The Dispatch

Energy Grid Strained Amid Freezing Temperatures in Cyprus

Cyprus is grappling with freezing temperatures as a fault at the Vasiliko power station has placed strain on the electricity grid. The transmission system operator (TSO) has warned of “limited”…

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Earthquake of magnitude 3.3 rocks province of Reggio Calabria

A magnitude earthquake 3.3 was registered at 2:06 a.m. of Monday morning in the province of Reggio Calabria.According to data from the National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology (INGV), the…

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Pope Francis remains ‘critical’

Pope Francis remains in a "critical" condition, but "has not presented any further respiratory crises", the Vatican said in a statement on Sunday. He was still receiving high-flow oxygen therapy…

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Pope Francis ‘improving’ in hospital, Vatican says

Pope Francis is showing improvement, is alert and doing some work, the Vatican said, as the 88-year-old pontiff began his eighth day in hospital battling pneumonia. Vatican spokesperson Matteo Bruni…

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Italy Hit by Third Day of Pro-Russia Cyberattacks Targeting Banks and Arms Industry

Italy faced a third consecutive day of cyberattacks on Wednesday as the pro-Russian hacker group Noname057(16) launched another wave of DDoS (distributed denial of service) attacks against key institutions. The…

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14 arrested in hit against money laundering gang in Portugal and Spain

Europol has supported a cross-border operation led by Spanish authorities and involving law enforcement from Portugal against the members of a criminal network, mainly Russian nationals, who provided money-laundering services…

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Thousands of tourists flock to see Etna eruption

Thousands of tourists have flocked to Mount Etna to watch spectacular eruptions on the volcano, but some people are blocking streets and preventing rescue services from reaching those in need…

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Pope Francis remains hospitalized, diagnosed with bilateral pneumonia

Pope Francis has pneumonia in both lungs and remains hospitalized in Rome after a respiratory tract infection, painting a "complex picture" of his health, the Vatican said. A follow-up CT…

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Pope Francis hospitalised

Pope Francis on Friday was hospitalised after he reportedly struggled to speak during one of his meetings in the morning. The pontiff has been suffering from bronchitis for more than…

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Trump’s return is an ‘electroshock’ for Europe, says Macron

French President Emmanuel Macron urged Europe to respond to "the electroshock" triggered by the return of U.S. President Donald Trump to the White House with a new approach to defense…

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Former Google boss fears AI risks could spark an ‘Osama bin Laden scenario’

As countries jostle to win the artificial intelligence race, Google's former CEO cautioned that AI could pose “extreme risks” if it falls into the wrong hands. Tech billionaire Eric Schmidt…

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Tuscany becomes the first Italian region to approve assisted suicide

Tuscany approved a bill regulating medically assisted suicide Tuesday, becoming Italy's first region to approve a right-to-die law in the Roman Catholic country after the constitutional court effectively legalized the…

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Greece elects former parliament speaker as new president

Greece's parliament elected its former speaker, Constantine Tassoulas, as the country's president on Wednesday, approving the conservative government's nominee for the largely ceremonial role. Tassoulas will be sworn in as…

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Pope Francis tells weekly audience he still has bronchitis

Pope Francis said on Wednesday he was still suffering from a bout of bronchitis and asked an aide to read prepared remarks for a weekly general audience at the Vatican…

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More earthquakes recorded between Santorini and Amorgos

Five more earthquakes were recorded in the sea area between the islands of Santorini and Amorgos in the early hours of Wednesday, according to the Geodynamics Institute of the National…

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Massive Italian anti-mafia operation

Around 180 people were arrested on Tuesday in a large-scale sting against the Sicilian mafia in Palermo, indicating that it has remained a significant criminal force despite setbacks in recent decades. "Cosa…

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US, Britain have not signed Paris AI summit declaration

The United States and Britain have not signed the Paris AI Summit's declaration entitled 'Statement on Inclusive and Sustainable Artificial Intelligence'. The communique states among priorities that "ensuring AI is…

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International Criminal Court opens inquiry into Italy over release of Libyan warlord

Judges at the International Criminal Court have officially asked Italy to explain why the country released a Libyan man suspected of torture, murder and rape rather than sending him to…

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Concern over Pope’s health after halting homily due to shortness of breath

There is concern over the Pope's health after Argentine-born pontiff was forced on Sunday to interrupt his homily in St. Peter's Square during the Armed Forces Jubilee Sunday due to…

