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Italy – Analysis and Comment

On November 12, 2019, in Venise, the sea rose 1.87 metres above its normal level, flooding much of the city. Ihor Serdyukov/Shutterstock

Notre-Dame and Venice: why such a gap in generosity?

More than 1 billion euros were donated after Paris’ cathedral was grievously damaged by fire in April. By comparison, just a few million euros were given after catastrophic flooding in Cité des Doges.
A migrant rests on a Mediterranea Saving Humans NGO boat as it sails off Italy’s southernmost island of Lampedusa, just outside Italian territorial waters, on July 4, 2019. Despite being rescued, migrants sit offshore, often in sight of land, as NGO boats become floating mobile border sites. (AP Photo/Olmo Calvo)

Standoffs at sea highlight the shameful criminalization of rescuing migrants

Standoffs at sea represent yet another attempt by EU officials to obstruct the movement of migrants by producing further bureaucratic blockades to mobility.
Migrants rest on a Mediterranea Saving Humans NGO boat as they sail off Italy’s southernmost island of Lampedusa, just outside Italian territorial waters, on July 4, 2019. (AP Photo/Olmo Calvo)

People are drowning at sea. Why aren’t we saving them?

Authorities in Italy would sooner turn ships carrying migrants back to strife-torn countries like Libya rather than allow them to seek asylum. It’s amounting to repeated Voyages of the Damned.
The aftermath of the Brumadinho dam collapse, which took place on January 25, 2019, in Minas Gerais state, Brazil. Vinícius Mendonça/Ibama

Eyes in the sky: How satellites can monitor infrastructure health

Population growth is creating a huge demand for infrastructure, even as environmental risks grow. To detect problems early, satellites can provide rich data to help assess infrastructure “health”.
People holding German flags take part in a rally organised by Germany’s far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party on May 1, 2019 in Chemnitz, eastern Germany. Hendrik Schmidt/AFP

The impact of immigration on EU countries’ nationalistic sentiments

Nationalism seems to be on the rise in Europe, with many parties hostile to immigration. But what role does immigration itself have their support? Research shows some unexpected impacts.
US marines walk through the rebuilt palace of King Nebuchadnezzar, in the ancient town of Babylon, in April 2003. The ruins suffered serious damage when American troops set up a military base amid the ruins during the Iraq War. Reuters/Jerry Lampen

‘World Heritage’ site selection is Eurocentric – and that shapes which historic places get love and money

A scholar analyzed data about UNESCO World Heritage sites to explain why European cultural relics like Notre Dame are so beloved, while splendid monuments elsewhere remain relatively unknown.
In Muenster, Germany, the Christian Social Union (CSU), Christian Democratic Union (CDU), and European People’s Party (EPP) launch the European election campaign on April 27, 2019. In the center, Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer, leader of the CDU. Second from left, Markus Soeder, leader of the CSU. Between them, Manfred Weber, top EPP candidate for the European elections. Tobias Schwarz/AFP

EU elections: Six countries seen by six experts

Ahead of the 2019 EU elections, experts from the Czech Republic, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Sweden and Norway look at how the EU is perceived, key issues and perspectives for the election.