Italian kidnap victim Silvia Romano has been subjected to a wave of abusive criticism by the country's far-right after her return home from captivity was broadcast on national television.
The Italian aid worker was kidnapped by gunmen 18 months ago while working for charity Africa Milele in southeastern Kenya.
After months of negotiations, the 25-year-old's release was negotiated by Italian intelligence services working with their Turkish counterparts and, on Sunday, she arrived in Rome.
Images showing her clothing and appearance as she left the airport triggered criticism by right-wingers who claimed Ms Romano had Stockholm syndrome, where a hostages comes to an affiliation with their captor.
The campaign has been fanned by the Italian press, which has accused Turkish intelligence of directing an Italian ransom payment to terrorists.
Director of right-wing newspaper Libero, Vittorio Feltri, tweeted that by allegedly paying for her release, the Italian government was funding her "friends" and financing terrorists.
Turkish security sources said Ms Romano was rescued after a joint effort by Turkey's MIT intelligence agency and Italian and Somalian government authorities.
"The MIT began work in the region on determining Silvia Romano's condition in December 2019 upon a request from Italian authorities," the sources said.
They added that Ms Romano was delivered to Italian authorities in Somalia on Saturday after the joint efforts.
"Paying the ransom for Silvia means financing Islamic terrorists. Who are friends of the girl who became Muslim. Nice operation," Feltri tweeted.
He further tweeted that he was "annoyed" that the state spent money on bringing Islam to Italy.
His comments were mirrored by director of newspaper Il Giornale, Alessandro Sallusti.
"Silvia is back, well but it was like seeing a concentration camp prisoner proudly dressed as a Nazi. I don't understand, I will never understand," he tweeted.
Ms Romano had told news site Open that her conversion to Islam had been "spontaneous" and without coercion.
"I converted to Islam. But it was my free choice, there was no compulsion on the part of the kidnappers who always treated me with humanity," she said.
"It happened in mid-captivity, when I asked to be able to read the Koran and I was satisfied.
"It is not true, however, that I was forced to marry, I had no physical constraints or violence. "
Ms Romano was found in Somalia, some 30km outside the capital, Mogadishu, and was released thanks to efforts by the external intelligence agency, Italian Foreign Minister Luigi Di Maio said.
She was greeted at Rome's Ciampino airport by Mr Di Maio and Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte on Sunday.
"I was strong and resisted," Ms Romano said after her release.
"We are so glad to welcome Silvia back in such a delicate moment for the country. The state is always there, and will always be there," Mr Conte said.
He thanked the intelligence services, the judiciary and the defence and foreign ministries, all involved in the release of the aid worker.
The Bio
Hometown: Bogota, Colombia
Favourite place to relax in UAE: the desert around Al Mleiha in Sharjah or the eastern mangroves in Abu Dhabi
The one book everyone should read: 100 Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez. It will make your mind fly
Favourite documentary: Chasing Coral by Jeff Orlowski. It's a good reality check about one of the most valued ecosystems for humanity
Racecard
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Know your Camel lingo
The bairaq is a competition for the best herd of 50 camels, named for the banner its winner takes home
Namoos - a word of congratulations reserved for falconry competitions, camel races and camel pageants. It best translates as 'the pride of victory' - and for competitors, it is priceless
Asayel camels - sleek, short-haired hound-like racers
Majahim - chocolate-brown camels that can grow to weigh two tonnes. They were only valued for milk until camel pageantry took off in the 1990s
Millions Street - the thoroughfare where camels are led and where white 4x4s throng throughout the festival
How Apple's credit card works
The Apple Card looks different from a traditional credit card — there's no number on the front and the users' name is etched in metal. The card expands the company's digital Apple Pay services, marrying the physical card to a virtual one and integrating both with the iPhone. Its attributes include quick sign-up, elimination of most fees, strong security protections and cash back.
What does it cost?
Apple says there are no fees associated with the card. That means no late fee, no annual fee, no international fee and no over-the-limit fees. It also said it aims to have among the lowest interest rates in the industry. Users must have an iPhone to use the card, which comes at a cost. But they will earn cash back on their purchases — 3 per cent on Apple purchases, 2 per cent on those with the virtual card and 1 per cent with the physical card. Apple says it is the only card to provide those rewards in real time, so that cash earned can be used immediately.
What will the interest rate be?
The card doesn't come out until summer but Apple has said that as of March, the variable annual percentage rate on the card could be anywhere from 13.24 per cent to 24.24 per cent based on creditworthiness. That's in line with the rest of the market, according to analysts
What about security?
The physical card has no numbers so purchases are made with the embedded chip and the digital version lives in your Apple Wallet on your phone, where it's protected by fingerprints or facial recognition. That means that even if someone steals your phone, they won't be able to use the card to buy things.
Is it easy to use?
Apple says users will be able to sign up for the card in the Wallet app on their iPhone and begin using it almost immediately. It also tracks spending on the phone in a more user-friendly format, eliminating some of the gibberish that fills a traditional credit card statement. Plus it includes some budgeting tools, such as tracking spending and providing estimates of how much interest could be charged on a purchase to help people make an informed decision.
* Associated Press
