The Dispatch

Everything you need to know about visiting Rome and the Vatican following the death of Pope Francis

Travellers to Rome should expect closures, visitor restrictions and crowds at some of the city’s main attractions. Tourists who have booked to visit Rome in the coming weeks will experience…

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Trump and von der Leyen set to attend Pope Francis’ funeral on Saturday

Pope Francis’ funeral will take place on Saturday morning at 10 a.m. CET, the Vatican said Tuesday in a statement. A slew of world leaders and foreign dignitaries are set…

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Pope Francis’ funeral to be held on Saturday, many world leaders expected

Pope Francis’ funeral will take place Saturday in St. Peter’s Square, Vatican officials announced Tuesday, following his sudden death on Monday at age 88 from a stroke and cardiac arrest.…

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Cardinals prepare to choose next Pope after Francis’s death

With the Vatican announcing Pope Francis’s death on Monday, attention now turns to who will succeed him. The secretive conclave of cardinals under 80, most appointed by Francis himself, will…

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Italy’s demographic crisis worsens as births hit record low

Italy's demographic crisis deepened in 2024 as the number of births hit a new record low, emigration accelerated and the population continued to shrink, national statistics bureau ISTAT said. Italy's…

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UPDATED: Pope Francis has died

Pope Francis, the first Latin American leader of the Roman Catholic Church, has died, the Vatican said in a video statement on Monday, ending an often turbulent reign marked by…

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UPDATED: Reactions to the death of Pope Francis

Following are reactions to the death of Pope Francis: ITALIAN PRIME MINISTER GIORGIA MELONI: Meloni mourned the departure of "a great man, a great shepherd". "I had the privilege of…

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Vatican Suspends Canonization Ceremony for Millennial Teen Carlo Acutis

The Vatican has announced the suspension of a highly anticipated canonization ceremony for Carlo Acutis, a 15-year-old Italian boy who passed away from leukemia in 2006 and was poised to…

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Who might succeed Pope Francis?

An old Italian saying warns against putting faith, or money, in any presumed front-runner ahead of the conclave, the closed-door gathering of cardinals that picks the pontiff. It cautions: "He who enters a…

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Pope Francis: Key moments from his life

Here are some facts about Pope Francis, who has died at the age of 88. - Jorge Mario Bergoglio was born on December 17, 1936, in Buenos Aires, Argentina, of…

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What next after the death of Pope Francis?

Pope Francis has died at the age of 88, after 12 years as spiritual leader of the Roman Catholic Church. His death has set in motion the centuries-old process of…

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Pope Francis greets cheering Easter crowds from popemobile as he recovers from pneumonia

Pope Francis entered St. Peter's Square on Sunday in an open-air popemobile for the first time since surviving double pneumonia, greeting tens of thousands of Catholics after the Vatican's celebration…

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Venice’s €5 tourist fee returns – and will double for last-minute day-trippers

Venice’s entrance fee will resume from Friday, with the main novelty this year being that last-minute day-trippers will pay double. Last year, as part of an experiment aimed at dissuading…

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President Mattarella in Stable Condition Following Planned Pacemaker Surgery

Italian President Sergio Mattarella is in stable condition and recovering well following a scheduled surgical procedure to implant a pacemaker, sources confirmed on Wednesday. The operation was performed without complications…

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French prisons hit by wave of overnight attacks

Vehicles were set alight outside several French prisons, and one jail was hit by gunfire from an automatic weapon, in a wave of overnight attacks. Justice Minister Gérald Darmanin said…

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Sagrada Familia architect Gaudi on path to sainthood

He’s long been nicknamed “God’s architect” by those who point to his piety and the religious imagery woven through his soaring spires, colourful ceramics and undulating lines. Now it seems…

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Greece to repay first bailout loans by 2031, 10 years early

Greece will pay off loans granted under the first of three debt-crisis bailouts by 2031, two government officials told Reuters, as the country seeks to lose its label as the…

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44 per cent of Cypriot workers say ready to emigrate for better life

A staggering 44 per cent of workers would consider moving to another country for better pay, Sek trade union said this week. Presenting the findings of a survey it commissioned,…

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The Pope’s recent appearance has intensified concerns regarding his health

