Italy – April 2025 – To mark the UN’s International Day of Sport for Development and Peace the Salesian Youth Sports Clubs (PGS) of Sicily hosted “Sport in Festa,” focused on youth futsal (ages 5–9) Held at the “Campetti Lombardo” Sports Center in Caltanissetta the event brought together more than 200 young athletes from eight sports associations said: “We came together to celebrate sport—not for competition and education.” The day included games Alberto Anzalone (Youth Ministry Delegate for Salesians in Sicily) and an award ceremony where every participant received a commemorative medal ANS - “Agenzia iNfo Salesiana” is a on-line almost daily publication the communication agency of the Salesian Congregation enrolled in the Press Register of the Tibunal of Rome as n 153/2007 This site also uses third-party cookies to improve user experience and for statistical purposes By scrolling through this page or by clicking on any of its elements Which language would you like to use this site in In Italy, migrants and people seeking asylum are being unlawfully deprived of their liberty in detention centres that fall below international standards, Amnesty International said today in its new public statement, “Liberty and Dignity: Amnesty International’s observations on the administrative detention of migrant and asylum-seeking people in Italy.’ “Detention should be exceptional and a measure of last resort in the centres we visited we encountered racialized people who should never have been detained People seeking asylum because of their sexual orientation or political activism but coming from countries the Italian government has arbitrarily designated as ‘safe’ People with caregiving responsibilities or escaping gender-based violence or labour exploitation These needless detention orders throw people’s lives health and families into disarray,” said Amnesty International’s Deputy Regional Director for Europe the Italian government adopted measures aimed at expanding the use of migration-related detention They included plans for the construction of new detention centres the lengthening of maximum detention time for repatriation to 18 months and the application of ‘border procedures’ to people seeking asylum from ‘safe countries’ resulting in the automatic detention of people on the basis of their nationality in contradiction of international law which requires an individual assessment lawyers and representatives of civil society organizations “The failure of the Italian authorities to set up an effective system of alternatives to detention combined with an inadequate legal process overseen by non-professional judges Italy’s laws and practices are not compatible with international law and standards and result in violations not only of the right to liberty to effective recourse and to legal assistance,” said Dinushika Dissanayake Amnesty International also found that conditions within the centres were not in line with applicable international law and standards Migration-related administrative detention must not have a punitive character and should not impose prison-like conditions the centres visited by Amnesty International appeared extremely restrictive bare and inadequate from a health and safety point of view People could not move freely even within the structures and required authorization and accompaniment from police The furniture and bedding were extremely basic with foam mattresses placed on concrete beds Bathrooms were in poor conditions and sometimes lacking doors Light switches were turned on and off by guards and windows were hermetically closed “People are forced to spend all their time in fenced spaces in conditions that are in many ways worse than in prison there is an almost total absence of activities combined with a lack of information about their future leads to enormous psychological harm among the people detained,” said Dinushika Dissanayake make action ever more urgent to prevent further violations of international law that will affect an increasing number of people “Migration-related detention should be used only in the most exceptional circumstances alternative and less coercive measures should always be considered first People seeking international protection should not be detained,” said Dinushika Dissanayake “In the exceptional cases for which detention is deemed necessary and proportionate rigorous and regular assessments of people’s suitability for detention must be conducted by the Italian authorities The government must also ensure that conditions in detention centres respect human dignity safe accommodation and opportunities for individuals to be in contact with the outside world and to use their time in meaningful ways A major departure from the current punitive approach to migration control policies is badly needed.” Amnesty International visited Italy from 8 to 13 April 2024 to gather information on the respect and protection of human rights in migration detention centres Delegates visited the CPRs of Ponte Galeria (Rome) and Pian del Lago (Caltanissetta) where they were able to speak with public security officials and operators employed at the facilities and to carry out private interviews with