Italy began its journey towards re-adopting nuclear power generation on Thursday after the nation's Chamber of Deputies overwhelmingly voted in favor of a new "sustainable nuclear energy bill."
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Fireworks set off without authorization in Rome reportedly triggered a mass stampede of frightened horses during a late-night rehearsal for Italy’s annual Republic Day parade, injuring multiple riders and animals.
The incident occurred late Friday near the ancient Baths of Caracalla as mounted units from Italy's armed forces and law enforcement agencies were practicing for the June 2 national celebration, Reuters reported.
Roughly 35 horses bolted through city streets following the unexpected fireworks, the outlet said. Video captured the chaotic scene, showing numerous horses galloping along Via Cristoforo Colombo as drivers recorded the scene.
The search and recovery effort reportedly continued until dawn the next day, with the last horse recovered roughly nine miles from the scene.
According to Reuters, the sudden bangs began shortly before 11:30 p.m. and triggered panic among the ceremonial horses, many of which were being escorted by Italy’s Army, Carabinieri paramilitary police, and state police.
Some riders were mounted, while others were leading horses by hand when the startled animals broke free, the outlet said.
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During the chaos, a 22-year-old soldier reportedly suffered broken ribs and a punctured lung, though officials said his injuries were not life-threatening. At least 15 horses were also injured, though none required euthanasia, according to reports.
Italian outlet ANSA said the stampede injured three young soldiers from the Montebello Lancers and a 29-year-old policewoman.
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Officials are reviewing how the unauthorized fireworks were ignited near the rehearsal site.
The Rome Local Police Command said four traffic police officers were involved in the incident and were reportedly near the firecrackers when the explosion occurred, ANSA said.
Officials said one of the officers allegedly lit a battery of fireworks about 200 yards from the horses, the outlet reported. The officer was identified as a 50-year-old who joined the force after passing the most recent exam.
Video footage and witness statements suggest the explosions and the horses’ escape occurred simultaneously, according to the local report.
Rome police commander Mario De Sclavis told Corriere della Sera that the incident "discredits the image of the Corps and its officers," according to Reuters.
Sclavis added that the agency will take "necessary measures" to hold those responsible accountable, according to ANSA.
"Last night's events hit us like a tsunami," he said.
A perilous search for the bodies of four Italian divers missing deep inside a Maldivian cave was halted Saturday after a military diver died during the mission.
Mohamed Mahdi, a member of the Maldivian National Defense Force, died from decompression sickness during the dangerous mission, Maldives presidential spokesman Mohamed Hussain Shareef said.
A group of five Italian divers vanished Thursday during what investigators say was an unauthorized deep dive that far exceeded the Maldives’ recreational diving limit.
The victims included marine researchers and experienced divers, among them Monica Montefalcone, an ecology professor at the University of Genoa; her daughter, Giorgia Sommacal; marine biologist Federico Gualtieri; researcher Muriel Oddenino; and diving instructor Gianluca Benedetti, according to the Maldivian government.
Gianluca Benedetti was found dead near the cave entrance shortly after the group disappeared. Authorities believe the bodies of the four remaining divers are trapped deep inside a cave system about 160 feet underwater near Vaavu Atoll.
The cause of the deaths remains under investigation.
Carlo Sommacal, Montefalcone’s husband and Giorgia’s father, expressed doubts over the accident, saying that "something must have happened down there" given his wife and daughter's extensive experience.
Speaking to Italian TV, he described Montefalcone as a careful and highly disciplined diver who would never put her daughter or other colleagues at risk.
Search crews say brutal underwater conditions, limited oxygen and the complexity of the cave system have made recovery efforts extremely dangerous.
"The death goes to show the difficulty of the mission," a government spokesman said after Mahdi’s death.
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The Italian Foreign Ministry said the cave system consists of three large chambers connected by narrow passages. Rescue teams explored two chambers Friday but were forced to stop because of decompression risks.
Officials are now awaiting the arrival of three Finnish cave-diving specialists to reassess the operation.
Albatros Top Boat, an Italian tour operator that managed the diving trip, denied authorizing the descent and said the divers appeared to be using standard recreational equipment instead of specialized gear required for technical cave diving, its lawyer told Italian daily Corriere della Sera on Saturday.
The Maldives Tourism Ministry has suspended the operating license of the expedition vessel involved in the trip as the investigation continues.
Experts warn cave diving is among the world’s most dangerous underwater activities, especially at extreme depths where visibility can disappear instantly and escape routes become limited.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
A car reportedly drove into a crowd in the northern Italian city of Modena on Saturday, injuring at least eight people.
The vehicle slammed into a store window, and its driver, identified as Salim El Koudri, 31, allegedly stabbed a passerby who attempted to intervene.
Mayor Massimo Mezzetti told Italian TV no one was killed, but eight people were injured, including four who were in critical condition.
Mezzetti said the vehicle entered one of the city’s main streets and "drove onto the sidewalk, sending several people flying," before crashing into the shop window.
He added one woman, who was pinned against a shop window, may require the amputation of both legs.
Authorities said El Koudri was born in Bergamo and raised in Modena with Maghreb origins, is unemployed, and was known to have mental disorders. There have been no confirmed links to extremist groups.
El Koudri was detained and questioned at police headquarters as authorities worked to determine if he acted deliberately, the mayor said. There was no indication he was under the influence at the time of the wreck.
Modena Prefect Fabrizia Triolo told The Associated Press that El Koudri had "been known to local mental health services for schizoid disorders," and early findings suggested "possible mental instability."
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni described the incident as "extremely serious" in a statement posted to X.
"I express my closeness to the injured people and their families," Meloni wrote in the post. "I also extend my thanks to the citizens who bravely intervened to stop the perpetrator and to the law enforcement agencies for their response."
Meloni said she has spoken with the mayor and remains in constant contact with the authorities to follow the developments of the situation.
"I trust that the perpetrator will be held fully accountable for his actions," she wrote.
This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
