The Dispatch

Pope says he will attend COP28 climate summit in Dubai, a first by a pontiff

Pope Francis said on Wednesday that he will attend the COP28 climate conference starting next month in Dubai, the first time a pontiff will be at the U.N. environmental meeting…

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Photo Story: Flooding in Milan as Seveso river overflows

People push a police vehicle along a flooded street after a storm caused the overflowing of the Seveso river, in Milan, Italy. The city of Milan is on alert after…

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Italy drafts plan for direct election of prime minister

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and top ministers on Monday backed a constitutional reform proposal introducing the direct election of the prime minister, in an effort to end the country's…

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Cyprus braces for refugee influx from Mideast, boosts capacity

NICOSIA, Oct 30 (Reuters) - Cyprus is expanding capacity to host refugees as it braces itself for a new influx of people fleeing deepening conflict in the Middle East, authorities…

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Earthquakes beset Italian town as supervolcano rumbles

By Yesim Dikmen, Antonio Denti and Philip Pullella POZZUOLI, Italy (Reuters) - The talk in shops and coffee bars in Pozzuoli, a port town outside Naples, is not about soccer…

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Pope calls for Israel-Hamas ceasefire, hostage release

VATICAN CITY, Oct 29 (Reuters) - Pope Francis on Sunday called for a ceasefire in the war between Israel and Hamas and renewed an appeal for the release of hostages…

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Italy to raise taxes for flat owners doing multiple short-term rentals

Italy's government plans to hike taxes on short-term rentals by people letting out more than one flat, a draft of the 2024 budget seen by Reuters showed. The move comes…

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Vatican synod ends without clear stances on women deacons, LGBT

By Philip Pullella VATICAN CITY, (Reuters) - A month-long Vatican meeting on the future of the Roman Catholic Church ended on Saturday without clear stands on hot-button issues such as…

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Over 2 million Italian families in absolute poverty

Istat said that just over 2.18 million households in Italy were in absolute poverty in 2022. The national statistics agency said this represented 8.3% of the total number of families,…

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Italy lawmakers move to raise electromagnetic limits in boost for telcos

ROME, Oct 27 (Reuters) - An Italian parliamentary committee approved on Friday an amendment to a bill to raise limits on electromagnetic fields, which mobile telecommunication operators complain are too…

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Pope orders reopening of case of prominent priest accused of abuse

By Philip Pullella VATICAN CITY, Oct 27 (Reuters) - Pope Francis has ordered a review of the Church's handling of the case of an internationally known religious artist who was…

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Spain to create emergency accommodation for 3,000 migrants

MADRID, (Reuters) - Spain said it would create additional emergency accommodation for 3,000 undocumented migrants in military barracks, hotels and hostels amid a 55% jump in arrivals by sea this…

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Births in Italy heading for new record low in 2023

Births in Italy are heading for a new record low this year, according to preliminary data that points to a deepening of the country's long-standing demographic crisis. Between January and…

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Photo Story: Anti-terrorist drill in Barcelona with 500 pleople involved

Actors impersonate victims of a terror attack during an anti-terrorism drill at the Sants Train station in Barcelona, north-western Spain, 27 October 2023. Almost 500 people participated in the biggest…

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Turkey’s Erdogan tells Pope: Silence of international community over Gaza ’embarrassing’

ANKARA, Oct 26 (Reuters) - Turkey's President Tayyip Erdogan told Pope Francis in a phone call on Thursday that Israel's attacks on Gaza amounted to a massacre, and that the…

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UPDATED: Italy PM backs creation of EU naval mission to patrol borders

ROME, Oct 25 (Reuters) - Italy will support the creation of a European Union naval mission to patrol maritime borders, Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni told parliament on Wednesday. "Italy will…

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Italian PM’s former partner loses TV show over sexist comments

ROME, Oct 25 (Reuters) - Andrea Giambruno, the former partner of Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, has been taken off a television talk show he had presented before Meloni left…

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Italy likely to extend border controls with Slovenia into 2024

ROME, (Reuters) - Controls at the border between Italy and Slovenia will probably continue into next year, Rome's interior minister said, citing the risk of terrorists among the migrants in…

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Pope urges release of hostages and humanitarian aid access in Gaza

VATICAN CITY, Oct 25 (Reuters) - Pope Francis on Wednesday renewed his calls for the release of hostages held by Palestinian militants and for humanitarian aid to be allowed into…

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Photo Story: Thunderstorm causes flooding in Rome