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Greece declares state of emergency on Santorini after earthquakes

Greece's authorities have declared a state of emergency on Santorini after a series of earthquakes shook the popular tourist destination. More than 10,000 residents and workers fled the island this…

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Seven Italians Targeted by WhatsApp Spyware

Italy's government said on Wednesday that seven mobile phone users in the country had been targeted by spyware on Meta Platforms WhatsApp messaging service, and it called the incident "particularly…

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Hundreds of Syrians drop asylum bids in Cyprus

Hundreds of Syrians who sought refuge in Cyprus after the onset of civil war over a decade ago have withdrawn asylum applications in the weeks since the fall of Bashar Al-Assad, Cypriot…

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Italy Alarmed as Campi Flegrei Seismic Activity Intensifies

A 3.1-magnitude earthquake rattled the Campi Flegrei area near Naples on Wednesday at 8:52 AM, adding to a series of tremors that have heightened concerns within the Italian authorities. The…

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Strong earthquake near Santorini after days of tremors

A strong earthquake has been recorded between the Greek islands of Amorgos and Santorini, after days of consecutive tremors in the area. More than 11,000 people have already left Santorini…

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Seismic Alerts in Santorini: What You Need to Know

Residents and tourists on the Greek island of Santorini have been put on high alert after an increase in seismic activity. Since Friday, the island has been hit by more…

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Hundreds of tourists flee Santorini as earthquake activity continues

Residents and tourists are evacuating the Greek island of Santorini after increased seismic activity in recent days, with airlines and ferry operators arranging additional transport to facilitate departures. Frequent earthquakes…

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Cyprus faces severe water shortage as drought persists

Cyprus is bracing for a severe summer water shortage, with authorities urging immediate action to curb wastage and ensure supply for all. Deputy director of the Water Development Department (WDD),…

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Italy Hit by Severe Weather, Orange Warning for Sicily and Sardinia

Italy is currently experiencing severe weather conditions due to the influence of two cyclones, leading to significant disruptions, particularly in the regions of Sicily and Sardinia. The Department of Civil…

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Greek island Santorini on earthquake alert after more than 200 tremors

More than 200 tremors near the island of Santorini have prompted Greek authorities to close schools and tell residents to avoid some ports and drain swimming pools. Earthquake experts say…

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Italy blocks Chinese AI app DeepSeek on data protection

Italy’s data protection authority said on Jan 30 it had blocked Chinese artificial intelligence model DeepSeek over a lack of information on its use of personal data. DeepSeek could not…

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France budget talks derailed after PM comment on migration

France’s Socialist Party has threatened to derail budget talks over Prime Minister François Bayrou’s controversial migration remarks. Bayrou sparked outrage by saying France was experiencing an immigration "flooding," which he…

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Spanish government breaks legislative deadlock with Catalan ally

Spain's minority government reached a deal with the Catalan separatist party Junts on Tuesday to approve several economic measures in parliament, ending a deadlock that had raised concerns over the…

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Cyprus records second driest January since 1901

Cyprus is experiencing its second driest January in over 120 years, with rainfall at just 17 percent of normal levels, according to the Cypriot Department of Meteorology. Despite beneficial rains…

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Missing Documents Deepen the Mystery of Emanuela Orlandi’s Case

A new mystery has surfaced in the decades-old case of Emanuela Orlandi. At the Central State Archive in Italy, a file titled "Ministry of the Interior – Central Directorate of…

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Storm Herminia brings heavy rain and powerful winds to Europe

Weather warnings were in parts of Spain, Portugal, France, the UK, and Ireland as Storm Herminia brought strong winds, heavy rain, and powerful waves. Weather warnings have been issued in…

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Israel suspends commercial flights to Paphos in Cyprus for unspecified reasons

Israel has temporarily halted commercial flights to Paphos, a city on the western coast of Cyprus, due to unspecified security reasons, Cypriot officials announced. The decision, made by Israel’s domestic…

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Saudi Arabia, Italy ink $10 billion cooperation and industrial deals

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman met on Sunday with Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni in AlUla, the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported. “The Crown Prince and the Prime Minister…

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Migrant Arrivals in Italy Surge as Tragedy Strikes in Mediterranean Shipwreck

Italy has recorded a significant surge in migrant arrivals this year, with the interior ministry reporting a 136% increase compared to the same period in 2024. As of Monday, 3,074…

