The Dispatch

Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri chairman found dead at home

Claudio Graziano, the chairman of Italian state-controlled shipbuilder Fincantieri and a former army general, has died, the company said in a statement on Monday. "Fincantieri expresses its immense sorrow for…

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Greek PM reshuffles cabinet after worse than expected EU vote result

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis is to reshuffle his cabinet after his centre-right party performed worse than expected in the European Parliament election. The new government's composition will be announced…

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France’s left pledges to tie wages to inflation, lower retirement age in new alliance

France's leftwing parties will reveal the political manifesto for their renewed alliance on Friday, which politicians from the bloc said included policies that would lower the retirement age, link salaries…

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China to dominate final day of G7, Pope to lead AI discussions

Group of Seven (G7) leaders hold a final day of talks at their annual summit on Friday, with China topping the agenda before Pope Francis puts in a historic appearance…

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Greece closes more ancient tourist sites as heatwave persists

Greece shut more ancient tourist sites in Athens on Thursday and elderly people took refuge at designated air-conditioned spots as the first heatwave of the summer persisted for a third…

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13

Jun

What’s on the agenda at Italy’s G7 summit?

Italy hosts the annual summit of leaders from the Group of Seven (G7) major democracies on June 13-15. Here are key facts and figures about the three-day event. WHERE IS…

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Pope tells priests to keep it snappy or people will nod off

Priests should keep their homilies short and speak for a maximum of eight minutes to prevent members of the congregation from nodding off, Pope Francis said on Wednesday. The homily,…

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Macron defends his shock call for a snap election

President Emmanuel Macron defended on Wednesday his shock call for a snap election after the far right's strong showing in last weekend's European vote. Here are some key quotes from…

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Macron says he won’t resign, regardless of the outcome of the French election

French President Emmanuel Macron on Tuesday said he would not resign “whatever the result” of the upcoming French parliamentary elections. Macron called the election on Sunday night, in response to…

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Greece Braces for First Heatwave of the Season

Greece will endure a three-day heatwave starting Tuesday with temperatures exceeding 40 degrees Celsius (104 Fahrenheit), the country’s civil protection minister said Monday, warning of a high wildfire risk. The…

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Italian Authorities Dismantle Sophisticated Counterfeit Banknote Print Shop

On an action day conducted on 10 June 2024 in Lecce, the Italian Carabinieri arrested a money counterfeiter and dismantled a sophisticated counterfeiting print shop. The raid, which resulted in…

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French parties rush to seek alliances ahead of snap election

French political parties were rushing to try and find potential new alliances on Tuesday ahead of a snap election which opinion polls show Marine Le Pen's far-right party is likely…

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France enters election mode after far-right win in European Parliament vote

France began to gear up for elections on Monday, after President Emmanuel Macron called a shock snap legislative election following a bruising loss in the European Parliament vote to the…

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Italy’s PM Meloni comes out on top in EU vote, strengthening her hand

Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's arch-conservative Brothers of Italy group won the most votes in this weekend's European parliamentary election, initial results showed, boosting her standing both at home and abroad.…

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Emmanuel Macron dissolves parliament calls snap election

French President Emmanuel Macron announced that he would dissolve the national assembly, arguing: "I can't pretend that nothing has happened." His centrist Renew party was handed a heavy blow by…

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Greece says sanctioned tankers pose rising environmental risk in Mediterranean

Unregulated tankers sidestepping Western sanctions are posing a bigger risk to the Mediterranean region and Greece is undertaking more protective measures to safeguard its coast, the country's shipping minister told…

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How does Italy’s migration deal with Albania work?

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni visited Albania on Wednesday, where her government plans to build reception camps to house thousands of migrants picked up at sea. Looking to curb migration…

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Spain requests to intervene in South Africa’s Gaza genocide case against Israel at ICJ

Spain has requested to intervene in South Africa's genocide case against Israel's actions in Gaza at the International Court of Justice (ICJ), Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares said on Thursday.…

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The live commemorations of the 80th anniversary of the D-Day landings

Events are taking place in France and the UK to mark the 80th anniversary of the Allied invasion of France.In Normandy, the King Charles spoke of the "supreme test" of…

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Pope warns fading memory of World War Two raises conflict fears

