News

Gulf states, vulnerable but influential, seek to stop new Iran-Israel war

Gulf states are pushing to stop a full-blown regional war after Iran's unprecedented retaliatory strikes on Israel, sources in the region said, fearing new escalation could put them on front…

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Malta News Briefing – Monday 15 April 2024

Morning Briefing Malta expresses apprehension at escalation of Middle East violence Ian Borg, the President of the UN Security Council, expressed Malta's apprehension regarding the Middle East situation and cautioned…

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Croatia’s PM Plenkovic seeks 3rd term amidst corruption scandal and opposition

Prime Minister Andrej Plenkovic will bid for a third term in Croatia's parliamentary election next week but polls indicate his conservative HDZ party will lose its majority after a welter…

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Sudan…the Forgotten Tragedy

With the news dominated as they are with the unfortunate conflicts in Ukraine and the Holy Land, it seems there is no space for what is going on in Sudan.…

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Digital Transformation Driving GO’s Spirit Of Innovation

Digital transformation is not just about implementing new technologies but also about reshaping entire organisations’ mindsets and cultures. “I have been lucky enough to see GO through some of the…

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UPDATED: UN Security Council to Convene on Israel’s request

The United Nations Security Council will be meeting on Sunday after Israel's ambassador to the United Nations, Gilad Erdan, requested the council to condemn Iran's attack on Israel. Israel is…

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“Embracing New Payment Platforms As Opportunities Rather Than Threats, Crucial For Banks’ Survival.”

This coming April 17th, GANADO ADVOCATES will be once again hosting its annual Banking & Payments Law Seminar in collaboration with the Malta Bankers’ Association. “Particularly this year, we not…

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Malta News Briefing – Sunday 14 April 2024

Morning Briefing DBRS confirms Malta A rating but warns on corruption Morningstar DBRS, a global credit rating agency, has affirmed Malta’s “A (high)” rating. However, it highlighted that Malta's corruption…

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UPDATED: Biden says US commitment to Israel’s security is ‘ironclad’

US President Joe Biden has confirmed he met his national security team to discuss Iran's attack against Israel. The US president cut his weekend trip to Delaware short to return to…

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What are Israel’s military capabilities?

Israel’s military has long been supported by the United States, with $3.3 billion in annual funding, plus $500 million toward missile defense technology. Israel is one of the best-armed nations…

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Israel’s Iron Dome missile defence system

Israel’s short-range Iron Dome air defence system has had a 96 per cent success rate in intercepting rockets fired from Gaza during the latest round of fighting between Israel and…

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Iran’s missile capabilities

Iran has developed a range of ballistic missiles and drones in a programme that has long worried the West. The missiles are an important part of the arsenal at Tehran's…

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Iran’s Revolutionary Guards: powerful group with wide regional reach

Iran's elite Revolutionary Guards launched a drone attack against targets in Israel on Saturday, Iranian English-language press TV cited Iranian sources as saying. A senior commander in the Corps' Quds…

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UPDATED: Benjamin Netanyahu: ‘Whoever harms us, we will harm them’

Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu has released the following statement on Saturday evening amid Iran’s launch of drones towards Israel: "In recent years, and especially in recent weeks, Israel has…

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UPDATED: Iran launches attack against Israel; Israeli official predicts ‘significant response’ to attack

Iran has launched a salvo of drones at Israel, the Israeli military has said late Saturday night. Iran has also launched missiles at Israel, its Revolutionary Guards has said. In…

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UPDATED: Sydney knife attacker shot dead after killing 6 in Bondi mall; Attacker identified as Joel Cauchi

An attacker who fatally knifed six people in a Sydney mall was shot dead by police in the beachside suburb of Bondi on Saturday, police said, as hundreds fled the…

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RS2’s Growth Fuelled By Evolution Of Payments Industry

30 years after its relocation to Malta to implement a card-based management system for a leading local bank, RS2 is today servicing some of the world’s largest banks, financial institutions,…

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The New Employment Agencies Regulations

The recent evolution of the labour market has triggered diverse atypical work arrangements prompting new Employment Agencies Regulations which come into effect on the 1st April. “While employment agencies’ fundamental…

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Malta News Briefing – Saturday 13 April 2024

