.

July 1, 1969 – He is invested as the Prince of Wales and Earl of Chester during a televised ceremony at Caernavon Castle.

February 11, 1970 – Takes his seat in the House of Lords.

September 1971 – Earns his wings for jet aircraft flying at the Royal Air Force College Cranwell and joins the Royal Navy.

1974 – Qualifies as a helicopter pilot and joins the 845 Naval Air Squadron on the HMS Hermes. Two years later he completes his military service, taking command of a coastal minehunter, the HMS Bronington.

1976 – Founds The Prince’s Trust, a philanthropic venture to help disadvantaged youth.

July 29, 1981 – Weds Lady Diana Spencer at St. Paul’s Cathedral.

December 9, 1992 – Prime Minister John Major announces the separation of Charles and Diana.

1993 – Affair with Camilla Parker-Bowles becomes public when the transcript of a 1989 intimate phone conversation between the two is made public.

June 29, 1994 – A televised documentary, “Charles: The Private Man, the Public Role,” airs; in it he admits to adultery.

September 1997 – Charles accompanies the body of Princess Diana from Paris to London and during the funeral procession walks behind her coffin with his father, sons and Diana’s brother, the Earl of Spencer.

January 28, 1999 – First public appearance as a couple with Parker-Bowles, when they are seen leaving the Ritz Hotel in London after a party.

June 2000 – Formally introduces Parker-Bowles to Queen Elizabeth II at a party held at Highgrove, his country estate.

2003 – Clarence House becomes the official London residence of Charles and his sons. The estate is the former home of the Queen Mother, Charles’ grandmother.

April 9, 2005 – In a civil ceremony at Guildhall in Windsor with a blessing at St. George’s Chapel at Windsor Castle, Charles and Camilla wed.

November 1-8, 2005 – Makes his first official visit to the United States since 1994.

October 2006 – Announces plans for second multi-faith coronation ceremony, if/when he is made king, to include all non-Christian faiths, and for Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall, to be crowned Queen at the same time.

January 27, 2007 – Receives the Global Environmental Citizen Award from the Harvard Medical School Center for Health and the Global Environment, presented by former US Vice President Al Gore.

November 16, 2010 – Announces the engagement of eldest son, Prince William, to longtime girlfriend Kate Middleton.

December 9, 2010 – Student demonstrators breach security on the streets of London’s West End and attack the 1977 Rolls-Royce Phantom VI carrying Charles and Camilla to a performance at the London Palladium. The couple escapes any physical harm. The students are protesting the hike in tuition fees.

May 8, 2013 – Attends the opening of Parliament for the first time in 17 years. This is first time he and the Duchess of Cornwall have attended the opening together.

March 2015 – Visits the United States with Camilla. The trip includes a tour of Mount Vernon, a meeting with President Barack Obama and a festival in Louisville, Kentucky.

May 19, 2015 – Meets Sinn Fein leader Gerry Adams. This is the first meeting between a member of the British Royal Family and the leader of Sinn Fein.

November 27, 2017 – Announces the engagement of Prince Harry to Meghan Markle.

April 20, 2018 – Leaders of the Commonwealth agree that Prince Charles will succeed Queen Elizabeth as the next head of Commonwealth.

May 19, 2018 – Walks his daughter-in-law Meghan down the aisle in her wedding ceremony to Prince Harry.

November 8, 2018 – A televised documentary, “Prince, Son and Heir: Charles at 70,” airs; in it he promises not to meddle in controversial affairs once he takes on the role of the monarch.

March 25, 2020 – Announces that he has tested positive for coronavirus and is self-isolating in Scotland.

September 8, 2022 – Queen Elizabeth II dies, and Charles ascends to the throne.

September 10, 2022 – Is officially proclaimed the King of the United Kingdom.

October 11, 2022 – Buckingham Palace announces Charles’ coronation is scheduled to take place May 6, 2023.

May 6, 2023 – Charles’ coronation takes place at Westminster Abbey.

January 17, 2024 – Buckingham Palace announces Charles will go into hospital for treatment for an enlarged prostate.