The horrors of World War Two are being forgotten, thereby raising the risk of a new global conflict, Pope Francis said in comments marking the 80th anniversary of the 1944…

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World leaders, veterans, commemorate D-Day’s 80th anniversary in Normandy

Veterans and world leaders meet in Normandy on Thursday to mark the 80th anniversary of the June 6, 1944 D-Day landings, when more than 150,000 Allied soldiers arrived in France…

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A quick look: D-Day, the largest amphibious invasion in history

D-Day was the Allied troops invasion in Normandy, France, on June 6, 1944, having been delayed by 24 hours because of poor weather, to fight Nazi Germany in World War…

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Italy’s Meloni blames organised crime for ‘alarming’ migrant visa fraud

Criminal gangs are exploiting loopholes in Italy's legal visa system for foreign workers to smuggle in illegal immigrants, a problem the anti-Mafia prosecutor should investigate, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni told…

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UPDATED: Amanda Knox fails to overturn slander conviction in Italy

Amanda Knox has lost her bid to overturn a slander conviction in Italy. The American woman was eventually cleared of the brutal 2007 murder of her flatmate, 21-year-old Meredith Kercher,…

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Portugal to use golden visa scheme to help migrants, build affordable homes

Portugal plans to adapt its golden visa scheme to allow wealthy foreigners seeking residency rights to invest in affordable housing for locals or accommodation for migrants, the cabinet affairs minister…

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Russia link suspected in Eiffel Tower coffin mystery

French intelligence officials believe Russia is behind a stunt in which five coffins draped in a French flag and bearing the inscription “French soldiers of Ukraine” were deposited near the…

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Illegal migrant arrivals 60% down says Meloni

The Italian government has managed to get illegal migrant arrivals down by 60% this year with respect to the same period last year, Premier Giorgia Meloni told the cabinet Tuesday."The…

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Portugal’s new government tightens immigration rules

Portugal repealed a key migration policy on Monday as it aims to limit the number of new arrivals. The changes put an end to a rule that allowed non-EU migrants to…

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Vatican to EU election voters: don’t dehumanise migrants

The Vatican's point man on migration and social justice on Monday urged EU citizens who might be tempted to vote for far-right parties in this week's European Parliament elections to…

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Cyprus tops EU table for Best Bathing Water

Cyprus ranked at the top of Europe in terms of the quality of its bathing waters in 2023, according to an assessment published this week by the European Environment Agency…

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EU approves major state grant for STMicroelectronics plant in Sicily

The European Commission has approved, under EU State aid rules, a €2 billion Italian measure to support STMicroelectronics in the construction and operation of an integrated chip manufacturing plant for Silicon…

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Once ostracised, Italy’s Meloni is now centre stage in Europe

When Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni took power in 2022, far-right parties across Europe hailed her victory, expecting the fiery new leader in Rome to pursue a nationalist agenda and…

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Italy rules out letting Kyiv use its weapons on Russian territory

Italy will never send any troops to Ukraine and any weapons it has supplied to Kyiv should not be used on Russian territory, the Italian foreign minister, Antonio Tajani, said…

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Vatican investigator urges bishops to report all suspected child abuse

The head of the Vatican office that disciplines predator priests called on bishops across the world to report all suspect child abuse cases to him in order "to clean up…

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France could soon announce the sending of military trainers to Ukraine

France could soon send military trainers to Ukraine despite the concerns of some allies and criticism by Russia, and may announce its decision next week during a visit by the…

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Greek expert sounds alarm about potential dengue fever epidemic in Europe

Athens Medical School professor and epidemiologist Sotiris Tsiodras warned about the potential rise of dengue fever cases in Europe due to climate change. Speaking at a public health seminar in…

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Pope apologizes after alleged use of homophobic slur

Pope Francis, widely quoted as having used a highly derogatory word to describe the LGBT community, did not intend to use homophobic language and apologises to anyone offended by it,…

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Pope Francis’s Remarks Towards The LGBT Community Spark Outrage

Pope Francis used a highly derogatory term towards the LGBT community as he reiterated in a closed-door meeting with Italian bishops that gay people should not be allowed to become…

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Cyprus faces looming water crisis

The ongoing drought and impending water crisis in Cyprus this summer will be a key topic for Agriculture Minister Maria Panayiotou during her upcoming meeting with counterparts in Brussels. The…

