Stories from Palermo · Italy

Sicily is experiencing a heatwave, with African air masses bringing unusually hot temperatures for May. This weather pattern is creating a stark contrast with cooler conditions in northern Italy.

Stefano Bonaccini, President of the Democratic Party (PD) and a Member of the European Parliament (MEP), is scheduled to participate in a panel discussion at L'Ars. Emanuele Lavagna will moderate the panel.

Alessandro Scarlatti, a composer from the Italian school of opera, was born in Palermo on May 2, 1660. Palermo was then part of the Kingdom of Sicily. Scarlatti studied in Rome, where he presented his first opera. This work impressed Queen Christina of Sweden.

A crack cocaine emergency is affecting Palermo, where more than 4,000 young people are reported to be addicted. Sicilian mothers have formed an association named Lotta delle famiglie per indipendenza dalla dipendenza to support parents with children addicted to crack cocaine.

The Italo-Belga real estate company, which has managed the Mondello beach for 114 years, received an injunction following alleged mafia infiltration. The injunction was issued after reports of criminal links surfaced in November.

The CGL confederation is holding its third national assembly against mafia and corruption in Palermo. The two-day event began on Tuesday. The assembly aims to address issues of mafia influence and corruption.

Minors have been implicated in a burglary in Sicily where approximately 20,000 Euros were stolen.

The Sicilian regional government has allocated €700 million in its own resources to support regional initiatives. This follows similar funding allocations in Calabria at €80.8 million and Sardinia at €5.5 million. The move is part of broader regional fiscal management discussed in the context of recent decrees.

Cyclone Erria caused significant damage to the coasts of Sicily, Calabria, and Sardinia on January 18, 2026. The event is remembered as one of the worst in the region's history.

Four former and current presidents of the Sicilian region are under judicial investigation for alleged failures in their duties. The investigation includes former presidents Musumeci, Schifani, Crocetta, and Lombardo. The scrutiny focuses on actions and inactions within Sicily.