people in detention On 11 June, Amnesty International sent a letter to the Italian Ministers of Interior, Justice and Health, detailing the findings of its research and offering an opportunity to reply. On 24 June, the Department for Civil Liberties and Immigration and the Department for Public Security of the Ministry of Interior provided separate replies, their contents are reflected in the public statement. Together we can fight for human rights everywhere. Your donation can transform the lives of millions. If you are talented and passionate about human rights then Amnesty International wants to hear from you. HomeDestinationsInterestsTop Places to Travel by MonthSearchMenuBest time to go to Sicily Michael offers spectacular events and fireworks this Christian festival is observed with great reverence the festivities are marked by solemn masses and devout songs the seventeenth-century statue of the saint embarks on a solemn procession through the main streets of San Michele in the province of Caltanissetta greeted by cheering crowds as it traverses the village streets led by barefoot faithful and accompanied by children dressed as the saints winds through the historic narrow streets of the city center traditional songs such as “E gridammu tutti” and “W lu principi San Micheli Arcangiulu” fill the air The culmination of the procession occurs at the cathedral and is honored with traditional fireworks before being placed in the Mother Church for veneration the celebration continues with children launching hot air balloons followed by a spectacular display of colorful fireworks lighting up the sky crafted a wooden statue in 1550 to honor the patron saint of Caltanissetta This exquisite creation now rests within the confines of the Mother Church in the historic downtown center the Archangel Michael holds a position of utmost reverence He is respected as the greatest among all angels lauded for his pivotal role in defeating the devil during the celestial conflict known as the war in heaven vitality of the productive fabric: these are the main quality elements that must distinguish a large urban centre in the new edition of the Annual Survey on the Quality of Life 2024 carried out by ItaliaOggi and Ital Communications in collaboration with Sapienza University of Rome these are the main elements of quality that must distinguish a large urban center At the bottom of the ranking is Caltanissetta (107th) lost 11 positions since 2023) and Agrigento (105th dropped one place compared to the previous year) The study highlights the Italian cities that offer the best conditions of well-being to their inhabitants and is divided into nine dimensions of analysis: business and work Bologna and Trento complete the group of the best cities of 2024 and stand out for their ability to combine economic development environmental sustainability and high levels of safety and well-being Looking at the major shakeups in the ranking from 43rd to 63rd place) and Ferrara is positive (+21 the growth of the metropolises is confirmed: provinces and metropolitan cities continue to show a greater capacity to recover from shocks compared to other areas of the country the separation between the regions of the North and the South and Islands is becoming clearer where areas of social and personal hardship are growing there are vulnerabilities in many aspects of the quality of life there are also good results: the province ranks among the top positions in the “Health system” dimension in the middle of the ranking in the “Crimes and safety” dimension and in the bottom positions in the remaining 7 dimensions The “Business and Work” dimension includes 8 indicators which report information on the labour market (employment and unemployment rate broken down by gender) on the amount of protests per inhabitant and on the incidence of innovative startups and SMEs The “Environment” dimension is divided into two sub-dimensions: one negatively associated with the quality of life that includes environmental impact indicators; the second positive which also includes variables whose trend can be related to the actions of local administrators Monza and Brianza opens the environmental quality ranking The analysis of the results found in this and past editions shows a substantial stability in the security framework Enna is in first place in the dimension relating to crime and security climbing 9 positions compared to the previous year The “Social Security” dimension underwent some changes in the overall system last year the percentage of people aged between 15 and 29 who do not work The indicator is replaced by the inactivity rate recorded between 25 and 34 years of age The province that opens the ranking this year is Rovigo The “Education and training” dimension provides an assessment of the human capital endowment and includes 6 indicators all positively associated with quality of life taken from the BES (Fair and Sustainable Well-being) curated by Istat: rate of participation in nursery school percentage of people aged between 25 and 64 with at least a high school diploma percentage of people aged between 25 and 39 with a degree or other so-called tertiary qualifications percentage