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Trump whisperer? Italy’s Meloni navigates a high-stakes relationship

He hails a fantastic woman sweeping all before her in Europe. She praises a strong and shrewd defender of the West. Donald Trump and Giorgia Meloni are fast forging a…

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6 tonnes of cocaine and EUR 6 million seized in large drug sting involving Bulgaria, Colombia, Costa Rica and Panama

The Spanish Civil Guard (Guardia Civil), supported by Europol, has dismantled a large-scale drug trafficking network in an investigation involving Bulgaria, Colombia, Costa Rica and Panama. The suspects were allegedly…

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Italy under fire for releasing Libyan warlord

The International Criminal Court has reminded Italy of its obligation to cooperate fully after it let warlord Ossama al-Masri return to Libya. Al-Masri is accused of murder, rape and torture.…

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League files bill for Italy to leave WHO

Lawmakers for Deputy Premier and Transport Minister Matteo Salvini's right-wing League party said Thursday that they have presented a bill in the Senate for Italy to leave the World Health…

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Mother Reborn After Baby’s Abduction and Dramatic Rescue in Cosenza

The mother of a one-day-old baby, who was abducted late Tuesday afternoon by a couple from the Sacro Cuore clinic in the Calabrian city of Cosenza, said she felt as…

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France issues new arrest warrant for Syria’s Assad

French investigating magistrates have issued an arrest warrant against ousted Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad for suspected complicity in war crimes, notably the launch of a deliberate attack on civilians, a…

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Italy releases and deports senior Libyan police officer it arrested on ICC warrant

Italian police arrested a Libyan warlord on a warrant from the International Criminal Court, but an Italian tribunal refused to approve the arrest and he was instead sent back to…

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Spain’s PM Sanchez floats ban on non-EU citizens buying properties

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said he would propose to ban purchasers from outside the European Union from buying properties, as the government seeks to curb rising housing prices, which…

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Sharp rise in flu cases in Italy

There was a sharp rise in flu cases in Italy in the week of January 6-12, the Higher Health Institute (ISS) reported, saying that children were the most affected age…

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Italian journalist Cecilia Sala reveals horror of captivity in Iranian jail

Cecilia Sala detailed the horror of being locked up in one of Iran’s most notorious prisons. “I was being interrogated for 10 hours straight, hooded and with my face to…

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71 billionaires, 5.7 mn in absolute poverty in Italy

The wealth of Italy's billionaires in 2024 increased by 61.1 billion euros - or 166 million a day - reaching a total value of 272.5 billion owned by 71 individuals,…

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As Trump is sworn in, Macron warns Europe it can’t depend only on US weapons

French President Emmanuel Macron warned that the billions of euros of taxpayer money spent on Europe's military budgets should not be used to buy only American weapons, pushing for more…

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Italy arrests Libyan police head

Police in Italy have arrested the head of Libya's judicial police who directs Tripoli's Mitiga detention centre, Italian news reports said. Osama Najim, also known as Almasri, was arrested Sunday…

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Southern Italy is grappling with the aftermath of severe weather

Southern Italy is grappling with the aftermath of severe weather, as heavy rains and floods have triggered hundreds of emergency interventions by firefighters. The regions of Sicily and Calabria were…

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Severe Weather Forces School Closures in Sicily

A powerful Mediterranean cyclone, named Storm Gabri, has prompted a red weather alert in Eastern Sicily and other southern regions of Italy. Today, Friday, January 17, heavy rains, thunderstorms, and…

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Pope Francis using sling after injuring forearm in fall

Pope Francis injured his right forearm after a fall in his residence on Thursday but did not suffer any broken bones and continued on with his agenda for the day,…

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Cyprus says US decree on security affirms island’s stabilising role in region

Cyprus on Thursday hailed a U.S. memorandum allowing military sales, including arms, to the island as a milestone affirming recognition of the island as a pillar of stability in the…

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New Italian scholastic syllabus introduces Latin for middle school students

In Italy, a new school syllabus for the 2026-27 academic year will introduce Latin as an option for middle school students and give a more central role to Italian literature…

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What Measures Are Being Taken for Non-EU Citizens in Spain’s Housing Crisis?

Spain is planning a raft of measures to address its brewing housing crisis, including an up to 100% tax on properties that non-European Union residents buy. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro…

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