The Dispatch

Earthquake damages part of Pompeii site in southern Italy

A minor earthquake in southern Italy has caused the partial collapse of a wall and a portion of a vault at the Pompeii archaeological site, authorities said. The quake with…

Read More Here

Mafia boss Giovanni Brusca completely free

Mafia boss Giovanni Brusca, one of Italy's most notorious mobsters, is completely free after serving the four years of probation imposed on him following his release from jail in 2021.Among…

Read More Here

Abandoned buildings examined as search for Madeleine McCann resumes

Searches for Madeleine McCann are due to resume on Thursday morning near to where she disappeared from Praia da Luz, Portugal. German and Portuguese investigators have until Friday to look…

Read More Here

Italy cracks down on protests, squatters and cannabis

Italy's upper house of parliament on Wednesday gave final approval to a wide-ranging security decree that targets public protests, pickpockets and squatters, and outlaws so-called "legal" cannabis. The measures, spearheaded…

Read More Here

Etna eruption over, monitoring continues says INGV

Monday's spectacular Mount Etna eruption that featured prominently on news bulletins around the world is over, but monitoring of Europe's biggest active volcano is continuing the National Institute of Geophysics…

Read More Here

Police launch new search for Madeleine McCann in the Algarve

German police are to carry out new searches in Lagos, in the Algarve, as part of the investigation into the disappearance of Madeleine McCann in 2007, according to information provided…

Read More Here

UPDATED: Mount Etna Erupts; No Immediate Threat to Population

Italian authorities have issued a statement after Mount Etna erupted. Etna is located in Sicily and is the highest active volcano in Europe. Italy's National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology…

Read More Here

Europe and Canada Gripped by Unseasonal Heatwave

Southern and central Europe are facing record-breaking heat this week, with temperatures in parts of Portugal and Spain nearing 40 degrees Celsius, raising concerns about crop damage and water shortages…

Read More Here

Macron says Europe must ‘harden’ stance on Israel unless Gaza crisis eases

French President Emmanuel Macron said Friday that Europe’s “collective position” on Israel must “harden” unless the humanitarian crisis in Gaza improves. “It’s very clear today that we can not let…

Read More Here

Italy Passes Landmark Animal Welfare Law: Harsh Penalties for Abuse, Puppy Trafficking, and Animal Violence

In a sweeping reform of animal protection legislation, Italy has enacted a new law introducing stringent penalties for violence against animals, including significant prison terms and fines for crimes such…

Read More Here

France to ban smoking in all outdoor places frequented by children

France will ban smoking in all outdoor places that can be frequented by children, health and family minister Catherine Vautrin has said. The ban will come into force on 1…

Read More Here

Italian activists face trial for migrant sea rescue in legal first

A Sicilian judge has ordered six members of an Italian charity ship to stand trial on accusations of aiding illegal immigration, the first time crew members of a rescue vessel…

Read More Here

Greece drafts tougher law for rejected asylum seekers

Greece has prepared legislation that will introduce tougher penalties for rejected asylum seekers and speed up returns to their home countries, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said. The Mediterranean nation was…

Read More Here

U.S. Elevates Travel Advisory for Italy Amid Terrorism Concerns

The U.S. Department of State has elevated its travel advisory for Italy to Level 2, urging American travelers to "exercise increased caution" due to potential terrorist threats. This adjustment, issued…

Read More Here

Pope Leo appeals for Gaza ceasefire, laments deaths of children

Pope Leo appealed on Wednesday for a ceasefire in Gaza and called on Israel and Hamas militants to completely respect international humanitarian law. "In the Gaza Strip, the intense cries…

Read More Here

’Ndrangheta eyes major public contracts, anti-Mafia body warns

The ’Ndrangheta mafia has shown growing interest in controlling major public works and managing local government funds, particularly in sectors such as hospital administrations and waste collection services, according to…

Read More Here

Russia does not see Vatican as a serious arena for peace talks, sources say

Russia does not view the Vatican as a credible venue for peace negotiations with Ukraine, according to three senior Russian sources who spoke to Reuters. They cited the Holy See’s…

Read More Here

Italy Sees Sharp Rise in Graduate Emigration Amid Demographic Decline

Italy has experienced a significant exodus of young, educated professionals over the past decade, with approximately 97,000 graduates leaving the country, according to the national statistics agency ISTAT. In 2024…

Read More Here

The prospect of a US pope was once viewed with suspicion – but Leo XIV could prove an important counter to Trump

