CDEIU Insights

Di Maio issues ultimatum to Mattarella – Or close discussions within today or elections.

"This government game either closes within the next 24 hours or does not close anymore, we have already waited long enough". This was stated by the political leader of the M5s,…

Read More Here

Kim Jong-Un committed to complete denuclearisation – Moon Jae In

South Korean President Moon Jae-In said that the North Korean President Kim Jong Un reaffirmed his commitment to 'complete' the denuclearisation process in the Korean peninsula. He is also committed…

Read More Here

Unannounced summit between Korean Leaders

The leaders of North and South Korea have met in the demilitarised border area between the two countries. The BBC reports that this summit comes as the two sides continue…

Read More Here

Disagreement with Mattarella on the appointment of Minister of Finance lead to tensions and increases the risk of new elections in Italy.

Italy risks to go back to vote. 82 days since the last Italian election, the country is still without a government. Although M5s and Lega have agreed on the appointment…

Read More Here

50 die as boat capsizes in Congo river

About 50 people have died after a boat capsized on a river in the Democratic Republic of Congo, officials say. More than 60 people survived when the boat tipped over…

Read More Here

Putin denies that missile which brought down Malaysian aircraft was a Russian military equipment

Vladimir Putin denied that the missile which brought down a Malaysian airliner in July 2014, killing almost 300 people was a Russian military piece of equipment. This was the first…

Read More Here

JCPOA remaining partners convene after US withdrawal from Iranian Nuclear deal. They welcome the fact that the (IAEA) has again confirmed the continued adherence by Iran to its nuclear-related commitments

China, Russia, France, the UK and Germany have expressed their commitment to maintain the Iranian nuclear deal, but a solution has not yet been found on how to diffuse and…

Read More Here

US – North Korea Summit : On again, Off again, On Again, perhaps!

U.S. President Donald Trump said on Friday that it was possible a planned summit with North Korea’s leader Kim Jong Un could still take place on June 12 as originally…

Read More Here

N.Korea says it’s still willing to ‘sit’ with the U.S. regardless of cancellation

A top North Korean official blamed "excessive words and actions from the U.S. side" for North Korean comments that U.S. President Donald Trump said inspired his decision to cancel a…

Read More Here

11 arrested for being ‘traitors’ and pushing for women’s right to drive in Saudi

The New York Times reports that "Saudi Arabia is escalating its crackdown on activists who had pressed for the right of women to drive, bringing the number arrested to at least 11…

Read More Here

Libya exports first natural gas shipment to Italy after four years

The National Oil Corporation (NOC) shipped on Wednesday its first quantity of propane gas from the Zueitina port to Italy, estimated at approximately 61,761 barrels. The NOC said in…

Read More Here

North Korean officials present at the dismantling of primary nuclear test site ‘shocked’ at the news of Trump pulling away from summit

BI reports that there was reportedly a "real sense of shock" among North Korean officials on Thursday when it came to light that President Donald Trump had canceled the impending…

Read More Here

“The Singapore summit (between the US and North Korea), for the good of both parties, but to the detriment of the world, will not take place.” – Donald Trump

The BBC and CNN amongst others, reported that the planned summit between US President Donald Trump North Korean leader Kim Jong-un will not happen. Claiming that it would be inappropriate to have…

Read More Here

Investigators: Buk Missile From Russian Antiaircraft Brigade Downed Malaysian Airlines Flight 17 in Donetsk, Ukraine

A Dutch-led international criminal investigation has established that the Buk missile that shot down Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 over Ukraine in 2014 came from Russia's 53rd Antiaircraft Missile Brigade. The…

Read More Here

Thursday’s Morning Briefing – 24th May, 2018

Good morning The Maltese newspapers lead with the story related to a bomb which exploded yesterday in Gharghur. In this explosion a man Kevin Ellul (43), who happens to…

Read More Here

AP: “North Korea renews threat of pulling from summit with US”

AP reports "North Korea has renewed its threat to pull out of a summit next month with President Donald Trump, saying it is just as ready to meet in a…

Read More Here

Three Libyans arrested in Zuwara, accused of trafficking migrants, 20 injured in gun fire from trafficker

Zuwara Security Directorate said Tuesday it had foiled an illegal immigration attempt by over 200 illegal immigrants from different African countries, who were arrested in a farm west of the…

Read More Here

BBC: Trump’s personal lawyer received secret payment to arrange meeting between the US and Ukrainian Presidents

Donald Trump's personal lawyer, Michael Cohen, received a secret payment of at least $400,000 (£300,000) to fix talks between the Ukrainian president and President Trump, according to sources in Kiev…

