The Dispatch

Search Continues After Migrant Shipwrecks Off Lampedusa Kill at Least 27

At least 27 people, including a 1-year-old girl and three teenagers, died when two overloaded migrant boats capsized in rough seas off the Italian island of Lampedusa on Wednesday, officials…

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Extreme heat is a growing public health emergency, experts warn

Extreme weather events are not only a climate crisis but also a public health one, straining health systems, economies and the lives of those most at risk, the Pan-European Commission…

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Cyprus Hotels Experience Peak Summer Occupancy

Cyprus hotels will be at their busiest from the following weekend until August 18, with occupancy rates between 90 and 95 per cent, according to Thanos Michaelides, president of the…

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Children Aged 11–13 Behind Fatal Milan Hit-and-Run in Stolen Vehicle

Milan municipal police have identified and detained four minors who were inside a stolen car that fatally struck 71-year-old Cecilia De Astis on Monday in Via Saponaro, in the Gratosoglio…

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Europe’s wildfires hit tourism spots and forests

Firefighters across Spain, Portugal, Greece, Turkey and the Balkans are battling wildfires, with another heatwave pushing temperatures above 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit) across parts of Europe. Global warming…

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Giorgia Meloni Surpasses Renzi, Eyes Craxi and Berlusconi in Longevity Record

Giorgia Meloni’s government on Tuesday became the fourth longest-serving administration in the history of the Italian Republic, reaching 1,024 days in office since its inauguration on October 22, 2022. This…

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West Nile Virus Death Toll in Italy Rises to 20

The death toll from West Nile Virus outbreaks in Lazio, Campania, Piedmont, Calabria and Lombardy has risen to 20, health authorities said. An 83-year-old man died in Caserta, the eighth…

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Swarm of jellyfish shuts nuclear power plant in France

The Gravelines nuclear power plant in northern France has been shut down after a swarm of jellyfish entered the filter drums that pull in cooling water, according to its state-owned…

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Southern Europe swelters under deadly heatwave as temperatures pass 40C

Deadly heat of up to 42C is searing southern Europe, as scientists warn of a “molotov cocktail” of climatic conditions that is fuelling vast wildfires across the Mediterranean. Météo-France placed…

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Greece may extend North Africa asylum ban if migrant flow resurges

Greece could extend a suspension on examining asylum applications passed by parliament last month if migrant flows from Libya start rising again, Migration Minister Thanos Plevris said on Thursday. In…

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Santorini Stumbles as Lesser-Known Greek Islands Rise and Demand Greater Control

The summer tourism landscape in Greece is showing signs of a notable shift, as interest in some of the country's most iconic destinations wanes while lesser-known islands gain ground. Foreign…

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France arrests man who lit cigarette from Unknown Soldier memorial flame

A man who lit a cigarette from a memorial flame at a major Paris war monument was arrested on Tuesday, the interior minister said, calling his actions "indecent and pathetic".…

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Pope Leo criticises nuclear deterrence on 80th anniversary of Hiroshima bombing

Pope Leo on Wednesday criticised the "illusory security" of the global nuclear deterrence system, in an appeal on the 80th anniversary of the United States dropping an atomic bomb on…

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Italian Government Approves Plans for Long-Awaited Bridge to Sicily

Italy's Council of Ministers has formally approved a €13.5 billion state-funded infrastructure project to construct what would be the world’s longest suspension bridge, connecting mainland Italy to the island of…

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Athens wary of Libya uncertainty

Greece remains wary of mounting instability in Libya, as unconfirmed reports suggest the Libyan parliament in Benghazi may be preparing to ratify the illegal 2019 maritime accord with Turkey. The…

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British tourist billed for Italian mountain rescue

A British hiker has been charged more than €14,000 (£12,000) by the Italian mountain rescue service after ignoring danger warnings in the Dolomites. The man, aged 60, had to be…

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Italy arrests 13 people in nationwide raids against Chinese mafia groups

Italian police arrested 13 people following a nationwide sweep against Chinese mafia groups, on charges including involvement in crimes such as drug dealing, sex trafficking and aggravated robbery. Raids were…

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Several beaches in France close after sightings of venomous Portuguese man o’war

Multiple popular beaches in south-west France were closed for swimming last week after several sightings of the venomous Portuguese man o'war. The marine creatures, which resemble jellyfish, appeared along the…

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Offshore wind in the Mediterranean: renewables can, and must, protect biodiversity – here’s how

