News

Belgian PM says country will not legalize drugs

Belgian Prime Minister Alexander De Croo emphasised that Belgium won't back down in its war on drugs. “People who think that casual drug use is just an individual thing, that it…

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Russia says it is hard to believe Islamic State could have launched Moscow attack

Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said that it was "extremely hard to believe" that Islamic State would have had the capacity to launch an attack on a Moscow concert…

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Italy approves Highway Code reform

The Lower House on Wednesday approved Deputy Premier and Transport Minister Matteo Salvini's controversial reform of the Highway Code, which critics have said will decrease road safety rather than increase…

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Taiwan sees US support unchanged no matter who wins election

TAIPEI, March 28 (Reuters) - Taiwan's foreign ministry said on Thursday it believes U.S. support will remain unchanged no matter who wins the presidential election, but it will stay on…

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Ship that hit Baltimore bridge also involved in 2016 Antwerp accident

The ship that caused the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore on Tuesday was also involved in an accident in the port of Antwerp, Belgium, in 2016.…

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Pope appears in better health ahead of busy Easter schedule

By Alvise Armellini Pope Francis, whose frail health has been a growing source of concern in recent weeks, appeared in better shape on Wednesday ahead of a busy Easter week…

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Migrant crossings to UK hit new record

More than 4,600 asylum seekers have arrived in Britain on small boats so far in 2024, a record total for the first three months of the year and giving Prime…

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Nearly 100 people still missing after Moscow attack

As many as 95 people are still missing after last week's attack near Moscow when gunmen sprayed concertgoers with automatic weapons and set the venue on fire, a Russian news…

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UPDATED: Putin says Russia will not attack NATO, but F-16s will be shot down in Ukraine

Russia will not attack NATO, Putin says Putin says Russia will not attack Poland, Baltic states Putin says Western F-16s will be shot down in Ukraine MOSCOW, March 28 (Reuters)…

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Malta News Briefing – Thursday 28 March 2024

Morning Briefing Pollution reaches excess level as Saharan dust settles in Maltese sky The influx of Sahara desert dust in recent days has escalated air pollution levels to ten times…

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Brazil police investigate Bolsonaro’s stay in February at Hungary embassy

Brazilian police are investigating why former president Jair Bolsonaro spent two nights at the Hungarian embassy in Brasilia last month right after his passport was seized in an investigation into…

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Southeast Asia human trafficking now a global crisis, Interpol says

Organised crime rings who fuelled an "explosion" of human trafficking and cyber scam centres during the pandemic have expanded from Southeast Asia into a global network making up to $3…

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Several dead in coach crash on eastern German motorway

Several people were killed and more injured in a coach crash on a motorway near the eastern German city of Leipzig on Wednesday, police said."Several people were fatally injured in…

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China’s Xi tells Dutch PM cutting supply chains would lead to confrontation

Chinese President Xi Jinping told Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte on Wednesday that creating technological barriers and cutting off supply chains would only lead to division and confrontation, according to…

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Three Palestinians killed in Jenin during Israeli raid, Palestinian ministry says

Three Palestinians were killed and four others wounded by Israeli fire during a raid in the occupied West Bank city of Jenin overnight, the Palestinian health ministry said on Wednesday.…

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Baltimore rescuers lose hope for more survivors from bridge collapse

Rescuers have lost hope of finding more survivors of the Baltimore bridge collapse, the coast guard said, as efforts switched on Wednesday to looking for bodies of the missing and…

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Bosnia’s peace envoy imposes ‘integrity package’ to reform election law

Bosnia's international peace overseer on Tuesday imposed changes to the country's election law to ensure its integrity, including barring convicted war criminals from running, ahead of a vote in October.…

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Climate change, AI in focus at Commonwealth’s Oct meet in Samoa

Climate change and efforts to keep up with advances in artificial intelligence top the agenda for a Commonwealth meeting set for the small Pacific Islands nation of Samoa in October,…

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Russian investigators to study request to probe Western involvement in ‘terrorism’

Russian state investigators said on Wednesday they would study a request from parliamentarians to investigate what they called the "organisation, financing, and conduct of terrorist acts" against Russia by the…

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Portugal’s rightist AD and populist Chega clash after election, signalling instability

Portugal's newly elected Democratic Alliance (AD) minority government had its first clash on Tuesday with the far-right, accusing it of teaming up with the incumbent Socialists to block the appointment…