of people aged between 25 and 64 involved in lifelong learning activities and the percentage of students with adequate numerical and literacy skills Followed by two other provinces in the North-East The structure of this analysis dimension was modified in 2022 with the elimination of population density; the replacement of the average number of members of the household with the average number of children per woman; the inclusion of 5 new indicators of which 3 in the negative dimension (the structural dependency ratio the elderly dependency ratio and the old age index) and 2 in the positive dimension (life expectancy at birth and life expectancy at 65 years) The inclusion of the new indicators has a profound effect on the composition of the leading group from which all the provinces of southern Italy and the islands that occupied top positions until two years ago emerge a result that has been repeated for the past ten years The following are classified in the leading group Trento Isernia opens the ranking of the dimension relating to the "Health system" confirming the placement already achieved last year Pavia and Genoa which in turn confirm the excellent rankings achieved in the past editions of the survey Health services are mainly concentrated in metropolitan cities and in centers of excellence in medical research (Pisa and Siena) the “Tourism” dimension also includes entertainment and culture Milan confirms the first place already obtained in the last four editions Co-Director of ItaliaOggi: “The study by Italia Oggi and Ital Communications is divided into 93 basic indicators that group together elements such as work This year's research mainly highlights the gap between Central-Northern and Southern Italy where large pockets of social hardship are evident and we also see the confirmation of an element already present in past years Founder of Ital Communications: “The survey conducted by ItaliaOggi and Ital Communications coordinated by Sapienza University of Rome represents a significant step in the evolution of the concept of quality of life integrating new parameters that reflect the needs and aspirations of modern communities we have the responsibility to build bridges of dialogue and offer public opinion the mass media and institutions a clear and accurate vision of the cities in which we live Our role is to stimulate and facilitate an informed comparison inspiring concrete actions so that communities can actively participate in the decision-making processes that concern them Only through transparent and responsible communication can we help build cities in which collective well-being is at the center of development policies” Professor of Economic Statistics in the Department of Social and Economic Sciences at Sapienza University of Rome because it must bring together data that we develop in a thoughtful way connecting a significant number of indicators It is legitimized by the comments of those who represent the same realities promoted or failed for Quality of Life that net of the greater or lesser satisfaction linked to the position achieved historically recognize themselves in the final rankings of the ranking” Read also other news on Nova News Click here and receive updates on WhatsApp Follow us on the social channels of Nova News on Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, Telegram 2000 - 2025 Nova Agency. 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What is this page?The website you are visiting is protected.For security reasons this page cannot be displayed. in the western Sicilian province of Trapani just a few kilometres from Messina Denaro's home town of Castelvetrano.A second hideaway was discovered close by on Wednesday a police source said.Prosecutors say Messina Denaro was one of the leading figures in Cosa Nostra but preferred to remain in his own region and was not the "boss of bosses" like the late Salvatore "Toto" Riina.Riina arrested in 1993 after more than two decades on the run died in prison in the northern city of Parma in 2017.Writing by Keith Weir; Editing by Crispian Balmer and Gareth Jones Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles., opens new tab , opens new tab Browse an unrivalled portfolio of real-time and historical market data and insights from worldwide sources and experts. , opens new tabScreen for heightened risk individual and entities globally to help uncover hidden risks in business relationships and human networks. © 2025 Reuters. All rights reserved play iconExpats had issues with their pensions Italy is a popular holiday destination among Britons due to its beautiful weather, wonderful cuisine and close proximity to the UK. For the same reasons, this stunning European country makes a great place to live for British expats. According to a study by Idealista on the “cheapest cities in Italy to live in”, this Mediterranean country is home to some rather affordable places where Britons can relocate to on a budget. One such city is the very reasonably priced Caltanissetta. In Caltanissetta, the average house price per m2 is just €735 (around £632) while the average price of rent is €4.9 per m2 (around £4.22). Caltanissetta is home to some