Tag: Italy News

Roman shipwreck discovered off the coast of Sicily, Italy laden with ancient jars believed to be more than 2,000 years old

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Italian divers have discovered the 2,100-year-old wreck of a Roman ship off Sicily, piled high with hundreds of well-preserved ancient clay jars, known as amphorae, which were likely used to transport wine. The wreck, dubbed by Italy’s Culture Minister Alessandro Giuli as “one of the most important underwater archaeological discoveries of recent years”, was found some three miles off the coast of Mazara del Vallo. Divers from the cultural heritage protection arm of Palermo’s police said Saturday they had located the ship, thought to date to between the 2nd and 1st centuries BC, some 150 feet down, after a tip-off from fishermen.

In an Instagram post, underwater fishermen Giacomo De Mola described seeing “something” on his boat’s underwater scanner which resembled a rock. De Mola said he decided to dive and investigate anyway, when he stumbled upon what he described as “without a doubt, the most incredible discovery of my life.” “Visibility wasn’t the best… I got closer. And my heart stopped. Below me was a vast expanse of amphorae,” De Mola said in the instagram post, along with video footage of the discovery. He said he “immediately” reported the discovery to the Superintendent of the sea of the Sicilian Region. Screenshot from video posted by Italy’s Ministry of Culture showing the discovery of an underwater Roman shipwreck laden with amphorae, believed to be more than 2,000 years old.

“It’s hard to explain what it feels like to be among the first human beings, after almost twenty centuries, to see that place again,” he said. The ship, reported in local media to be some 21 metres long and six metres wide, was mostly carrying Dressel 1A amphorae, which were tall and cylindrical, and mainly used for carrying wine.

Scoperto al largo di Mazara del Vallo un relitto romano del II-I sec a.C., con centinaia di anfore. «Una delle più importanti scoperte archeologiche subacquee degli ultimi anni», dichiara il Min Giuli, congratulandosi con @_Carabinieri_ Nucleo TPC e SopMare della Regione Sicilia pic.twitter.com/H1JbfX8MzF — Ministero della Cultura (@MiC_Italia) August 8, 2026

Source: Roman shipwreck discovered off the coast of Sicily, Italy laden with ancient jars believed to be more than 2,000 years old – CBS News

For if there is first a willing mind, it is accepted according to what one has, and not according to what he does not have.
2 Corinthians 8:12

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Red heat alerts issued in France, Italy and Spain as 40C temperatures forecast

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Heatwave conditions in Western Europe with temperature gradients from hot to extremely hot

Red heat alerts have been issued in France, Spain and other nations across western and central Europe as heatwave conditions are forecast to intensify in the coming days with highs of more than 40C. More than half of France’s regions are currently under the harshest weather warning, with hundreds of schools ordered to close and highs of 42C hitting Bordeaux on Monday, forecaster Météo-France said. Two children aged two and four have been found dead in their family car in the town of Carpentras in the south of France, in an accident being linked to the weather.

Similar red warnings have been issued by the authorities in Germany, Italy, Switzerland and Luxembourg. BBC Weather Temperatures are expected to peak in many areas on Wednesday The rising temperatures are being driven by hot air moving north from the Sahara desert, which is in turn trapping hot air over the affected areas, with forecasters suggesting the conditions could result in one of the longest heatwaves in recent years. Scientists have said that recurring heatwaves are a marker of global warming, with Météo-France noting that of the 51 heatwaves recorded in France since 1947, 34 have taken place since 2000 and 26 since 2011.

Elsewhere the conditions have seen: Spain’s state weather service Aemet warn of “extremely high” temperatures for the season until Wednesday “between five and 10 degrees above what is typical” – with some areas set to reach 44C. A red alert has been issued for the Basque country, with highs in San Sebastian forecast to rise to 40C, almost double its average for this time of year Italy issue red alerts for 12 cities, including Milan, Turin, Venice, Bologna, Florence and Rome after several days of temperatures above 35C Five people die in fatal swimming accidents over the weekend in Germany, where temperatures have already reached as high as 38C

The UK’s Met Office issue a rare red heat warning for Wednesday and Thursday for parts of England and Wales, amid forecasts suggesting temperatures could reach 38C in some areas Firefighters battle a wildfire near near Akraifnio, in central Greece, that has forced the temporary closure of a major motorway following hot, dry weather and strong winds The IRM meteorological institute in Belgium forecasting record temperatures in the coming week. Meanwhile, the country’s train operator announced some peak hour trains would be cancelled for Monday and Tuesday due to the heat.

Temperatures are expected to peak in many parts of the continent on Wednesday, with 41C forecast for Paris. In the capital on Monday, several train lines also reduced services. France’s national railway operator SNCF urged “vulnerable” people to avoid or postpone train travel this week. Some 845 schools in France were shut, while a further 1,800 are allowing pupils to finish classes early, the education ministry said. But more than a million high school students were to take their oral final exams for the baccalaureate amid the heat. A red heat alert is the highest of four warnings issued by Météo-France, and advises people to exercise extreme caution in conditions that are potentially life-threatening.

Dozens of other regions in France are under an orange alert – the second-highest warning – with an estimated 63 million people in total affected across the country. BBC Weather Figures show temperatures are expected to be significantly higher than average in some areas of Europe The full circumstances of the deaths of the children found in their family car in the south of France are not yet clear but they had been returning from a shopping trip with their mother and reportedly found themselves stuck inside the family car with the windows shut, amid highs of 39C.

Ambulance workers tried unsuccessfully to resuscitate the pair. The local state prosecutor said the precise cause of death had yet to be determined, but “it is probably linked to the heatwave”. Meanwhile, the French government has urged people not to try to cool off in unsupervised areas such as lakes and rivers, after 13 drowning deaths at the weekend. In the south-west Gironde region, local authorities on Sunday said three people – aged between 80 and 95 years – had died, partly due to the intense heat.

Source: Red heat alerts issued in France, Italy and Spain as 40C temperatures forecast

See that no one renders evil for evil to anyone, but always pursue what is good both for yourselves and for all.
1 Thessalonians 5:15

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