The Dispatch

Hagia Sophia in Istanbul to become a mosque

Turkey's president Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced that the Hagia Sophia museum in Istanbul will be controversially turned into a mosque. The Hagia Sophia, known as Ayasofya in Turkey, in the…

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Possible formation of an “anti-illegal immigration axis” between Malta and Italy

Sources close to the Italian Interior Ministry are being quoted as saying that Italy and Malta are to form an "anti-illegals axis" after rescued migrants hijacked a merchant ship and…

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Kidnapping charges in SeaWatch standoff

Rome prosecutors have come to the conclusion that there are elements to proceed with kidnapping charges in the case of the SeaWatch 3 migrant rescue ship The ship had…

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Air France pilot from Entebbe hijacking dies at 95

Captain Michel Bacos, whose flight was hijacked by Palestinian and German terrorists on June 27, 1976 and insisted on staying with Israeli captives in Entebbe, has died aged 95. Bacos…

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Italian Health Ministry orders withdrawal of 9 tattoo inks because of cancerous substances

The Italian Health Ministry has ordered the withdrawal from the Italian market of nine ink pigments that are used in tattoos. The order was issued after it was found…

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Salvini says no change to abortion law

League leader and Interior Minister Matteo Salvini said Italy's abortion law would not change amid a row with government partner the 5-Star Movement (M5S) after 40 League MPs filed a…

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‘Igor the Russian’ sentenced to life in jail in Italy

Norbert Feher, a 38-year-old Serbian know as 'Igor the Russian', was senteneced to life in jail for the murder. Feher was found guilty of the murder on 1 and 8…

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Italian PM Conte rules out another term

Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte said that this will be his only term as Prime Minister of Italy and has no plans to serve in any future governments. Conte, who…

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Baby dies in Italy after home circumcision

A 5-month-old baby boy in Italy has died as the result of a circumcision performed by his parents at home in Scandiano in Reggio Emilia. The ANSA news agency reported…

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China’s Xi heads to France

Chinese President Xi Jinping heads to the French Riviera on Sunday for the final leg of his European tour. Xi's trip will begin in the Mediterranean city of Nice and…

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Italy signs memorandum of understanding with China

Italy has signed a memorandum of understanding with China in support of Beijing’s “Belt and Road” initiative, which aims to weave a network of ports, bridges and power plants linking…

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Pope Francis accepts resignation of Chilean cardinal caught up in sex abuse scandal

A Vatican statement on Saturday said Pope Francis has accepted the resignation of Cardinal Ricardo Ezzati, the archbishop of Santiago, Chile, who has been caught up in the country's sex…

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Yellow Vests banned from Champs-Élysées

French police have banned the "gilets jaunes" (yellow vest) protesters from the Champs-Élysées in Paris on Saturday after rioters destroyed businesses last week. The government has warned that it intends…

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Spanish police break up Europe’s largest illegal TV streaming service

Spanish Police launched a major operation against an international criminal organization accused of illegally selling access to pay-TV over the internet. Spanish officials calculate that this was Europe’s largest illegal…

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French soldiers with orders to fire if threatened in Yellow Vests protests

General Bruno Leray, military governor of Paris, in a rare public address, said soldiers mobilized for Saturday's planned Yellow Vests protests, the gilets jaunes, will operate under strict instructions, but…

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Italy beefs up checks on driving licences after bus hijack

The Italian Interior Ministry issued a circular letter telling police forces to beef up checks on driving licences after this week's school bus hijacking in northern Italy. The driver of…

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Italian President Mattarella praises Silk Road memorandum

Italian President Sergio Mattarella said Friday that Chinese President Xi Jinping's State visit was strengthening cooperation between the nations after meeting Xi at the presidential palace in Rome. Mattarella…

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Explosive thrown at Russian consulate in Athens

Security has been stepped up in the Greek capital Athens after attackers on a motorcycle threw an explosive device, possibly a hand grenade, at the Russian consulate in the capital.…

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No evidence of radioactivity in key ‘Ruby’ witness Fadil

