CLUTCHING rosaries, medals and flowers, thousands of people filed past the simple white marble tomb of Pope John Paul II yesterday as the Vatican reopened the grottoes beneath St Peter’s Basilica for the first time since the Pope died.

A massive blackout hit Italy today, cutting power to millions of Italians who woke up to find their phone lines silent and their televisions black.

Power went out across Italy before dawn today, plunging the nation into crisis.

The Chief Executive Board of Star Alliance today unanimously approved the application of US Airways to join the world’s largest airline alliance.