Italy

15 min read

Start your Sicily sightseeing, from the mythical Villa Igieia, in the hills of Palermo!

Located on the northern coast of the Italian island of Sicily, get to know its massively Arab-Norman inspired capital of...

Europe swelters under a heatwave complicated by Covid-19 restrictions 9 August 2020
Sun-seekers flocked to beaches over the weekend as parts of Western Europe sweltered in a heatwave, but authorities urged people to avoid crowded areas and keep wearing masks despite the heat over concern for the rising numbers of coronavirus cases across the continent.
FRANCE 24
Afghanistan to release 400 'hard-core' Taliban as precondition to peace talks 9 August 2020
Afghanistan agreed on Sunday to release 400 "hard-core" Taliban prisoners, paving the way for the beginning of peace talks aimed at ending more than 19 years of war.
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Nagasaki marks 75th anniversary of atomic bombing 9 August 2020
The Japanese city of Nagasaki on Sunday commemorated the 75th anniversary of its destruction by a US atomic bomb, with its mayor and the head of the United Nations warning against a nuclear arms race.
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Video of Uighur handcuffed to bed in quarantine centre refocuses attention on Chinese persecution 9 August 2020
A newly emerged video showing a Uighur former fashion model detained inside a Covid-19 quarantine centre has refocused attention on China’s persecution of the Muslim minority in Xinjiang province. The video, posted by the BBC on July 5, was filmed by Merdan Ghappar, 31, and sent to his family in March along with text messages […]
Belarus opposition figures detained as Lukashenko faces challenge in presidential vote 9 August 2020
Belarus began voting in an election on Sunday pitting President Alexander Lukashenko against a former teacher who emerged from obscurity to lead the biggest challenge in years against the man once dubbed "Europe's last dictator" by Washington.
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Brazil's coronavirus death toll surpasses 100,000 9 August 2020
Brazil on Saturday surpassed 100,000 coronavirus deaths and three million cases of infection, crossing the grim milestone after President Jair Bolsonaro said he had a "clear conscience" on his response to the outbreak.
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Trump signs executive orders extending financial relief for Americans amid pandemic 9 August 2020
President Donald Trump on Saturday signed executive actions extending financial relief to Americans hit by the coronavirus pandemic as polls showed a large majority of voters unhappy with his handling of the crisis.
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Macron, UN host virtual donor conference to secure international aid for Lebanon 9 August 2020
French President Emmanuel Macron and the United Nations will co-host a virtual donors' conference on Sunday to solicit international aid for Lebanon, whose capital Beirut was devastated by explosions on Tuesday that left more than 150 people dead and a quarter of a million homeless.
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Bayern and Barcelona win places in the Champions League quarter-finals 8 August 2020
Bayern Munich cruised past Chelsea to win 4-1 on Saturday, gaining them a place in the Champions League quarter-finals with a 7-1 aggregate. They will be joined in the last eight by Barcelona, who were victorious at home against Napoli, thanks to a fired-up Lionel Messi.
FRANCE 24
Paris makes masks compulsory in busy outdoors areas from Monday 8 August 2020
Paris authorities have announced that face masks will be mandatory in busy outdoor areas of the French capital starting on Monday to curb a rise in the rate of coronavirus infections.
FRANCE 24