Sources in Italy are being quoted as saying that no evidence of radioactivity has been found in the organs of key Ruby witness Imane Fadil, after the results of testing…

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The dramatic phone call from hero school boy who saved hijacked bus

The dramatic phone call has been released that Ramy Shehata, a 13-year-old Egyptian boy, made to the police whilst on board a school bus hijacked and later torched by…

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PHOTO STORY: Pope Francis receives in audience Maltese President Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca

In her final days before she leaves office, President Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca was received in audience by Pope Francis at the Vatican. The President of Malta, who subsequently met with…

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Suspension of EU’s Operation Sophia not of great concern to Libya

The spokesman for the Libyan Navy, Ayoub Qassim said that the European statements regarding the suspension of Operation Sophia are not of the Libyan state's concern in any means.…

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Italian politician opposed to mandatory vaccines for children gets chicken pox

Massimiliano Fedriga, president of the north-eastern region of Friuli-Venezia Giulia and a member of the Lega party, was hospitalised earlier this month with the highly contagious chicken pox infection. In…

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27 arrest warrants in probe into secret Masonic lodge in Sicily

Italian security forces on Thursday staged an operation to execute 27 arrest warrants related to a probe into a secret Masonic lodge in the Sicilian town of Castelvetrano. Among the…

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Italy rolls out the red carpet for President Xi Jinping

Xi Jinping, the Chinese president, later today arrives in Italy for a three-day visit where the highlight is expected to be Italy’s signing up to China’s multi-billion pound Belt…

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Malta’s Minister of Foreign Affairs interviewed on migration by Rome Reports

Carmelo Abela, Malta's Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade Promotion, was interviewed by Rome Reports whilst on a visit to the “Museum of the Popes” in the Vatican. Abela is…

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Troops to be deployed in streets of France during Yellow Vest protests

French President Emmanuel Macron has announced that soldiers will be deployed across the country to help maintain security during more yellow vest protests planned this weekend. Macron said the military…

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Senate blocks Salvini trial

The Senate on Wednesday voted against granting authorisation to prosecutors in Sicily to proceed with a case of alleged kidnapping against Interior Minister Matteo Salvini. Prosecutors in Sicily wanted…

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Bus full of students hijacked and torched in Italy

Italian security forces arrested a 47-year-old man after allegedly hijacking a bus he was driving full of schoolchildren and subsequently starting a fire inside the vehicle. The suspect has been…

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China says it’s normal Belt and Road Initiative has sparked debate

China said that it is normal that Italy's potential involvement in its Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), nicknamed the Silk Road, has sparked debate. The initiative is a massive infrastructure…

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Migrants on board the ‘Mare Ionio’ to disembark at Lampedusa

The 49 migrants on board the Italian NGO rescue ship 'Mare Ionio' will be disembarking at Lampedusa on the orders of Guardia di Finanza. The 'Mare Ionio' was embroiled…

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President of Rome Municipality Council arrested on corruption charges

Marcello De Vito, President of Rome Municipality Council, as well as spokesman for the M5S movement, was arrested as part of an investigation into corruption in the issuing of tenders in…

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Barcelona to ban polluting vehicles

Following in the footsteps of Madrid, Barcelona is planning to restrict the access of vehicles that are considered major polluters. The restrictions would come into force from 2020 and prohibit…

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Italy prepares for no-deal Brexit

Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte has reassured the Lower House of Parliament in Rome that Italy is fully prepared for the eventuality of a no deal Brexit and the rights…

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High presence of cadmium and antimony found in blood of Imane Fadil

Milan prosecutor Francesco Greco told a press conference Monday that preliminary test on the Moroccan model and key prosecution witness in a Berlusconi trial had, a high concentration of…

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Al Bano to sue the Ukraine for damages

Popular Italian singer Al Bano said he might sue Ukraine at the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) after the Kiev government put him on its black list of threats…

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ISIS announces the killing of an Italian citizen

ISIS announced that it killed an Italian citizen identified as 33 year Lorenzo Orsetti from Florence. Initial information indicates that Orsetti had left Italy to join Kurdish forces fighting against…

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Corpse of Moroccan model Imane Fadil kept in isolation

