A roundup of the latest news on Friday

Airline and transport strikes begin

Airline and airport workers are striking across Italy on Friday, with passengers warned to expect delays even if flights go ahead.

EasyJet cabin crew announced a 24-hour strike, Vueling staff an eight-hour stoppage, and ground handlers at Milan’s Linate and Malpensa airports said they would strike throughout the day. 

Sardinia’s regional buses were also set to strike all day on Friday, Sky TG24 reported, with disruption expected in Cagliari, Sassari, Nuoro and Oristano. 

On Saturday, railway maintenance workers will strike for eight hours. See our transport strike calendar for January for more details.

Weather warnings issued for central Italy

Italy’s civil protection agency issued a weather alert for the regions of Tuscany, Abruzzo, Basilicata and Calabria on Friday with Storm Goretti bringing unusually cold temperatures in many areas.

The severe weather system sweeping across Europe was named by Météo-France, as its centre and strongest winds are mainly affecting France and the UK, but its impact is also being felt in Italy.

Rain, thunderstorms, strong winds or snow were forecast for most of the country on Friday capping a week where much of Europe saw severe winter weather affecting airports and roads.

Temperatures were forecast to remain around ten degrees below seasonal averages in most parts of Italy, with some snow expected at lower altitudes in the north and centre.

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Italy opens probe into Swiss bar fire that killed six Italians

Italian prosecutors have opened a criminal investigation into a deadly blaze at a Swiss ski resort bar on New Year’s Eve, according to media reports.

Six Italians were among the 40 people killed in the fire at Le Constellation in the Alpine ski resort of Crans-Montana, and 116 were injured.

The Rome prosecutor’s office, which handles cases involving Italians abroad, opened the manslaughter probe at the foreign office’s request, Italy’s ANSA news agency said.

Swiss prosecutors believe that the fire was ignited by champagne bottles with sparklers being held too close to insulation foam on the bar’s ceiling.

Authorities reportedly failed to carry out fire safety inspections at the bar for the past five years.