News

PM calls Ministers, MPs as reshuffle expected / Malta News Briefing – Saturday 6 January 2024

Updated 1200 Ministers flock to Castille as reshuffle expected - reports: PM Robert Abela is summoning Cabinet members and Labour backbenchers to his office at Valletta's Auberge de Castille as…

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Russian hackers were inside Ukraine telecoms giant for months – cyber spy chief

Russian hackers were inside Ukrainian telecoms giant Kyivstar's system from at least May last year in a cyberattack that should serve as a "big warning" to the West, Ukraine's cyber…

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India sends warship after hijacking of Liberian-flagged vessel in Arabian Sea

An Indian Navy warship was moving towards a hijacked Liberian-flagged vessel in the Arabian Sea, and aircraft were closely monitoring the situation, the Indian navy said on Friday.At least 15…

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Iraq prepares to close down U.S-led coalition’s mission – PM statement

The Iraqi government is forming a committee to prepare the closing down of the U.S.-led international coalition's mission in the country, Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani's office said on Friday.Sudani's…

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Iran’s oil trade with China stalls as Tehran demands higher prices

China's oil trade with Iran has stalled as Tehran withholds shipments and demands higher prices from its top client, tightening cheap supply for the world's biggest crude importer, refinery and…

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Time to launch a vision for Valletta

by Victor Calleja In times of old when knights were bold Valletta was dubbed the “city built by gentlemen for gentlemen.” This much-quoted description should, in our wonderfully enlightened times,…

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The Thalidomide scandal: a legislative, political and regulatory failure

If you have never heard of Thalidomide, this may be a useful place to start. Interest in the scandal and its past ongoing consequences has recently been revived in the…

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North Korea fires 200 rounds at sea border; South islanders take shelter

North Korea fired more than 200 artillery rounds on Friday near a disputed maritime border with South Korea in another escalation of tension between the rivals and prompting the South…

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AI in Taxation: Transforming or Replacing?

At the launching of his latest book titled “Our Planet Powered by AI”, Mark Minevich, a renowned AI pioneer and strategist, reaffirmed his belief that in the coming years several…

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EU’s Borrell sees Argentina more open to EU-Mercosur trade deal

Argentina, whose new president Javier Milei has said the South American common market Mercosur serves no purpose, now appears to be more willing for the bloc to sign a free trade deal…

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EIB Group nearly reaches €1 Billion milestone in support of Malta’s economy

The EIB Group, comprising the European Investment Bank (EIB) and the European Investment Fund (EIF), stands as one of Europe's foremost catalysts for economic growth and climate action on the…

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Rescuers race against time to find survivors of Japan earthquake

Thousands of rescuers pressed on in a search for survivors of a New Year's Day earthquake that killed at least 84 people in Japan, hoping to save as many as…

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Malta Stock Exchange To Grow International Listings

“Stock exchange listing adds to a company’s credibility” – Malta Stock Exchange Executive Chairman, Joseph Portelli The past eight years have seen the Malta Stock Exchange grow at a rapid…

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Australia struggles to ditch SUV habit even as electric vehicle sales hit record

By Lewis Jackson SYDNEY, (Reuters) - Electric vehicle (EV) sales in Australia hit an all-time high in 2023, according to the country's automotive association, however light vehicle sales remained dominated…

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Putin offers citizenship to foreigners who fight for Russia

President Vladimir Putin issued a decree on Thursday allowing foreign nationals who fight for Russia in Ukraine to obtain Russian citizenship for themselves and their families.The order said people who…

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Germany’s 2023 CO2 emissions fall to lowest in 70 years but drop not yet sustainable- study

By Riham Alkousaa BERLIN, (Reuters) - Germany's carbon dioxide emissions in 2023 fell to their lowest since the 1950s due to less coal-fired power and reduced output by energy-intensive industries,…

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Blinken to travel to Israel, West Bank in week-long Gaza diplomacy push

U.S. top diplomat Antony Blinken will depart on Thursday for a week of diplomacy on Israel’s war in Gaza, visiting Israel and the West Bank, as well as Turkey, Greece,…

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Malta News Briefing – Friday 5 January 2023

Morning Briefing Government wants to intervene in PN court case on Steward The government plans to seek involvement in a court case filed by the PN, which aims to compel…

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Irregular migrant arrivals almost doubled in Spain in 2023

By Joan Faus MADRID, (Reuters) - Around 57,000 migrants entered Spain irregularly last year, almost double the 2022 number as arrivals on the Canary Islands in fragile boats from west…

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Africa, AI to be key G7 issues for Italy, Meloni says

ROME, Jan 4 (Reuters) - Africa and the dangers posed by artificial intelligence (AI) will be two of the key themes for Italy during its one-year presidency of the Group…

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Taiwan spots more Chinese balloons, says one flew over island

TAIPEI, Jan 4 (Reuters) - Taiwan's defence ministry said it had detected three more Chinese balloons flying across the Taiwan Strait on Wednesday, and one of those flew over the…

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UK’s Sunak: expect to hold election in second half of year

LONDON, Jan 4 (Reuters) - British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said on Thursday he expected to call a national election in the second half of this year, all but ruling…

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British students find Erasmus replacement scheme inadequate

Students taking part in the government’s post-Brexit replacement for the EU’s Erasmus+ student exchange scheme were forced to drop out because places were confirmed too late, while others failed to…

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Snow, cold spell to hit Italy over the weekend; Finns urged to limit power use amid cold weather

The above-average temperatures Italy has had so far this winter are set to end with a wave of cold weather and snow that is coming following a rainy Epiphany national…

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GCSE English will no longer be handwritten under exam board plans