Current line of succession:

1. The Prince of Wales, Prince William, son of King Charles (1982)

2. Prince George of Wales, son of Prince William (2013)

3. Princess Charlotte of Wales, daughter of Prince William (2015)

4. Prince Louis of of Wales, son of Prince William (2018)

5. The Duke of Sussex, Prince Harry, son of King Charles (1984)

6. Prince Archie of Sussex, son of Prince Harry (2019)

7. Princess Lilibet of Sussex, daughter of Prince Harry (2021)

8. The Duke of York, son of Queen Elizabeth II (1960)

9. Princess Beatrice of York, daughter of Prince Andrew (1988)

10. Miss Sienna Mapelli Mozzi, daughter of Princess Beatrice (2021)

Israel’s war in Gaza has brought famine with “such incredible speed,” the United Nations’ relief chief told CNN on Monday, as he warned that hundreds of thousands of Palestinians are starving in the besieged enclave.

The “great majority” of 400,000 Gazans characterized by UN agencies as at risk of starving “are actually in famine, not just at risk of famine,” UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator told CNN’s Christiane Amanpour.

Aid has been trickling into Gaza slowly from two border crossings in the south.

Last week, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said Israel had denied critical supplies from entering northern Gaza. But Israel has accused the UN’s Palestinian refugee agency of not doing enough and “stalling” the progress.

Griffiths told CNN Monday that work to provide humanitarian aid to 300,000 Gazans who remain in the north of the strip continues to be a challenge. 

More than 24,000 people have been killed in Gaza and more than 60,000 others injured since October 7, the Hamas-run Ministry of Health said Monday. Meanwhile, nearly 90% of Gaza’s pre-war population has been displaced, according to the UN.

Griffiths warned Monday that the dire humanitarian situation in the enclave could create “generational hatred.” 

“We worry for the security of Israel as much as the security of Gaza,” he said.

Editor’s Note: Sign up to CNN Travel’s Unlocking Italy newsletter for insider intel on Italy’s best loved destinations and lesser-known regions to plan your ultimate trip. Plus, we’ll get you in the mood before you go with movie suggestions, reading lists and recipes from Stanley Tucci.

CNN
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Finally, the time has come: it’s time for Venice to charge for entry.

From April 25, the floating city will implement the much discussed entry fee for day trippers.

The fee has been under discussion for years. Although it is expected to expand in scope, for 2024’s pilot run it will only be applied on certain days during the high season, between April 25 to July 14.

It’s not just day trippers who need to worry, though. Although people staying overnight in the city won’t have to pay the charge, if they’ll be in town on those dates, they will still need to register for an exemption.

On January 16, the city council unveiled its online platform to process bookings and exemptions. So how do you register to pay the fee if you’re just coming for the day? And how do you register an exemption if you’re staying overnight? We booked some of the first tickets when they were released today. Here’s what to know.

The access fee will be due on 29 days between April 25 and July 14. The dates are as follows:

• April 25-30

• May 1-5

• May 11-12

• May 18-19

• May 25-26

• June 8-9

• June 15-16

• June 22-23

• June 29-30

• July 6-7

• July 13-14

The fee is charged for day visits between 8.30 a.m. and 4 p.m. For 2024, it’s a flat 5 euros ($5.45) per person per day.

For 2024, the city has exempted the fee for those traveling to most of the lagoon islands, including visitor hubs Murano and Burano, as well as the Lido, home to the city’s beaches. However, most visitors to Murano and Burano will have to pay the fee anyway, since most arrive by taking vaporetto ferries from the city center.

People transiting through Piazzale Roma (the bus terminus), Tronchetto or the Stazione Marittima (where small cruise ships still dock) will be exempt, as long as they don’t cross into the “Old City.”

The Venice council has launched an online platform allowing you to prepay if you’re visiting for the day, here.

Click on pay the fee – you’ll then be taken to a landing page run by Venezia Unica, the city’s official tourism site.

Select your date, and then the number of people, including children under 14 (who don’t pay – see below).

Enter the names of the adult travelers – in other words, those who need to pay the fee. You’ll then have 10 minutes to pay.

