Spain-Italy border spat reaches Puglia's ports and airports

Italy's foreign minister has called Spain's decision to impose retaliatory checks on travellers from Italy "incomprehensible and completely unacceptable," according to the Guardian, as people making their way between the two countries face new delays.

The measures come after Rome introduced similar controls following a surge of migrants into Spain's North African enclave of Ceuta. Spain warned Italy it would impose entry checks unless Rome halted its controls by Sunday, Deutsche Welle reported.

For Puglia, the Adriatic gateway to the Balkans and beyond, the dispute touches the region's busiest summer travel period. Ferry lanes and airports that carry thousands of tourists and returning residents to Spain now face passport queues and potential disruption.