Rome

A statement from a Vatican spokesman said Pope Francis asked for continued prayers “to accompany him in these difficult hours.”

The actor famously played Maximus, a general forced into slavery before turning into a gladiator, in the 2000 movie that earned him an Academy Award.

No longer willing to wait, travelers are booking big “bucket list” trips this year to make up for lost time, despite rising costs in the industry.

“There is a boss and a sense of direction,” an economist said about the Italian economy under Mario Draghi’s leadership.