Severe thunderstorms swept across North Africa this week, leaving parts of Tunisia and Algeria blanketed in thick layers of hail that resembled a winter snowfall.

Italy declared a state of emergency on Monday following widespread damage caused last week by Cyclone Harry across the regions of Calabria, Sicily and Sardinia.

Mount Etna on Italy’s Sicilian island experienced renewed volcanic activity on Friday, with the emission of incandescent material and limited ash from its north-eastern crater.

Italy’s Infrastructure Minister Matteo Salvini on Thursday reaffirmed the government’s commitment to building a suspension bridge connecting Sicily to mainland Italy, while promising to address objections raised by the Court of Auditors.

Italy’s plan to build the Strait of Messina Bridge, a €13.5 billion ($15.7 billion) suspension bridge connecting the mainland to Sicily, has drawn objections from the United States.

Italy has officially approved a $15.5 billion (€13.5 billion) project to construct the world’s longest suspension bridge, connecting mainland Italy to Sicily via the Strait of Messina. The green light was announced by Infrastructure Minister Matteo Salvini after an interministerial committee meeting, marking the most advanced stage of the decades-old project.

Italy has approved a €13.5 billion bridge project to connect the island of Sicily with the mainland, giving the green light to the long-delayed initiative after Giorgia Meloni’s government redefined it as a national security priority.

Italy’s oil and gas giant Eni has announced the commencement of natural gas production from the Argo Cassiopea Field off the coast of Sicily.

Travel to and from the Italian island of Sicily is severely disrupted following a volcanic eruption from Mount Etna, News.Az reports citing Euronews.

Volcanic activity has intensified in Italy as Mount Stromboli belched ash and lava off the coast of Sicily, according to Euronews.