The Dispatch

Pope Francis discharged from hospital after 38 days in care

Pope Francis made his first public appearance on Sunday following 38 days in care, waving from the window of Rome’s Gemelli Hospital. The 88-year-old pontiff was discharged after a severe…

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How realistic is France’s offer to extend its nuclear umbrella?

President Emmanuel Macron has said he will launch a strategic dialogue on extending the protection offered by France's nuclear arsenal to its European partners. Europe's primary nuclear deterrence comes from…

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Madrid plans to limit computer and tablet use in primary schools to two hours a week

The regional government of Madrid has unveiled plans to limit the use of computers and tablets in primary schools to a maximum of two hours a week in an effort…

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Cyprus to face severe water crisis

Cyprus is bracing for a tough summer as dam levels continue to drop, marking the third consecutive year of drought. The situation has become even more critical after a fire…

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Pope ‘absolutely not’ quitting

Pope Francis is "absolutely not" quitting due to his health, Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin said.Speculation that the 88-year-old Argentine pontiff might be considering stepping down like his…

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Greece issues severe weather alert for Tuesday and Wednesday

The Greek National Meteorological Service (EMY) has issued an emergency weather warning for Tuesday and Wednesday, predicting a significant temperature drop of up to 15 degrees Celsius, along with heavy…

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Pope seen for the first time since going to hospital

The Vatican has released the first image of Pope Francis since he was admitted to hospital a month ago. The photo shows the pontiff sitting in a wheelchair in front…

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Cyprus has the lowest number of female MPs in the EU

Only 14.3 per cent of MPs in the Cypriot government are women, ranking Cyprus the lowest among all EU countries according to a recent Eurostat study. At 14.6 per cent,…

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Severe Weather Hits Tuscany and Emilia-Romagna, Triggering Flood Alerts

Bad weather pummeled Tuscany and Emilia-Romagna on Friday, with several rivers in both regions exceeding alert levels due to torrential rain and flooding. In Tuscany, schools remained closed in several…

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Portuguese president calls elections for May 18

Portuguese President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa announced on Thursday he would dissolve the country’s parliament on March 19 and called for snap national elections to be held May 18. The…

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Strong Earthquake Strikes Naples, Residents Flee Into Streets

A powerful earthquake shook Naples early this morning, with the tremors distinctly felt by residents who rushed into the streets in fear. The quake, measuring 4.4 in magnitude, struck at…

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Pope Francis celebrates 12th anniversary in hospital

Pope Francis will on Thursday mark the 12th anniversary of his election as leader of the world's 1.4 billion Catholics, but he will do so from Rome's Gemelli hospital where…

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Portugal’s government collapses after no-confidence vote

Portuguese Prime Minister Luis Montenegro and his center-right government lost a confidence vote in parliament Tuesday. In a 142-88 vote with no abstentions, opposition lawmakers ousted Montenegro's administration after only…

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Portugal’s government faces likely defeat, fresh collapse in confidence vote

Portugal’s parliament is set to vote on a confidence motion in the minority centre-right government on Tuesday, with rejection likely to trigger the country’s third early general election in just…

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Nicolas Sarkozy fitted with electronic tag

The former French president Nicolas Sarkozy was fitted with an electronic tag on Friday after losing his appeal against his conviction for corruption and influence peddling. He will be required…

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Pope releases breathless audio message thanking those praying for him amid pneumonia battle

Pope Francis recorded and released an audio message yesterday thanking those who have been praying for his recovery, his voice breathless as he nears three weeks in hospital with pneumonia.…

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Pope Francis in stable condition, resumes some work

Pope Francis, who has been struggling to overcome double pneumonia for almost three weeks, remained in stable condition throughout the day on Wednesday and has not had any new breathing…

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Europe ‘at turning point in history’, French president warns

EU leaders are gathering in Brussels on Thursday for a special council on defence, as France's President Emmanuel Macron warned that the continent was at a "turning point of history".…

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Over 1,500 Syrians planning on leaving Cyprus

Approximately 1,200 Syrians have withdrawn their asylum applications with an additional 500 requesting the revocation of their subsidiary protection status, reported figures on Tuesday showed. A further 20 have requested…

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Pope’s prognosis remains ‘guarded’

