Three people were arrested and dozens of searches were conducted across Italy on Tuesday as part of a police operation against members of a criminal organization involved in aiding and abetting unauthorized immigration. The operation came after investigations connected to a terrorist attack on December 19, 2016 in Berlin.
An investigation by the Italian police has led to the arrest of five people, three Bangladeshi nationals and two Sudanese, on charges of torture in Libyan detention centers of migrants that disembarked on the Italian island of Lampedusa on December 26 with them.
Just a few years ago Astoun escaped his native Syria, crossing perilous waters to reach Europe. Now, aboard the Ocean Viking, he rescues people doing the same across the Mediterranean.
A European Commission spokesperson will not finance the construction of border walls to keep people out, including the wall being built between Bulgaria and Turkey.
The community of La Spezia, in Italy's northwest, is offering help to 237 migrants who arrived at the weekend after being rescued from the Mediterranean. Among the migrants are 87 children, some of them traveling alone.
Seedy Saidykhan fled Gambia as a teenager six years ago. Now in Germany, he is trying to help young migrants to find their feet and believe in themselves.
Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani has told a hearing of the joint committees of foreign affairs of the Lower House and foreign affairs and defence of the Senate that the Western Balkans are key for the migration.
After the announced clash in Parliament between the opposition and government over a new decree law clamping down on NGO ships, the legislation has now turned into a source of conflict between members of the ruling majority.
More than 300 migrants have been rescued over the last few days by the private rescue ships Ocean Viking and Geo Barents, run by SOS Mediterranee and Doctors without Borders MSF respectively.
The police union in Milan has called for assistance for officers at city's police headquarters, where crowds of people gather every day to file asylum requests. Growing tensions between police and foreigners recently led to tear gas being used.
At a meeting between two top officials from the foreign ministries of Italy and Belgium, migration was one of the key issues discussed.
Italian Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi and Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani have issued statements after their visits to countries of departure of migrants. Interior Ministry Undersecretary Nicola Molteni meanwhile announced a 'migrant flow decree' to respond to labor market demand.