Morning Briefing Cassola makes claims of fuel theft at Transport Malta Arnold Cassola, an independent MEP candidate, reported that two high-ranking officials at Transport Malta are under investigation for suspected…

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Aborted 2022 peace deal could be basis for Ukraine talks, says Kremlin

An aborted 2022 peace deal between Russia and Ukraine could be the basis for new negotiations but there is no sign that Kyiv is ready for talks, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry…

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Thousands of Russian soldiers seeking asylum in the West

Thousands of Russian soldiers are fleeing the war in Ukraine, lying low while awaiting the results of their asylum applications to western countries like Germany, France and the US. Asylum…

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UN: No consensus on full membership for Palestine

A UN Security Council committee has failed to agree on a common response to a renewed bid by the State of Palestine for full United Nations membership. Malta's ambassador to…

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Britain to equip ships with lasers to take down drones from 2027

Britain's defence ministry on Friday said it would install lasers on warships designed to cheaply shoot down drones from 2027, five years earlier than previously expected, under reforms designed to…

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Russia’s FSB says British special forces operating in Ukraine

Russia's Federal Security Service (FSB) said that Britain's Special Boat Service had been operating in Ukraine and helping Ukrainian forces carry out attempted operations against Russian forces. The Ukraine war…

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France urges no travel to Iran, Lebanon, Israel and Palestinian territories

France on Friday warned its citizens to “imperatively refrain from travel in the coming days to Iran, Lebanon, Israel and the Palestinian territories”, the foreign minister’s entourage told Agence France-Presse…

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Germany’s transport minister threatens weekend driving ban over climate law delay

Germany’s transport minister is threatening to ban driving on weekends to meet climate goals if the ruling coalition does not pass the Climate Protection Act by July. “The fact that…

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New Zealand aims to boost U.S. ties amid global instability

New Zealand is facing the most unstable global environment in decades, Foreign Minister Winston Peters said on Friday, as he pledged to boost ties with the United States amid conflicts…

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US restricts travel for employees in Israel amid fears of Iran attack

The United States has restricted travel for its employees in Israel amid fears of an attack by Iran. The US embassy said staff had been told not to travel outside…

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South Korea, Japan, US hold naval drills amid N.Korea threats

South Korea, Japan and the United States staged long-planned joint naval exercises involving an American aircraft carrier to ensure readiness against nuclear and missile threats from North Korea, Seoul's navy…

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Russia, Germany, UK urge restraint as Iranian threat puts Middle East on edge

Russia, Germany and Britain urged countries in the Middle East to show restraint and Israel said it was preparing to "meet all its security needs" in a region on edge…

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France prepares for naval warfare

The French navy is shifting its training away from a focus on policing operations to gird for war against foes who want "to destroy us," says Rear Admiral Jacques Mallard,…

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Malta News Briefing – Friday 12 April 2024

Morning Briefing EP resolution urges Malta and Poland to decriminalise abortion The European Parliament passed a resolution with 336 votes in favor, 163 against, and 39 abstentions, advocating for the…

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Amanda Knox retrial over slander conviction begins in Italy

An Italian court has opened a new trial against Amanda Knox over a slander conviction she received for wrongly accusing a bar owner of murdering the British student Meredith Kercher.…

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Finnish president gets new, €1.1m armoured car

The Finnish president's new official state car, an armoured Audi saloon which cost around 1.1 million euros, was put into use on Thursday, according to a president's office press release.…

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FBI concerned about possible coordinated attack in US after Russia massacre

The FBI is concerned about the possibility of an organized attack in the United States similar to the one that killed scores at a Russian concert hall last month, the…

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Netanyahu warns Israel ready for attacks from other fronts

Visiting an F-15 base, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issues an apparent threat to Iran that Israel will strike if attacked. “We are in challenging times. We are in the midst…

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Little girl among nine migrants that drowned in Malta’s SAR area

Nine migrants including a little girl died in waters within Malta's search and rescue zone on Wednesday while another 22 were rescued, the Italian Coast Guard said. It said that…

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Ukraine’s parliament passed crucial military bill amid manpower shortage and conflict

Ukraine’s parliament passed a controversial bill on Thursday that will change the rules on civilian military mobilisation in an effort to address fledgling manpower among its forces. The legislation, which…

