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Historic Teatro Sannazaro in Naples Devastated by Fire

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A major fire has destroyed much of the historic Teatro Sannazaro in Naples, officials confirmed on Tuesday. The blaze, believed to have started in a nearby apartment block in the Chiaia district, quickly spread to the 19th-century wood-framed theatre. Flames caused the domed roof to collapse and severely damaged the ornate interior, including its plush seating and gilded boxes. Fire commander Giuseppe Paduano said only limited parts of the structure remain, with crews working to extinguish lingering hotspots as investigations into the cause continue.

Residents reported heavy smoke blanketing the neighbourhood from early morning, prompting the evacuation of 22 families from surrounding buildings. Four people were hospitalised due to smoke inhalation, though no deaths or serious injuries have been reported. Naples Mayor Gaetano Manfredi described the destruction as “a great sorrow” and “a deep wound” to the city’s cultural heritage, noting that early indications point to an accidental cause.

Opened in 1847, the theatre has long been a cornerstone of Naples’ cultural life, hosting renowned Italian actors and playwrights and staging a mix of classical music and theatre productions. Authorities have pledged support for reconstruction efforts, with both local and central government expected to assist. Italy has previously rebuilt iconic venues lost to fire, including La Fenice in Venice and Teatro Petruzzelli in Bari, both of which were destroyed by arson and later restored.

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German Economy Stuck in Slow Lane, DIHK Sees Just 1% Growth in 2026

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Germany’s economy is projected to grow by only 1% in 2026, according to the German Chamber of Industry and Commerce (DIHK), which warned that deeper reforms are needed for a sustainable recovery. The forecast marks a slight upgrade from its earlier 0.7% estimate, but DIHK managing director Helena Melnikov said the pace remains inadequate compared to global peers. Since 2019, the global economy has expanded by 19%, the U.S. by 15%, and Italy by 6%, while Germany has grown by just 0.2%, effectively stagnating over the period.

Europe’s largest economy continues to face headwinds from geopolitical uncertainty, high operating and energy costs, and weak domestic demand. Although a stronger global economy and increased public spending — particularly on security and defence — have provided limited support, DIHK noted that much of the expected growth in 2026 is driven by statistical and calendar effects rather than structural strength. The chamber urged faster reforms to reduce bureaucracy and lower labour and energy expenses.

The DIHK business climate index, based on a survey of around 26,000 companies, edged up to 95.9 points but remains well below its long-term average of 110. One in four firms expects economic conditions to worsen, while investment and hiring plans remain subdued. Only 23% of companies plan to increase investment and 12% expect to expand their workforce. However, export expectations offered a glimmer of hope, with 22% of businesses anticipating higher overseas sales over the next year.

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Five Young People Killed in Apartment Block Fire in Manlleu, Spain

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Five young people have died after a fire broke out in a storage area of a residential building in Manlleu, about 80km north of Barcelona. The blaze started shortly after 21:00 local time on Monday in a five-storey apartment block, according to Catalonia’s fire brigade. Four other people sustained minor injuries in the incident.

Authorities said the victims’ identities have not yet been officially confirmed, but local reports suggest they were all under 18, with one as young as 12. None of the deceased reportedly lived in the building. Firefighters are still investigating why the group was unable to escape from the upper-floor storage room, which is believed to have been informally used as a meeting place.

An investigation into the cause of the fire is under way. The local council has declared three days of mourning and is offering support to affected families. Catalan President Salvador Illa expressed shock over the tragedy and extended his condolences to the victims’ relatives and friends.

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Ukraine Funds Sperm Freezing for Soldiers Amid Deepening Demographic Crisis

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Facing a severe demographic decline worsened by Russia’s full-scale invasion, Ukraine is funding a programme that allows serving soldiers to freeze sperm and eggs free of charge. Introduced after private clinics began offering cryopreservation in 2022, the scheme was later regulated and financed by the state to help troops preserve the chance of having children if they are injured or killed. Lawmakers say the policy is both a personal safeguard for soldiers’ families and a small step toward protecting the nation’s future population.

