Latest Mediterranean Sea News
8 dead migrants recovered off Italian island of Lampedusa
MILAN (AP) — The bodies of eight migrants have been recovered by Italy's coast guard during an operation overnight that also rescued 42 survivors in the central Mediterranean off the island of Lampedusa, authorities said Friday. Another two people, a newborn and a man, fell into...
FDA food safety official resigns, cites structural issues
The federal Food and Drug Administration's top food safety official resigned Wednesday, citing concerns about the agency's oversight structure and the infant formula crisis that led to a nationwide shortage. Frank Yiannas, the deputy commissioner for food policy and response since...
Red Crescent: 8 dead, 58 missing after shipwreck off Libya
CAIRO (AP) — A boat carrying Europe-bound migrants capsized off Libya, killing at least eight people, while 58 others were still missing, the country's Red Crescent said Wednesday. Tawfik al-Shukri, spokesman for the Libyan Red Crescent, said the shipwreck took place Tuesday off...
Cyprus so far strips 222 people of 'golden passports'
NICOSIA, Cyprus (AP) — The government of Cyprus has stripped 222 wealthy investors and their family members of citizenship, an official said Wednesday, part of efforts to mend a reputation sullied by an investment-for-passports program that an inquiry found had unlawfully granted citizenships in...
Official: Apartment building collapse in Egypt kills 6
CAIRO (AP) — At least six people were killed Sunday when an apartment building collapsed in southern Egypt, a senior official said. Building collapses are common in Egypt, where shoddy construction and a lack of maintenance are widespread in shantytowns, poor city neighborhoods and...
Libya says boat with 700 Europe-bound migrants intercepted
CAIRO (AP) — A vessel carrying at least 700 migrants was intercepted off the eastern coast of Libya, the coast guard said. It was one of the largest interceptions in recent months of migrants seeking a better life in Europe through the war-torn North African country. The coast...
Charities say new Italian rules will limit rescues at sea
MILAN (AP) — Charities that rescue migrants at sea complained Thursday that new measures adopted by Italy's right-wing government will limit their rescue capacity, setting lives at risk. The government this week approved rules requiring rescue ships to request a port immediately...
Paphos bishop elected as new leader of Cyprus Church
NICOSIA, Cyprus (AP) — Cyprus’ Orthodox Church on Saturday elected Paphos Bishop Georgios as its new leader following the death last month of Archbishop Chrysostomos II. The 73-year-old cleric received nine votes from the 16-member Holy Synod, the church’s highest decision...
US deaths fell this year, but not to pre-COVID levels
NEW YORK (AP) — The number of U.S. deaths dropped this year, but there are still more than there were before the coronavirus hit. Preliminary data — through the first 11 months of the year — indicates 2022 will see fewer deaths than the previous two COVID-19 pandemic years....
Aid groups dock 2 rescue vessels with 500 migrants in Italy
ROME (AP) — Two European aid groups docked their rescue vessels in Italian ports on Sunday and some 500 would-be refugees disembarked, even as the government insisted it wasn’t backing down on its hard line against migrant smuggling operations from North Africa. The Geo Berents,...
