26

Jan

Italy fines first city for privacy breaches in use of AI

ROME, Jan 26 (Reuters) - Italy's privacy watchdog has fined the northern city of Trento for breaking data protection rules in the way it used artificial intelligence (AI) in street…

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26

Jan

Bless the person, not the gay union says pope

The Vatican's recent decision to authorise the blessing of gay couples means that the Catholic Church is blessing the individual persons and not the union, Pope Francis said Friday having…

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26

Jan

Malta participates in intercontinental crackdown against Nigerian crime syndicates

Europol on Friday revealed that between 7 and 9 December 2023, Europol coordinated a massive international operation targeting Nigerian criminal networks active in the EU and abroad. 16 partners from…

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26

Jan

King Charles ‘delighted’ that prostate diagnosis is raising pulbic awareness

LONDON, Jan 26 (Reuters) - Britain's King Charles is delighted that news of his treatment for an enlarged prostate is raising public awareness of the health issue, Buckingham Palace said…

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26

Jan

Taiwan begins extended one-year conscription in response to China threat

By Fabian Hamacher and Ann Wang TAICHUNG, Taiwan (Reuters) - The first batch of new recruits began serving their one-year compulsory military service in Taiwan on Thursday after the conscription…

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26

Jan

China presses Iran to rein in Houthi attacks in Red Sea, sources say

By Parisa Hafezi and Andrew Hayley Iran-backed Houthis attacking commercial ships in Red Sea Trading powerhouse China has called for attacks to stop Oil trade gives China leverage over Iran,…

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26

Jan

Alabama executes prisoner with new nitrogen asphyxiation method

ATMORE, Alabama, (Reuters) - Alabama executed convicted murderer Kenneth Smith by asphyxiating him with nitrogen gas on Thursday, the first use of a new method of capital punishment that the…

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26

Jan

UPDATED: World Court says Israel must take steps to prevent acts of genocide in Gaza

World Court says Israel must take steps to avoid genocide Israel said court should throw out 'spurious' charges By Stephanie van den Berg and Anthony Deutsch THE HAGUE, Jan 26…

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26

Jan

Turkey’s Edrogan signs off on Sweden’s NATO membership

Turkey's president finally approved Sweden's bid to join NATO on Thursday, ending months of delay and leaving only Hungary standing in the way of Stockholm's membership of the military alliance.…

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26

Jan

Reuters/Ipsos poll finds Trump leads Biden in election rematch

WASHINGTON, Jan 25 (Reuters) - Donald Trump leads Democratic President Joe Biden by six percentage points in a Reuters/Ipsos poll that showed Americans are unhappy about an election rematch that…

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26

Jan

Malta News Briefing – Friday 26 January 2024

Morning Briefing Malta unveils plans for OSCE Chair role, Borg to visit Kiev Foreign Affairs Minister Ian Borg unveiled the nation's vision for its role of Chair of the OSCE,…

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25

Jan

Italy, EU’s oldest country, plans more spending for elderly

ROME, Jan 25 (Reuters) - Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni is set to introduce a new welfare subsidy for the low-income elderly, according to a draft decree seen by Reuters…

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25

Jan

Americans dismayed by Biden Trump 2024 rematch, Reuters/Ipsos poll finds

By Jason Lange WASHINGTON, Jan 25 (Reuters) - Americans are unhappy about a looming election rematch between Democratic President Joe Biden and his Republican predecessor Donald Trump, but that won't…

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25

Jan

Russian woman jailed for 27 years for handing bomb to war blogger

ST PETERSBURG, Russia, Jan 25 (Reuters) - A young Russian woman was jailed for 27 years on Thursday for delivering a bomb that exploded in the hands of a pro-war…

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25

Jan

Italy government proposes tougher jail terms for cybercriminals

Italy's government is set to propose tougher jail terms for cybercrime and stricter disclosure rules for public bodies that come under attack from hackers, according to a draft law seen…

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25

Jan

‘Zombie knives’ to be banned in England and Wales from September

So-called "zombie knives" and machetes will be banned in England and Wales from September, the British government said on Wednesday, making it illegal to possess, sell, manufacture or transport them…

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25

Jan

Hungary parliament speaker sees ‘no urgency’ in voting on Sweden’s NATO accession

BUDAPEST, Jan 25 (Reuters) - Hungary's parliamentary speaker said on Thursday there was no urgency in approving Sweden's NATO membership bid after ratification by Turkey left only Budapest holding up…

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25

Jan

Austrian incest-rapist Fritzl to transfer to regular prison

VIENNA, Jan 25 (Reuters) - An Austrian court on Thursday ordered the conditional transfer of 88-year-old incestuous rapist Josef Fritzl to a regular prison from a prison psychiatric unit, his…

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25

Jan

Thou shall be a whistleblower but not an anonymous one, new Vatican rules say

By Philip Pullella The Vatican, which over the centuries has codified all aspects of faith, morals, doctrine and dissent, announced a new entry - the rights and responsibilities of a…

