Unions and students shut down cities over cost of living
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A general strike has brought protests to 50 cities, with schools and universities occupied as workers and students oppose rising prices and government military spending. While the USB union accuses the government of ignoring the causes of the unrest, new measures including increased surveillance and the monitoring of student chat groups are being implemented in schools.
The healthcare sector has joined the dissent, with regional leaders and doctors warning of a system in crisis after the government halved requested funding. In a separate institutional rift, anti-mafia prosecutor Nino Di Matteo has filed a formal complaint against the national prosecutor, Giovanni Melillo, alleging a lack of progress in investigating historical massacres.
Four Italian military personnel and Red Cross staff died when their helicopter crashed shortly after takeoff in Bosnia. Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni paid tribute to the victims as investigators look into reports of a rotor lock and an abnormal dive.