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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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Stocks Open on a Positive Note as Earnings Season Kicks Off

 

The stock market opened on a positive note today, with stocks edging up as the earnings season kicks off. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose by 0.2%, or about 75 points, while the benchmark S&P 500 gained 0.4% and the tech-heavy Nasdaq Composite advanced about 0.3%. 

The earnings season is seen as a crucial chance for stocks to shake off the losses built in the year so far. JPMorgan Chase, Bank of America, and Wells Fargo all posted decent results on Friday, but the latter two saw shares fall as they failed to settle nerves about potential pain ahead.

Oil prices jumped more than 2% after the US and its allies launched airstrikes against Houthi rebels in Yemen, drawing threats of reprisals from the Iran-backed group behind Red Sea attacks on shipping. Meanwhile, investors are looking for more insight into price pressures after the consumer CPI reading came in hotter than expected on Thursday. 

On Friday, the producer price index showed an unexpected fall in prices last month, boosting hopes that inflation will continue to cool in the months ahead.



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