Rome – Catania’s Fontanarossa airport will remain closed until at least 3pm on Saturday, August 15, as ash from Mount Etna continues to disrupt flights and travel across Sicily.
The airport operator SAC announced the extension of the closure on Friday evening, citing ongoing volcanic activity and the presence of ash in the atmosphere. With winds continuing to push volcanic ash towards the airport, however, there is still considerable uncertainty over when operations can safely resume.
VIENNA – The Russian deputy head of the International Atomic Energy Agency has outraged staff by publishing a memoir in which he lambasts “gays, lesbians and other perverts and sodomites,” says that women only exist to seduce men and says Russia should have crushed Ukrainian independence by using China’s violent tactics at Tiananmen Square.
Rome -- Mount Etna has entered another intense eruptive phase, with explosive activity at the Voragine crater sending large quantities of volcanic ash into the atmosphere and disrupting air traffic in eastern Sicily.
The ash cloud has prompted restrictions in the airspace around the volcano, forcing Catania airport to suspend incoming flights. The suspension, initially scheduled to remain in place until 5pm, was later extended until 9pm as the volcanic activity continued. Comiso airport, in south eastern Sicily, remains operational.
Rome — The World Union of Catholic Women’s Organisations (WUCWO) has launched a new digital empowerment initiative for women leaders and Catholic networks across Africa, with support from the Government of the Republic of China (Taiwan).
The project, officially presented at WUCWO’s headquarters in Rome, will provide 15 computers per country, digital training for 50 local representatives, mentoring, a shared communications platform and ongoing technical support. The programme will initially benefit Catholic women’s networks in Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Malawi and Ghana.
Gerace, Calabria — Perched on a rocky hill overlooking the Ionian Sea, Gerace is a town where centuries of history remain part of everyday life. Byzantine churches, Norman architecture, ancient traditions, artisan workshops, local food and sweeping views across the Locride combine to create a place that is increasingly looking beyond the idea of tourism as simply visiting a historic town.
Rome – A diplomatic dispute between Italy and Spain over migration and border controls is intensifying, as both governments defend temporary restrictions on travel while the European Union attempts to prevent the row from undermining the Schengen free movement area.
SITIA, Crete- We decided to miss our flight the next day over another Greek salad, fried anchovies, and fresh grilled sea bass overlooking another beautiful cove which created the perfect Greek island tranquillity.
The previous day, Rania was offended at our plans to stay in town for our last day and said, “It would be a shame if you came all this far east and didn’t see the beaches of eastern Crete.” She quickly drew a map on the back of her business card with an itinerary.
Rome- The Community of Sant’Egidio has launched a 75-hour international “Vigil for Peace” to mark the 81st anniversary of the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, while also remembering victims of wars and conflicts worldwide.
The initiative began on Aug. 6, the anniversary of the 1945 bombing of Hiroshima, and will continue until the morning of Aug. 9, marking the anniversary of the destruction of Nagasaki. The two attacks remain the only instances in which nuclear weapons have been used in warfare.