By Massimo D'Angelo, Research Associate in the Institute for Diplomacy and International Affairs, Loughborough University Pope Leo XIV has been elected as the 267th pontiff, leader of the Catholic church…

Read More Here

France grapples with surging tropical diseases

French regions are waging war against tiger mosquitoes as the country records rising cases of tropical diseases such as dengue, zika and chikungunya. Since Jan. 1, France has already seen…

Read More Here

UPDATED: Earthquake of magnitude 6 strikes Crete

A very strong earthquake, measuring 6.1 on the Richter scale, occurred at 06:19 (Greek time) 56 kilometers north-northeast of Heraklion, Crete, according to data from the Geodynamic Institute of the…

Read More Here

Pope Leo appeals for Israel to allow humanitarian aid in Gaza

Pope Leo XIV on Wednesday appealed for Israel to allow humanitarian aid to enter Gaza, calling the situation in the Palestinian enclave "yet more worrying and saddening". "I renew my…

Read More Here

Italy Plans to Begin Work on Messina Bridge by End of Summer, Pending Government Approval

Construction of the long-debated bridge over the Strait of Messina, designed to connect Sicily to mainland Italy, could begin by the end of summer, Transport Minister and Deputy Premier Matteo…

Read More Here

Spain blocks more than 65,000 Airbnb holiday rental listings

Spain has ordered Airbnb to withdraw more than 65,000 listings for holiday rentals that violated existing rules from its platform as part of a general crackdown on a business blamed…

Read More Here

Pope Leo urges unity for divided Church, vows not to be ‘autocrat’

Pope Leo XIV formally began his reign on Sunday by reaching out to conservatives who felt orphaned under his predecessor, calling for unity, vowing to preserve the Catholic Church's heritage…

Read More Here

Portugal PM’s party wins snap election but falls short of majority

Portugal's governing right-of-centre Democratic Alliance has won snap parliamentary elections - the third in as many years - again falling short of a majority. Its leader Luís Montenegro promised supporters…

Read More Here

What to Know About the Papal Inauguration: Rituals, Symbols, and Attendees

Tens of thousands gathered at St Peter's Square at the Vatican on Sunday for Pope Leo XIV's inauguration mass. The service marks the official start of the new pontiff's papacy,…

Read More Here

Cyprus Launches Campaign to Lure Skilled Nationals Back Home

Cyprus is making a concerted push to bring its diaspora home with a new initiative aimed at reversing brain drain and injecting fresh talent into the island nation’s economy. The…

Read More Here

Portugal’s election: what are the parties running on Sunday

Following are the main parties running in Portugal's general election on Sunday, its third in just over three years. Opinion polls are pointing to another fragile minority government and a…

Read More Here

Pope Leo tells diplomats the dignity of migrants must be respected

Pope Leo XIV, in his first address to world diplomats at the Vatican, said on Friday that the dignity of migrants had to be respected, while also calling on nations…

Read More Here

No sign of cyberattack on grid operator during Spain’s blackout

Spain has found no indication of a cyberattack on its grid operator REE during the massive power outage that hit the country and Portugal on April 28, Energy Minister Sara…

Read More Here

Some 66 million people to holiday in Italy this summer

This summer, 65.8 million people are expected to holiday in Italy, generating an estimated 267.4 million overnight stays, according to a study by the Demoskopika Institute, obtained in advance by…

Read More Here

Pope Leo says he will make ‘every effort’ for world peace

Pope Leo XIV, the first American to head the global Catholic Church, pledged on Wednesday to make "every effort" for peace and offered the Vatican as a mediator in global…

Read More Here

EU lawmakers probe rule of law in Meloni’s Italy

Rule-of-law watchdogs in the European Parliament are taking a close look at how Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s government has affected democracy in Italy. Behind closed doors Wednesday, lawmakers will quiz…

Read More Here

UPDATED: Greece issues tsunami warning after strong earthquake

Greece's emergency services have warned people to move away from the coast after an offshore earthquake struck near the island of Kasos. "A magnitude 5.9 earthquake occurred 48km [south-east] of…

Read More Here

Earthquake Strikes Campi Flegrei: Strong Tremors Rattle Naples Region

A 4.4-magnitude earthquake struck the Campi Flegrei area at 12:07 p.m. today, according to Italy’s National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology (INGV). The epicenter was located offshore, just west of…

Read More Here

New Pope Leo tells Jews he wants to strengthen dialogue

Pope Leo XIV has told the world's Jewish communities he wants to strengthen the Roman Catholic Church’s dialogue with them, in a message coming after a souring of relations between…