Fully paid up? You’ll be emailed an A4-sized document, listing your initials, your booking code, the day(s) you’ve booked and a QR code. You can print it off or show it on your phone when questioned.

The “ticket” also advertises various city passes you can buy, and flags the fines payable for banned behaviors, such as picnicking and swimming in canals. Be aware that it’s written in Italian, even though the application can be done in English. Not to worry – the only details you need to check are your initials, the number in your party and the date (written European style, as in day-month-year).

The number of people does not include children – we applied for one adult and two under 14s, and our ticket showed one person.

All too complicated? In “exceptional” circumstances you will also be able to pay on arrival at two entrance points: Piazzale Roma, the bus terminus, and the train station Venezia Santa Lucia. Expect there to be long lines, though.

If you want to cancel, you can do so up to 11.59 p.m. on the day before your booked visit.

If you’re staying overnight in the city with a confirmed reservation, you don’t have to pay the charge, as you will already be paying an overnight tax.

However, you will still need to officially request an exemption, and receive a QR code to show if stopped. The exemption can be applied for on the same website – see below for instructions.

There are various other exemptions, but they’re unlikely to be relevant for tourists. These include people who own property in the city (and pay property tax), and students and commuters working in Venice. They will have to register on the platform to obtain a long-term QR code valid for the year.

All other exemptions must obtain daily QR codes. These include:

• People visiting the city on business or short-term study.

• Tourists staying overnight in the wider Municipality of Venice, which includes Mestre on the mainland.

• People visiting residents of what is being dubbed the “Old Town” – the historic center of Venice.

• Children under 14.

• Visitors with “certified disabilities” and their carers.

• People visiting for a sporting event (such as the Venice Marathon) or for medical treatment.

There are other categories which are only really relevant to Italians,such as members of the armed forces visiting for work.

However, remember that anyone claiming an exemption (except residents and people born in Venice) must register for a QR code. Here’s how.

On the same platform, select “exemptions.” It’ll then take you through to this page.

If you’re a tourist, you’ll likely be applying because you’re staying overnight. So you’ll need to select “I am a guest of an accommodation facility located in the municipality of Venice.”

You’ll be covered from the day of arrival to the day of departure – in other words, you can arrive before you check in and hang around after you check out.

You can then enter the dates of your stay – you don’t need to request a daily pass.

Next you’ll enter your name, date and place of birth, “residence” (this means home address) plus email and phone number.

You then enter the name of where you’re staying. If it doesn’t pop up, you can enter it manually.

On the next page, you can enter the names of other people in your party – you don’t have to make a separate request for each.

Here’s where it gets more complicated. You’ll enter your phone number. Make sure it’s correct and can make international calls, because the next page will give you just 60 seconds to call a local number in Venice, which will verify your phone number.

The call won’t connect, but it’ll confirm your number on the system, which will take you to the next page. Finally, your QR codes! You can download them direct, or have them emailed to you.

There will be seven main access points and ticket checks, including the airport, train and bus stations, Fusina port, and the Fondamente Nove and Riva degli Schiavoni waterfronts, where many boats dock. A spokesperson for the council confirmed that these won’t be the only checkpoints, but couldn’t say where the others would be.

Anyone caught evading payment – whether by not having a QR code, or by fabricating an exemption – will be fined. Penalties will range from 50-300 euros ($54-$327), plus an additional 10 euros to cover the entrance fee. Culprits can also be cited under the penal code for making false declarations.

The city is overwhelmed by tourists – around 30 million arrive each year, dwarfing the less-than 50,000 residents. Much of those numbers are day trippers who leave little money in the local economy, but plenty of trash and chaos.

The idea of charging a nominal fee is less about putting people off visiting, and more about raising awareness of peak season and busy days. Few people will abandon the idea of visiting Venice because of a five dollar charge, but they might be persuaded to wait for a less busy (and free) day to relieve the pressure on the city. In future years, the pressure to change dates might get a little stronger, since the plan is to implement a sliding scale of fees, depending on how busy the city is. However, the maximum fee that has been talked about is 10 euros – still not enough to dissuade anyone from visiting.