Pope Francis suffered “two episodes of acute respiratory insufficiency” on Monday and had to be put back on non-invasive mechanical ventilation, the Vatican Press Office said in a statement. The…

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Pope off mechanical ventilation entirely after overcoming risks

Pope Francis remained in stable condition and didn't need any mechanical ventilation on Sunday, the Vatican said. It was a sign that he had overcome the possible complications from a…

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Pope Francis showing further improvement, no longer has kidney issue

Pope Francis has shown a “further, slight improvement” in his medical condition, the Vatican said, in a sign of progress as the 88-year-old pontiff battles double pneumonia.Pope Francis, who is…

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Pope showing signs of recovery, resumed some work

Pope Francis is continuing his recovery from pneumonia in hospital and has resumed some work, the Vatican announced on Tuesday. The 88-year-old pontiff, who has been hospitalized since February 14,…

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Limpet mines likely caused blasts on two tankers in Mediterranean Sea

Mines attached to the hulls of ships and set off with timers likely caused blasts that have damaged two crude oil tankers in the Mediterranean Sea since January, three sources…

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Italy’s Meloni bags UAE investment pledge worth $40 billion

The United Arab Emirates plans to invest $40 billion in Italy, the two countries said at a bilateral summit in Rome, without providing any time frame. Italian Prime Minister Giorgia…

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Energy Grid Strained Amid Freezing Temperatures in Cyprus

Cyprus is grappling with freezing temperatures as a fault at the Vasiliko power station has placed strain on the electricity grid. The transmission system operator (TSO) has warned of “limited”…

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Earthquake of magnitude 3.3 rocks province of Reggio Calabria

A magnitude earthquake 3.3 was registered at 2:06 a.m. of Monday morning in the province of Reggio Calabria.According to data from the National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology (INGV), the…

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Pope Francis remains ‘critical’

Pope Francis remains in a "critical" condition, but "has not presented any further respiratory crises", the Vatican said in a statement on Sunday. He was still receiving high-flow oxygen therapy…

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Pope Francis ‘improving’ in hospital, Vatican says

Pope Francis is showing improvement, is alert and doing some work, the Vatican said, as the 88-year-old pontiff began his eighth day in hospital battling pneumonia. Vatican spokesperson Matteo Bruni…

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Italy Hit by Third Day of Pro-Russia Cyberattacks Targeting Banks and Arms Industry

Italy faced a third consecutive day of cyberattacks on Wednesday as the pro-Russian hacker group Noname057(16) launched another wave of DDoS (distributed denial of service) attacks against key institutions. The…

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14 arrested in hit against money laundering gang in Portugal and Spain

Europol has supported a cross-border operation led by Spanish authorities and involving law enforcement from Portugal against the members of a criminal network, mainly Russian nationals, who provided money-laundering services…

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Thousands of tourists flock to see Etna eruption

Thousands of tourists have flocked to Mount Etna to watch spectacular eruptions on the volcano, but some people are blocking streets and preventing rescue services from reaching those in need…

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Pope Francis remains hospitalized, diagnosed with bilateral pneumonia

Pope Francis has pneumonia in both lungs and remains hospitalized in Rome after a respiratory tract infection, painting a "complex picture" of his health, the Vatican said. A follow-up CT…

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Pope Francis hospitalised

Pope Francis on Friday was hospitalised after he reportedly struggled to speak during one of his meetings in the morning. The pontiff has been suffering from bronchitis for more than…

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Trump’s return is an ‘electroshock’ for Europe, says Macron

French President Emmanuel Macron urged Europe to respond to "the electroshock" triggered by the return of U.S. President Donald Trump to the White House with a new approach to defense…

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Former Google boss fears AI risks could spark an ‘Osama bin Laden scenario’

As countries jostle to win the artificial intelligence race, Google's former CEO cautioned that AI could pose “extreme risks” if it falls into the wrong hands. Tech billionaire Eric Schmidt…

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Tuscany becomes the first Italian region to approve assisted suicide

Tuscany approved a bill regulating medically assisted suicide Tuesday, becoming Italy's first region to approve a right-to-die law in the Roman Catholic country after the constitutional court effectively legalized the…

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Greece elects former parliament speaker as new president

Greece's parliament elected its former speaker, Constantine Tassoulas, as the country's president on Wednesday, approving the conservative government's nominee for the largely ceremonial role. Tassoulas will be sworn in as…