Read More Here

Pope Leo, in first known call with foreign leader, speaks to Ukraine’s Zelenskiy

Pope Leo XIV had a phone call with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy on Monday and spoke about ceasefire proposals, Zelenskiy said, in the first known conversation between the newly-elected pontiff…

Read More Here

Pope Leo XIV appeals for ‘no more war’ in first Sunday message

Pope Leo XIV appealed to the world's major powers for "no more war" in his first Sunday message to crowds in St. Peter's Square since his election as pontiff. The…

Read More Here

Portugal police arrest crime ring over fraudulent permits for 10,000 foreigners

Portuguese police have arrested 13 people they believe provided an estimated more than 10,000 foreigners with residence permits and documents allowing them to stay in Portugal and the European Union…

Read More Here

Pope Leo hopes to bring light to “dark nights of this world”

Pope Leo XIV celebrated his first Mass since being elected pontiff, as congratulations pour in for the new leader of the Catholic Church. In his address, speaking in Italian, the…

Read More Here

Cyprus struggles to fill jobs

Cyprus is facing ongoing labor shortages across critical sectors, with acute gaps in professional drivers and nursing staff threatening service quality for both residents and tourists. According to Kathimerini's Dorita…

Read More Here

The symbolic elements of Pope Leo XIV’s election, his vestments, and coat of arms

The election of Pope Leo XIV, formerly Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, marked a significant milestone in the Catholic Church’s modern history, making him the first American-born pontiff and underscoring the…

Read More Here

In his first appearance, Pope Leo offers three big clues about his papacy

From his first moments on the balcony of St. Peter's Basilica, Pope Leo XIV gave three important clues about what kind of leader of the 1.4-billion-member Catholic Church he will…

Read More Here

World Leaders React To The Election Of The First American Pope

The world is reacting to the election of Pope Leo XIV, formerly Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, with many mhighlighting both the symbolic and political implications of his appointment as the…

Read More Here

UPDATED: The new pope is American Cardinal Prevost, Pope Leo XIV

A new pope has just been elected.The new pope is Cardinal Robert Prevost of the US, the first American pontiff in history. He will be known as Pope Leo XIV.…

Read More Here

Popes Named Leo: A Legacy of Leadership and Reform

The choice of a papal name is never accidental and in selecting Leo XIV, the new Pope has aligned himself with a weighty historical legacy. The last pontiff to bear…

Read More Here

Who is the new pope, Leo XIV

Robert Prevost has become the 267th pope, the first time in 2,000 years that an American has been appointed to lead the Catholic church. Chicago-born Prevost has chosen to be…

Read More Here

How does a pope get his name?

In his autobiography "Hope," published in January 2025, Pope Francis, who died on April 21, describes the moment during the 2013 papal election when he found his name. During the…

Read More Here

‘Habemus papam’ and the white smoke that announces a new pope

When a new pope is elected, there are two signs that mark that historic moment: the white smoke (“fumata bianca” in Italian) erupting from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel…

Read More Here

UPDATED: Black smoke emerges once again from chimney as cardinals fail to agree on new pope

Black smoke appeared from a chimney atop the Sistine Chapel at the Vatican on Thursday, signalling that cardinals meeting in a secret conclave did not elect a new pope during…

Read More Here

Greece to Restrict Sea Sports During Peak Hours on Athens Riviera

Greece’s Port Authority will restrict the use of recreational sea vehicles during peak afternoon hours along the Athens Riviera this summer in an effort to improve safety and reduce disturbances…

Read More Here

Conclave: the Vatican’s secret process for choosing a new pope

The next pope will be chosen by the College of Cardinals, the Catholic church’s most senior figures appointed by the pontiff, who will make their way to Rome in the…

Read More Here

World waits for white smoke

Roman Catholic cardinals will begin the task on Wednesday of electing a new pope, locking themselves away from the world until they choose the man they hope can unite a…

Read More Here

Greece Bans Caravan Parking in Public Spaces

Greece has approved a law that will dramatically change the handling of motorhomes and caravans in the country, as it broadly bans parking of any type of caravan or trailer…

Read More Here

Italy Advocates for EU-Wide Ban on Mobile Phones in Schools

In a decisive move aimed at reinforcing traditional educational values, Italian Education Minister Giuseppe Valditara announced plans to propose a European Union-wide ban on mobile phone usage for students up…

Read More Here

All set for Papal conclave

All of the 133 cardinals expected to take part in the secret conclave to elect a new pope have arrived in Rome, the Vatican said , with the race to…

Read More Here