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Suspicious death of Italian MEP’s husband

Italian MEP Francesca Donato claims her husband was killed as authorities investigate the death of Angelo Onorato, found in his car by his wife and daughter on Saturday. An Italian…

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Italy says violence against civilians in Gaza ‘no longer justifiable’

Italy said on Monday Israeli attacks on Palestinian civilians in Gaza were no longer justifiable in one of the strongest criticisms Rome has made so far against Israel's campaign. "There…

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UPDATED: Spain to send Patriot missiles, Leopard tanks to Ukraine in $1.23 billion package

Spain plans to send Patriot missiles and Leopard tanks to Ukraine as part of a 1.13 billion euro ($1.23 billion) weapon package announced last month, El Pais newspaper reported on…

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Roberto Benigni Advocates Dreaming and Embracing Doubt

The Italian actor and comedian Roberto Benigni is best known in the English-speaking world for his 1997 film Life is Beautiful, which won three Oscars. But, in his native country, he’s just…

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Ibiza – Latest Spanish hotspot to fight back against overtourism

The detrimental effects of tourism on Ibiza's local community cannot be ignored any longer. This weekend, impassioned activists will take to the streets to vehemently oppose the hardships imposed by…

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President Macron’s Germany Visit: EU Policy Implications and Defense Concerns

The upcoming state visit by President Macron to Berlin, Dresden, and Muenster marks the first French presidential visit to Germany in 24 years. This visit holds great significance as it…

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Tourism a boon for Spain’s economy but a bane for some locals

Fresh from a tour of Real Madrid's glittering Santiago Bernabeu stadium in the Spanish capital, Guadalupe Rebollo says a holiday in Spain with her 15-year-old daughter is a better deal…

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Half of Italians struggling to make ends meet – Eurispes

Over half of the Italian population, 57.4%, have trouble making their salaries last until the end of the month, research institute Eurispes said in its 'Italy 2024 Report' on Friday.It…

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Houthis say they targeted the Mediterranean this week, no confirmation available

The leader of Yemen's Houthis, Abdul Malik al-Houthi, said that one of their operations this week targeted the Mediterranean Sea. Earlier this month, al-Houthi had said that all ships heading…

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France flies nuclear-capable missile

France has carried out its first test firing of an updated nuclear-capable missile, the ASMPA-R, designed to be launched by a Rafale fighter jet, according to the French defence minister,…

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Greece dismantles gang trafficking drugs from Latin America to Europe

Greek authorities have dismantled an international criminal group trafficking cocaine in shipping containers from Latin America to Europe, police said on Thursday. Two Albanians and two Greeks were arrested after…

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Pope attributes second miracle to Catholic teenager Carlo Acutis, clearing the way for sainthood

Pope Francis has attributed a second miracle to an Italian teenager who in his short life used his computer skills to spread the Catholic faith, clearing the way for him…

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Italian police dismantle Turkish gang involved in terror plot

Investigators in Milan announced that 19 people had been arrested in Italy, Switzerland, Germany and Turkey in dawn operations involving hundreds of police officers to dismantle an armed criminal gang…

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Spain permanently recalls ambassador from Argentina

Spain has said it is permanently withdrawing its ambassador from Argentina as a result of a growing diplomatic feud with the South American country’s radical rightwing president, Javier Milei. Milei…

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UPDATED: Jail, some homes evacuated over Campi Flegrei quakes in Naples

Inspections following the earthquakes that started late on Monday in the area of the Campi Flegrei volcanic caldera near Naples led to 39 families being evacuated from their homes in…

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More than a third of Italian teens want to emigrate, survey finds

More than a third of Italian teenagers want to emigrate when they are older, according to a survey by national statistics institute Istat which also found that young people have…

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Greece to deport nine European nationals over pro-Palestinian protest

Nine protesters from Germany, Britain, France, Italy and Spain, arrested during a pro-Palestinian demonstration at the University of Athens School of Law last week are set to be deported from…

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Spain demands apology after PM’s wife called ‘corrupt

Spain has demanded a public apology after Argentina’s president said the Spanish prime minister's wife was “corrupt”. Without directly naming her, Javier Milei made the remarks about Begoña Gómez, wife…

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