beautiful landmarks The experts said: “Moving towards the sunny Sicilian land, Caltanissetta, could be the right city to live in Italy on a budget.” The city, which is located in the heart of the region, offers a lower cost of living than other Italian cities of the same size. Idealista suggested that in this city it is possible to live on €600 per month (around £516). For those interested in history, Caltanissetta is filled with historical monuments and ancient churches. Palermo is another affordable Italian city with delicious cuisine and a vibrant culture The Santa Maria La Nova - Cattedrale di Caltanissetta (Church of Santa Maria la Nova) is a gorgeous landmark. Fans of the place urged visitors to bring their cameras. They added: “Do not miss this beautiful church. Splendid mosaics, well preserved.” The Abbazia di Santo Spirito (Abbey of Santo Spirito), which began construction in the 12th century, is another site to see. Visitors described it as a “wonderful privilege” to visit. Not only is Caltanissetta brimming with beautiful places to see, it is home to delicious local produce with “first-class” products from the area. (ANS – San Cataldo) – The centenary celebrations of the Salesian presence in the Sicilian town of San Cataldo continue with great enthusiasm, enriching this special jubilee year. Following the first event on December 7, which featured Rector Major Emeritus Fr. Pascual Chávez Villanueva and Fr. Massimo Naro discussing "The Relevance of Don Bosco’s Social Message," a second "moment of reflection" was offered to the entire community and the people of the Diocese on Monday, March 17, at the hall of the Mother Church of San Cataldo. The theme of this gathering was "The Oratory of San Cataldo – Between Memory and Prophecy." The event featured two distinguished speakers: Fr. Ruta, on the other hand, invited attendees to imagine what San Cataldo would be like today without the Church and the Salesian oratory. His presentation, "Ecclesiality and Salesian Identity in Central Sicily: The Oratory of San Cataldo – Past, Present, and Future," was structured into three phases: He concluded with a hopeful message: "From memory to dream, and from dream to tangible and meaningful signs." Bishop Mario Russotto provided the closing remarks for the event, emphasizing: "One cannot imagine San Cataldo without the Salesians; we do not even dare to imagine San Cataldo without them," reaffirming once again that "San Cataldo is Salesian!" Reflecting on the historical arrival of Don Bosco's followers and the many hidden saints who lived in the town, the bishop added, "The union between the deeply rooted spirituality and faith of San Cataldo and Don Bosco’s charism was truly a nuptial embrace." The evening was further enriched by the expert moderation of Dr. Marisa Falzone and the musical interludes performed by the female vocal ensemble "Resonantiæ Camera Chorus." A large and engaged audience attended the event, including Mons. Antonino Migliore, Bishop Emeritus of Coxim, Brazil, Fr. Franco Di Natale, Vice Provincial of the Salesians of Sicily, and other local authorities. As Bishop Russotto aptly stated: "The story continues. How it will unfold, we do not know. But one thing is certain: without Don Bosco’s charism and the Salesians in San Cataldo, this story cannot continue as a prophecy … and we want the prophecy!" ANS - “Agenzia iNfo Salesiana” is a on-line almost daily publication, the communication agency of the Salesian Congregation enrolled in the Press Register of the Tibunal of Rome as n 153/2007. This site also uses third-party cookies to improve user experience and for statistical purposes. By scrolling through this page or by clicking on any of its elements, you consent to the use of cookies. To learn more or to opt out, click "Further Information". who are facing uncertain prospects for relief It’s mid-October but a fiery Sicilian sun is still blasting the central piazza in the town of Caltanissetta A severe water crisis is gripping the region as the ongoing drought stretches into autumn Prolonged dry conditions have drastically reduced water reserves leaving the city and surrounding areas on the brink of running out of water local authorities are scrambling to implement emergency measures while residents face uncertain prospects for relief Subscribe free to our weekly newsletter for exclusive and original coverage from ITV News ITV News spoke to local Patrizia Gelsomino who shares a home with her elderly mother and severely disabled son and who has been without water for over four months Undrinkable water for washing and toilets is delivered by lorry to a cistern in Ms Gelsomino's garden The family are still waiting for this week's delivery It's a similar situation for business owners with bakery Valentina Sfalanga forced to use expensive bottled water to make bread and pastries She told ITV News the cost could force her to shut and added: "I've been told if I don’t have water I’ll have to close The bank doesn’t care that I don’t have water It doesn’t care that I employ ten people." Professor Paola Quattrini at Sicily’s principal university sees little sign of things improving and when it rains it rains in a