News about Giorgia Meloni

Syria has been a pariah in the wake of chemical weapon strikes by its dictator Bashar al-Assad.  But at a summit in Brussels, Italian prime minister Giorgia Meloni lobbied for a review of the EU's strategy towards Damascus.

EU leaders are set to discuss plans for migrant 'returns hubs' as the bloc shifts its stance on asylum deportation camps. Ahead of this week's European Council summit, European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen called for 'innovative ways to counter illegal migration'. In a letter to the bloc's leaders ahead of their gathering in Brussels, Ms von der Leyen said they should consider the development of 'return hubs outside the EU'. These would likely house failed asylum seekers sent from the EU when they are served with deportation orders. She added the EU would be able to 'draw lessons' from Italy's new asylum pact with Albania. This will see migrants rescued at sea by Italian vessels transferred to Albania to have their asylum claims processed. Ms von der Leyen's call for EU leaders to consider the approval of 'returns hubs' represents an about-turn from Brussels bosses on how to tackle illegal migration.

In dark corners of the internet, depraved content creators are sharing pornographic pictures and videos made with artificial intelligence to make money - and humiliate their loved ones. Women are being photographed or videoed drugged or asleep in compromising positions. Photos of mothers and sisters are being distributed and edited as part of a bizarre humiliation ritual. And students under the legal age are being identified and targeted for 'deepfake' content. Scores of secret chat rooms based in South Korea - some hidden behind the careful encryption of popular platforms like Telegram - host hundreds of thousands of participants, with journalists reporting that to gain access, users must share indecent images of their own family members.

Italy 's government formally opened two new migrant centres in Albania where refugees will be sent after being intercepted in the Med under a plan by Meloni's hard right government. Friday's opening had been delayed for several months because crumbling soil at one center needed to be repaired. Italian Ambassador to Albania Fabrizio Bucci said the two centers are ready to process the migrants, but could not say when the first ones would arrive. 'As of today, the two centers are ready and operational,' Bucci told journalists at the port of Shengjin on Albania's Adriatic coast where the migrants will land. The centers have capacity to accommodate up to 400 illegal migrants as a start, expected to increase to 880 in a few weeks, according to Italian officials, speaking off the record.

Italian prime minister Giorgia Meloni yesterday condemned deepfake porn videos as a 'form of violence against women' as she appeared in court to demand punishment for the two men who allegedly made fake explicit videos of her and shared them online.     The prime minister, who appeared in court via video-link from Rome on Tuesday said: 'I insist on demanding the punishment of those who are responsible because I consider what they did to be intolerable,' according to Italian news outlet Ansa.  'This is a form of violence against women. It is intolerable in terms of how these images made me feel

A flat-rate lump sum levy that falls due each year could be the solution to the mounting challenges facing Chancellor Rachel Reeves in her Autumn Budget plan to squeeze more tax from 'non-doms'. These are people whose permanent home is out of the UK for tax purposes and so enjoy certain tax privileges. A similar scheme in Italy - led by premier Giorgia Meloni - is luring non-doms from the UK and elsewhere who are willing to pay reasonable sums in tax, but unwilling to be penalised.

The small group of children and adults clambered on top of the rocket in the Negev desert near Arad, in the aftermath of an Iranian missile attack on Israel. Israel could unleash an attack on Iran 's nuclear, oil and military facilities in response to its ballistic missile onslaught, it was feared last night. The country's political leaders are thought to favour a significant and unambiguous retaliation, despite concerns it could incite a seismic wave of conflict across the Middle East.

Herbert Kickl, the Freedom Party's leader, has helped to bring it from the fringes into the political mainstream over recent years, focusing his campaign on an anti-immigration message which appears to have resonated with voters. The FPOe promoted the controversial policy of 'remigration', calling for the forced return of 'uninvited foreigners' to their home countries and vowing to achieve a more 'homogenous' nation. Kickl's success, as with many of his allies across Europe, could also be down to his softer stance on Russia and attacks on the establishment in Austria and the EU more widely over freedom of movement and funding of the war in Ukraine. The seismic victory has been welcomed by fellow populist figures across the continent, who have hailed it as a success for their shared ideologies amid a 'tidal wave' of gains for nationalist forces. 'There has been a shift to the right almost all over Europe, and Austria is no exception,' one political analyst told MailOnline.

