Italy

ROME (AP) — Pope Francis is receiving antibiotics intravenously to treat a lung inflammation and will scale back some appointments, but he doesn’t have pneumonia or fever, the Vatican said Monday.

Francis himself on Sunday revealed that he was suffering from the inflammation problem, explaining why he didn’t keep his weekly window appointment to greet people in St. Peter’s Square. Instead, he gave his blessing from the chapel of the hotel on Vatican grounds where he lives.

ROME (AP) — Tens of thousands took to the streets of Italy’s main cities on Saturday to mark International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, just as an Italian man suspected of killing his ex-girlfriend was extradited from Germany.

The slaying of 22-year-old university student Giulia Cecchettin, allegedly at the hands of her former boyfriend, sparked outrage across Italy, where on average one woman is killed every three days.

22 November 2023; MEMO: Pope Francis met separately on Wednesday with Israeli relatives of hostages held by Hamas and Palestinians with family in Gaza and said the conflict had gone beyond war to become “terrorism”, Reuters has reported.

23 November 2023; MEMO: Jewish groups have criticised Pope Francis and demanded clarifications over his comments that they saw as accusing both Hamas and Israel of “terrorism”, Reuters reports.

Francis made the comments on Wednesday after meeting separately with Jewish relatives of hostages held by Hamas and with Palestinians with family in Gaza.

ROME (AP) — Venice authorities on Thursday unveiled a pilot program to charge day-trippers 5 euros ($5.45) apiece to enter the fragile lagoon city on peak weekends next year in an effort to reduce crowds, encourage longer visits and improve the quality of life for residents.

16 November 2023; MEMO: Leader of populist opposition party, 5-Star Movement (M5S) and former Premier, Giuseppe Conte, called on Italy’s far-right government to stop arms supplies to Israel, criticising its “lack of courage” in dealing with the conflict in Gaza, Anadolu Agency reports.

"Immediately suspend arms supplies to Israel" Conte told Parliament on Wednesday, during question time on the crisis in the Middle East.

ROME, Nov. 3 (Xinhua) -- At least six people died and one went missing in Italy on Friday, as Storm Ciaran battered the country's northern and central regions with heavy rainfalls and flooding.

The government declared a state of emergency for several areas in Tuscany, which has seen the worst flooding so far, and allocated 5 million euros (5.3 million U.S. dollars) to rescue and aid activities.

The provinces included in the emergency scheme are Florence, Livorno, Pisa, Pistoia, and Prato, the cabinet said in a statement.

CAMPI BISENZIO, Italy, Nov 3 (Reuters) - Five people have been killed after rivers burst their banks following torrential rain in the central Italian region of Tuscany, local authorities said on Friday, as Storm Ciaran continued to lash western Europe.

There had been fears that the River Arno could flood the historic city of Florence after nearby towns were swamped, but Tuscan regional president Eugenio Giani said the high water point had passed in mid-morning without major incident.

MILAN (AP) — Record-breaking rain produced floods in a vast swath of Italy’s Tuscany region as Storm Ciarán pushed into the country overnight trapping residents in their homes, inundating hospitals and overturning cars. At least five people were killed, bringing the storm’s death toll in western Europe to 12 on Friday.

ROME, Nov 1 (Reuters) - Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni spoke of international fatigue with the conflict in Ukraine and a lack of support for Italy in dealing with migration in a phone call with Russian pranksters.

A 13-minute audio of the call, which dates back to September, was released online on Wednesday by Russians Vovan and Lexus, who have duped other Western politicians and celebrities in an effort to elicit frank, unguarded remarks.