Vatican appears to have ordered removal of restored work, which artist confessed he had made to resemble PM

The face of a winged angel bearing a striking resemblance to the Italian prime minister Giorgia Meloni has been erased from a fresco in a historic Rome church, putting an end to a debacle that embarrassed the Vatican.

The image on the wall painting in a chapel of the Basilica of St Lawrence in Lucina in central Rome was removed overnight, leaving the cherub headless.

Cherub at landmark church causes ecclesiastical and political uproar with alleged resemblance to Italian PM

Italy’s culture minister and the diocese of Rome have launched investigations after claims were made that an angel in a landmark church in Rome was restored in the likeness of the Italian prime minister, Giorgia Meloni.

The resemblance was first flagged by the newspaper La Repubblica, which noted that one of the two angels flanking a marble bust of Italy’s last king in the Basilica of St Lawrence in Lucina now had “a familiar, astonishingly contemporary face”.

Giorgia Meloni lächelt gerne – aber ist sie jetzt ein Engel? In der Kirche San Lorenzo in Lucina mitten in Rom kann man diesen Eindruck gewinnen.

Süditalien erlebt einen verheerenden Zyklon – und die Ministerpräsidentin schaut nur kurz im Helikopter vorbei. Der Bevölkerung gefällt das gar nicht.

Italiens Regierungschefin überrascht mit gemäßigter Außenpolitik, während strukturelle Probleme im Land ungelöst bleiben. Eine Bilanz nach drei Jahren.

Tagelang hat der Zyklon „Harry“ im Süden von Italien gewütet und mit einem Erdrutsch eine ganze Stadt zerrissen. Giorgia Meloni aber ist bis jetzt nicht mal ins Katastrophengebiet gereist. Das schürt bei vielen Wut.

Unter Auflagen kommt nach dem tödlichen Brand im Schweizer Crans-Montana der Barbetreiber frei. Italiens Regierung spricht von einem schweren Affront und bestellt den Botschafter ein. Sechs der Opfer hatten die italienische Staatsbürgerschaft.

Kanzler Merz und Italiens Ministerpräsidentin Meloni wollen in Europa vorangehen. Bei Verteidigung und Rüstung planen die Länder, enger zusammenzuarbeiten.

Der Kanzler wollte das deutsch-französische Tandem wiederbeleben, doch Frankreichs Präsident ist politisch gelähmt. Da kommen die Regierungskonsultationen in Rom gerade recht.

Italy’s Giorgia Meloni and France’s Marine Le Pen among figures showing support for Hungary’s prime minister

Rightwing leaders from around the world have come together to endorse Hungary’s Viktor Orbán, hinting at the symbolism that the country’s elections hold for global far-right movements even as the populist leader lags in the polls.

A campaign video published online by Orbán this week includes endorsements from nearly a dozen leaders including Italy’s Giorgia Meloni and Matteo Salvini, France’s Marine Le Pen and Germany’s Alice Weidel.

Jacques Moretti was detained on Friday, a national day of mourning, because prosecutors considered him a flight risk

Pope Leo also chooses to express a view on the recent events in Venezuela, calling for world governments – I think he means US president Donald Trump in particular – to “respect the will” of the Venezuelan people.

Goes without saying that it’s particularly important coming from the first US pope.

“I wish to repeat my urgent appeal that peaceful political solutions to the current situation should be sought, keeping in mind the common good of the peoples and not the defence of partisan interests.”

“This pertains, in particular to Venezuela. In light of recent developments in this regard, I renew my appeal to respect the will of the Venezuelan people and to safeguard the human and civil rights of all ensuring a future of stability and concord.”

“The Holy See strongly reiterates the pressing need for an immediate ceasefire and for dialogue motivated by a sincere search for ways leading to peace.

I make an urgent appeal to the international community, not to waver in its commitment to pursuing just and lasting solutions that will protect the most vulnerable and restore hope to the afflicted peoples.”

Italien, das Sehnsuchtsland der Deutschen, hat ganz besonders von den Wiederaufbau-Milliarden aus Brüssel profitiert. Aber sie fließen nur noch im Jahr 2026 – und dann?

The prime minister has been lauded for her country’s growing role on the world stage. But poverty and precarity are forcing vast numbers to emigrate

Earlier this month, the gardens of Rome’s Castel Sant’Angelo were filled with families enjoying some unseasonably warm sun by a pop-up ice rink. Teenage couples skated hand in hand, while the watching crowds sipped mulled wine and hot chocolate to a soundtrack of Nat King Cole. At first glance, it looked like a normal Christmas market. The stands, however, revealed a different reality. Among the nativity displays and kitsch decorations were adverts for nationalist newspapers and something called “patriot radio”. On a wall near the kids’ play area, a mural depicted an unlikely cast of characters, tracing a lineage from the fascist poet Gabriele D’Annunzio to the late American Maga influencer Charlie Kirk.

This was the setup I witnessed at this year’s Atreju, Italy’s biggest rightwing festival, which has been running since 1998 as an annual celebration of patriotism and nationalism. During the early editions, proud neo-fascists, including black-hooded thugs from street movements such as CasaPound and Forza Nuova, made up a visible portion of the attenders. At this year’s event, however, the Celtic crosses and odal rune tattoos were tucked under well-ironed shirts. The crowd was made up of nerdy students, gen-Z influencers, civil society campaigners and passersby who had been lured off the street by the glittery lights.

Jamie Mackay is a writer and translator based in Florence

This €90bn agreement won out over a plan to use frozen Russian assets, but has been hailed a ‘huge deal for the EU’

The EU’s failure to agree a “reparations loan” to Ukraine backed by frozen Russian assets was a political blow to the bloc’s big beasts, but the last-gasp alternative it devised will do the job – and marks a potentially significant first.

After a marathon 16 hours of talks, EU leaders early on Friday agreed to fund Ukraine, which risked running out of money by next April, with a much-needed €90bn (£79bn) loan. But the solution they came up with was not the one most had wanted.

Friedrich Merz hat in Brüssel zwar sein wichtigstes Ziel erreicht: die Ukraine finanziell zu retten. Und doch kommt der Sieger dieses EU-Gipfels aus einem anderen Land.

Es hängt an Italien: Ohne Zustimmung aus Rom scheitert der größte Handelsvertrag in der EU-Geschichte. Auf Wunsch von Regierungschefin Meloni verschiebt die Kommission die Unterzeichnung mit den Mercosur-Ländern. Wird das noch was?

Es hängt an Italien: Ohne Zustimmung aus Rom scheitert der größte Handelsvertrag in der EU-Geschichte. Auf Wunsch von Regierungschefin Meloni verschiebt die Kommission die Unterzeichnung mit den Mercosur-Ländern. Wird das noch was?

Italian prime minister’s charity sale may also feature presents from Narendra Modi, Viktor Orbán and Volodymyr Zelenskyy

Passing on unwanted presents might be considered a little discourteous – unless it’s done the right way.

Italy’s prime minister, Giorgia Meloni, will offload 270 gifts given to her by world leaders during her travels abroad, which could include a chainsaw-wielding statuette of Javier Milei, the Argentinian president, or a pair of blue python skin shoes with gold heels, in a charity auction.

Mit den vielen Milliarden der russischen Zentralbank, die in Belgien festliegen, ließe sich ein Kredit an die Ukraine finanzieren. Diese Woche wird zeigen, ob die EU den historischen Schritt wagt – oder daran scheitert.