Pope Francis, who is taking two months' rest as he recovers from double pneumonia, made an unannounced visit to St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican on Thursday dressed in black…

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France to tighten mobile phone ban in middle schools

France is to tighten its ban on the use of mobile phones in middle schools, making pupils at the ages of 11 to 15 shut away their devices in a…

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Pope Francis may miss Holy Week celebrations due to health

The Catholic Church starts its busiest week of the year on Sunday (April 12) with the countdown to Easter, but Pope Francis remains out of public view after surviving double pneumonia…

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Cyprus flights cancelled due to strike in Greece

An air traffic control strike in Greece has affected 31 flights to and from Cyprus’ airports to and from those in Athens and Salonica, Hermes Airports said on Wednesday. Due…

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Italian police disrupt migrant smuggling ring, 15 Egyptians arrested

Italian police said they had dismantled a migrant smuggling network, leading to the arrests in several countries of 15 Egyptians involved in using sailboats for dangerous illegal sea crossings from…

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Pope Francis Gradually Resumes Duties Amid Ongoing Recovery from Pneumonia

Pope Francis has begun a measured return to his official responsibilities following a period of hospitalization and recovery from bilateral pneumonia, the Vatican Press Office announced. The 88-year-old pontiff, who…

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King Charles to begin Italy tour with Queen Camilla

The King and Queen will fly into Rome later for their state visit to Italy, despite the recent concerns about his health. The trip comes just a week and a…

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Pope Francis makes surprise first appearance at Vatican after hospital stay

Pope Francis made his first public appearance since being discharged from hospital two weeks ago after treatment for double pneumonia, entering St. Peter's Square at the Vatican in a wheelchair…

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Italy Sees Massive Youth Emigration, With Significant Loss of Graduates

Over one million people emigrated from Italy between 2013 and 2022, with young professionals making up a significant portion of the exodus, according to Istat President Francesco Maria Chelli. Speaking…

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Trump offers support to French far-right leader Le Pen after her conviction

U.S. President Donald Trump offered support to French far-right leader Marine Le Pen on Thursday after a Paris court earlier this week convicted her and two dozen figures from her…

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Macron weighs in on Le Pen verdict for first time: ‘The law is the same for everyone’

French President Emmanuel Macron on Wednesday commented for the first time since far-right figurehead Marine Le Pen was found guilty of embezzlement and barred from running in France’s next presidential…

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Greece announces ‘drastic’ defense overhaul

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis announced on Wednesday that the government will spend some €25 billion euros ($27 billion) on its military through 2036. Mitsotakis called it the "most drastic"…

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Italy’s Meloni says U.S. tariffs would hit Italian producers hard

The introduction of new U.S. tariffs would hit Italian producers hard, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said in Rome on Wednesday, adding that every effort should be made to avoid a…

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Italy tightens citizenship laws

Italy's government tightened its citizenship laws, preventing people from delving deep back into their family history to try to claim a much sought-after Italian passport. Under existing rules, anyone who…

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France’s Le Pen convicted of graft, barred from running for president in 2027

A French court on Monday barred French far-right leader Marine Le Pen from running in the 2027 presidential election after she was convicted of embezzlement, in a seismic ruling that…

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France and Britain plan European troop deployment to Ukraine post-peace

France and Britain want to move ahead with an initiative to send European troops to Ukraine if a peace deal materializes. Currently troop numbers and participating countries are unclear but…

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Greece ready to participate in an international force in Ukraine under three conditions

Greece will participate in an international force in Ukraine only under three conditions: a ceasefire agreement, no deployment on Russian soil, and a clear exit strategy if hostilities resume. Prime…

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Macron says European troops in Ukraine would deter Russia

French President Emmanuel Macron has sketched out his vision for a potential deployment of European troops in Ukraine, emphasizing that their role would be to secure key cities and bases…

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UPDATED: Doctor reveals Pope Francis came close to dying

Pope Francis came so close to death at one point during his 38-day fight in hospital against pneumonia that his doctors considered ending treatment so he could die in peace,…

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Italy’s talks with Musk’s Starlink have stalled

Negotiations on a potential contract between Elon Musk's satellite internet operator Starlink and the Italian government have stalled, reflecting broader geopolitical tensions, Italy's defence minister said over the weekend. Prime…

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Pope Francis discharged from hospital after 38 days in care

Pope Francis made his first public appearance on Sunday following 38 days in care, waving from the window of Rome’s Gemelli Hospital. The 88-year-old pontiff was discharged after a severe…

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How realistic is France’s offer to extend its nuclear umbrella?