By Paul Wawrzynkowski,PhD candidate, Universitat de Barcelona and Josep Lloret, Investigador científico (senior researcher)., Instituto de Ciencias del Mar (ICM-CSIC) The oceans – engines of life on Earth and our…

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Russia Labels Mattarella a ‘Russophobe’; Italy Summons Ambassador in Protest

The Russian Foreign Ministry has published a list accusing several Western leaders of using "hate speech" against Russia, naming Italian President Sergio Mattarella for remarks comparing Moscow’s war in Ukraine…

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Libyan coast guards train in Greece under plan to stem migrant flows

Libyan coast guard officers have started training on the Greek island of Crete as part of a plan to strengthen cooperation and help the two countries stem a surge in…

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Italy’s working age population set to shrink by one fifth

Italy's working age population is set to shrink by more than a fifth over the next 25 years, national statistics agency Istat said, highlighting the country's severe demographic challenges. Italy…

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Messina Strait Bridge Project Advances as Final Plans Sent for Government Approval

Stretto di Messina, the company responsible for overseeing the construction of a bridge across the Strait of Messina to link Sicily with mainland Italy, announced on Tuesday that its board…

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Sister of Sicilian Mafia boss freed, sparking fears of criminal resurgence

The sister of Matteo Messina Denaro, once Italy’s most feared mafia fugitive, has been released from prison and returned to her hometown of Castelvetrano, Sicily — raising concerns that she…

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West Nile Virus Expands Footprint in Greece and Italy

Three new cases of West Nile virus were reported in Greece over the past week, raising this summer’s total to seven and pointing to a gradual increase in infections. The…

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Early recognition of Palestine could be ‘counterproductive,’ Italy’s Meloni says

Recognizing the state of Palestine before it has been established could be “counterproductive,” Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said. “I am very much in favor of the state of Palestine,…

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Wildfires Rage Across Mediterranean as Heatwave Fuels Widespread Evacuations

Wildfires fueled by scorching heat and strong winds swept through large swaths of southern Europe over the weekend, forcing thousands to evacuate from coastal resorts, mountain villages, and farmland across…

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2025’s first summer heatwave was early, and deadly, for all of Western Europe

By Javier Martín Vide, Catedrático de Geografía Física, Universitat de Barcelona The first heatwave of the summer hit Spain, Portugal, France, Italy and Germany early in the year, breaking June temperature records…

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Meloni Lands Coveted Time Cover Spotlight

Premier Giorgia Meloni has appeared on the cover of Time magazine, with the influential biweekly dedicating the lead article of its latest edition to her. Authored by Massimo Calabresi, the…

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Cyprus gets help from other countries to battle huge fatal wildfire

Aircraft from Jordan, Israel, Lebanon and Spain were sent to help battle a huge wildfire in Cyprus that has claimed the lives of two people. Police were investigating reports that…

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France will recognise Palestinian state, Macron says

France will officially recognise a Palestinian state in September, President Emmanuel Macron has said, which will make it the first G7 nation to do so. In a post on X,…

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Greece invites Libya to maritime zone talks to ease strained ties

Greece has invited Libya's internationally recognised government in Tripoli to start talks on demarcating exclusive economic zones in the Mediterranean Sea, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said late on Wednesday. The…

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UPDATED: 20 cases of West Nile Virus in Lazio

The Lazio regional government said Thursday that people in the region that Rome belongs to currently have West Nile Virus after 12 new cases were detected. It said all of…

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France: Cities Impose Nighttime Restrictions on Minors Following Crime Surge

A number of French cities have imposed night-time curfews on young people following a spate of violence linked to drug trafficking. Nîmes in the south was the latest to bring…

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French president Macron sues right-wing podcaster over claim France’s first lady was born male

French President Emmanuel Macron and his wife Brigitte filed a defamation lawsuit in the U.S. on Wednesday against right-wing influencer and podcaster Candace Owens, centered on her claim that France's…

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Italy to add 15,000 prison places to ease overcrowding

Italy's government has pledged to expand prison capacity by up 15,000 places and facilitate the transfer of inmates with addiction problems to treatment centres to tackle a long-standing overcrowding crisis.…

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Blazing Heat Sparks Dozens of Wildfires Across Sicily

Sicily is engulfed in soaring temperatures and widespread fires, prompting emergency alerts from the Civil Protection and intense mobilization of firefighting teams across the region. Temperatures climbed well above 40 °C…

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Mediterranean heatwave sparks concern for marine life