The city was also under pressure from UNESCO which had threatened to add Venice to its World Heritage in Danger list in 2023. The motion to do so was dropped after the city announced plans for the day tripper tax.

A felicitous knock-on effect could be curbing the spiraling number of illegal Airbnbs in the city. Since anyone staying overnight will need to list where they’re staying, people running illicit rentals will need to register legally (and pay tax on that income).

Will it work? Venice is the first major city in the world to try this, so let’s see.

Residents of Perry, Iowa, will caucus at the local elementary school Monday after the original location, Perry High School, became the site of a shooting earlier this month.

“Due to the unfortunate circumstances at Perry High School, we worked with the school administration to switch the site,” Terry Rich of the Dallas County GOP said in a statement provided to CNN.  

There has not been a date set for classes to return to the high school. On the morning of January 4, as students and faculty returned to classes after the holidays, a 17-year-old gunman opened fire, killing a sixth-grade student and wounding seven other people. 

On Sunday, high school principal Dan Marburger died after he sustained injuries in the attack. He was hailed a hero after trying to save students by talking to and distracting the shooter as the deadly attack unfolded, his daughter, Claire Marburger, shared on social media shortly after the shooting.

Republican presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy, after learning of Marburger’s death from a reporter’s question following a campaign event in Ankeny, Iowa, on Sunday, offered sympathies to the Perry community. 

“My condolences go to him and his family and everybody in that community,” he said. “What Perry went through, no community should have to go through, no parent should have to go through, the fear of even sending their kids to school, let alone parenting the victim of that type of tragedy. So, my prayers go out to the principal.”

Ramaswamy said he was in Perry hosting a campaign event the morning the shooting occurred, calling the day “emotional” and pledging to make schools safer as president in part by implementing his policy to put three armed security guards at every public school in the nation. 

GOP presidential candidate Asa Hutchinson also remembered Marburger as a “hero” in a statement Sunday.

“America lost a hero today. I know all of Iowa is suffering because Dan Marburger died from his sacrificial effort to protect his students. He worked everyday to improve the lives of his students and on that day, he literally saved the lives of students. This is a day to remember a great man and do what we can to help a community get through their pain and loss,” Hutchinson said.

Commercial goods are desperately needed in Gaza to prevent an incoming famine as Israel approaches the 100th day of its war in the enclave, according to the head of the main United Nations agency working in Gaza.

“The crisis in Gaza is a man-made disaster compounded by dehumanizing language and the use of food, water and fuel as instruments of war,” United Nations Relief and Works Agency Commissioner-General Philippe Lazzarini said in a statement Saturday. “Humanitarian aid alone will not be sufficient to reverse a looming famine.”

Lazzarini urged leaders to heed the calls for a humanitarian ceasefire and enable the delivery of more food, medicine, water and shelter to those affected by the enclave’s “mass displacement.”

More than 1.4 million people are staying in “overcrowded and unsanitary” UN shelters, where they lack food and hygiene, according to Lazzarini.

The commissioner-general also spoke of the war’s toll on Israelis since Hamas launched its devastating attack on the country on October 7, 2023. Dozens of hostages captured during the attack remain held in Gaza.

“It’s been 100 days of ordeal and anxiety for hostages and their families,” Lazzarini said.

Former President Donald Trump lashed out at GOP rival Vivek Ramaswamy on Saturday, arguing on social media that the entrepreneur is “not MAGA.”

“Vivek started his campaign as a great supporter, ‘the best President in generations,’ etc. Unfortunately, now all he does is disguise his support in the form of deceitful campaign tricks,” Trump wrote on Truth Social.

Trump’s attack comes as the former president and his campaign have grown increasingly frustrated with what they claim are Ramaswamy’s disingenuous campaign tactics, Trump campaign advisers told CNN.

“Very sly, but a vote for Vivek is a vote for the ‘other side’ — don’t get duped by this. Vote for ‘TRUMP, don’t waste your vote! Vivek is not MAGA. The Biden Indictments against his Political Opponent will never be allowed in this Country, they are already beginning to fall! MAGA!!!” Trump added in his post.

