Italy sees spate of femicides

(ANSA) - Rome, January 31 - Italy has seen a spate of femicides recently.
    A 53-year-old man was arrested Friday for allegedly murdering his 50-year-old girlfriend on Sardinia last month.
    The woman, Speranza Ponti, from Uri, went missing in mid December.
    Her body was found Friday in Alghero, in a residential area that includes the exclusive Resort Vista Blu.
    The man, Massimiliano Farci, is being held in Bancali Prison at Sassari.
    He denies all charges.
    A 27-year-old man shot dead his 48-year-old ex and her 27-year-old daughter before turning the gun on himself at Mussomeli near Caltanissetta overnight, police said Friday.
    The man, Michele Noto, was unable to accept that his relationship with Rosalia Mifsud was over, police said.
    This was despite their having had only a brief relationship, police said.
    The woman's daughter was named as Monica Di Liberto, the product of a previous marriage.
    A 38-year-old Pakistani man was arrested Friday on suspicion of murdering his 28-year-old pregnant wife at Versciaco in Alto Adige on Thursday.
    The man was named as Mustafa Zeeshan.
    The victim, Fatima Zeeshan, was probably punched and kicked to death, police said after examining the body and finding severe bruising all over it.
    An autopsy will be performed on Saturday.
    The man did not confess despite spending the night in a Carabinieri barracks.
    He is refusing to talk to investigators.
    Police said there was "a great weight of evidence" against him.
    They also said he was a flight risk.
    A woman was beaten to death in Mazara del Vallo, western Sicily, over three days earlier this week in her home, sources said Thursday.
    Her husband has been arrested by police after the couple's neighbours alerted them.
    The woman had previously reported her husband to the police for domestic violence, with the last time in April.
    At least twice she later retracted the complaints.
    Cassation COurt Prosecuror General Giovanni Salvi said Friday there had been a "striking" rise in femicides in recent years: 131 in 2017, 135 in 2018 and 103 last year.
    At least twice she later retracted the complaints.
    Cassation COurt Prosecuror General Giovanni Salvi said Friday there had been a "striking" rise in femicides in recent years: 131 in 2017, 135 in 2018 and 103 last year.