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Italy Advances Tougher Measures on Migrant Arrivals

ILE PHOTO: Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni attends a bilateral meeting with U.S. Vice President JD Vance (not pictured), during his visit to the Milano Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan, Italy, February 6, 2026.  Italy’s government has approved a new migration bill that would grant authorities the power to impose temporary naval blockades during periods of intense pressure on the country’s borders. The proposal, backed by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, is designed to curb irregular sea crossings by restricting access to Italian territorial waters. The draft law would allow officials to bar vessels from entering for up to 30 days, with the option to extend the measure to six months if national security or public order is deemed at risk. The plan also strengthens border surveillance, increases penalties for human smuggling, and expands the list of offenses that can lead to deportation. Supporters argue the move is necessary to manage migration flows more effectively, whi...

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Asia Stocks Set to Open Lower Following Declines in European Stocks and Bonds


 According to a Bloomberg report, Asian equities are expected to open lower on Tuesday following declines in European stocks and bonds as European Central Bank officials tampered down rapid rate cut expectations. 

US markets were shut for a holiday Monday. Share futures for Australian and Hong Kong benchmarks slipped, while those for Japanese equities rose. The region-wide Euro Stoxx 50 inched 0.3% lower Monday, partly weighed down by a contraction in German gross domestic product in the fourth quarter, although Europe’s largest economy managed to avoid recession. Elsewhere, oil prices retreated, even as tensions in the Red Sea endured. Houthi militants hit a US-owned commercial vessel with a ballistic missile on Monday, underscoring the risks facing one of the world’s most important trade routes. West Texas Intermediate, the US oil price, fell 0.3%, while Brent, the international benchmark slipped 0.2% Monday.


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