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Ukrainian missile attack hits Russian warship and reconnaissance vessel, navy says

A Ukrainian missile attack struck a Russian naval reconnaissance vessel and a large landing warship that Moscow captured from Kyiv during the annexation of the Crimean peninsula in 2014, Ukraine's…

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Malta News Briefing – Wednesday 27 March 2024

Morning Briefing PN, PL groups confirm agreement on President With just over a week remaining until President George Vella's term concludes, the government and opposition have come to a consensus…

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Biden, Netanyahu on collision course after Gaza UN vote

Relations between President Joe Biden and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu sank to a wartime low on Monday with the U.S. allowing passage of a Gaza ceasefire resolution at the United…

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Eighth suspect in Moscow attack appears in court, rights commissioner warns on torture

"It is absolutely unacceptable to use torture on detainees and defendants," the commissioner, Tatyana Moskalkova, was quoted as saying by TASS. Russian authorities have said they are investigating. The arrests…

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Six killed in militant attack on Pakistan naval base, say officials

Militants attacked a Pakistan naval airbase killing at least one paramilitary soldier while security forces killed all five of the assailants in retaliatory fire, officials said on Tuesday. Monday's attack…

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Commission endorses Malta’s request for second RRF payment

The European Commission has endorsed a positive preliminary assessment of Malta's second payment request for €58.9 million, net of pre-financing, under the Recovery and Resilience Facility, the centrepiece of NextGenerationEU. Following its…

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Trump wins pause of $454 million civil fraud ruling, averting asset seizures

Donald Trump won a bid on Monday to pause his $454 million civil fraud judgment if he posts a smaller $175 million bond within 10 days, in a victory for the former…

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WATCH: Baltimore’s Key Bridge collapses after ship crash

The 1.6-mile (2.57 km) long Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, Maryland, has partially collapsed after a ship hit it, and as many as seven people may be in the water,…

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US, UK accuse China over spy campaign that may have hit millions

U.S. and British officials on Monday filed charges, imposed sanctions, and called out Beijing over a sweeping cyberespionage campaign that allegedly hit millions of people - including lawmakers, academics, journalists…

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Romanian state agency turns to AI to help farmers tap EU funds

A Romanian state agency for rural investments is using artificial intelligence to help farmers apply for European Union funds, it said on Monday, a first in one of the EU's…

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Russian refineries targeted by Ukraine’s drones

March 25 (Reuters) - Rosneft's Kuibyshev oil refinery in Russia's city of Samara halted refining unit CDU-5, knocking out half of its capacity following a drone attack over the weekend,…

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Britain plans to boost nuclear workforce

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak will set out plans to boost Britain's nuclear workforce on Monday, as increased submarine building and the growing needs of the nuclear energy industry are forecast…

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North Korea says Japan’s Kishida wants to meet Kim Jong Un

North Korea's Kim Yo Jong, the powerful sister of leader Kim Jong Un, said on Monday that Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida had conveyed his intention to meet the North…

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UN chief urges massive Gaza aid flow, sees ‘dramatic starvation’

U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Monday called for a massive supply of aid to Gaza to fight starvation, saying there was a growing international consensus to tell Israel a ceasefire…

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Malta News Briefing – Tuesday 26 March 2024

Morning Briefing Skills card for non-EU workers in tourism to be introduced next month tarting in May, non-EU workers aiming to secure employment in Malta's tourism and hospitality sectors will…

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‘No concerning situations’ regarding Pope’s health

Pope Francis is an 87-year-old man whose periodic bouts of poor health and fatigue that have forced him to give up recent readings are only to be expected for a…

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Trump has hours to cover $454 million judgment or risk property seizure

By Luc Cohen NEW YORK, March 25 (Reuters) - Donald Trump faces a Monday deadline to post a bond to cover a $454 million civil fraud judgment or face the…

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Macron says intelligence shows Islamic State was behind Russia concert attack

Four alleged gunmen appear in Moscow court Russia questions U.S. assertions on IS claim Putin has suggested Ukrainian link Ukraine has denied any involvement MOSCOW, March 25 (Reuters) - France…

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UPDATED: Russia casts doubt on Islamic State responsibility for concert attack