Read More Here

NFL players will be fined if they kneel during US anthem

Various US media outlets report that N.F.L. players will be allowed to stay in the locker room during the national anthem, but their teams will be fined by the league if they…

Read More Here

New York Times : Iran established a secret missile research facility

The New York Times reports that Iran has established a secret missile research facility in the desert where it may be developing technology for long-range missiles. California-based experts came to this conclusion…

Read More Here

Yulia Skripal speaks for the first time after Salisbury poisoning

Yulia Skripal, who survived an assassination attempt that UK authorities blame on Russia spoke for the first time following her release from hospital. In an exclusive interview with Reuters, Skripal…

Read More Here

Reuters : Cyber researchers, Ukraine warn of possible Russian attack

Reuters reports that "hackers have infected at least 500,000 routers and storage devices in dozens of countries, some of the world’s biggest cyber security firms warned on Wednesday, in a campaign…

Read More Here

“I will be the defence lawyer of the Italians” – Giuseppe Conte accepts official mandate to form government

The President of the Italian Republic Sergio Mattarella gave Professor Giuseppe Conte the task of forming the new Italian government. The decision was announced by the secretary general of the Quirinale…

Read More Here

European Education Area by 2025

The European Commission is advancing work to build a European Education Area by 2025, reinforce the cultural dimension of the European Union and bolster youth participation, with a new set…

Read More Here

EU approves start of negotiations for free trade deal with Australia and New Zealand

The Sydney Morning Herald reports that European officials will land in Australia next month to begin negotiations on a free trade deal, after the EU’s governing council gave its long-awaited official authorisation on…

Read More Here

Palestinian government requests ICC to investigate what it called Israeli crimes

The Palestinian government has submitted a referral to the International Criminal Court (ICC) calling on prosecutors to open an immediate investigation into what it called Israeli crimes in the occupied…

Read More Here

Russia blocks UN sanctions on six Libyan people accused of human trufficking

The Libya Observer reports that Russia has blocked a proposal to impose sanctions on six Libyan figures accused of human trafficking and managing smuggling networks for migrants, giving as reason the…

Read More Here

Israel’s High-Level security cabinet to meet in special bunker

The Times of Israel reports that Israel’s high-level security cabinet will meet in a new, specially built underground bunker in Jerusalem for the foreseeable future. The change of venue — meetings of…

Read More Here

“Substantial Chance” that summit between US and North Korea might not happen next month

US President Donald Trump has said there is a "very substantial chance" a historic summit with North Korea's Kim Jong-un next month may not happen. Trump said that the North…

Read More Here

Tuesday’s Morning Briefing – 22nd May, 2018

Good morning Hazy morning in Malta. The overcast seems to stay throughout the day, even though temperatures should reach 21 degrees (C). Our morning round up follows. Today’s Malta's newspapers…

Read More Here

Libyan Central Bank mulling reduction of taxes on dollar exchanges to curb smuggling

The Libya Observer reports that the Central Bank of Libya (CBL) is considering to reduce 200% taxes on selling US dollars at the commercial banks to Libyans in coordination with the…

Read More Here

South Korean President to meet US counterpart at White House

South Korean President Moon’s meeting with US counterpart Trump at the White House on Tuesday is going to be a crucial test of whether the two presidents will make history…

Read More Here

Podemos party members in leadership vote of confidence following purchase of €600,000 is seen as undermining Party’s credibility

Podemos head Pablo Iglesias and his partner Irene Montero, the party’s parliamentary spokeswoman, called a members’ vote of confidence in response to complaints about their €600.000, 268 square-meter villa, equipped…

Read More Here

Scepticism around US – North Korea Summit grows

CNN reports that the US Administration aides have started to show scepticism that the summit between President Donald Trump and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un will come to fruition. The harsh…

Read More Here

Libya’s Elderly Council demands UN to intervene to end air strikes on Derna

The Council of Elders of Tripoli organized a protest Sunday outside the UN headquarters in Janzour district in Tripoli to express solidarity with the residents of Derna and demanded an…

Read More Here

UK : Russian ‘dirty’ money is damaging our economy – MPs

Britain’s Foreign Affairs Committee released a report today (May 21) detailing how the UK has been a major beneficiary of Russian money since the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991, and…

Read More Here

Ozil and Gundogan meet German President to make up for meeting with Erdogan

Arsenal's Mesut Ozil and Manchester City's Ilkay Gundogan, two German national football players of Turkish origin met Germany's president and football heads on Sunday, in efforts to calm a row…