very severe and violent way so there is run off and soil erosion," she said of once fertile areas being turned to arid wasteland farmers are forced to face the realities of unreliable and unsustained rainfall Farmer Francesco Capizzi described the situation as being "very close" to desert-like For some years the weather has been slowly pushing us towards this new era," he added Want a quick and expert briefing on the biggest news stories Listen to our latest podcasts to find out What You Need To Know… Medhanie Tesfamariam Berhe was put in deportation centre after acquittal but is now free Italian authorities have granted refugee status to an Eritrean man who was the victim of one of the country’s most embarrassing cases of mistaken identity Last month a judge in Palermo acquitted Medhanie Tesfamariam Berhe of being a human trafficking kingpin confirming he was the victim of mistaken identity when he was arrested more than three years ago in a joint operation by Italian and British authorities After the verdict he was moved to a deportation centre in Caltanissetta, Sicily, awaiting removal from the country. But on Friday a panel of judges from the refugee commission in Syracuse accepted Berhe’s request for asylum, meaning he is free to remain in Italy told the Guardian outside the expulsion centre Italian and British authorities presented it to the press as a coup mistaking him for one of the world’s most wanted human traffickers hundreds of Mered’s victims claimed the wrong man had been detained far from being a notorious trafficker he was an Eritrean refugee who earned his living on a dairy farm and working occasionally as a carpenter A three-year investigation by the Guardian uncovered witnesses and documents that the defence later produced in court to help prove his innocence A documentary made by the Swedish broadcaster SVT in collaboration with the Guardian revealed that the real Mered was living in Uganda’s capital spending his substantial earnings in nightclubs while Berhe faced up to 15 years in jail But prosecutors continued to insist the man captured in Khartoum was the real smuggler and began waging an offensive against activists and journalists, tapping phone conversations among reporters, exposing sources. The prosecutor in the trial, Calogero Ferrara, did not call a single witness to testify against Berhe, but at the end of his five hours of closing remarks on 17 June he dismissed suggestions they had the wrong man and demanded a 14-year prison term. The judge, Alfredo Montalto, of the criminal court of Palermo, rejected the prosecutor’s claims. “It was a case of mistaken identity,” Montalto said on 12 July. “The man in prison was wrongly arrested.” Berhe was found guilty instead of a much lesser charge of aiding illegal immigration for having helped his cousin to reach Libya. Because he had already served three years in prison, the judge ordered his immediate release. Berhe’s laywer, Michele Calantropo, told the Guardian: “After the verdict I rushed to the prison alongside Berhe’s sister only to find out that they moved him to an expulsions centre for migrants. We had filed an official request for asylum. It wasn’t fair to move him there.” “Medhanie’s judicial persecution has finally ended in the best way possible: with a refugee status to which he is fully entitled,” said Riccardo Noury, Amnesty International’s Italy spokesman. “I shudder to think where he would be now if the judicial error against him had not been exposed.” Relatives have asked that Berhe be awarded damages for his wrongful detention and called for an investigation to be opened into why Sicily’s top prosecutors pursued the case. “Berhe is free but this story won’t be over until they clear his name,” said Calantropo. Notifications can be managed in browser preferences. Students kiss in protest over Mr Salvini's decision to attend an anti-LGBT+ conference with the self-avowed goal of establishing the 'natural family order'  I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice An image of two young women photobombing a selfie taken by far right Italian leader Matteo Salvini by kissing has been hailed after it was widely disseminated on social media The photo was taken in Caltanissetta in Sicily where Mr Salvini was attending a rally in support of a fellow member of ruling League party's bid for mayor Italy’s interior minister and the leader of the League sparked outrage for going to Oscar Aiello’s mayoral bid rather than attending memorials for Italy’s liberation from Nazi occupation He has repeatedly criticised the event in the past – branding it “a derby between fascists and communists” Mr Salvini was taking a selfie with supporters when two female students kissed in protest at his controversial decision to attend an anti-LGBT+ and anti-abortion conference with the self-avowed goal of establishing the “natural family order” in Verona in March The US-founded World Congress of Families (WCF) which has faced criticism for its Russian ties staged the three-day conference in the ordinarily quiet northern Italian city to discuss “the beauty of marriage” and “growth and demographic decline” The 13th international conference of the WCF – which