The Dispatch

One dead after a bus overturns in Italy near Siena

One person died and several were injured after a busfull of tourists overturned on a road in the area of Monteriggioni, near Siena, in Italy. The bus is said to…

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Use of human remains as compost legalised in Washington

Washington has become the first state in the US to legalise human composting. Under the new law, people there can now choose to have their body turned into soil…

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Photo Story: Frenchman sentenced to death in Indonesia for drug smuggling

Felix Dorfin of France (L) at his trial at a court in Mataram, Lombok island, Indonesia, 20 May 2019. An Indonesian court sentenced France national Felix Dorfin to death for…

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Photo Story: French Navy fighters make emergency landing in Indonesia

A French Navy fighter pilot make a final check up to his Rafale aircraft before taking off from Sultan Iskandar Muda Military Base at Aceh Besar, Indonesia, 20 May 2019.…

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Greece expects more than five million cruise passengers this summer

Greece’s Union of Cruise Shipowners and Associated Members estimated that Greek ports are expected to welcome more than five million cruise passengers this summer, breaking last year’s record. The experts…

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Photo Story: Alain Delon Photocall at the 72nd Cannes Film Festival

French actor Alain Delon poses during a photocall at the 72nd annual Cannes Film Festival, in Cannes, France, 19 May 2019. Delon will receive a Honorary Palme D’Or award…

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Pope Francis urges journalists to persevere with the reports of the forgotten people who suffer

In an address to the Foreign Press Association at the Vatican on Saturday, Pope Francis urged journalists to reject fake news and to persevere with the reports on the troubling…

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Shooting in Naples hospital

A young gunman wearing a helmet opened fire in the courtyard of Naples' Vecchio Pellegrini hospital overnight, sources said on Friday. The intended target appears to have been a 22-year-old…

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Spanish PM investiture vote early July

Acting Spanish government spokeswoman Isabel Celaa said that Spain's new parliament will likely vote at the beginning of July on who will become prime minister. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez's…

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Photo Story: Eiffel Tower’s 130th anniversary

Moments from the laser light show at the Eiffel Tower in Paris, France, as the French capital marks its 130th anniversary. The 12-minute laser light show recounting the history of…

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Portugal’s Parliament rejects vote for 16-year-olds

Portugal’s parliament has rejected a resolution calling for an extraordinary constitutional review to establish the right to vote for 16- and 17-year-olds. The debate in the assembly saw many participants…

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Veteran ETA leader arrested in France

Spanish authorities announced that a long-time chief of the Basque separatist militant group ETA has been arrested in the French Alps. Authorities had been looking for Jose Antonio Urruticoetxea…

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Photo Story: Children saved from Libya go for a drive with Pope Francis

Pope Francis gave a lift to eight children who only last month were airlifted out of Libya. Pope Francis took eight children rescued from crisis-hit Libya for a ride in…

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Envelope containing bullet sent to Turin Mayor

An envelope containing a bullet was sent to Turin Mayor Chiara Appendino's office. A report about the threatening package was first reported by Corriere della Sera. Appendino also had…

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Pope Francis names Bishop Baldacchino to lead diocese in New Mexico

Pope Francis on Wednesday appointed Bishop Peter Baldacchino to head the Diocese of Las Cruces, New Mexico. With this appointment Baldacchino became the first diocesan bishop associated with the…

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Cargo ship on fire off Spanish coast

Spanish emergency services were evacuating the crew of Italian-flagged vehicle transport ship “Grande Europa”, which caught fire 25 miles south of the main city of Palma on the island of…

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Light tremor registered in Greece

An earthquake measuring 3.6 on the Richter scale hit southern Greece 2 km north of Kavásilas, the Geodynamic Institute of the National Observatory of Athens announced. No injuries or major…

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Cyprus expresses anger at UK about comments on offshore economic rights

President Nicos Anastasiades of Cyprus said his government would lodge a complaint to British Prime Minister Theresa May over remarks by Britain's Foreign Office minister that Nicosia considers"unacceptable" remarks.…

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French doctor suspected of poisoning over 50 patients

A French doctor already charged with poisoning seven patients was taken into custody for questioning over the suspected poisoning of around 50 other patients. Frederic Pechier worked as an anaesthesiologist…

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Four Catholics killed during a procession in Burkina Faso