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25

Jan

Ukraine hits Russia’s oil refinery in Tuapse with drones

KYIV, Jan 25 (Reuters) - Ukraine hit a Russian oil refinery in Tuapse with drones in operation by the SBU security service, a Ukrainian source told Reuters on Thursday. The…

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25

Jan

Chinese military continues to train, prepare for war -defence ministry spokesperson

BEIJING, Jan 25 (Reuters) - China's military is continuing to train and prepare for war, and will continue to organise relevant military operations on a regular basis, a defence ministry…

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25

Jan

US, Iraq to initiate talks on end of US-led military coalition

By Timour Azhari and Phil Stewart BAGHDAD, (Reuters) - The United States and Iraq are set to initiate talks on the end of a U.S.-led international military coalition in Iraq…

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25

Jan

UPDATED: Russia says Ukraine had 15-minute warning on PoW flight; Kyiv demands international probe

Russian lawmaker: Ukraine was told PoWs were on military plane His assertion contradicts Ukrainian statement Ukraine has neither confirmed nor denied it shot down plane Ukraine ombudsman calls for international…

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25

Jan

Pilots plan one-day strike at Lufthansa’s Discover on Friday

FRANKFURT (Reuters) - German pilots' union VC called on its members to strike for 24 hours at Lufthansa Group's leisure airline Discover on Friday to push demands related to pay…

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25

Jan

Libya’s September flood requires $1.8 bln in recovery funds, report says

(Reuters) - Libya's deadly flash flood in September constituted a climate and environmental catastrophe that requires $1.8 billion in reconstruction and recovery, an international report said on. Huge swathes of…

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25

Jan

NATO’s largest military exercise since Cold War kicks off

WASHINGTON, Jan 24 (Reuters) - The U.S. Navy dock landing ship Gunston Hall left port on Wednesday to mark the first movement for the largest NATO exercise since the Cold…

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25

Jan

US Navy intercepts missiles in Red Sea while escorting Maersk ships

COPENHAGEN, Jan 24 (Reuters) - Maersk said explosions nearby forced two ships operated by its U.S. subsidiary and carrying U.S. military supplies to turn around when they were transiting the…

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25

Jan

Japan says SLIM spacecraft’s ‘pinpoint’ moon landing is success

By Kantaro Komiya TOKYO, Jan 25 (Reuters) - Japan achieved an unprecedented "pinpoint" moon landing within 100 metres (328 feet) of target, the space agency said on Thursday, after its…

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25

Jan

Florida lawmakers vote to restrict children’s access to social media

By Steve Gorman (Reuters) - The Florida House of Representatives approved a bill aimed at barring children aged 16 and younger from social media platforms, following similar action in several…

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25

Jan

Malta News Briefing – Thursday 25 January 2024

Morning Briefing Benefits racket: First individual jailedBrian Aber, aged 46, has been sentenced to two years in prison for fraudulently claiming €18,000 in disability benefits. He is the first individual…

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24

Jan

Hungary supports Sweden’s NATO membership, PM Orban tells Stoltenberg

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban told NATO secretary general Jens Stoltenberg in a phone call that the Hungarian government supports Sweden's membership of the military alliance, Orban said on social…

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24

Jan

Cyprus rescues 60 Syrian migrants from boat, children found unconscious

Sixty Syrian migrants were rescued from a small boat off Cyprus on Wednesday after being stranded at sea for days, including three children and a man who were found unconscious…

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24

Jan

Saudi Arabia prepares to open first alcohol store for diplomats

Saudi Arabia is preparing to open its first alcohol store in the capital Riyadh which will serve exclusively non-Muslim diplomats, according to a source familiar with the plans and a…

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24

Jan

Crypto lender Nexo seeks $3 billion in damages from Bulgaria over aborted investigation

Cryptocurrency lender Nexo is seeking $3 billion in damages from Bulgaria over an aborted criminal investigation that the company alleges scuppered its plans for a U.S. stock market listing and…

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24

Jan

Anti-war candidate tries to harness protest vote against Putin

Boris Nadezhdin, a 60-year-old former opposition lawmaker, is running a long-shot campaign to challenge Vladimir Putin for the Russian presidency and says his call to end Russia's war in Ukraine…

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24

Jan

Pope issues new anti-war plea as he evokes Nazi Holocaust

Pope Francis has issued a new plea against all wars as he evoked the horror of the mass killing of Jews and other victims of the Nazis ahead of Saturday's…

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24

Jan

Russian missile strikes on Ukrainian cities kill 18, Zelenskiy says

 Russian missiles hit Ukraine's two largest cities, killing 18 people, injuring more than 130 and damaging homes and infrastructure, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said as Moscow's war approaches its third year. The eastern city of Kharkiv suffered three…

