News

Updated – Malta News Briefing – Monday 6 July 2026

Updated 1230 Fenech Trial Focuses on Alleged Escape Attempt as Jury Sees Messages in Yorgen Fenech Case The jury hearing the trial of Yorgen Fenech today focused heavily on alleged…

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NATO gathers in Ankara amid efforts to reduce friction with Trump

NATO leaders gather next week in Ankara, where Europeans aim to set aside strife with U.S. President Donald Trump over Iran and Greenland and show they are stepping up to…

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Expert warns Albanian organised crime has expanded across Europe

Albanian organised crime groups have significantly expanded their presence across Europe in recent years and, according to anti-mafia researcher Professor Vincenzo Musacchio, have become one of the main drivers of…

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Migrant arrivals to Italy fall 30% in first half of 2026, UNHCR says

Nearly 2,800 migrants arrived in Italy by sea in June, marking a 10% decrease compared with the previous month, according to data from the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR). Since the…

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At least 3,700 excess deaths reported during heatwave in France, Belgium and Netherlands

France, the Netherlands and Belgium have recorded 3,700 excess deaths during the June heatwave that sent temperatures soaring ‌across Europe, with authorities warning that the numbers are preliminary and could…

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Updated – Malta News Briefing – Friday 3 July 2026

Updated 1020 Benna Raises Milk Prices Again as Production Costs Climb: Malta Dairy Products Ltd has increased the prices of several Benna dairy products for the second time in a…

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Kyiv declares mourning after deadly Russian missile and drone attack

Kyiv will observe a day of mourning on Friday after a large-scale Russian missile and drone attack killed at least 13 people and injured about 90 others, according to city…

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Members of rebel Catholic group in schism, excommunicated

The Vatican said on Thursday that priests and lay Catholics who are part of a breakaway right-wing Catholic group that ordained bishops without Pope Leo's approval were in schism ‌with…

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Lithuania agrees to remove constitutional ban on nuclear weapons

Lithuania's President Gitanas Nauseda ‌said on Thursday that parliamentary parties had agreed on a plan to remove a ⁠constitutional provision prohibiting nuclear weapons on Lithuanian soil. "The geopolitical situation is…

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Eastern U.S. hit by historic heatwave ahead of July 4 holiday

Record-breaking temperatures spread to the eastern U.S. from the Midwest on Wednesday, putting tens of millions of people under heat warnings expected to last into the July 4 holiday ‌weekend,…

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Zelenskyy cuts Irish visit short as intelligence warns of Russian massive attack

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy cut short his visit to Dublin on Wednesday, warning that the Kremlin would soon launch a new large-scale attack on Ukraine. Zelenskyy was attending the first…

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Malta News Briefing – Thursday 2 July 2026

Morning Briefing Yorgen Fenech trial over Daphne Caruana Galizia murder begins The long-awaited trial by jury of Yorgen Fenech over the murder of journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia opened on Wednesday,…

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NATO drills in US showcase allied unity despite political tensions

A major NATO exercise off the coast of North Carolina has highlighted continued military cooperation between the United States and its European allies despite renewed political tensions over the alliance.…

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Malta News Briefing – Wednesday 1 July 2026

Morning Briefing Gozo’s fully electric bus fleet records 11% rise in passenger numbers One month after the full electrification of Gozo’s public transport network, the island’s bus service has recorded…

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Malta News Briefing – Tuesday 30 June 2026

Morning Briefing PM outlines seven new laws as government sets legislative agenda Prime Minister Robert Abela has announced that seven new laws will be introduced during the current legislature, outlining…

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King Charles becomes first British monarch to reveal tax bill

King Charles has become the first British monarch to publicly disclose his personal tax payments, revealing he paid £12.9 million in income and capital gains tax during the 2024-25 financial…

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Greece, Cyprus, Italy and Malta deepen maritime cooperation at Rome summit

Greece, Cyprus, Italy and Malta have reaffirmed their commitment to closer cooperation on shipping following a meeting of their maritime ministers on the sidelines of the International Chamber of Shipping…

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Global trade in cocaine, methamphetamine is booming, UN drug report shows

- The global trade in illicit drugs is booming, with cocaine production ‌and seizures of methamphetamine at an all-time high, a United Nations report showed on Friday, warning of a…

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Vance, Rubio strike different tone on Iran and Israel

President Donald Trump's administration has pushed hard to present a united front on the Iran war, but statements by his vice president and secretary of state have at times diverged…