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Pope Francis tells weekly audience he still has bronchitis

Pope Francis said on Wednesday he was still suffering from a bout of bronchitis and asked an aide to read prepared remarks for a weekly general audience at the Vatican…

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More earthquakes recorded between Santorini and Amorgos

Five more earthquakes were recorded in the sea area between the islands of Santorini and Amorgos in the early hours of Wednesday, according to the Geodynamics Institute of the National…

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Massive Italian anti-mafia operation

Around 180 people were arrested on Tuesday in a large-scale sting against the Sicilian mafia in Palermo, indicating that it has remained a significant criminal force despite setbacks in recent decades. "Cosa…

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US, Britain have not signed Paris AI summit declaration

The United States and Britain have not signed the Paris AI Summit's declaration entitled 'Statement on Inclusive and Sustainable Artificial Intelligence'. The communique states among priorities that "ensuring AI is…

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International Criminal Court opens inquiry into Italy over release of Libyan warlord

Judges at the International Criminal Court have officially asked Italy to explain why the country released a Libyan man suspected of torture, murder and rape rather than sending him to…

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Concern over Pope’s health after halting homily due to shortness of breath

There is concern over the Pope's health after Argentine-born pontiff was forced on Sunday to interrupt his homily in St. Peter's Square during the Armed Forces Jubilee Sunday due to…

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Greece declares state of emergency on Santorini after earthquakes

Greece's authorities have declared a state of emergency on Santorini after a series of earthquakes shook the popular tourist destination. More than 10,000 residents and workers fled the island this…

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Seven Italians Targeted by WhatsApp Spyware

Italy's government said on Wednesday that seven mobile phone users in the country had been targeted by spyware on Meta Platforms WhatsApp messaging service, and it called the incident "particularly…

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Hundreds of Syrians drop asylum bids in Cyprus

Hundreds of Syrians who sought refuge in Cyprus after the onset of civil war over a decade ago have withdrawn asylum applications in the weeks since the fall of Bashar Al-Assad, Cypriot…

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Italy Alarmed as Campi Flegrei Seismic Activity Intensifies

A 3.1-magnitude earthquake rattled the Campi Flegrei area near Naples on Wednesday at 8:52 AM, adding to a series of tremors that have heightened concerns within the Italian authorities. The…

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Strong earthquake near Santorini after days of tremors

A strong earthquake has been recorded between the Greek islands of Amorgos and Santorini, after days of consecutive tremors in the area. More than 11,000 people have already left Santorini…

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Seismic Alerts in Santorini: What You Need to Know

Residents and tourists on the Greek island of Santorini have been put on high alert after an increase in seismic activity. Since Friday, the island has been hit by more…

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Hundreds of tourists flee Santorini as earthquake activity continues

Residents and tourists are evacuating the Greek island of Santorini after increased seismic activity in recent days, with airlines and ferry operators arranging additional transport to facilitate departures. Frequent earthquakes…

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Cyprus faces severe water shortage as drought persists

Cyprus is bracing for a severe summer water shortage, with authorities urging immediate action to curb wastage and ensure supply for all. Deputy director of the Water Development Department (WDD),…

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Italy Hit by Severe Weather, Orange Warning for Sicily and Sardinia

Italy is currently experiencing severe weather conditions due to the influence of two cyclones, leading to significant disruptions, particularly in the regions of Sicily and Sardinia. The Department of Civil…

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Greek island Santorini on earthquake alert after more than 200 tremors

More than 200 tremors near the island of Santorini have prompted Greek authorities to close schools and tell residents to avoid some ports and drain swimming pools. Earthquake experts say…

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Italy blocks Chinese AI app DeepSeek on data protection

Italy’s data protection authority said on Jan 30 it had blocked Chinese artificial intelligence model DeepSeek over a lack of information on its use of personal data. DeepSeek could not…

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France budget talks derailed after PM comment on migration

France’s Socialist Party has threatened to derail budget talks over Prime Minister François Bayrou’s controversial migration remarks. Bayrou sparked outrage by saying France was experiencing an immigration "flooding," which he…

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Spanish government breaks legislative deadlock with Catalan ally

Spain's minority government reached a deal with the Catalan separatist party Junts on Tuesday to approve several economic measures in parliament, ending a deadlock that had raised concerns over the…

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