Italy stops ship with migrants

Italy has refused to allow a commercial vessel flying an Italian flag to bring ashore rescued migrants, sticking to a hardline policy on new arrivals as it presses European allies to share the burden of hosting an influx of displaced people.

Europe: Moves to further limit refugee flow prompt concern

Rights groups and watchdogs have expressed concern over several countries' proposals to return asylum seekers to Greece as several European leaders call for refugee routes to be closed.

100 migrants feared dead after boat capsizes off Libyan coast

More than 100 migrants are feared dead after their boat capsized off the coast of Libya, the Libyan navy said Friday.

Italy says Malta not taking in migrant ship is 'inhumane'

Italy has said that Malta had refused to take in a Dutch-flagged ship carrying more than 200 rescued migrants and said the decision was "inhumane", ten days after shutting its own ports to a migrant vessel.

Italy, France call for EU to set up migrant centers in home countries

Italy’s Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte on Friday called for the European Union to set up centers to process migrant asylum claims in their home countries, and the proposal was backed by French President Emmanuel Macron, AFP reported.

Italy's new gov't moving fast in speaking out against refugees, asylum seekers

Less than a week into the mandate of Italy's newest government, officials are already raising eyebrows for the hardline stance they are taking against refugees.

Italy rightwingers, populists in gov't-formation talks after Berlusconi steps aside

The rightwing League and the populist Five Star Movement said in a joint statement late on Thursday that they have made significant progress in talks for the formation of a new government.

Italian officials & German firm face lawsuit over arms sales to Saudi Arabia

A complaint has been filed by a coalition of human rights groups against Italian government officials and a major European arms manufacturer over their alleged involvement in the aerial bombing of Yemen.

Libyan navy rescues 137 immigrants off western coast

Libyan navy on Thursday rescued 137 illegal immigrants on two rubber boats off the coast of the city of Zawiya, some 45 km west of the capital Tripoli.

Le scrutin du 4 mars en Italie décisif pour l'Europe, selon une étude

Les Italiens ont le sentiment d'avoir été abandonnés par leurs partenaires de l'Union européenne et leur vote lors des élections générales le 4 mars risque de traduire leur mécontentement, a averti vendredi l'institut Jacques Delors dans une étude rendue publique à Bruxelles.

Italian elections could hinge on immigration, far-right backlash

With Italy's general elections scheduled for March 4, issues surrounding migration dominate, with political observers saying the vote could turn on public reaction to a series of gruesome events in the small central Italian town of Macerata.

EU’s Frontex expects illegal migration to Spain to rise further in 2018

Europe’s border agency expects a further increase in arrivals of illegal migrants in Spain by sea this year, after numbers more than doubled in 2017.

EU 'has east-west split' on migrant quotas

EU leaders are bitterly divided over a quota scheme for housing migrants, as they begin a summit in Brussels.
Summit chairman Donald Tusk called mandatory EU-wide quotas "ineffective". He spoke of a split "between east and west" over asylum policy.

French govt rules out concessions to Corsica nationalists over autonomy

France’s government on Tuesday ruled out any major concessions on Corsican autonomy, after the island’s nationalists won a regional election last Sunday, Reuters reports.

Italy ready to discuss more autonomy for Lombardy and Veneto ‘within the law’ : PM

Rome is ready to begin discussions on greater autonomy for the northern regions of Lombardy and Veneto, Italian Prime Minister Paolo Gentiloni said Tuesday while visiting an oil refinery near Venice.

Italy's northern regions back greater autonomy

The leaders of Italy's two wealthiest northern regions have claimed victory in a non-binding referendum, seeking greater autonomy from the central government in Rome.

EU states to pump "sufficient" money to stem illegal migration: Tusk

Member states of the European Union (EU) will pump "sufficient" money into a trust fund to stem illegal migration from North Africa, European Council President Donald Tusk said  on Thursday.

Two Italian regions to hold autonomy referendums late October

Italy's northern regions of Lombardy and Veneto are set to hold referendums to request more autonomy from central government on Oct. 22.

UN calls on EU to continue relocation of refugees beyond deadline

The UN refugee agency on Tuesday urged European Union (EU) member states to promptly relocate all asylum-seekers eligible under the bloc's emergency relocation scheme and for it to continue beyond the two years originally planned.

Two NGOs refuse to sign Italy's "code of conduct" for migrant rescues

Two humanitarian groups refused to sign a so-called code of conduct for maritime search-and-rescue NGOs drawn up by the Italian government, and this could have "consequences for the security of their vessels", the Italian Interior Ministry said Monday.