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Russia advises against travel to Middle East

Russia on Thursday advised against travel to the Middle East and German airline Lufthansa extended a suspension of its flights to Tehran, as the region was kept on edge by…

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Biden considering Australian request to drop Julian Assange charges

US President Joe Biden has said that he is considering a request from Australia to drop the prosecution of WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange. The country's parliament recently passed a measure…

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UPDATED: Switzerland to host Ukraine peace summit on June 15-16

The Swiss government will host a two-day high-level conference in June aimed at achieving peace in Ukraine, it said on, although Russia has made clear it will not take part…

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Italian Senate approves bill on seizing smartphones in schools

The Italian Senate approved a bill on seizing smartphones, tablets and other electronic devices in Italian schools.The measure now moves to the House. Education Minister Giuseppe Valditara said in a…

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Russian missile strike targets cities across Ukraine

Ukrainian authorities reported blasts in the country's northeastern, southern and western regions on Thursday morning, during a fresh wave of Russian missile strikes. Explosions were heard in the Ukrainian city…

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Biden vows ‘ironclad’ support for Israel amid Iran attack fears

President Joe Biden has promised Israel "ironclad" US support amid fears that Tehran could launch reprisals for an attack that killed senior Iranians. Mr Biden warned that Iran is threatening…

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North Korea leader Kim Jong Un says now is time to be ready for war

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un said unstable geopolitical situations surrounding his country mean now is the time to be more prepared for war than ever, as he inspected the…

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Lufthansa suspends Tehran flights, Middle East on alert for potential Iran attacks

German airline Lufthansa announced it had suspended flights to Tehran due to the situation in the Middle East, which is on alert for possible Iranian retaliation for a suspected Israeli…

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UPDATED: Netanyahu not consulted on killing of Hamas leader’s sons

Israeli forces killed three sons of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh in an airstrike in Gaza without consulting senior commanders or political leaders including prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu, says Reuters citing…

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Malta News Briefing – Thursday 11 April 2024

Morning Briefing Court rejects Yorgen Fenech's plea to remove Keith Arnaud from case A court once again rejected Yorgen Fenech's attempt to remove Keith Arnaud from the Daphne Caruana Galizia…

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Germany population growth to remain flat

A study released by the Bertelsmann Foundation on Tuesday showed that Germany is expected to see a slight 0.6% increase in population by 2040.The forecast is based on births, deaths and migration provided by the…

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Israel threatens to strike Iran

Israel’s foreign minister threatened on Wednesday that its country’s forces would strike Iran directly if the Islamic Republic launched an attack from its territory against Israel, as tensions between the…

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Updated -Malta News Briefing – Wednesday 10 April 2024

Updated 1200 Minister apologises as slow-drying concrete causes Regional Road traffic jams: Traffic on the Regional Road was at a standstill due to wet concrete from overnight works and the…

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Iran says Israeli presence in UAE is a threat

The commander of the Iranian Revolutionary Guards navy said on Tuesday Israel's presence in the United Arab Emirates was a threat to Tehran and this "should not happen". Iran has…

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Harris becomes Ireland’s youngest premier

When Simon Harris made headlines in his local County Wicklow newspaper in 2003 for criticising the government, the future Irish prime minister was described as "a well-known local activist". He…

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Italy approves Berlusconi postage stamp

The government approved the issuing of a pstage stamp commemorating late three-time ex premier and media mogul Silvio Berlusconi who died last June aged 86 having dominated Italian public life…

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Biden says Netanyahu’s approach to war in Gaza is a ‘mistake’

By Kanishka Singh Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's approach to the war in Gaza is a "mistake," U.S. President Joe Biden said in an interview, offering further criticism of Israel's…

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Earthquake magnitude 3 between the provinces of Reggio Emilia and Parma

A magnitude earthquake 3 was registered at 6:20 am between the provinces of Reggio Emilia and Parma.According to data from the National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology (Ingv), the earthquake…

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Spain’s parliament to draft amnesty bill for undocumented migrants

By Belén Carreño Spain's lower house of parliament voted on Tuesday to start working on a bill that would legalise hundreds of thousands of undocumented migrants, based on a proposal…

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