Business

Ryanair cabin crew in Spain threaten 10 days of strikes in September

Unions representing Ryanair cabin crew in Spain have announced plans to hold 10 days of strikes in September unless the airline changes its plans to close several bases in the…

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Flights at Shannon airport suspended after emergency incident

Operations at Shannon Airport in the Republic of Ireland have been temporary suspended after an "incident" involving a Boeing plane. The airport said emergency services are at the scene and…

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Russian passenger jet performs emergency landing near Moscow

A Russian passenger plane from Ural Airlines’ performed an emergency landing near Moscow shortly after take-off on Thursday after birds were sucked into its engines. There were no casualties reported…

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Ryanair’s Irish pilots to proceed with strike

Directly employed Ryanair pilots based in Ireland, who are members of the Irish Air Line Pilots' Association (IALPA), are to strike for 48 hours from midnight on 22 August. The move comes after…

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Lisbon Airport operations restricted due to fuel strike

Portugal’s Airport Authority (ANA)has complained that the pace of resupplying Lisbon Airport with fuel is "insufficient and is at levels well below those stipulated for minimum services," causing "operating restrictions.…

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Barclays no longer banking cryptocurrency exchange Coinbase

Barclays is no longer providing banking services to cryptocurrency exchange Coinbase, sources familiar with the matter told Reuters, ending a relationship that started in March last year as the exchange…

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Facebook workers listened to Messenger conversations

Bloomberg reports that Facebook contractors were listening to and transcribing select voice conversations that were held using its Facebook Messenger chat platform. The company reportedly had the contractors transcribe chats…

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Midday Dispatch – Corporate and Financial News

Fears over a global economic downturn were intensified by disappointing data from China and Germany, sending bond yields tumbling to new lows and weighing on jittery stock markets. - Financial…

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Germany releases gross domestic product quarterly results for 2019

Germany's Federal Statistical Office (Statistisches Bundesamt) announced on 14 August 2019 that the country's gross domestic product (GDP) grew by 0.4 percent in the first quarter of 2019, shrinking by…

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Some MacBook Pros banned from US flights

Some MacBook Pro laptops are being banned on flights in the United States amid Apple's recent statements saying that batteries in several units pose fire risks. The US Federal Aviation…

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Talks to avert Ryanair’s Irish pilots strike

Ryanair’s directly employed pilots in Ireland agreed to attend mediated talks starting on Wednesday to avert a strike their trade union said would go ahead next week if the airline…

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Foreign power was behind cyber-attack on Czech Foreign ministry

A foreign state staged the latest cyber-attack targeting the Czech Foreign Ministry, the Senate’s security committee said on Tuesday, though it did not identify the nation concerned or provide any…

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Hong Kong airport reopens after another chaotic night

Hong Kong airport reopened on Wednesday after fierce clashes overnight, but the turmoil may be far from over following reports that aviation authorities have obtained a court order to remove…

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Midday Dispatch – Corporate and Financial News

Argentina's peso lost 14 percent of its value against the dollar when exchange markets opened on Monday after President Mauricio Macri suffered a crushing defeat in party primaries over the…

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Thousands of jobs shed as global pressures on banking sector starts to leave its marks

Global investment banks are shedding tens of thousands of jobs as falling interest rates, weak trading volumes and the march of automation create a brutal summer for the sector. The…

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Midday Dispatch – Corporate and Financial News

Good day, These are some of the main stories from the local and global corporate and financial world as reported by leading agencies and media. The mood across global markets…

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Hong Kong Airport cancels flights as thousands occupy terminal

Hong Kong International Airport has cancelled departing flights, as anti-government protests in its main terminal continue for a fourth day. Thousands are gathered at the airport - which is one…

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Jio and Microsoft announce alliance to accelerate digital transformation in India

Reliance Jio Infocomm Limited (Jio), a subsidiary of Reliance Industries Limited, and Microsoft Corp. are embarking on a unique, comprehensive, long-term strategic relationship aimed at accelerating the digital transformation of…

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2019 a difficult year for tourism in Cyprus

Deputy Minister for Tourism Savvas Perdios said that 2019 is a difficult year for tourism, but stressed that there is no need for panic, pointing out that positive developments…

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Investigation opened after pieces of a Norwegian Boeing 787 fell near Fiumicino airport