saw tens of thousands of campaigners descend on the streets of Verona – was funded by the local authority and is backed by the League Party Mr Salvini said he was proud Verona was hosting the WCF adding: “This is the kind of Europe we like.” which was taken by one of the girls called Gaia was initially shared on her Instagram on Thursday with the ironic caption “Hello friend” The viral image was widely shared after Italian activist Marco Furfaro posted it on Facebook alongside the caption: “Caltanissetta protesters The hashtag #GaiaeMatilde – the names of the two young women in the photo – has gained traction on Twitter Gaia can be seen appearing to attempt to take another photo kissing her friend after taking the first one but a security agent appears to swiftly place their hand in the way in order to separate the two young women “The hand of another friend that divides,” says the caption of an image which can be seen on her Instagram Stories Mr Salvini has been mocked in the wake of the image – with an influx of memes poking fun at the expression on his face Others have hailed the women’s “brave” and “glorious” protest “We made a provocative instinctive gesture, not at all premeditated. On stage, Salvini did not expect us to take a picture like this. When we kissed, an agent I think, separated us sharply and Salvini then told us ‘I wish you luck’ so we took off thanking him ironically.” Campaigners argue women’s rights are being rolled back under Mr Salvini and traditional stereotypes about the role of women are also worsening. The political leader was fiercely criticised after neither he nor any Minister from the League chose to attend national celebrations which sees Italy mark the liberation from fascism on 25 April each year. Last week, Italian media documented neo-fascist demonstrations, desecrations of memorials of participants of the Italian resistance against fascism, and drawings of swastikas across the country. Some 30 people held a banner reading “Honour to Benito Mussolini” while performing fascist salutes in Milan. A day later, a garland commemorating a partisan who fought fascism in WW2 was burned down in Milan. Other memorials were desecrated across the country. The League, which supports far right and anti-immigration policies, formed a government coalition with the Five Star Movement in June 2018, after it won about 17 per cent of the vote in a general election. It now has some 35 per cent according to recent polls. Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies All popular browsers allow zooming in and out by pressing the Ctrl (Cmd in OS X) and + or - keys Or alternatively hold down the Ctrl key and scroll up or down with the mouse Amnesty visits to centres in Rome and Caltanissetta in Sicily found spartan conditions with foam mattresses on concrete beds Meloni government has plans to expand its use of detention sparking fears over the proliferation of harmful prison-like conditions  ‘These needless detention orders throw people’s lives health and families into disarray’ - Dinushika Dissanayake Migrants and people seeking asylum in Italy are being unlawfully deprived of their liberty in detention centres that are in many ways “worse than in prison” Amnesty’s new 15-page briefing - Liberty and Dignity: Amnesty International’s observations on the administrative detention of migrant and asylum-seeking people in Italy - shows the impact of new measures adopted by the Italian government last year to expand the use of migration-related detention The measures included plans for the construction of new detention centres increasing the maximum detention time ahead of repatriation to 18 months and the application of “border procedures” for people seeking asylum from “safe countries” resulting in the automatic detention of people on the basis of their nationality contrary to international law which requires an individual assessment In light of these developments and consistent reports of substandard conditions of detention and treatment Amnesty recently visited two detention centres - Ponte Galeria in Rome and Pian del Lago in Caltanissetta in Sicily Amnesty found that conditions in the centres failed to meet applicable international law and standards The centres appeared to restrict detainees’ movement to an excessive degree while furniture and bedding were extremely basic Bathrooms were in poor condition and sometimes lacked doors while light switches were turned on and off by guards windows were permanently closed and personal smartphones were prohibited These conditions violate people’s right to dignity and must be urgently improved by the Italian authorities Plans to build new centres in Italy, combined with the introduction of mandatory border procedures under the EU Pact on Migration and Asylum and the upcoming implementation of the Italy-Albania agreement In the exceptional cases for which detention is deemed necessary and proportionate Amnesty International’s Europe Deputy Director "People seeking international protection should not be detained “These needless detention orders throw people’s lives “In the centres we visited we encountered people with severe mental health problems “People