Trump advisers said they haven’t seen anything in the polls to indicate that Ramaswamy was gaining on Trump in Iowa, adding that the president’s comments are solely based on Ramaswamy’s recent comments and posts.

Ramaswamy posted a photo to X on Saturday posing with supporters donning “Save Trump, vote Vivek” t-shirts, which showed a picture of Trump’s mug shot from when he was processed at the Fulton County jail in August.

CNN
 — 

When Giulia Manca traveled to Pianosa, a former Italian prison island, back in 2011, she was looking forward to a relaxing sunshine break before returning home.

But more than 12 years after checking into the beachfront Hotel Milena, which is staffed by supervised convicts on probation, Manca has remained on the island known as the Alcatraz of the Tyrrhenian Sea.

Now the only woman living in the ghost village of Pianosa, part of Tuscany’s archipelago marine park, Manca serves as both the manager of the hotel and supervisor of the island’s rehabilitation program, run by Arnera, a nonprofit organization with the social mission of helping vulnerable people such as inmates get back into society, and Tuscany’s prison authorities.

“I stayed one week at the hotel and didn’t want to leave,” Manca tells CNN. “It was a unique holiday and the rehab project fascinated me, how these inmates were given a second chance in life.

“I fell in love with Pianosa. Its silence, the turquoise clear paradise-like sea, the peaceful starry nights.”

Once nicknamed the Devil’s Island, Pianosa, located between Corsica and the mainland, is now a blissful retreat beloved for its beautiful beaches and lush green vegetation.

One of just two of the island’s permanent residents, Manca lives and works alongside a jail guard, as well as 10 male convicts, who work as cooks, gardeners, waiters, beach cleaners and dishwashers at Hotel Milena, the only accommodation facility on the island.

Surrounded by pine trees, Hotel Milena features frescoed ceilings, and holds 11 rooms with wooden furniture and a stunning sea view, as well as a large patio, where inmates serve evening drinks to guests, a restaurant and a bar.

Manca had been a guest at the unique hotel, which is open year-round, for just a few days when the then-manager informed her that the establishment was struggling financially and at risk of closure.

If this were to happen, the detainees would have to be transferred back to jail, putting a swift end to their time on Pianosa.

“I felt I had to do something to help them or they would have gone back behind bars, inside tiny cells with no chance of a fresh start and of learning a job that can help them once they’re released,” adds Manca, who previously worked as a tourist agent.

Manca, who grew up in Tuscany, decided to stay on and take over as hotel manager. She says she initially worked for free, using her management skills to help to secure the hotel’s future.

In just a few years, Manca was able to turn things around significantly, and Hotel Milena has become a popular wedding and birthday party venue, with guests, partly lured by the hotel’s unconventional staff set up, flocking here.

Situated close to Gorgona, another Italian prison island, Pianosa was set up during the 1700s to confine outlaws, bandits and revolutionaries.

The island served as the base for a maximum security prison up until 1998, when the prison was shut down. Its few residents eventually departed and Pianosa was left deserted for many years.

Visitors were not permitted on the island until relatively recently, and those who do visit can only come as part of an organized boat tour that must be booked via specific tour operators.

In order to be admitted onto the rehabilitation program at Hotel Milena, applicants must have already served at least one-third of their sentence in jail and undergone a series of strict psychological and social evaluation tests.

Over the past 12 years, Manca has dealt with around a hundred offenders on probation for a multitude of crimes, including murder.

Although she notes that many of the inmates have been convicted for far more than “stealing daisies,” Manca has always felt comfortable on the island and considers it to be something of a safe harbor.

She also feels strongly that former offenders should be given the chance to contribute to society rather than spend more time behind bars.

“I believe in the power of redemption and that even offenders should be given a second chance, they shouldn’t rot behind bars but be actively involved in rehab tasks,” she says. “I like to see them return to life through work.”

Known as the “Queen of Pianosa,” Manca admits that her job has raised eyebrows among her friends and loved ones due to the perceived risks of being the only woman alongside a group of convicts.

