Italy will refuse to let a humanitarian ship carrying more than 600 migrants dock at any of its ports and has asked the Mediterranean island of Malta to open its doors to the vessel, the government said on Sunday. France pushes people back at the border, Spain defends its frontier with weapons,” Mr Salvini wrote on Facebook. Numbers have dropped dramatically in recent months, but rescues have increased in recent days, presenting Mr Salvini with his first test as minister. “My aim is to guarantee a peaceful life for these youths in Africa and for our children in Italy,” Mr Salvini said, using the Twitter hashtag “We will shut the ports”. Mr Salvini has accused the charities of acting as a “taxi service” for the migrants.

Source: The Irish Times June 10, 2018 22:30 UTC