Armed assailants killed four Catholics and destroyed a statue of the Virgin Mary in northern Burkina Faso, Catholic church officials revealed, the third deadly attack against Christians in the West…

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Early termination of Fazio’s ‘Che Fuori Tempo Che Fa’ causes a stir in Italy

Italian State broadcaster RAI's decision to close the season of TV talk show host Fabio Fazio's 'Che Fuori Tempo Che Fa' programme three episodes early caused controversy on Monday. The…

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Photo Story: Fatima’s 13 May annual pilgrimage

The figure of Our Lady of Fatima is carried in a procession during the 13 May annual pilgrimage to Fatima Sanctuary in Ourem, Portugal. Pilgrims travel to Fatima year round…

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Air France to cut close to 500 jobs

Air France will cut 465 ground staff jobs from its domestic services as it reduces short-haul capacity under competitive pressure from low-cost rivals and high-speed trains, parent company Air France-KLM…

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Floods in Italy

Heavy rains in Emilia-Romagna and hail in Puglia resulted in overflowing rivers and huge damage for agriculture. In Puglia on Sunday, hail, wind and heavy rain caused serious damage to…

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The Washington Post’s eulogy to Archbishop Charles Scicluna

The Washington Post, one of the United States leading and most respected newspaper, published what could be best described as a far reaching eulogy for Maltese Archbishop Charles Scicluna. In…

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Polish Cardinal defies Italian police to restore electricity to homeless shelter

Polish Cardinal Konrad Krajewski, Pope Francis' almoner - the person is in charge of the pope's charities and helping the poor- on Sunday lowered himself into a manhole to restore…

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UPDATED: Religious tension escalates in Sri Lanka, social media networks blocked

Police have imposed a curfew in the Sri Lankan town Chilaw after a dispute between Christians and Muslims, that began on Facebook, turned violent. In the meantime, Sri Lankan…

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French MPs pass law to rebuild Notre Dame cathedral in five years

French MPs have approved a law aimed at restoring the fire-ravaged Notre Dame Cathedral within five years after it suffered great damage in a blaze last month. A special bill…

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Ex Italian political stalwart Gianni de Michelis dies aged 78

Gianni de Michelis, a stalwart of the Italian Socialist Party and of the Italian political scene in the 80s and 90s, has died, aged 78. The news was given by…

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Berlusconi wants EPP to form alliance with far right

Silvio Berlusconi has joined Hungary's Viktor Orban in calling on Europe's conservatives to form an alliance with the far right. Italy's ex-prime minister is running for a seat in this…

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Greek Government wins vote of confidence

Greece's left-wing government late Friday won a confidence vote called by Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras nearly two weeks before European Parliament elections. The vote of confidence followed a motion by…

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Italian police capture gunman suspected of shooting 4-yr-old

A man suspected of shooting a four-year-old girl in Naples a week ago has been captured, prosecutors said on Friday. The girl, Noemi, was critically injured in the apparent Camorra…

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Two French soldiers killed in rescue of four hostages in West Africa

Two French soldiers were killed in an operation to rescue four hostages in the Sahel region of Africa, France said on Friday, adding that the hostages, including a U.S. woman,…

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NGO-run ship Mare Jonio seized

Italian Finance police seized the NGO run ship 'Mare Jonio' on Friday after the search-and-rescue ship picked up 30 migrants in the Mediterranean. The finance police boarded the ship to…

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France warns UK it has to leave EU by 31 October

France has warned the UK it must leave the European Union by 31 October as it will not tolerate repeated extensions of the Brexit deadline. "We must not get sucked…

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EU warns Turkey about drilling off the coast of Cyprus

As several leaders voiced support for sanctions against Turkish companies, the European Union has warned Turkey about drilling off the coast of EU-member Cyprus. As tension escalates in the Mediterranean, the EU-27 at the…

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Slideshow: ‘The Pink Floyd Exhibition: Their Mortal Remains’

Photos from the presentation of 'The Pink Floyd Exhibition: Their Mortal Remains' in Madrid, Spain. The Pink Floyd Exhibition: Their Mortal Remains” grants visitors rare and unprecedented insights into the…

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Ferry stranded in rough sea off the coast of Croatia

A ferry carrying almost 350 people is drifting in the Adriatic Sea after experiencing technical problems. The ferry 'Aurelia' left the Italian city of Ancona late on Wednesday heading for…