An investigation is being held by Italy's flight safety agency (ENAC) into an incident over the weekend in which fragments of a Norwegian airlines Boeing 787 damaged cars and roofs…

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Oil prices fall amid worries about an economic slowdown

Oil prices dipped on Monday amid worries about an economic slowdown and the Sino-U.S. trade war, which have led to a cut in the growth outlook for oil demand. International…

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Photo Story: Security control strike at Barcelona’s airport

Passengers in transit at El Prat airport in Barcelona, Spain, 11 August 2019, on the third day of an indefinite strike of workers of Trablisa, the control security check…

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Hundreds evacuated as fire rages on holiday island of Gran Canaria

Hundreds of people have been forced to flee a huge mountain fire on the Spanish holiday island of Gran Canaria. The Spanish military has now been sent to help firefighters…

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Gambling site Bwin fined €350,000 by Dutch regulators

The Dutch gambling authority Ksa imposed a fine of 350 thousand euros on the company behind gambling site Bwin.com, because the site offered gambling services and sports betting to Dutch…

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Portugal’s fuel-tanker drivers to strike

Portugal's fuel-tanker drivers voted to strike from Monday for an indefinite period, raising fears about the impact on the country's tourism-dependent economy during the busy summer season. The vote means…

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Sand stolen by tourists visiting Sardinia returned to beaches, fines of between €500 to €3,000 for culprits

Italian authorities and environmental experts have teamed up with Olbia Airport in Sardinia to return sand, pebbles and shells confiscated from tourists’ luggage to beaches on Sardinia's famed 'Emerald Coast'.…

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GO’s True Fibre Network to reach 120,000 households by year end, Half Yearly Financial Results report operational improvements

With almost 100,000 homes and over 28,480 customers connected to Malta’s only true fibre network by the end of July, GO’s Fibre-to-the-Home rollout project is well on track to cover…

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Barcelona to act against catering establishments that put tables in public spaces

Barcelona city council is to start taking decisive action against catering establishments that put tables on public spaces. The city council claims many are illegal and take up too much…

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IEA warns oil demand growth so far in 2019 lowest since 2008

Mounting signs of an economic slowdown and a ramping up of the U.S.-China trade war have caused global oil demand to grow at its slowest pace since the financial crisis…

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Sterling, UK stocks register drop

Sterling fell to a one-week low on Friday and British stocks sold off after the UK economy unexpectedly contracted in the second quarter. The pound fell to the day’s low…

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Midday Dispatch – Corporate and Financial News

Italian stocks dropped sharply in early trade on Friday as Matteo Salvini, leader of Italy's League party, called for a snap election. The FTSE MIB I945, -1.85%dripped 1.6% in Milan…

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Bond spread soars and Milan Stock Exchange plunges amid Italian government crisis

The spread between Italy's 10-year BTP bond and the German Bund leaped up to 239 basis points on Friday after League leader and Deputy Premier Matteo Salvini said he was…

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Ryanair pilots’ strike on 22 – 23 August and a 72-hour strike on 2 September

Ryanair passengers are facing the prospect of five days of disruption in late August and early September after talks to avert strike action by UK-based pilots broke down. Ryanair pilots…

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Large cruise ships banned from the historic centre of Venice

The Italian government has announced that large cruise ships will be banned from entering Venice's historic centre. Ships weighing more than 1,000 tonnes will be rerouted away from certain waterways…

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Microsoft To Drive AI Technology For A More Sustainable Gozo

Microsoft Malta is supporting Government in a newly launched project in Gozo called The Gozo Innovation Hub. This was announced today during the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between…

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Debenhams names Stefaan Vansteenkiste CEO

Struggling British department store group Debenhams on Thursday named turnaround specialist Stefaan Vansteenkiste as its new chief executive, promoting him from the chief restructuring officer role he took on in…

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U.S. tells commercial vessels to send Gulf transit plans in advance

The U.S. Maritime Administration (MARAD), the U.S. maritime agency, has issued an advisory telling U.S.-flagged commercial vessel they must send transit plans in advance to American and British naval authorities…

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Further problems expected for BA flights due to IT glitch

British Airways travellers have been warned of possible further delays to flights, despite fixing an earlier IT glitch that crashed online check-ins. The airline cancelled 117 flights at Heathrow and…

