The Dispatch

French PM Bayrou’s marathon talks unlikely to avert no-confidence vote

French Prime Minister François Bayrou is holding intensive talks with political leaders in a last-ditch attempt to prevent a no-confidence vote scheduled for 8 September, which threatens to topple his…

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Spain’s far right gains as leading parties fight over fires

Spain has endured its worst wildfire season in 30 years, with nearly 400,000 hectares burned, sparking both environmental and political crises. The blazes have exposed tensions between Prime Minister Pedro…

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Italy protests US double tariff on cheese exports

The European Union’s recent trade deal with the United States may have averted a damaging tariff war, but it has already sparked tension with Italy over the treatment of hard…

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Tourists Arrivals in Italy Rose 9.3% in August

Tourist arrivals in Italy increased by 9.3% in the first half of August compared with the same period last year, the Interior Ministry said Wednesday. Between Aug. 1 and Aug.…

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Pope Leo calls for ceasefire, hostages’ release in Israel-Hamas conflict

Pope Leo made a "strong appeal" to the global community on Wednesday to end the nearly two-year conflict between Israel and Hamas, calling for a permanent ceasefire, the release of…

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France plunges back into crisis after PM Bayrou’s confidence-vote backfires

France found itself mired in yet another crisis on Tuesday, after Prime Minister Francois Bayrou's gamble to win backing for his deeply unpopular debt-reduction plan backfired, plunging the country deeper…

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Eruption at Mount Etna, Catania Airport Stays Open

Mount Etna is exhibiting intense Strombolian activity at its summit craters, accompanied by a strong emission of volcanic ash, according to Italy’s National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology (INGV), Etna…

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MSC Cruise Ship Bound for Malta Arrives Safely in Naples After Engine Failure

The flagship of MSC Cruises, the World Europa, arrived safely in Naples late Monday after drifting powerless for nearly 10 hours off the Italian island of Ponza due to an…

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MSC Cruise Ship Suffers Engine Failure off Ponza

An MSC cruise ship suffered an engine failure off the island of Ponza in the Pontine Archipelago, south of Rome, early Monday morning. The MSC World Europa, sailing from Genoa…

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Libyan Coast Guard Fires on Ocean Viking NGO Vessel After Rescue Operation

The humanitarian ship Ocean Viking, operated by SOS Mediterranée, came under heavy fire from the Libyan Coast Guard in what the NGO has denounced as a “violent and deliberate attack.”…

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In Madrid’s Poorest Areas, Residents Ask for Trees to Survive Heatwaves

As Madrid sweltered at the peak of one of Spain's longest-ever heatwaves, the temperature on a street in one of its poorest neighbourhoods - Puente de Vallecas - measured 41.4…

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Paris’ Montmartre battles overtourism

Residents of Montmartre in Paris are sounding the alarm over overtourism, fearing their picturesque hilltop neighbourhood could become the next Barcelona or Venice, as tourist numbers spike following last year's…

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DNA Traces Reveal Shark Activity in the Mediterranean

The Mediterranean white shark is as elusive and mysterious as the sharks in the Atlantic and Pacific are well known. “There’s really not much known about them, and they are…

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Greece’s travel sector sees 6 billion euro surplus in first half of 2025

The Greek travel services sector saw a surplus of 6 billion euros ($7 billion) in the first half of 2025, a 9.1% increase from the previous year, the data from…

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Mediterranean Heat Grips Cyprus and Italy as Weather Extremes Intensify

Much of the Mediterranean sweltered Thursday as Cyprus issued a yellow alert for soaring inland temperatures and Italy battled a mix of searing southern heat and violent storms in the…

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Arrest made in Italy over Nord Stream pipeline explosions

German prosecutors announced Thursday that a suspect had been arrested in connection with an alleged 2022 attack on the Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipelines, which transported Russian gas to…

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Pope Leo plans to visit Lebanon by December, marking his first trip outside Italy

Pope Leo plans to visit Lebanon, the country's senior Catholic official announced, in what could be the first visit outside Italy by the new leader of the global Church. The…

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Pope Leo sets day of fasting, prayers for peace on Friday

Pope Leo has asked Catholics and other religious faithful to observe a day of fasting and prayers for peace in the Middle East, Ukraine and other war-torn areas of the…

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Cyprus Reservoirs Near Record Lows as Drought Persists

Cyprus warned the population of severe water shortages as reservoir levels plunged to just 16% of capacity amid the island’s worst drought in years. The Water Development Department said inflow…

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Sicily set for mild Ferragosto heat as millions take to the roads

As much of central and northern Italy braces for oppressive Ferragosto heat, Sicily is expected to enjoy milder conditions, with three of its major cities forecast to stay in the…

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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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