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Italy commemorates the discovery of the corpse of Aldo Moro

Italy on Thursday marked the 41st anniversary of the discovery of Christian Democrat statesman Aldo Moro and Sicilian anti-mafia DJ Peppino Impastato's bodies in Rome and Sicily. President Sergio Mattarella…

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MIA signs cooperation agreement with Cyprus counterpart

The Malta Institute of Accountants (MIA) signed a Protocol of Cooperation with the Institute of Certified Public Accountants of Cyprus (ICPAC), forging a new alliance that promotes the interests of…

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New controversy as Salvini refuses to let Italian Navy ship with migrants dock

Italian Deputy Premier and Interior Minister Matteo Salvini said Thursday that he will refuse to assign a port for a Navy ship to dock in after it rescued dozens of…

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Photostory: Fra Angelico’s ‘Annunciation’ restored

Spanish art restorer Almudena Sanchez (2R), Prado Museum's Director, Miguel Falomir (L), Executive Director of the American Friends of Prado Museum, Christina Simmons (L), and Chairwoman of Friends of Florence,…

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Mild tremor along border between Italy and Slovenia

An earthquake that had the intensity of 3.3 on the Richter Scale was registered at 5.14 am along the border between Italy and Slovenia. According to the Istituto Nazionale…

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Italy heading towards tougher action against distracted drivers

The transport commission at the Italian Chamber of Deputies on Wednesday discussed how to punish cell phone use while driving as part of highway code reform. League rapporteur promoter Giuseppe…

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A new version of Fanta launched in Italy with Sicilian blood oranges

A new version of Fanta was launched in Italy, Fanta Aranciata Rossa Zero Zuccheri with “ Arancia Rossa di Sicilia IGP”, an soft drink with juice of Sicilian blood oranges,…

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Conte removes Transport Undersecretary Armando Siri from his post

Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte has removed Transport Undersecretary Armando Siri from his post at Wednesday's cabinet meeting. The case has caused considerable tension within Conte's coalition government. Deputy Premier…

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French air traffic controllers to go strike this evening

Air travellers in Europe are facing the prospect of delays and cancellations because of a strike by French air traffic controllers. The industrial action is due to begin Wednesday evening…

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Amanda Knox returning to Italy

Amanda Knox has said she will return to Italy next month for the first since being definitively cleared in 2015 of killing her former flat mate Meredith Kercher. The American…

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Italian singer Eros Ramazzotti interrupts concerts to be operated on vocal cords

Italian singer Eros Ramazzotti announced that he will be interrupting his current tour to be operated on the vocal cords. His concerts, "Vita Ce n’è World Tour 2019", are scheduled…

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Libya’s Sarraj to meet Macron today

U.N.-backed Libyan Prime Minister Fayez al-Sarraj will meet French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris on Wednesday. Sarraj's administration is unhappy about Paris's perceived support for eastern commander Khalifa Haftar…

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‘Anonymous’ hacks the emails of 30,000 Italian lawyers

The Italian section of hacktivist group 'Anonymous' said Tuesday that it has hacked the certified email accounts of 30,000 members of the Rome guild of lawyers. Anonymous Italia posted screenshots…

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Slideshow: The Pope in Bulgaria

On his second day in Bulgaria, Pope Francis made an early morning visit to a refugee center, thanking children and families for their joy despite the pain of leaving their…

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Berlusconi released from hospital

Former Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi has been released from hospital. He had to be hospitalized to undergo surgery for an intestinal obstruction, raising questions about his campaign for the…

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French telecom giant Orange on trial over staff suicides

A decade after 35 employees took their own lives at France Telecom (now know as Orange) the telecoms giant and its former CEO go on trial Monday for “moral harassment”.…

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Marine Le Pen surpasses Macron’s party in EP election poll

In France, the party of far-right leader Marine Le Pen will top the upcoming European Parliament elections with 22 percent of the vote, just ahead of President Emmanuel Macron's REM…

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Month of Ramadan fasting for many Muslims begins Monday

Muslims in Southeast Asia and much of the Middle East will start their Ramadan fasts on Monday while those in places like India, Pakistan and Iran will likely start…

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Police in Cyprus find fifth victim of serial killer

Police in Cyprus found a body in a lake on Sunday that they believe to be the fifth victim of a suspected serial killer who preyed on foreign women for…

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