Many have been snapped up to work on illegal cannabis 'farms' - with contacts shared via a secret channel on messaging service Telegram, it has been reported. The drug production bases are said to often be set up in rented homes as well as industrial buildings which have fallen into disuse. Conversations on the app reportedly cover topics such as the best chemicals to boost cannabis plant growth - and even recommendations to use crossbows rather than guns to fend off rival drug-dealing gangs. The revelations which suggest more than 700 Albanians are using the service to bolster their UK drug trade operations follow an undercover probe by the Telegraph.

Critics say Elon Musk has been unravelling mentally since he took over Twitter. But physically, he's never looked better. Doctors were 'shocked' at how 'chiseled' and 'refreshed' the tech mogul, 53, appeared in a flirty video joking around with Italian prime minister Giorgia Meloni this week. Gone was the scruffy bearded, wild haired and tired-looking mogul people have grown used to seeing in recent years. We spoke to eight cosmetic surgerons, weight loss experts and psychologists about how he's achieved the new physique.

Elon Musk has denied having an affair with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, after pictures of them together sent social media into a meltdown as he referred to the lawmaker as 'beautiful.' Pictures shared online showed the Tesla founder and the Italian Prime Minister gazing into each other's eyes at the Global Citizen Awards in New York City on Monday, as Musk handed Meloni the titular award. But as the photos started circulating on his social media platform, Musk denied having any amorous relations with Meloni at the black-tie event, noting he was there with his mom.

President Joe Biden led a group of more 30 countries in expressing their support for Ukraine on Wednesday, as President Volodymyr Zelensky tries to rally the world to his peace plan and keep his country in the spotlight. The leaders surrounded Biden and Zelensky on stage for a group photo at the start of the event, in a visual show of support, on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly meeting in New York. But there were a few hiccups: Biden welcomed the leaders to Washington (they're in New York) and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni gave her remarks over zoom but forgot to unmute herself at the top.

The boy, who was born with serious disabilities and cannot see or hear, had been kept alive by the machines since 2023, after suffering a serious brain infection which triggered two heart attacks. But his Christian parents lost their High Court bid against King's College Hospital NHS Trust earlier this year to send him to a Vatican-backed hospital in Italy. At the time, the judge ruled the boy, who cannot be named, should not be 'forced to live'. Yet in just a matter of months his condition has improved and he has returned home.

Italy has moved towards legalising chemical castration for rapists and paedophiles under a proposed new law.  The parliament in Rome gave its approval on Wednesday to the creation of a committee that could draft laws on treating violent sex offenders with androgen-blocking drugs. The treatment would be consensual and reversible with the aim of preventing reoffending, Politico has reported. 

Both nations are in the Schengen free movement area, and are common stop-off points for criminals moving people and equipment from Italy, Greece , the Balkans and eastern Europe to the coast of northern France. The foreign deployment is part of a £70million cash injection diverted from the scrapped Rwanda scheme into the new Border Security Command (BSO), which is central to Labour's bid to reduce Channel crossings. The unit, which will be led by Martin Hewitt - the police chief formerly responsible for enforcing Covid lockdowns - will bring together hundreds of officers from the NCA, M15, Border Force and the Crown Prosecution Service. Pictured left: Sir Keir Starmer at a summit in Rome to discuss illegal migration.

Keir Starmer yesterday signalled he is ready to pay foreign countries millions of pounds to help tackle the migrant crisis as he hailed Italy 's success in curbing illegal crossings. The Prime Minister, who scrapped the last government's Rwanda scheme, said he was now willing to embrace 'British pragmatism', including looking at an Italian scheme which involves sending migrants to Albania. Speaking at a press conference alongside Italian PM Giorgia Meloni in Rome, Sir Keir said was eager to learn from Italy's 'dramatic' success in cutting illegal arrivals across the Mediterranean by 62 per cent this year. Ms Meloni said Sir Keir had shown 'great interest' in Italy's new plan to send thousands of migrants to Albania to have their asylum claims processed.