The war has intensified an already serious crisis: large numbers of young men have been killed at the front, while millions—mostly women—have left the country as refugees. Clinics in Kyiv report that pregnancies have dropped sharply since the invasion, with stress, displacement and constant missile and drone attacks causing many couples to postpone having children. Officials argue that preserving fertility for military families is vital as Ukraine struggles with long-term population loss.

The programme has not been without controversy. Early rules required sperm samples to be destroyed if a donor died, prompting public outrage after widows were denied the right to use their husbands’ frozen material. Amendments now allow samples to be kept for several years after death with prior consent, though families still report legal and bureaucratic hurdles. Despite these challenges, supporters say open discussion of fertility and wider participation by soldiers could help ensure that the children of those killed in the war still have a chance to be born in the country their parents died defending.

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Italy’s “Lovers’ Arch” Collapses Into Sea on Valentine’s Day

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A famous natural rock formation known as “Lovers’ Arch” collapsed into the sea on Valentine’s Day after days of heavy rain and strong winds in southern Italy. The arch, located at Sant’Andrea in Melendugno, Puglia, was a popular landmark on the Adriatic coast and a favored spot for wedding proposals and photos.

Melendugno’s mayor, Maurizio Cisternino, described the collapse as “an unwanted Valentine’s Day gift,” calling it a heavy blow for local tourism. Authorities believe the severe weather brought by Storm Oriana accelerated long-term erosion, leading to the sudden failure of the rock formation, which passers-by noticed missing on Sunday morning.

Regional president Antonio Decaro said the loss marked the disappearance of a symbolic feature of the coast and highlighted the urgent need to slow coastal erosion. The arch stood in the Salento, one of Italy’s most visited tourist areas, underscoring concerns about how extreme weather is increasingly reshaping vulnerable coastal landscapes.

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Fresh Garda Search Launched for Missing Irish Women

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Irish police (Gardaí) have begun a new search operation in County Wicklow as part of ongoing investigations into the disappearances and suspected murders of Josephine “Jo Jo” Dullard and Deirdre Jacob, two young women who vanished in the 1990s. The search, on open ground near the Wicklow–Kildare border, will include excavation, technical and forensic examinations over the coming days, police said in a statement. Officials emphasised that the investigation remains active and that resources from state technical and forensic teams are supporting the operation.

Dullard, then 21, was last seen on 9 November 1995 in Moone, County Kildare, as she was trying to make her way home to Kilkenny after socialising in Dublin. Her case was upgraded from a missing person inquiry to a murder investigation in 2020. Jacob, who was 18 when she disappeared on 28 July 1998, was last seen near her family home in Newbridge, County Kildare, and her disappearance was reclassified as a murder inquiry in 2018.

An Garda Síochána said it continues to “keep an open mind” on both investigations and urged anyone with information, however small, to contact Garda stations or the confidential line. Families of Dullard and Jacob have been kept fully informed of developments, police added, while the Serious Crime Review Team and the Garda National Bureau of Criminal Investigation lead the search with local support.

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Volkswagen Targets 20% Cost Reduction by 2028 Amid Market Pressures

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Volkswagen AG plans to cut costs by 20% across all its brands by the end of 2028, according to a report by Manager Magazin. The move comes as Europe’s largest carmaker grapples with rising production expenses, stiff competition in China, and the impact of U.S. tariffs. CEO Oliver Blume and CFO Arno Antlitz reportedly presented a sweeping savings strategy to top executives at a closed-door meeting in Berlin last month.

A company spokesperson said Volkswagen has already achieved double-digit billion-euro savings through a group-wide efficiency programme launched three years ago. However, details on where further cuts will be made remain unclear, with potential plant closures reportedly discussed. The company’s works council chief, Daniela Cavallo, pointed to a 2024 agreement that ruled out plant closures and operational layoffs, stressing that competitiveness measures would be implemented with socially responsible safeguards.