A recent heatwave in the Mediterranean Sea has been so severe that scientists are concerned for marine life. The human-induced climate crisis is making marine heatwaves more intense and prolonged,…

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Greece reveals boundaries of two marine parks in Ionian and Aegean seas

Greece revealed on Monday the boundaries of two planned marine parks in the Ionian and Aegean seas, with Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis saying they will be the largest in the…

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Only 16% of Italians would fight for their country, survey shows

Almost a third of Italians believe the country will be directly involved in a war within five years, but only 16% of those of fighting age would be willing to…

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Europe’s busiest cruise port Barcelona to scale back amid overtourism concerns

The port of Barcelona, Europe's busiest for cruise ships, will scale back its passenger terminal capacity by 2030 as the city tries to put the brakes on surging arrivals and…

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Italy on alert after West Nile Virus Death Reported in Lazio

Health authorities in Italy's Lazio region have reported the first death of the year linked to the West Nile virus, marking a renewed public health concern as mosquito-borne illnesses rise…

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Pope Leo calls for end to ‘barbarity of war’

Pope Leo called for an end to the 'barbarity of war' on Sunday as he spoke of his profound pain over an Israeli strike on the sole Catholic church in…

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Italy may release up 10,000 people from prison to ease overcrowding

Italy may release up to around 10,000 people from prison, or about 15% of the total population of inmates, to ease overcrowding, the Justice Ministry has announced. Some 10,105 prisoners…

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Tripoli Stonewalls Athens on EEZ as Turkish Influence Prevails

Greek Foreign Minister George Gerapetritis visited Libya’s capital without achieving substantial progress on maritime boundary delimitation, the key issue affecting relations between Athens and Tripoli’s government. According to diplomatic sources,…

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France’s PM wants to scrap two public holidays to help fix government finances

French Prime Minister Francois Bayrou proposed scrapping two public holidays and freezing most public spending as part of a 43.8 billion euro ($50.88 billion) budget squeeze he outlined on Tuesday.…

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Portofino tightens tourist rules with dress code and alcohol ban in summer crackdown

Authorities in the exclusive Italian Ligurian resort town of Portofino have extended a sweeping summer ordinance that imposes restrictions on tourist behavior, including a ban on public drinking and a…

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Heatwaves in Spain caused 1,180 deaths in past two months

High temperatures caused 1,180 deaths in Spain in the past two months, a sharp increase from the same period last year, the Environment Ministry said. The vast majority of people…

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Meredith Kercher’s Murderer Confronts Fresh Charges of Sexual Assault

The man convicted of the murder of British student Meredith Kercher has been charged with sexual assault against an ex-girlfriend. Rudy Guede, 38, was the only person who was definitively…

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Cyprus a step closer to joining Schengen

Parliament in Cyprus on Thursday voted into law a bill which allows for the European Union’s visa information system (VIS) to be implemented and operated in Cyprus, bringing the island…

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Greek tanker fleet steps up ship inspections near Russian ports after mysterious blasts

Greek shipping companies calling at Russian ports are boosting their vessels' defences after a series of mysterious blasts in recent months have damaged tankers linked to Moscow's oil trade according…

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Conference commits over 10 bln euros to Ukraine rebuilding, Italy says

Participants in a Rome conference on the economic recovery of Ukraine have pledged over 10 billion euros ($11.7 billion) to help the war-torn country, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said…

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Greece to Introduce Tougher Measures to Deter Migrant Arrivals

Migration and Asylum Minister Thanos Plevris on Thursday indicated that the government is planning to introduce new “disincentives” as part of a crackdown on migrant arrivals following an influx from…

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Greece to suspend processing asylum applications from north Africa for three months

Greek prime minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis has just told the parliament that Greece will suspend processing asylum applications for migrants arriving on boat from north Africa. In comments reported by Kathimerini,…

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Pope Leo interrupts vacation to appeal for action on climate change

Pope Leo interrupted a two-week vacation on Wednesday to celebrate a special Mass exhorting Catholics to exercise care for creation, in the Vatican's second major appeal in a week for…

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‘Ndrangheta associates arrested for drug trafficking and violence

Europol has supported Italian law enforcement in dealing a heavy blow to the ‘Ndrangheta criminal organisation. In an action day conducted on 8 July 2025 across Italy, Spain and Albania,…

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Italy braces for more heat and storms after deadly weekend

Italy was bracing for more extreme weather on Tuesday after a woman was killed by a falling tree near Milan as violent storms swept across the north over the weekend,…

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