Italian Deputy PM: Very Existence of United Europe to be Decided within the Year

Ahead of the EU summit, where the latest disagreements within the bloc over migration policy are expected to be on the agenda, Italy lambasted Paris for “lecturing” Rome and resisted Germany’s plans to turn away refugees which have been registered in other countries.

Call for EU solidarity ahead of migrant summit

All EU countries need to help southern neighbours, where most migrants are arriving, European Commissioner Guenther Oettinger has said.

Over 100,000 Migrants Cross Med to Europe since January: UN

More than 100,000 migrants and refugees have made the perilous journey across the Mediterranean to Europe since the beginning of the year, and 2,247 have died trying, the UN said Tuesday.

Nearly 200 asylum seekers feared dead off Libya coast

Eleven migrants have died and nearly 200 are missing after two boats carrying asylum seekers sank off the coast of Libya, UN agencies said on Monday citing survivors.

Italian PM Renzi vows to resign after referendum defeat

Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi announced his resignation hours after learning he had suffered a crushing defeat in a referendum on constitutional reform.

Italy earthquake: Death toll rises to at least 120

At least 120 people have been killed and 368 injured in an earthquake that hit a mountainous area of central Italy, PM Matteo Renzi has said.

Migrant crisis: Austria passes controversial new asylum law

Austria has passed a controversial new law that restricts the right of asylum and allows most claimants to be rejected directly at the border.

4,000 migrants rescued in Strait of Sicily in two days - Italy coastguard

Some 4,000 migrants have been rescued from boats in the Strait of Sicily between Tunisia and Italy in the past two days, Italy's coastguard said.

Pope urges global response to migrant crisis

Pope Francis has urged the international community to act over a surge in the numbers of migrants attempting to reach Italy in dangerous sea crossings from north Africa.
The pontiff's appeal came at the end of a week in which more than 450 people are feared to have drowned in the Mediterranean.

EU vows to fight new tactics by migrant smugglers

The EU vowed Jan. 2 to fight people smugglers' new tactic of abandoning "ghost ships" full of migrants off European coasts.
      
The European Commission, the EU's executive arm, said it was "following closely the events surrounding" the crewless Ezadeen merchant ship which had drifted toward Italy's southern shores with 450 migrants aboard before Italian sailors took control of it Friday.

Winds hamper burning ferry rescue off Greece (About 160 rescued)

At least one person has been killed and hundreds more remain trapped after an Italian ferry with almost 500 people on board caught fire off the Greek island of Corfu, the Italian Navy has confirmed.
About 160 people have been rescued so far, while Italian and Greek helicopter crews prepared to work through the night to airlift passengers in pairs off a burning ferry adrift in the Adriatic Sea.