The Dispatch

EDPR to take legal action over Romania and Poland energy taxes

MADRID, Jan 9 (Reuters) - Portuguese renewable energy provider EDP Renovaveis , said on Monday it will take legal action against newly created taxes on energy in Poland and Romania.…

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Italy November jobless rate dips to 7.8% -ISTAT

ROME, Jan 9 (Reuters) - Italy's unemployment rate dipped to 7.8% in November from an upwardly revised 7.9% the month before, while the number of those in employment also fell,…

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Photo Story: Launch of a book with selected speeches of late President of EP David Sassoli

(L-R) Former president of the European Commission Romano Prodi, President of European Commission Ursula von her Leyen and Italian Foreign Affair Minister Antonio Tafani attend a launching event of a…

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Pope Francis meets Benedict’s top aide as memoir rattles Vatican

By Philip Pullella VATICAN CITY, Jan 9 (Reuters) - Pope Francis on Monday privately met Archbishop Georg Ganswein, former Pope Benedict's closest aide, who has rattled the Vatican with a…

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Pope says wars like that in Ukraine are ‘crime against God and humanity’

VATICAN CITY, Jan 9 (Reuters) - Pope Francis on Monday said wars like the one in Ukraine where civilian areas are subjected to what he called indiscriminate destruction are "a…

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Pope Francis could be ousted in ‘secret plan’ by Vatican hardliners

Vatican conservatives are waging a “secret plan” to put Pope Francis under such stress that he resigns, it has been claimed. The campaign against the Argentinian pontiff began just days…

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Benedict’s death clears path for Pope Francis to retire of old age in future

By Philip Pullella VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - Six months ago Pope Francis brushed off speculation he was about to resign due to health problems, but even if he had toyed…

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Macron presses ahead with pension reform as French discontent swells

PM Borne to detail pension reform plans on Tuesday Retirement age likely to be raised to 64 or 65 from 62 now Reform passage through parliament uncertain By Elizabeth Pineau…

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Italy rejects NGO ship’s request for closer safe port

MILAN (Reuters) - The Italian government has rejected a request from a ship run by Doctors Without Borders non-governmental organisation (NGO) to assign a safe port closer to the place…

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Public now can see Benedict’s tomb at St. Peter’s Basilica

The public can now visit the tomb of Pope Benedict XVI in the grottoes under St. Peter’s Basilica. The pontiff was buried on Jan. 5 immediately following a funeral in…

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Maltese Archbishop Scicluna: Benedict XVI was ‘instrumental in tackling clerical sexual abuse’

Maltese Archbishop Charles Scicluna says Pope Francis continues to build on the progress made under Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI’s papacy in the Church’s response to clerical abuse cases through many…

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Fourteen candidates join race for Cyprus presidency in Feb. vote

NICOSIA, Jan 5 (Reuters) - Fourteen candidates formally joined the race this week to become Cyprus's next president in an election next month dominated by the island's decades-old division, irregular…

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Nearly 100,000 homeless in Italy

There are currently nearly 100,000 homeless people in Italy, ISTAT said this week. In 2021, the national stats agency noted, there were 96,197 homeless people registered in the national registry…

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Netherlands, Malta and Portugal to require negative COVID test from China air travellers

The Maltese, Dutch and Portuguese governments on Friday joined a growing number of nations requiring air passengers arriving from China to show a negative COVID-19 test upon entry. On Friday,…

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Book by Benedict’s top aide reveals tensions in Vatican

VATICAN CITY, Jan 6 (Reuters) - Although Pope Francis often compared having former Pope Benedict living in the Vatican to having a grandfather in the house, a book by Benedict's closest aide…

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Greece to require negative COVID tests for travellers from China

Air travellers to Greece from China must show they have tested negative for COVID-19 48 hours before arrival, a new requirement that will be announced shortly, two government officials said on Thursday.…

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Stock exchanges: has Paris really stolen the limelight from the City of London?

via The Conversation by Pierre-Charles Pradier (Université Paris 1 Panthéon-Sorbonne) In late 2022, the French press exulted at the news that Paris’s market capitalisation had overtaken London’s. While these financial…

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France to permanently lower threshold for scrutiny of foreign investments – Le Maire

France will permanently lower the equity threshold for scrutinizing foreign investments from outside the European Union to 10% from 25%, Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire said on Thursday. Le Maire…