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24

Jan

Senior UK Conservative tells party ditch Sunak or face ‘annihilation’

Senior British Conservative lawmaker Simon Clarke called on Tuesday for a change of prime minister, saying Rishi Sunak was leading the governing party into an election later this year "where…

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24

Jan

Plan for one-month Gaza truce makes progress as Israel hits Khan Younis

 Israel and Hamas have moved closer to agreement on a 30-day ceasefire in Gaza when Israeli hostages and Palestinians prisoners would be released, sources told Reuters, as Israel pressed ahead…

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24

Jan

Trump cruises in New Hampshire primary election, Haley vows to fight on

Donald Trump cruised to victory in New Hampshire's Republican presidential contest on Tuesday, marching closer to a November rematch with Democratic President Joe Biden even as his only remaining rival,…

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24

Jan

EU draws up economic security plans, with mind on China

The European Commission will set out plans on Wednesday to bolster the European Union's economic security through closer scrutiny of foreign investment and tighter controls on exports and outflows of…

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24

Jan

Turkey set to approve Sweden’s NATO membership bid after long delay

Turkey's parliament is widely expected to approve Sweden's NATO membership bid on Tuesday, clearing the biggest remaining hurdle to expanding the Western military alliance after 20 months of delays. Turkey's…

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24

Jan

Malta News Briefing – Wednesday 24 January 2024

Morning Briefing Revamp of NGO legislation on the cards A proposal to revamp legislation governing voluntary organisations will be introduced for public consultation next month. This was announced after a…

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23

Jan

Trump seeks a big victory, Haley tries to stop him as New Hampshire votes

Voters in New Hampshire will decide whether to hand Donald Trump a glide path to the Republican presidential nomination or bolster rival Nikki Haley's long-shot bid to topple him on…

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23

Jan

Latest strikes on Yemen’s Houthis destroyed intended targets, UK says

U.S. and British forces carried out a new round of strikes in Yemen, targeting a Houthi underground storage site as well as missile and surveillance capabilities used by the Iran-aligned…

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23

Jan

China undergoes rare scrutiny of rights record at UN meeting

 China underwent scrutiny of its human rights record at a key U.N. meeting on Tuesday, with Western countries calling for more protections for Xinjiang Uyghurs and greater freedom in Hong…

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23

Jan

24 troops killed in Israel’s worst loss in Gaza

Twenty-four Israeli soldiers were killed in Israel's worst day of losses in Gaza, the military said on Tuesday while also claiming to have encircled southern Gaza's main city and killed dozens of…

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23

Jan

Britain to retain substantial number of EU laws until at least 2026

Britain will retain thousands of European Union laws for at least the next two years, the government said on Thursday, setting out new targets for the heavily delayed process of…

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23

Jan

Earthquake strikes China-Kyrgzstan border

A magnitude 7.1 earthquake struck the Kyrgyzstan-Xinjiang border region on Tuesday with reports of several injuries and collapsed houses, Chinese state media reported. The epicentre of the quake struck at…

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23

Jan

Biden, UK PM Sunak discuss Middle East and Ukraine

U.S. President Joe Biden spoke to British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak on Monday about the Red Sea, Gaza, and Ukraine, White House spokesman John Kirby said. "They talked about what's…

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23

Jan

World risks missing deadline for pandemic accord, says WHO chief

Countries risk missing a May deadline for agreeing a legally binding treaty on fighting pandemics, which would be a big blow for future generations, the head of the World Health…

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23

Jan

Biden, Harris target Republican curbs on abortion rights on Roe anniversary

U.S. President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris will spotlight Republican curbs on abortion rights this week, a galvanizing issue for Democrats that they hope will boost enthusiasm among…

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23

Jan

Poland and Ukraine pledge quick end to political friction

The leaders of Poland and Ukraine pledged on Monday to tackle a thorny political dispute that had hampered their critical wartime alliance and boost defence cooperation as Russia's invasion grinds…

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23

Jan

Brazil’s Lula launches ‘re-industrialisation’ plan for next decade

Brazil's government on Monday unveiled an industrial development plan for the next 10 years aimed at boosting growth in the sluggish economy with state credit and subsidies for companies, as…

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23

Jan

Netanyahu to Gaza hostage kin: Hamas has not made a solid deal offer

Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu pushed back after speculation that a new release of Gaza hostages was in the works, saying Israel was taking an unspecified initiative in the absence…

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23

Jan

Malta News Briefing – Tuesday 23 January 2024

Morning Briefing Minister condemns derogatory social media comments on Filipino celebration Byron Camilleri has condemned derogatory remarks circulating on social media directed at the Filipino community following their observance of…

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22

Jan

Haley, Trump campaign in New Hampshire a day before pivotal vote

By Nathan Layne, Gram Slattery and James Oliphant ROCHESTER, N.H., Jan 22 (Reuters) - Former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley will campaign across New Hampshire on Monday hoping to stall Donald…

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