Four alleged gunmen appear in Moscow court Russia questions U.S. assertions on IS claim Putin has suggested Ukrainian link Ukraine has denied any involvement MOSCOW, March 25 (Reuters) - Russia…

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Europe’s far-right vows hard line on immigration, but cracks emerge elsewhere

By Angelo Amante European far-right parties met in Italy on Saturday vowing to curb immigration to the continent and to oppose a second five-year term for European Commission President Ursula…

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Harris pledges ‘reset’ as he becomes Irish PM in waiting

By Graham Fahy and Padraic Halpin Harris set to become youngest ever prime minister Varadkar unexpectedly quit four days ago New leader to focus on law and order, migration, farming…

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Australia to recommend minimum wage rise in line with inflation

SYDNEY, March 25 (Reuters) - Australia's government will support a minimum wage increase in line with inflation this year as low-income families continue to grapple with costs of living, although…

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US and Japan plan biggest upgrade to security pact in more than 60 years

March 24 (Reuters) - The U.S. and Japan are planning the biggest upgrade to their security alliance since the two countries signed a mutual defense treaty in 1960, the Financial…

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One missile from Russia’s massive airstrike on Ukraine enters Polish airspace

Russia struck critical infrastructure in Ukraine's western region of Lviv with missiles early on Sunday, Kyiv said, in a major airstrike that saw one Russian cruise missile briefly fly into…

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France raises terror alert warning to highest level

The French government is raising its terror alert warning to its highest level following the shootings on Moscow, Prime Minister Gabriel Attal said on Sunday after a meeting with senior…

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Malta News Briefing – Monday 25 March 2024

Morning Briefing PM defends position on EU defence vote Prime Minister Robert Abela insisted there were no inconsistencies in his apparent turnaround on increased military spending. Speaking on ONE Radio,…

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Kate’s cancer news should end speculation about her, commentators say

By Michael Holden and Arlene Eiras LONDON, (Reuters) - The announcement by Kate, Britain's Princess of Wales, on Friday that she was having treatment for cancer should finally put to…

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Somali pirates’ return adds to crisis for global shipping companies

Pirates had been dormant for nearly a decade 2008-2014 attacks cost the global economy billions of dollars Recent pirate raids are increasing costs for shippers Pirates take advantage of security…

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Malta News Briefing – Sunday 24 March 2024

Morning Briefing PN, PL trade war of words after Abela votes for increased defence spending The Labour Party and the Nationalist Party shared contrasting views on the Prime Minister’s vote,…

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New fish invade the Adriatic Sea, threatening local species

DUBROVNIK, Croatia/KOTOR, Montenegro Reuters) - For decades, Croatian fisherman Marko Kristic has cast his nets in the sparkling waters of the Adriatic Sea. Now an invasion of the Mediterranean parrotfish…

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New Hong Kong security law comes into force amid fears for freedoms

By James Pomfret, Jessie Pang and Greg Torode HONG KONG, March 23 (Reuters) - A new national security law came into force in Hong Kong on Saturday despite growing international…

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India brings back 35 Somali pirates as part of operations near Red Sea

By Krishn Kaushik NEW DELHI, March 23 (Reuters) - The Indian navy handed over 35 Somali pirates to the police in Mumbai on Saturday, after 100 days of anti-piracy operations…

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Tunisia-Libya border crossing remains closed

Tunisia and Libya have kept a major border crossing at Ras Jdir closed due to armed clashes Libya's interior ministry said in a statement this week that "outlaws" had attacked…

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Putin says concert attackers were fleeing to Ukraine when detained

MOSCOW, March 23 (Reuters) - Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Saturday that the four men who attacked a concert near Moscow were heading towards Ukraine when they were detained,…

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German Bundesbank president warns against extremism, euro exit – FUNKE

FRANKFURT, March 23 (Reuters) - Bundesbank President Joachim Nagel said right-wing extremists threaten Germany's prosperity, and an exit from the euro would be "an economic catastrophe for all of us",…

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Ukraine says Russia preparing 100,000 troops, possibly for summer offensive push

Russia is preparing 100,000 troops who could be used for a possible new offensive push in Ukraine this summer or to replenish depleted units, the commander of Ukraine's ground forces…

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Russia, China veto US-led UN resolution on Gaza ceasefire

By Daphne Psaledakis and David Brunnstrom (Reuters) - The United Nations Security Council on Friday turned down a resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and an Israel-Hamas hostage…

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