A 12-year-old boy has tripped and accidentally smashed a hole in an AU $2 million dollar painting on display in Taiwan.

The Italian navy organizes the rescue of around 4,400 migrants in waters off the Libyan coast, prompted by requests for help received from nearly two dozen boats, in one of the biggest multi-national operations so far.

Italy's coastguard says it is coordinating the rescue of up to 3,000 migrants from waters off Libya after receiving SOS calls from 18 different crowded vessels.

At least 40 migrants have died after apparently getting trapped and suffocating in the water-logged hold of a boat in the Mediterranean.

Italy's farm animals are being given showers, fans and air conditioning in their stalls to try to keep them cool during the current heatwave there.

Fresh Greek bailout reform proposals submitted to Eurozone partners are cheered by France and Italy, raising hopes that a last-ditch compromise could be reached to prevent a dreaded "Grexit."

EU leaders holding late-night talks in Brussels have agreed to relocate tens of thousands of migrants who have arrived in Italy and Greece.

Pope Francis will call for swift action to protect the Earth and fight global warming, according to a leaked draft of the pontiff's encyclical.

EU interior ministers are to discuss how to deal with tens of thousands of migrants trying to enter Europe each year by crossing the Mediterranean.

Corpses of 17 migrants along with 454 survivors were brought ashore in Sicily by an Italian naval vessel.

A total of 741 migrants travelling in six boats have been rescued off Sicily, the Italian coastguard says.

Rafael Benitez says he will be leaving Napoli following the final game of the Italian club's season on Sunday.

Italy striker Mario Balotelli will not leave Liverpool this summer, according to his agent Mino Raiola.

Sweden, Russia and Italy are among the favourites to win the 60th annual Eurovision Song Contest, which takes place in Vienna later.

Italian engineers have built a robotic arm, aimed at improving surgical operations and inspired by the octopus.

Dozens of migrants drown in the Mediterranean after a boat sinks south of Italy's island of Sicily, the Save the Children aid group says.

More than 5,800 migrants are rescued and 10 bodies recovered off the Libyan coast over the weekend, the Italian coastguard says.

Suspected extremists being investigated in Italy over links to al-Qaeda may have been planning an attack on the Vatican in 2010, prosecutors say.

The captain and a crew member of a boat that capsized off Libya on Sunday, killing hundreds of migrants, are arrested, Italian officials say. The two were held on suspicion of people trafficking.

Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi calls for more European Union action on sea migration after the latest deadly capsize of a boat in the Mediterranean.