Milan prosecutors have ordered that the corpse of Moroccan model Imane Fadil be kept in total isolation and that no one, not even family members, are to be allowed to…

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UPDATED: Violence in the streets of Paris during Yellow Vest protest

After weeks of declining participation, France's "yellow vest" protest movement attempted to rebound on Saturday with a major rally in Paris. It quickly turned violent with Police firing tear gas…

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Italian authorities on alert after Christchurch attacks

Italian authorities have warned that there is a risk that the terror attack in New Zealand that killed at least 49 people may spur copycat attacks or reprisals in…

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Italy to sign Silk Road memorandum with China

Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte confirmed that his government intends to sign a memorandum of understanding with the Chinese government for its Belt and Road Initiative (BRI). The huge…

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Request to have Toto Cutugno blacklisted in the Ukraine

A group of Ukrainian Members of Parliament requested that Italian singer Toto Cutugno be banned from the country. According to the Ukrainian website Economistua.com, the Ukrainian MPs wrote to Vasily…

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Italy registers record drop in asylum requests

Italy registered the largest drop in 2018 in asylum requests of all European Union countries - down 61% on 2017 figures, while requests across the EU dropped by 11%…

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Greek government strengthens fight against corrupt politicians

Greek lawmakers held a second vote on changes to the country's constitution with the aim of facilitating the prosecution of corrupt politicians. The first phase of a key parliamentary…

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European Parliament’s President Tajani under fire for Mussolini comments

The European Parliament's Italian President, Antonio Tajani, is facing harsh criticism for suggesting fascist dictator Benito Mussolini did some positive things before he turned bad. The outcry was sparked…

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Italian singer Al Bano blacklisted by the Ukrainian Government

Ukraine’s Ministry of Culture declared popular Italian singer Al Bano as a threat to national security and hence blacklisted him. The veteran Italian entertainer has now been included on…

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The EU and the US concerned following reports that Italy is close to signing up to China’s Belt and Road initiative

The European Commission stressed the need for EU States to stay united following reports that Italy is close to signing up to China's huge Belt and Road infrastructure initiative.…

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Marked slowdown in eurozone growth says ECB chief

Countries with high public debt like Italy should increase their efforts to cut it, European Central Bank Governor Mario Draghi. Italy has the highest debt in the eurozone after Greece,…

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Prominent French cardinal convicted of child sex abuse cover-up

Cardinal Philippe Barbarin was found guilty by a court in Lyon of failing to report to the justice authorities accusations against a paedophile priest in his diocese in what…

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Spain introduces new rental law to protect tenants

Five days after being approved by the Spanish Cabinet, a new government decree regulating property rentals in Spain went into effect on Wednesday. The measures introduced by the government of…

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Two children die as migrant boat sinks off Greek island

Two children were among three people who died early Thursday when a migrant boat, carrying at least 12 people, sank near the Greek island of Samos. The two young boys…

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France unveils the “tax of the 21st Century”

French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire (photo above) has unveiled plans for what is being described as the "tax of the 21st Century." A new French tax on digital giants.…

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New legal woes for Cardinal Pell

Cardinal George Pell, who is currently in jail in Australia awaiting sentencing on five child sex offences, is facing new legal problems. He is being sued in the Supreme…

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Italian economy in difficulty – ISTAT

ISTAT, the Italian National Institute of Statistics, on Wednesday announced that the Italian economy is continuing to experience difficulty after slipping into recession in the second half of 2018. The…

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Italy plans to join China’s Belt and Road Initiative

The Financial Times reported that Italy is planning to sign a memorandum of understanding to become part of China’s Belt and Road Initiative. The Belt and Road initiative, championed by…

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Reports of increased Russian military presence in Libya

Russia has set up two military bases in eastern Libya and hundreds of mercenaries linked to the GRU, the Russian military intelligence, are backing the forces of Khalifa Haftar in…

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Macron seeks reconciliation with Italy

French President Emmanuel Macron held out the olive branch with Italy following a diplomatic spat that saw Paris briefly recall its ambassador. In the spirit of reconciliation, Macron said he…

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