A thunderstorm caused flooding in Rome on Tuesday.Several streets were flooded and fire teas had to help stranded motorists. A metro station was also closed by flooding while several trees…

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Spain’s Socialists, hard-left Sumar strike government coalition deal

Spain's Socialist Party and the hard-left Sumar have reached an agreement in an effort to form a new government after an inconclusive election three months ago left the country with…

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Spain seizes ancient gold jewellery stolen from Ukraine worth $64 million

MADRID, Oct 23 (Reuters) - Spain has seized ancient gold artefacts valued at 60 million euros ($63.6 million) stolen from Ukraine after thieves were caught trying to sell them in…

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Italy to approve measures to boost energy security as gas prices rise

Italy plans hub for floating wind power Tries to speed up work on LNG terminals Also supports carbon capture facilities By Giuseppe Fonte and Francesca Landini ROME, Oct 23 (Reuters)…

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Cyprus busts refugee trafficking ring as more arrive from Mideast

NICOSIA, Oct 23 (Reuters) - Police in Cyprus on Monday arrested ten individuals suspected of running a crime gang trafficking migrants, as the island saw a fresh spike in arrivals…

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Two new expulsions in Italy of persons considered a national security risk

A Tunisian citizen and a Kosovar citizen considered dangerous to national security because they were 'strongly radicalised' have been expelled, the Viminale intreior ministry announced. This brings to 56 the…

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Meloni’s first anniversary as Italy PM marred by economy, family split

By Angelo Amante and Giselda Vagnoni ROME (Reuters) - Weak economic growth and high interest on the country's huge debt are the main problems facing Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni…

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Biden and Pope Francis discuss Israel and Gaza in a call

By Kanishka Singh and Crispian Balmer WASHINGTON/VATICAN CITY, (Reuters) - U.S. President Joe Biden spoke with Pope Francis on Sunday and discussed the ongoing conflict in the Middle East between…

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Spain pledges 50 million euros for Canary islands migrant surge

By Borja Suarez ARGUINEGUIN, Spain, (Reuters) - Spain is readying a 50 million euro ($52.86 million) aid package to help the Canary Islands cope with an "extraordinary migration flow", Spain's…

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Cyprus on heightened alert after small blast outside Israeli embassy

NICOSIA, Oct 21 (Reuters) - A small blast occurred overnight outside the Israeli embassy in the Cypriot capital Nicosia, police said. No damage or injuries were reported. Police said a…

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Italy signs deal to take in migrant workers from Tunisia

ROME, (Reuters) - Italy signed a deal to take in some 4,000 workers from Tunisia, in line with pledges to help the northern African state stem the pressure from migrants…

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France’s Macron sees hope for hostages in Gaza after Qatari mediation

By John Irish France's President Emmanuel Macron welcomed the release of two American hostages in Gaza, highlighting Qatar's role and saying he hoped similar initiatives would happen in the coming…

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Arrests after wave of bomb threats in France

At least 18 people have been arrested after a wave of bomb threats prompted evacuations across France. The Palace of Versailles, the Louvre as well as schools, airports and hospitals…

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Milan to ban cars from city centre by middle of 2024

The financial capital of Italy, Milan, is set to banish cars from its city centre by the middle of next year, Mayor Giuseppe Sala said. "It is clear that the…

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UPDATED: Italy PM leaves partner after his sexist TV comments

ROME, Oct 20 (Reuters) - Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said on Friday she had separated from her television journalist partner Andrea Giambruno, who has drawn criticism in recent weeks…

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Pope Francis may attend global climate talks in Dubai

By Philip Pullella VATICAN CITY, Oct 19 (Reuters) - Pope Francis may attend the COP28 climate conference starting next month in Dubai, Vatican sources say, to drive home his recent…

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Italy reinstates border controls with Slovenia, cites attack risk

ROME, (Reuters) - Italy reinstated border controls with Slovenia as part of its strategy to improve home security against threats of terrorist attacks in Europe, the government said. "The intensification…

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Italy to earmark 12 billion euros for mega Sicily bridge project

By Angelo Amante and Giuseppe Fonte ROME, (Reuters) - Italy's government said it would set aside 12 billion euros ($12.65 billion) to build a giant bridge to connect Sicily to…

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Pope Francis deplores ‘desperate’ situation in Gaza

VATICAN CITY, Oct 18 (Reuters) - Pope Francis deplored the "desperate" situation in Gaza on Wednesday as he urged the faithful to take "only one side" in the Israel-Hamas conflict,…