Volkswagen is also in the process of cutting 35,000 jobs in Germany by 2030, while its core brand aims to streamline management and consolidate production platforms to save around 1 billion euros. German carmakers, including Mercedes-Benz Group AG, face mounting pressure from price wars in China and the costly transition to electric vehicles, even as they pledge long-term commitments to efficiency and low-emission mobility.

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Ex-Ukraine Energy Minister Detained in $100 Million ‘Midas’ Kickback Scandal

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Ukraine’s anti-corruption authorities have detained former energy minister German Galushchenko on accusations of laundering millions of dollars in kickbacks linked to the so-called “Midas” case. Investigators allege the scheme involved around $100 million in bribes at state nuclear company Energoatom. Galushchenko, who served as energy minister from 2021 to 2025 and briefly as justice minister before resigning last year, was reportedly stopped while attempting to leave the country. He denies wrongdoing.

According to Ukraine’s anti-corruption agency National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) and its prosecutorial partner SAPO, more than $7 million was transferred into foreign accounts naming Galushchenko’s wife and four children as beneficiaries. Prosecutors say some of the funds were used to pay for elite schooling in Switzerland, while other sums were placed in deposits generating additional income for the family. The broader probe has implicated senior officials and business figures, including associates of President Volodymyr Zelenskiy.

The scandal has shaken Kyiv’s wartime leadership and raised concerns among Western allies supporting Ukraine in its fight against Russia. The investigation previously led to high-level political fallout, including changes within the presidential administration. As Ukraine pushes for closer integration with the European Union, tackling entrenched corruption remains a central condition for advancing its reform agenda.

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UK and European Allies Blame Russia for Navalny’s Death, Cite Rare Dart Frog Toxin

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The UK and several European allies have accused Russia of killing opposition leader Alexei Navalny using epibatidine, a rare toxin derived from South American dart frogs. Speaking at the Munich Security Conference, UK Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper said analysis of material samples found on Navalny’s body showed the presence of the toxin, arguing that only the Russian state had the means, motive and opportunity to deploy it during his imprisonment in a Siberian penal colony. A joint statement by the UK, France, Germany, Sweden and the Netherlands held Moscow responsible.

Epibatidine is an extremely potent neurotoxin, estimated to be far stronger than morphine, and can cause paralysis, seizures, respiratory failure and death. It is naturally found in certain wild dart frogs in South America and is not known to occur in Russia. The UK has informed the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons of what it describes as a breach of the Chemical Weapons Convention. Russia, through state media and officials, has dismissed the claims as part of an “information campaign”.

Navalny, a prominent anti-corruption campaigner and critic of President Vladimir Putin, died on 16 February 2024 at the age of 47 while serving a prison sentence. He had previously survived a Novichok poisoning in 2020 before returning to Russia, where he was arrested. His widow, Yulia Navalnaya, welcomed the latest findings, saying they confirmed her long-held belief that her husband had been poisoned and murdered.

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EU Not Ready to Set Ukraine Membership Date, Says Kaja Kallas

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European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said EU governments are not prepared to give Ukraine a concrete date for joining the bloc, despite Kyiv’s push for one as part of future security guarantees. Speaking at the Munich Security Conference, Kallas said member states believe significant work remains before any timeline can be set, underlining that EU accession is a merit-based and lengthy process.

Ukraine, led by President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, has been pressing for a 2027 membership target, with diplomats saying the date was floated in discussions involving the European Union, the United States, and Ukraine as part of a broader peace framework. However, many EU capitals view any fixed date as unrealistic while Ukraine is still aligning its laws and institutions with EU standards amid an ongoing war with Russia.

Latvian President Edgars Rinkevics echoed Kallas’ remarks, saying there was little appetite among EU leaders to commit to a date and expressing scepticism about the prospects of an imminent peace deal. He added that any special arrangement for Ukraine would also need to consider long-standing candidates such as Western Balkans states and Moldova, while noting that opposition from Hungary continues to slow the launch of detailed accession talks.

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