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South Korea Targets AI Chip Boom with $648B Samsung-Led Investment Drive

Samsung Group plans to invest around 1,000 trillion won ($648 billion) in South Korea over the next decade, according to a media report, in a major push to convert surging…

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Malta News Briefing – Friday 26 June 2026

Morning Briefing Court Clears Way for €78 Million Evans Building Redevelopment A Court of Appeal ruling has reinstated Valletta Luxury Projects' concession to redevelop the historic Evans Building, overturning previous…

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India’s passport clarification fuels questions over citizenship documentation

India's Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has clarified that an Indian passport is primarily a travel document and should not be regarded as conclusive proof of citizenship, according to Indian…

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Ukraine to conduct preemptive attacks on facilities Russia uses for war, Zelenskiy says

Ukraine will carry out preemptive attacks on facilities Russia is using for its war, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said in his ‌evening address on Wednesday, as Kyiv expands strikes on energy…

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Buildings Collapse as Twin Earthquakes Devastate Venezuela

At least 32 people have been killed and more than 700 injured after two powerful earthquakes — measuring 7.2 and 7.5 — struck central Venezuela seconds apart, causing widespread destruction…

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Malta News Briefing – Thursday 25 June 2026

Morning Briefing PM says economic success must not be taken for grantedPrime Minister Robert Abela has warned that Malta’s economic success cannot be taken for granted, stressing that poor policy…

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Heatwave grips Western Europe, putting Italian cities on alert and killing poultry in France

Italy placed 16 of its 27 largest cities on red alert on Wednesday as an intense heatwave continued to grip the country and much of Western Europe, while French authorities…

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Ukraine submits updated bid for OECD membership

President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said that Ukraine had submitted a revised application to join the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), a club of ‌mostly advanced economies, as Kyiv pursues…

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France reports Ebola case in doctor returning from Congo

A doctor who recently returned to France from a humanitarian mission in the Democratic Republic of ‌Congo has tested positive for Ebola, marking the country's first confirmed case linked to…

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Libya’s eastern government bans entry of nationals from Sudan, Eritrea, Ethiopia and Somalia

Libya’s eastern-based government has banned the entry of nationals of four African countries, a decision a government source said was due to a "reorganization ‌of foreign nationals’ entry to Libya".…

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Updated – Malta News Briefing – Wednesday 24 June 2026

Updated 1130 Foreign Demand Fuels Strong Growth in Gozo Tourism Sector Despite Rising Costs: Gozo’s tourism sector enjoyed a strong 2025, with 56% of operators reporting improved business performance and…

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Netherlands records first euthanasia case involving a child under 12

A child under the age of 12 has died through euthanasia for the first time since the law was changed two years ago. Health minister Sophie Hermans said the case…

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Romanian parliament rejects nominated prime minister, deepening government crisis

Romania's Prime Minister-designate Adrian Vestea failed to win parliament's ‌vote of confidence late on Monday after the far-right opposition refused to back him, extending a political crisis that threatens the…

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Scars mark Britain’s economy 10 years after Brexit vote

Britain's vote to leave the European Union in 2016 has acted as a persistent drag on its economy, compounding some of the deep-seated structural problems behind the push for Brexit.…

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Italy seized €2 billion in Russian oligarch assets

Italy has seized assets worth around €2 billion from Russian oligarchs under sanctions imposed following Russia's 2022 invasion of Ukraine, the country's financial police (Guardia di Finanza) said on Tuesday.…

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Updated – Malta News Briefing – Tuesday 23 June 2026

Updated 1200 Parliament Opens New Legislature with Government, Opposition Setting Out Priorities: Malta’s 15th legislature since independence opened with MPs outlining their priorities for the next five years. Deputy Prime…

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Pressure mounts on Spanish PM Sánchez after former minister is convicted of corruption

Corruption cases keep pummeling Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez, whose former transport minister and key ally, José Luis Ábalos, was sentenced on Monday to 24 years in prison for rigging…

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Former US Fed chair Alan Greenspan dies aged 100

Former US Federal Reserve chair Alan Greenspan due to complications from Parkinson’s disease, his family said on Monday. He was 100. Greenspan was chief of the Federal Reserve for nearly…

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Updated – Malta News Briefing – Monday 22 June 2026