are forced to spend all their time in fenced spaces in conditions that are in many ways worse than in prison and are denied even a modicum of autonomy combined with a lack of information about their future leads to enormous psychological harm among the people detained “The failure of the Italian authorities to set up an effective system of alternatives to detention combined with an inadequate legal process overseen by non-professional judges is leading to an abuse of detention “The Government must ensure that conditions in detention centres respect human dignity safe accommodation and opportunities for individuals to be in contact with the outside world and to use their time in meaningful ways.” On 11 June, Amnesty sent a letter detailing its findings to the Italian ministers of interior, justice and health. On 24 June, the Department for Civil Liberties and Immigration and the Department for Public Security of the Ministry of Interior provided replies, and their contents are reflected in the briefing View latest press releases Get quality reporting directly into your inbox The suspects are members of the Rinzivillo family, a powerful clan operating in the Sicilian Caltanissetta province The clan is believed to have been extorting money from restaurant owners with the help of the two detained Carabinieri officers who allegeldy provided them information from their database They for instance threatened the owner of the upscale Rome restaurant Via Veneto to pay US$ 212,000 over fruit and vegetable deliveries The arrests show how the Sicillian Cosa Nostra had infiltrated Rome businesses through legitimate fresh and frozen fish front companies and how it was cooperating with mafia syndicates from other regions of Italy Among the arrested was a lawyer who had connected the Rinzivillo clan to the infamous 'Ndrangheta and Camorra, according to media According to Deutsche Welle the Renzvillo clan had expanded its drug trade activities in Karlsruhe and Cologne in Germany where two of the 37 suspects were arrested Support from readers like you helps OCCRP expose organized crime and corruption around the world you’ll be directly supporting investigative journalism as a public good You’ll also gain access to exclusive insights and benefits the United States and Spain has resulted in the arrests of 33 people and arrest.. Italy has been looking for him for a quarter of a century and was awaiting his extradition when the Uruguayan Interior.. A Spanish citizen belonging to Italy's 'Ndrangheta mafia has been arrested and four tons of cocaine seized in Colombia As Europe begins to get through the first coronavirus wave we can start to get a sense of which parts of the continent have been hit hardest – and which have been unaffected 42 out of 110 regions in Italy have had significant excess deaths during the coronavirus pandemic which is more than other countries in Europe We have seen tonnes of national corona comparisons in the last couple of months But comparing nations easily becomes misleading The spread of the pandemic is regional rather than national To better understand the spread of the virus we have gathered data on excess deaths from 500 subnational regions The data has been collected from national statistical agencies as well as aggregated through Eurostat 136 of these regions (27 percent) report a significant number of excess deaths Another 158 report somewhat more deaths than normal It is noteworthy that nearly half of all regions have recorded more or less normal number of deaths Excess deaths are the number of deaths this year compared to the historical average for the same period Measuring excess deaths is the best way of capturing the true toll of the coronavirus pandemic Officially reported coronavirus deaths are difficult to compare as countries count these in different ways roughly the same number of people as usual have died This is based on deaths occurring between week 9 and week 17 These are the regions with signficant excess deaths in Italy: The following regions have reported some excess deaths deaths have been more or less at the same level as usual 6,120 more people than usual have died since the beginning of the pandemic Bergamo is one of the first places coronavirus took hold in Europe and the region has had deaths many times higher than usual Data is only available for Italy until the end of April when the country was still close to the height of its pandemic so these figures are likely to fall when more complete numbers are released But it's clear corona’s spread across Italy is geographically focused to the north of the country A country that stands out with a rather uniform spread of the disease is the United Kingdom Every region but one report significant excess deaths have barely any excess deaths in any region Bulgaria has a small number of excess deaths in just one region that although excess deaths is the best metric we have available statistical agencies in different countries have different lags in reporting Newsworthy är en nyhetssajt som gör lokal journalistik baserat på data Vi är datajournalister som analyserar och tolkar världen på siffror Alla artiklar lokalanpassas ner på kommun- och länsnivå