Read More Here

Strongest sanctions ever will be imposed against Iran if it doesn’t change its course – Us Sec. of State Pompeo

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has threatened to place "the strongest sanctions in history" on Iran if its government does not change course. While presenting the strategy following the…

Read More Here

Morning Briefing 21st May 2018

Good morning Our late morning briefing and update follows. An earthquake was felt in Tunisia. No reports of damages or casualties was reported so far. But the Tunisian earthquake isn’t…

Read More Here

Chelsea’s Abramovich visa renewal delayed amidst UK-Russia tensions

Chelsea Football Club owner Roman Abramovich UK visa renewal has met delays. The issue was highlighted because he was unable to attend the FA Cup final on Saturday in which…

Read More Here

Libya: Flights to and out of Misrata airport to resume on Monday

Flights to and out of Misrata Airport are due to resume on Monday, May 21. All air traffic in the airport was closed for five consecutive days and all flights were…

Read More Here

Erdogan seeks support in his Presidential election bid in Sarajevo

Euronews and Al Jazeera report that Turkey's President Erdogan held a rally in Sarajevo ahead of next month's election in his country. On his arrival, he was greeted by the…

Read More Here

France proposes 2018 elections plan to end Libya political stalemate

France has proposed an initiative to end Libya’s political impasse by holding parliamentary and presidential elections by the end of 2018 as per a United National timeline. “Political solution plus a…

Read More Here

USA takes a step back from trade dispute with China

The Financial Times report that the USA has stepped back from the brink of a trade war with China after Washington halted plans to impose tariffs on up to $150bn…

Read More Here

China carries training exercises on islands in the disputed South China Sea

China’s air force has landed several bombers of various types, on islands and reefs in the South China Sea as part of a training exercise in the disputed region, it said in…

Read More Here

Ceasefire in Southern Damascus, Syria

The Middle East Eye reports that pro-government forces and the Islamic State (IS) group observed a brief ceasefire in southern Damascus on Saturday. The report, quotes the Britain-based Syrian Observatory…

Read More Here

“Love is the way”

Love has the power to heal the world, the congregation at the wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle has heard. In a powerful address Bishop Michael Curry chose a…

Read More Here

Obituary – Former Maltese Ambassador Dr. Joseph Cassar passes away

Seasoned Maltese diplomat Dr. Joseph Cassar passed away. Born in 1947, Dr Cassar served as Malta's Ambassador to Portugal, Libya, the Russian Federation and Italy. He served as, Malta's permanent…

Read More Here

Japan notifies WTO that it is reserving right to impose tariffs against the USA

On Friday, Japan notified the World Trade Organization that it was reserving the right to impose retaliatory tariffs against the United States in response to tariffs on steel and aluminum…

Read More Here

Angela Merkel and Vladimir Putin meet

Germany has a strategic interest in good relations with Russia. German Chancellor Angela Merkel said this following meetings with Russian President Vladimir Putin. The meetings focused on Syria, the conflict…

Read More Here

Salisbury poisoned agent leaves hospital

Former Russian spy Sergei Skripal, whose poisoning with a nerve agent in the UK triggered a diplomatic crisis with Russia, has been discharged from a British hospital. The 66-year-old, a former colonel in Russia's…

Read More Here

Erdogan : Muslim leaders should unite and confront Israel

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has called on Muslim leaders to unite and confront Israel. Speaking at an extraordinary summit of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) on Friday, Erdogan said Israel…

Read More Here

Belgium: Two-year-old girl died after being shot during a police chase for a van with Kurds

A two-year-old girl died on Thursday after being shot in the face by a bullet near Namur, Belgium. The incident happened during a police chase on the highway to a…

Read More Here

Explosions in Syria kill at least 11

Massive explosions rocked the Hama military air base in western Syrian early on Friday afternoon, killing at least 11 pro-Assad regime fighters, according to the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human…

Read More Here

Trump: US – North Korea summit still on the cards. No threat for Kim Jong-un, but only if he agrees to deal

US President Donald Trump said that the US and North Korean officials are continuing to prepare for a scheduled diplomatic summit next month, even as Pyongyang threatened in recent days…

Read More Here

UN rights council approves probe into Israeli response to Gaza clashes

The United Nations Human Rights Council approves a commission of inquiry to investigate Israel’s handling of clashes on the Gaza border and alleged human rights violations in the Strip, West…

Read More Here

Corporate Dispatch – Morning Briefing

Good morning, Here is your morning update, just in case you missed something. Russian President met Syrian counterpart to discuss next steps in the political process in Syria. Gina Haspel…

Read More Here