Updated 1255 Shoreline Mall Seeks Two-Year Extension on €14 Million Bond Repayment: Operators of the Shoreline shopping mall at SmartCity Malta have asked bondholders to approve a two-year extension of…

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Heatwave tightens its grip on Europe

A prolonged heatwave is expected to grip much of Italy until at least the end of June, with temperatures forecast to reach 39°C across large parts of the country, according…

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UPDATED: Starmer resigns as UK Prime Minister

Prime Minister Keir Starmer said on Monday he would quit, paving the way for what is expected to be an orderly transfer of power to frontrunner Andy Burnham, who could…

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Coffee firms ill-prepared for EU rules on living wages, report finds

None of the world's top coffee roasters and traders have committed to paying farmers a living income even though ‌this is set to become a legal obligation for large companies…

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Libya drills well with encouraging production rates

Libya has successfully drilled a well in its Al-Khair oilfield with production rates of 3,209 barrels per ‌day and 1.948 million cubic feet of associated gas per day, the state-owned…

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Libya moves towards elections as rival leaders agree early 2027 timetable

Libya’s three most influential political leaders have agreed on a roadmap to hold simultaneous presidential and parliamentary elections before February 2027, marking a significant step toward ending the country’s prolonged…

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Andy Burnham eyes Downing Street after decisive election win

Labour mayor Andy Burnham cleared a path on Friday to ousting British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, potentially ushering in a new bout of political instability, by decisively winning a parliamentary…

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Malta News Briefing – Friday 19 June 2026

Morning Briefing Political Leaders Attend Key Brussels Meetings on Europe’s Future Prime Minister Robert Abela and Opposition Leader Alex Borg are both in Brussels this week, taking part in high-level…

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Amber heat health alerts issued as heatwave expected to hit UK

Amber heat health alerts have been issued as another heatwave is expected to hit the UK over the weekend. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) said the warning covers the…

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Moscow hit by largest Ukrainian attack since start of Russia’s full-scale war

Moscow has come under the largest Ukrainian attack since the start of the full-scale war, with close to 200 drones hitting targets around the Russian capital and setting columns of…

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Italian government not planning social media ban for kids, says Meloni

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni on Wednesday said her government would not take the initiative to introduce a social media ban on teens like those in the works in France,…

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Updated – Malta News Briefing – Thursday 18 June 2026

Updated 1145 €7.5 Million Allocated to Final Phase of Heritage Restoration Scheme The government has announced the reopening of the Irrestawra Darek scheme for Malta's eastern region, allocating €6.5 million…

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US and Iran presidents sign ceasefire agreement, but Trump says he could still resume attacks

The U.S. and Iran released the text of an interim agreement their presidents have signed to end their war on Wednesday, with U.S. President Donald Trump threatening to resume attacks…

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Montenegro ready to assume EU membership responsibilities, president tells MEPs

Montenegro is ready to assume the responsibilities of European Union membership and contribute to the bloc's future, President Jakov Milatović told the European Parliament on Tuesday, describing the current period…

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Update – Malta News Briefing – Wednesday 17 June 2026

Updated 1205 Central Bank Sees Malta Growth Holding Firm Despite Middle East Risks: The Central Bank forecasts Malta’s economy will grow by 3.7% in 2026, 3.6% in 2027 and 3.8%…

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G7 leaders express optimism for peace after Trump’s ‘very good’ Zelenskiy meeting

U.S. President Donald Trump said Russia should make peace with Ukraine after a "very good" meeting with President Volodymyr Zelenskiy on Tuesday, in comments that sparked cautious optimism among G7…

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Caritas says record number of families sought assistance in Italy in 2025

Caritas Italia assisted 282,539 people in 2025, equivalent to the same number of family units as its support is directed at the needs of entire households, according to its annual…

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Hungary amends constitution to impose eight-year limit on prime ministers

Hungary's parliament approved a constitutional amendment limiting prime ministers to a maximum of eight years in office, a move that effectively bars former prime minister Viktor Orban from holding the…

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Updated – Malta News Briefing – Tuesday 16 June 2026

Updated 1220 PN Casual Elections Bring New Faces and Parliamentary Returns: The Nationalist Party’s casual elections filled seven parliamentary seats vacated by candidates elected on multiple districts. Newcomers Andrew Agius,…

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Crosetto says US not planning to withdraw from military bases in Italy

Italian Defence Minister Guido Crosetto said there will be no withdrawal of United States forces from American bases in Italy following talks with US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth at the…

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