President Emmanuel Macron has said he will launch a strategic dialogue on extending the protection offered by France's nuclear arsenal to its European partners. Europe's primary nuclear deterrence comes from…

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Madrid plans to limit computer and tablet use in primary schools to two hours a week

The regional government of Madrid has unveiled plans to limit the use of computers and tablets in primary schools to a maximum of two hours a week in an effort…

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Cyprus to face severe water crisis

Cyprus is bracing for a tough summer as dam levels continue to drop, marking the third consecutive year of drought. The situation has become even more critical after a fire…

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Pope ‘absolutely not’ quitting

Pope Francis is "absolutely not" quitting due to his health, Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin said.Speculation that the 88-year-old Argentine pontiff might be considering stepping down like his…

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Greece issues severe weather alert for Tuesday and Wednesday

The Greek National Meteorological Service (EMY) has issued an emergency weather warning for Tuesday and Wednesday, predicting a significant temperature drop of up to 15 degrees Celsius, along with heavy…

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Pope seen for the first time since going to hospital

The Vatican has released the first image of Pope Francis since he was admitted to hospital a month ago. The photo shows the pontiff sitting in a wheelchair in front…

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Cyprus has the lowest number of female MPs in the EU

Only 14.3 per cent of MPs in the Cypriot government are women, ranking Cyprus the lowest among all EU countries according to a recent Eurostat study. At 14.6 per cent,…

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Severe Weather Hits Tuscany and Emilia-Romagna, Triggering Flood Alerts

Bad weather pummeled Tuscany and Emilia-Romagna on Friday, with several rivers in both regions exceeding alert levels due to torrential rain and flooding. In Tuscany, schools remained closed in several…

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Portuguese president calls elections for May 18

Portuguese President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa announced on Thursday he would dissolve the country’s parliament on March 19 and called for snap national elections to be held May 18. The…

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Strong Earthquake Strikes Naples, Residents Flee Into Streets

A powerful earthquake shook Naples early this morning, with the tremors distinctly felt by residents who rushed into the streets in fear. The quake, measuring 4.4 in magnitude, struck at…

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Pope Francis celebrates 12th anniversary in hospital

Pope Francis will on Thursday mark the 12th anniversary of his election as leader of the world's 1.4 billion Catholics, but he will do so from Rome's Gemelli hospital where…

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Portugal’s government collapses after no-confidence vote

Portuguese Prime Minister Luis Montenegro and his center-right government lost a confidence vote in parliament Tuesday. In a 142-88 vote with no abstentions, opposition lawmakers ousted Montenegro's administration after only…

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Portugal’s government faces likely defeat, fresh collapse in confidence vote

Portugal’s parliament is set to vote on a confidence motion in the minority centre-right government on Tuesday, with rejection likely to trigger the country’s third early general election in just…

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Nicolas Sarkozy fitted with electronic tag

The former French president Nicolas Sarkozy was fitted with an electronic tag on Friday after losing his appeal against his conviction for corruption and influence peddling. He will be required…

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Pope releases breathless audio message thanking those praying for him amid pneumonia battle

Pope Francis recorded and released an audio message yesterday thanking those who have been praying for his recovery, his voice breathless as he nears three weeks in hospital with pneumonia.…

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Pope Francis in stable condition, resumes some work

Pope Francis, who has been struggling to overcome double pneumonia for almost three weeks, remained in stable condition throughout the day on Wednesday and has not had any new breathing…

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Europe ‘at turning point in history’, French president warns

EU leaders are gathering in Brussels on Thursday for a special council on defence, as France's President Emmanuel Macron warned that the continent was at a "turning point of history".…

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Over 1,500 Syrians planning on leaving Cyprus

Approximately 1,200 Syrians have withdrawn their asylum applications with an additional 500 requesting the revocation of their subsidiary protection status, reported figures on Tuesday showed. A further 20 have requested…

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