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Cathay Pacific registers severe drop in bookings amid Hong Kong protests

Cathay Pacific Airways Ltd is facing a decline in forward bookings for travel to Hong Kong “in the region of double digits” due to widespread protests in the Asian financial…

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First test flight of ‘Okhotnik’ Russian combat drone

Handout photos made available from a Russian Defense Ministry video showing the first test flight of the new Russian combat drone 'Okhotnik' (Hunter), 07 August 2019. The first flight, which…

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‘Recognition, Personal Development and Stability’ Most Appealing Company Values by Job Seekers

Employee orientation and recognition, employee development and enhancement as well as job stability are the top three values that employees find most appealing when considering applying for a post with…

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Fatal light-aircraft crash in Italy

Two people are dead after a light aircraft crashed in the province of Savona. The aircraft, which took off from Vercelli and was heading to Villanova d'Albenga, went off the…

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ECB to test five Croatian banks

The European Central Bank said on Wednesday it would carry out a stress test of five Croatian banks, a preliminary step in Zagreb’s bid to join the euro zone. Zagrebačka…

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Photo Story: The Silver Spitfire

A handout picture (above) provided by the British Ministry of Defence (MOD) showing the Silver Spitfire (L), along with three other Spitfire aircraft, take off from Goodwood Aerodrome, Hampshire, southern…

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Midday Dispatch – Corporate and Financial News

Disney has had the biggest year at the box office for any film studio in history, as blockbusters like Avengers: Endgame have raked in billions for the Mouse House —…

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Italian chocolate maker’s Pernigotti’s Novi plant saved

Deputy Premier and Labour and Industry Minister Luigi Di Maio announced that an agreement has been reached to protect the jobs of the workers at the Pernigotti chocolate plant in…

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Two U.S. senators raise privacy concerns over Facebook’s Messenger Kids

Democratic U.S. senators Edward Markey and Richard Blumenthal have written to Facebook Inc questioning whether there was a “worrying pattern” of poor privacy protection for children using its Messenger Kids…

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Canada hints at penalties for internet firms that allow child exploitation

Internet companies that do not actively combat the online exploitation of children should face financial consequences, Canada’s public safety minister hinted after announcing an increase in police funding to fight…

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Sitting on Rome’s Spanish Steps banned, fines can go up to €400 if the steps are dirtied or damaged

Sitting on Rome's famous Spanish Steps is no longer allowed as the local police have decided to apply the rules in a more stringent way. The famous steps are also…

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HSBC Global Asset Management names Nicolas Moreau as CEO

HSBC Global Asset Management has appointed Nicolas Moreau as its new chief executive, the firm said in a statement, adding that he will join in September. Moreau, former head of…

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MiddayDispatch – Corporate and Financial News – 6th August 2019

Inbound tourist trips for the first six months of 2019 amounted to 1,208,068, an increase of 3.9 per cent over the same period in 2018. Total nights spent by inbound…

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Midday Dispatch – Corporate and Financial News

In June 2019, the seasonally adjusted index of industrial production for Malta increased by 1.9 per cent. Increases were registered in the production of energy (4.7 per cent), consumer goods…

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China’s yuan slips to 11-year low

The Chinese yuan fell more than 1% on Monday, dropping below the 7-per-US-dollar mark for the first time since the global financial crisis. The dip came days after Beijing warned…

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Microsoft announces IoT Signals research report on state of IoT adoption

Microsoft Corp. announced IoT Signals, a new research report designed to provide a global overview of the IoT landscape. Microsoft surveyed over 3,000 IoT decision-makers in enterprise organizations in order…

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Venice asks other ports to help find solution to cruise ship problems

Venice has appealed to the main European cruise ship destinations, from Amsterdam to Barcelona, Dubrovnik and Marseille, to unite in tackling the dangers and environmental impact of big cruise liners.…

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Monday’s Heathrow strike suspended

A strike due to start at Heathrow Airport on Monday has been suspended so that further talks can take place to resolve a pay dispute. Thousands of members of the…

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WWII Spitfire set for round-the-world flight

Two British aviators take off Monday on a first-ever attempt to fly a Spitfire around the world, proclaiming the iconic fighter plane as a symbol of freedom. The restored plane…

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