The Islands: News archives from Italian islands - Page 9 of 14

Meloni and von der Leyen visit Lampedusa

September 17, 2023September 17, 2023Deborah CaterLeave a Comment

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen and Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni visited Lampedusa on Sunday to see the scale of the migrant emergency.

Lampedusa migrant arrivals total almost 7000 in 24 hours

September 14, 2023September 14, 2023Deborah CaterLeave a Comment

The island of Lampedusa is at the forefront of migrant arrivals in Italy. From Tuesday, a flotilla of dangerously flimsy boats delayed by bad weather in Tunisia arrived in a 24-hour period. The total number of migrants in that period was around 6,800.

Road deaths in Sardinia - police shield the bodies of the dead at site of accident.

420 road deaths at weekends in summer alone

September 10, 2023September 10, 2023Deborah CaterLeave a Comment

On the weekends between early June and early September alone, there were as many as 420 road deaths in Italy. Many of the victims were very young.

Lampedusa migration centre under stress. EU Commissioner vist and says this is a European issue New anti-immigration measures to be introduced.

Record number of migrants on Lampedusa

August 26, 2023August 26, 2023Deborah CaterLeave a Comment

There were 4,121 migrants and refugees in the Lampedusa hotspot mid-morning on Saturday. This follows the arrival on the island of a record 1,918 people in 65 landings on Friday.

Image showing lava during Mount Etna eruption

Mount Etna eruption – flight disruption at Sicily’s Catania airport

August 15, 2023August 15, 2023Deborah CaterLeave a Comment

On Sunday night, Mount Etna spewed into life. The eruption sent lava and ash high above the island of Sicily. Whilst the lava flow subsided, ash was still coming from one of the craters.

Extreme weather causes wildfires and storms across Italy

Extreme weather kills five in two days as heat and storms savage Italy

July 25, 2023July 25, 2023Deborah CaterLeave a Comment

The extreme weather with a heatwave in southern Italy, and the storms in northern Italy have claimed five lives in the past two days. Wildfires rage in Sicily with Palermo almost isolated by the flames.

record. cocaine haul seized in Sicilian waters. Image taken from Guardia di Finanzia video of the seizure.

Record cocaine haul seized by Italian police

July 23, 2023July 23, 2023Deborah CaterLeave a Comment

Italian authorities seized a record cocaine haul of 5.3 tonnes being transferred between ships off the southern coast of Sicily, police said. Five suspects are in custody.

Louise Michel rescue ship. Image courtesy of Louise Michel website.

Rescue ship Louise Michel detained on Lampedusa

March 26, 2023March 26, 2023Deborah CaterLeave a Comment

The M.V. Louise Michel, a rescue ship bought with the proceeds of a Banksy art sale, is being detained by Italian authorities on Lampedusa. The ship broke new rules in assisting in another rescue instead of heading straight to its assigned port.

Flooding in Sicily with high winds bringing down trees

Flooding in the south, drought in the north

February 12, 2023February 12, 2023Deborah CaterLeave a Comment

Farmers’ association Coldiretti again sounded the alarm about extreme weather in Italy. There has been flooding in southern Italy, whilst the north suffers from low precipitation levels which have badly hit water reserves. As a result, agriculture all over the country is having huge trouble as a consequence.