Life comes at you fast. Ten weeks ago, Sir Keir Starmer led his party to a historic majority, winning more than 400 seats.  Now, the two latest polls show Labour 's lead at just four per cent. All Oppositions pretend that governing is easy; but Labour came to believe its own claim. Not only its young and idealistic base, but many of its MPs seem genuinely to have convinced themselves that Britain's problems were caused by having Bad People in charge. Replace those Bad People with Good People - compassionate types who cared about the poor - and all would be well.Immigration is where Labour's pre-election conceits are collapsing fastest. Starmer had talked himself into thinking that the Rwanda scheme was both immoral and ineffective, and that he would find some humane alternative. He cancelled it on taking office, despite evidence that it was already serving as a deterrent, even before coming into effect.

Lady Starmer was accused of 'crass insensitivity' yesterday after wearing a freebie frock to London Fashion Week while 'Wardrobegate' rages on. It emerged this weekend that the Prime Minister's wife was given high-end clothes from Labour donor Lord Alli as well as a personal shopper and garment alterations. However, Sir Keir Starmer failed to declare the gifts on time - sparking ­outrage among MPs. Yet, despite the scandal, Lady Starmer attended London Fashion Week yesterday in a loaned designer outfit.

Keir Starmer (left) insisted Nato countries should put Kyiv 'in the best possible position' amid rising speculation that Storm Shadow weapons (top right) will be signed off for strikes on Russia. Sir Keir met Joe Biden in in the White House for talks on the issue last week, and discussed it with Italian premier Giorgia Meloni in Rome today. Last year, the UK donated Storm Shadow cruise missiles to Ukraine, but the weapons remain off limits beyond Ukraine's borders despite repeated requests from Volodymyr Zelensky. Vladimir Putin (bottom right) has warned the West will be 'at war' if the missiles are deployed in that way.

Keir Starmer and Giorgia Meloni posed for the cameras in Rome, where they have been discussing issues including how to secure borders and the Ukraine crisis. Ms Meloni seemed in high spirits as she ushered Sir Keir around Villa Doria Pamphili - at one point dancing across him to ensure they were in the correct positions. At a joint press conference later, Sir Keir said 'irregular' immigration was a 'problem across Europe', and particularly for the UK and Italy. Despite summarily scrapping the previous government's Rwanda plan, he said he was 'pragmatic' and wanted to look at Italy's plan to 'offshore' some asylum processing to Albania.

On average, gangs are squeezing an average of 52 migrants on each boat - increasing the danger for those making the hazardous crossing. Almost 1,100 migrants arrived in the UK over the weekend. In 2018 an average of seven people were on each boat. This year more than 52 people are packed on each vessel.

Keir Starmer (pictured left meeting business leaders in Rome this morning) is holding talks with Giorgia Meloni (top right), with discussions set to include her tough approach to tackling small boats crossing the Mediterranean. Sir Keir has been joined by former police chief Martin Hewitt (bottom right together), who was appointed last night as the UK's new 'Border Security Commander'. Downing Street said the PM wanted to learn from Italy, which has cut the numbers arriving across the Mediterranean from 118,000 to 44,500 in the last year - a fall of 62 per cent. The two leaders will discuss a radical new scheme which will see thousands of illegal migrants arriving in Italy sent to Albania to have their asylum claims processed. The issue has been given even more urgency by the deaths of eight migrants who were trying to cross the Channel over the weekend.

Martin Hewitt (pictured), the former chairman of the National Police Chiefs' Council (NPCC), previously coordinated the police forces on issues including terrorism. He will be in charge of coordinating Labour's plans to curb small boat crossings in the Channel and crack down on people-smuggling gangs. The appointment comes after eight migrants died in the early hours of yesterday morning while trying to cross the English Channel. Mr Hewitt is set to join the PM for his visit to Rome to meet his Italian counterpart Giorgia Meloni in Rome today.

The current record for the highest number of arrivals in one day so far this year is 882 in 15 boats on June 18. The latest small boat disaster claimed the lives of eight migrants today after their dinghy got into difficulty off the coast at Ambleteuse, near Calais, in the early hours of this morning. A ten-month-old baby was among those rushed to hospital following the tragedy, which was brought to attention when emergency services received a Mayday from the dinghy. 'Several migrants lost their lives,' said Jacques Billant, the Pas de Calais prefect, as he confirmed eight unidentified migrants were declared dead at the scene.