“People kept saying I was mad to take on such a job,” says Manca, who is also a member of Arnera. “To be the only woman to work and live side-by-side with male offenders who haven’t been accused of light crimes.

“But I’ve never felt scared nor worried. I’ve never given it a second thought. I feel safer with them here than back in the city with all those crazy people running around, you never know who you might bump into.”

While being in charge of a group of offenders has its challenges, Manca says she does her best to create clear boundaries to ensure that the rehabilitation program is effective.

She explains that her relationship with her staff is one of reciprocal respect, and she’s been able to strike a balance by keeping her distance, and being authoritative yet open, in order to support them.

Each week, Manca hops on the ferry for a three-hour sea journey to mainland Tuscany to run errands and bureaucratic affairs, leaving at dawn and returning to Pianosa at night.

Manca points out that, unlike nearby Gorgona, where convicts must return to their cells after they clock off , those on Pianosa are allowed to roam free.

The inmates here are paid a monthly salary for their hotel jobs, and stay in the former old jail quarters, which have been restyled into cozy studios, with a gym, a TV, a kitchen and private rooms with bathrooms.

They are also given mobile phones so that they can keep in touch with their families.

Italian jails are considered to be among the most inhumane and overcrowded in Europe, with 120 inmates for every 100 beds, according to a 2020 report by the Council of Europe, while in-jail suicide up 300% since 1960, with a 75% relapse into crime.

Therefore, Pianosa is undoubtedly a far more attractive alternative for those nearing the end of their sentence.

Manca is proud of the success of the “Pianosa model,” explaining that the rate of those who’ve spent time on the island returning to crime has reduced to 0.01%.

“In the evenings they’re free to go down to the beach and take a dip,” explains Manca.

“However, they must leave their lodgings early in the morning and return at a specific time in the evening, they’re still under supervision and there is the guard who keeps an eye on them.

Offenders can serve the remainder of their sentence working at the hotel if they behave well, and some have spent five to ten years here.

But those who do not demonstrate a willingness to change risk being sent back to prison to complete the rest of their sentence.

“They have all served at least one-third of their sentence in jail and undergone strict psychological and social evaluation tests to determine they’re no longer dangerous and fit for the rehab program, [and] that they truly regret what they did,” adds Manca.

“They must demonstrate each day their willingness to work and prepare for a better life. I accept no slips.”

Manca likes to keep in touch with those who have left Pianosa to start a new life, putting to use the skills they learned on the isle, via social media.

She explains that a few have gone on to become councilors for prisoners in other jails after working at the hotel.

Manca is hugely proud of her role in the process and says that those who were initially dubious about her decision to remain in Pianosa all those years ago have now come around.

“Even my daughter Yolanda, who as a kid was a bit skeptical of my job, has come to appreciate the isle and understand the importance of what I do, and now tells me I’m a lucky person,” says Manca.

Winter storms are bringing severe weather to several parts of the US this weekend — including the kind of brutal cold that can cause frostbite.

Frostbite happens when the skin and the tissue under the skin freezes, which can happen much more quickly than you might imagine. It can cause blood clots, gangrene, and long-lasting damage to muscles, tendons, nerves and bones.

The cause: Frostbite is affected by both the outside temperature and the wind chill factor. As the speed of the wind increases, our bodies cool at a faster rate, causing the skin temperature to drop. Higher altitudes can also increase the speed at which skin can freeze.

The National Weather Service has created a wind chill chart that shows the time it might take to develop frostbite at varying temperatures and wind speed. It shows that your skin would freeze in a scant five minutes if you were out in minus 25 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 31.7 degrees Celsius) with a wind speed of just over 25 miles per hour.

Risk factors: You are more susceptible to frostbite if you smoke, take medications called beta-blockers, have poor blood supply to the legs, or have diabetes or Raynaud syndrome, a condition in which strong emotions or cold temperatures cause blood vessels to spasm and block blood flow to extremities.

Older people and people who live outside without proper clothing, heating and food are also at high risk, as are hikers and hunters who aren’t properly clothed and stay outdoors too long.

Here’s more on how to avoid frostbite.