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UPDATED: Pope Francis presides over Benedict’s funeral as supporters seek sainthood

Pope Francis presides at funeral of his predecessor Benedict wanted simple funeral, Vatican says Ex-pope was standard-bearer for traditionalist Catholics Pope Benedict to be buried under St. Peter's Basilica VATICAN…

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Greece takes measures to tackle medicine shortages

ATHENS (Reuters) - Greece announced additional measures to deal with certain drug shortages, a problem it said was global and attributed to an increase in seasonal virus infections, supply chain…

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Guide to the funeral of Pope Emeritus Benedict on Thursday

VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - Pope Francis will preside at a funeral Mass in St. Peter's Square on Thursday for his predecessor former Pope Benedict, who died on Saturday at the…

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Spanish services activity expands again in December

MADRID, Jan 4 (Reuters) - Activity in the Spanish services sector expanded for the second consecutive month in December, supported by a marginally better demand environment amid slowing inflation, a…

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Italy’s services sector broadly stable in December- PMI

ROME, Jan 4 (Reuters) - Italy's services sector registered broadly stable activity in December, a survey showed on Wednesday, holding up better than expected as new business grew for the…

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Pope Francis praises Benedict as Vatican prepares for funeral

VATICAN CITY, Jan 4 (Reuters) - The Vatican on Wednesday served up a surreal moment in which a living pope spoke to some of the faithful in one part of…

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UPDATED: Italy’s gas bills likely to fall in January – ARERA president

MILAN, Jan 4 (Reuters) - Italy's regulated gas bills are likely to fall this month if gas prices in Europe remain at current levels, the country's energy authority president was…

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Benedict funeral to be similar to that of reigning popes

VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - Tens of thousands more people paid homage to former Pope Benedict on Tuesday on the second day his body lay in state, and the Vatican announced…

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Italy’s Eni sets up sustainable transport services company

Italian energy group Eni said it had set up a new company dedicated to sustainable transport, which would develop bio-refining, biomethane and offer mobility products and services in Italy and abroad. The move…

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Mini-reshuffle in Portuguese government after airline scandal

Portuguese PM Antonio Costa has announced a mini-reshuffle in his Cabinet after after a scandal related to payments at a national airline that 'shocked' the nation. In the midst of…

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EPA’s Eye In The Sky: The Vatican

An aerial view taken from an Italian Police's helicopter of the Saint Peter's Basilica in Rome, Italy. Via EPA-EFE/ETTORE FERRARI

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French manufacturing contraction not as deep as forecast in Dec – final PMI

PARIS, Jan 2 (Reuters) - France's manufacturing sector contracted less than first thought in December, a survey showed on Monday, even though inflationary pressures continued to weigh on the euro…

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Photo Story: Senate facade in Rome vandalized

Carabinieri and scientific police officers work on the facade of the Italian Senate after it was defaced in protest by 'Ultima Generazione' (Last Generation) activists in Rome, Italy, 02 January…

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Crowds view body of former Pope Benedict in St. Peter’s

By Philip Pullella VATICAN CITY, Jan 2 (Reuters) - A steady stream of tens of thousands of people filed into St. Peter's Basilica on Monday to pay their respects to…

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France urges EU peers to test Chinese travellers for COVID

PARIS (Reuters) - France on Sunday urged European Union peers to test Chinese travellers for COVID after Paris decided to do so amid an outbreak sweeping the country. Only Italy…

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UPDATED: Faithful pay respects to former Pope Benedict in St. Peter’s

VATICAN CITY, Jan 2 (Reuters) - A steady stream of people filed into St. Peter's Basilica on Monday to pay their respects to former Pope Benedict XVI, whose body will…

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Increase of 55% in extreme weather events in Italy in 2022

2022 has been an extremely dark year for the climate in Italy with 310 extreme-weather events and 29 deaths associated with them, the climate observatory of environmental group Legambiente said.…

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Sexual violence up 16% in Italy in 2022

Sexual violence was up 16% in Italy in the first 10 months of 2022 compared to the same period in 2021, according to a year-end survey released by the Italian…

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France urges EU peers to test Chinese travellers for COVID

PARIS (Reuters) - France on Sunday urged European Union peers to test Chinese travellers for COVID after Paris decided to do so amid an outbreak sweeping the country. Only Italy…

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18 Catholic missionaries killed in 2022