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UPDATED: Several French airports evacuated due to bomb scare; France stepping up border security

Eight French airports faced security alerts on Wednesday and several were evacuated for checks, the DGAC aviation authority said, and the Palace of Versailles closed again due to its third security scare in…

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France’s Palace of Versailles being evacuated for security reasons

France's Palace of Versailles is evacuating its visitors for security reasons and will be closed on Tuesday, the Chateau de Versailles said on social network X.BFM TV, citing police sources, said a bomb squad…

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Italy arrests two people in counter-terrorism operation

Italian authorities carried out a counter-terrorism operation early on Tuesday that led to the arrest of an Egyptian citizen and an Italian citizen of Egyptian origin, police said in a…

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Italy to charge foreigners 2,000 euros a year for health service

Foreigners who live in Italy will be able to use the national health service after paying a 2,000-euro ($2,109) annual fee, the government has announced. The charge, part of the…

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Italy to unveil tax-cutting 2024 budget amid debt worries

Italy's deficit-hiking 2024 budget due to be approved by cabinet on Monday will cut taxes for workers and increase benefits for large families, officials said, amid growing market concerns over…

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Pope Francis calls for humanitarian corridors to help those under siege in Gaza

VATICAN CITY, Oct 15 (Reuters) - Pope Francis on Sunday called for humanitarian corridors to help those under siege in Gaza and again appealed for the release of hostages held…

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Italian Interior minister warns of ‘complicated months ahead’; Boosts security at sensitive sites

Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi warned that the coming months will be "complicated" after the outbreak of war between Hamas and Israel. "'Difficult, complicated months are certainly ahead of us, which…

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France deploys 7,000 troops for extra security

PARIS, (Reuters) - French President Emmanuel Macron deployed up to 7,000 soldiers for increased security patrols, as bomb alerts forced the evacuation of the Louvre museum after a teacher was…

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Vatican ready for ‘any necessary mediation’ to free hostages held by Hamas

VATICAN CITY, Oct 13 (Reuters) - The Vatican's priority is securing the release of hostages held by Hamas and it stands ready for "any necessary mediation", one of its most…

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UPDATED: Fatal attack in school in Arras, France

By Pascal Rossignol ARRAS, Oct 13 (Reuters) - A knifeman fatally stabbed one teacher and wounded another in an attack at a school in the northern France city of Arras…

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Anti-mafia author Saviano fined for calling Italy PM a ‘bastard’

Italian anti-mafia author and human rights campaigner Roberto Saviano was on Thursday convicted of libel and handed a symbolic fine for calling Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni a "bastard" over her…

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Russian journalist who protested Putin’s war live on TV may have been poisoned

PARIS, (Reuters) - French prosecutors have opened an investigation into why an exiled Russian journalist who staged a high-profile protest against the war in Ukraine was suddenly taken ill, a…

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Photo Story: Royal family members attend military parade on Spanish National Day

Spain's King Felipe VI (R) and Crown Princess Leonor attend the military parade on the occasion of the Spanish National Day in Madrid, Spain on 12 October 2023. Crown Princess…

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EU rethinks energy state aid to break France-Germany deadlock – document

European Union countries may scale back plans to expand state aid for power plants in an attempt to break a deadlock between France and Germany, a document seen by Reuters…

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Pope urges release of all Hamas hostages, concerned by Gaza siege

Pope Francis on Wednesday called on militant Islamist group Hamas to release all hostages captured during its weekend attack on Israel, while expressing grave concerns about the "total" Israeli siege…

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Italy battles for flexible EU budget rules as bond spreads widen

Italy is lobbying its European Union partners with increasing urgency to approve more flexible budget rules, according to government sources, as bond spreads widen and Rome fears that deviations from its…

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Israel-bound cruise ships divert to Cyprus, flights added

NICOSIA, Oct 9 (Reuters) - Cruise ships heading to Israel have been diverted to Cyprus, while additional flights were arranged on Monday to repatriate Israelis or assist people wanting to…

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Portugal to increase civil servants’ wages by average of 3.8% in 2024

By Sergio Goncalves LISBON, (Reuters) - Portugal's government said it would increase the wages of civil servants by an average of 3.8% next year, but unions say that is not…

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Unusual incident in Cyprus concerning Russian journalist

NICOSIA, Oct 7 (Reuters) - A Russian journalist detained in Cyprus for allegedly being a threat to national security has left the island, Cypriot media said on Saturday. The journalist's…

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