Eighteen missionaries lost their lives violently across the world this year: twelve priests, one brother, three women religious , one seminarian, and one lay person. Nine missionaries were killed in Africa,…

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Two Popes in the Vatican – sometimes more crowd than company

VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - When Pope Benedict shocked the Roman Catholic Church in 2013 by announcing he would resign instead of ruling for life, he promised to stay in the…

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Photo Story: The Spanish grape tradition for the New Year

A man shows a pack of 12 grapes at a market in Pamplona, Spain. Grapes are sold all over the country as a tradition for a good new year start,…

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UPDATED: Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI has died, funeral will be held on 5 January

The Vatican has just announced that The 95-year-old Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI passed away on Saturday at 9:34 AM in his residence at the Vatican's Mater Ecclesiae Monastery The Holy…

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Pope Francis in 2013 signed resignation letter in case of bad health

ROME (Reuters) - Pope Francis revealed in a interview published earlier in December that after he was elected in 2013 he signed a letter of resignation to be used if…

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FACTBOX-Key facts about Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI

VATICAN CITY, Dec 31 (Reuters) - Former pope Benedict, who died on Saturday, was the first pontiff in 600 years to resign from the post rather than rule for life.…

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Vatican in uncharted territory for former Pope Benedict’s funeral

The funeral of Benedict XVI will be held on Thursday 5 January and will be presided over by Pope Francis, the Vatican has said. The Vatican has confirmed Pope Benedict…

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EU Commission President von der Leyen and EP President Metsola pay tribute to Pope Emeritus Benedict

EU Commission president Ursula von der Leyen paid tribute to Benedict. Von der Leyen said “he had set a strong signal through his resignation” in 2013. “He saw himself first…

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Archbishop of Canterbury hails Pope Benedict as ‘one of the greatest theologians of his age’

Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby has hailed Pope Benedict XVI as "one of the greatest theologians of his age". In a statement, he said the former pontiff "saw many profound…

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OBITUARY: Former Pope Benedict was first pontiff to resign in 600 years

VATICAN CITY, Dec 31 - Former Pope Benedict, who died on Saturday aged 95, was the first pontiff in 600 years to resign, leaving behind a Catholic Church battered by…

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Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI – his papacy and retirement

VATICAN CITY, (Reuters) - Former pope Benedict, who died on Saturday 31 December, resigned in 2013, the first pontiff in 600 years to take such a step rather than rule…

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France to impose mandatory COVID tests for travellers from China

PARIS, Dec 30 (Reuters) - France will require that travellers arriving from China provide a negative COVID-19 test result less than 48 hours old before departure, the health ministry said in a…

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Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI’s condition is ‘unchanged’

In a response to questions from journalists, the Director of the Holy See Press Office, Matteo Bruni, on Friday confirmed that Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI's health condition remains stable at…

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Face masks, remote working if COVID worsens says Italy’s health ministry

ANSA - The health ministry on Friday published a circular recommending face masks and remote working if the COVID-19 situation worsens amid the feared spread of new cases from China…

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Rituals for Benedict’s passing could be template for future ex popes

VATICAN CITY, Dec 30 (Reuters) - When Pope Gregory XII, the last pope to resign before Benedict, died in 1417, the world was not watching. Gregory had stepped down two years earlier…

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Spain to require travellers from China test negative for COVID or be fully vaccinated

MADRID, Dec 30 (Reuters) - People travelling from China to Spain will be required to test negative for COVID-19 or prove they have been fully vaccinated against the disease, Health Minister Carolina…

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Spain vows more vigilance, protection as murders of women spike in December

MADRID (Reuters) - The Spanish government promised on Thursday increased police protection for victims of domestic violence after at least nine women in Spain were killed by their current or…

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EU phase out of fossil fuel cars unreasonable – Italy PM

ROME, Dec 29 (Reuters) - The European Union's decision to effectively ban the sale of new petrol and diesel cars from 2035 is unreasonable and hurts Italy's economic interests, Prime Minister Giorgia…

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Former Pope Benedict’s condition remains grave but stable – Vatican

VATICAN CITY, Dec 29 (Reuters) - Former Pope Benedict's condition remains "grave" but stable, the Vatican said on Thursday, adding in a statement that he had rested well during the night and…

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Italy urges EU peers to test China arrivals for COVID, but many say ‘no’

Italy wants all of EU to test China travelers for Covid Others reluctant or wait for EU joint decision EU health committee agrees no concrete steps EU committee to continue…

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