GCSE English exams will no longer need to be handwritten under plans by one of the country’s largest assessment boards. From 2025, pupils taking both English Language and English Literature…

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Updated – Malta News Briefing – Thursday 4 January 2024

Updated 1330 Gozo Curia in hard-hitting statement over development permitsThe Gozo Curia has strongly criticisedrecent development permits and the authorities' failure to protect the most vulnerable and uphold thecommon good.…

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Polish security chief cannot rule out provocation in Dec airspace breach

WARSAW, (Reuters) - A top Polish security official said he could not rule out that the Dec. 29 breach of Poland's airspace by what Warsaw says was a Russian missile…

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Russian hackers were inside Ukraine telecoms giant for months – cyber spy chief

Illia Vitiuk is cyber chief in Ukraine's SBU spy agency Kyivstar hack destroyed telecoms giant's "core", he says Russian military spy unit Sandworm seen behind hack SBU caught Sandworm in…

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Czechs extend controls on Slovak border until Feb. 2

PRAGUE, (Reuters) - The Czech government extended temporary controls on the country's border with Slovakia until Feb. 2, Interior Minister Vit Rakusan said, maintaining the measures set up to fight…

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Floods and snow hit Northwest Europe after latest Atlantic storm

By Pascal Rossignol Parts of Europe hit by heavy rain or snow Temperatures fall in northern Scandinavia Flooding affects travel in some areas ARQUES, France, (Reuters) - Parts of northwestern…

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Artillery shells from restive Myanmar region hit southwest China town

BEIJING, Jan 4 (Reuters) - Five people in a Chinese town near Myanmar were wounded on Wednesday by stray artillery shells from across the border, according to China's state-controlled Global…

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Hezbollah, Israel appear to signal no desire for spread of Gaza war

Blinken heads to Middle East for Israel-Gaza talks US envoy Amos Hochstein seeks to soothe Israel, Hezbollah tensions By Mohammad Azakir, Nidal al-Mughrabi and Arafat Barbakh BEIRUT/CAIRO/GAZA, Jan 4 (Reuters)…

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Russia and Ukraine stage major POW exchange after UAE mediation

KYIV, (Reuters) - Ukraine and Russia on Wednesday announced their first exchange of prisoners of war in nearly five months, with more than 200 freed by each side after what…

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Another warning to Houthis over Red Sea attacks should not be anticipated -US official

Another warning from the United States and its allies to Houthis launching attacks against shipping in the Red Sea should not be anticipated, a senior Biden administration official said. The…

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Russia accidentally bombs own village, vows to rebuild homes

A Russian regional governor said he had ordered the rebuilding of nine houses in a village that was accidentally bombed by one of Russia's own warplanes. The incident took place…

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Myanmar junta to free 9,652 prisoners on humanitarian grounds – state media

Myanmar's military government will release 9,652 prisoners, including 114 foreigners, under an amnesty to mark the country's independence day, state media reported on Thursday. The Southeast Asian nation has been…

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Mask mandates return at some US hospitals as COVID, flu jump

By Brad Brooks (Reuters) - Hospitals in at least four U.S. states have reinstated mask mandates amid a rise in cases of COVID, seasonal flu and other respiratory illness. Healthcare…

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Epstein accuser says Prince Andrew groped her, documents show

By Jonathan Stempel and Luc Cohen NEW YORK, (Reuters) - A woman who has said she was victimized by late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein said Britain's Prince Andrew put his…

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UN experts sound alarm over planned first US execution by nitrogen gas

GENEVA, Jan 3 (Reuters) - United Nations experts on Wednesday called on U.S. authorities not to go ahead with the planned execution of an inmate by nitrogen hypoxia, saying the…

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The USS Gerald R. Ford to leave Mediterranean in coming days

The USS Gerald R. Ford aircraft carrier strike group will leave the eastern Mediterranean Sea, where it was sent just after the start of the Israel-Hamas war in October, in…

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Bangladesh deploys army to keep peace ahead of Sunday’s election

By Ruma Paul and Sudipto Ganguly DHAKA, Jan 3 (Reuters) - Troops deployed across Bangladesh on Wednesday amid fears of violence ahead of a national election which the main opposition…

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Almost half of British teens feel addicted to social media

Almost half of British teenagers say they feel addicted to social media, according to findings that come amid mounting pressure for big tech companies to be held accountable for the…

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Australia PM considers extra inflation relief as families struggle

By Renju Jose SYDNEY, Jan 3 (Reuters) - Australia Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said on Wednesday his centre-left government would consider new cost-of-living relief measures ahead of the May budget…

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Germany calls Red Sea attacks unacceptable, assessing mission options

BERLIN, Jan 3 (Reuters) - Attacks on merchant ships in the Red Sea are unacceptable and must stop, a spokesperson for the German foreign ministry said on Wednesday, adding that…

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European NATO members strike deal to buy up to 1,000 Patriot missiles

BRUSSELS, Jan 3 (Reuters) - NATO on Wednesday said its procurement arm would support a group of member countries, including Germany, the Netherlands, Romania and Spain, with a contract to…

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Tension increases as Iranian warship enters Red Sea

Iran dispatched a naval frigate to the Red Sea amid an escalating standoff between Western nations and Tehran-backed militants that has seen maritime traffic attacked by drones, missiles and speedboats.…

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UPDATED: Blasts kill nearly 100 at slain commander Soleimani’s memorial; Iran vows revenge

No claim of responsibility as yet Iran vows to track down attackers Ceremony commemorated commander killed by U.S. Islamic State, other groups claimed past attacks By Parisa Hafezi DUBAI, Jan…

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Norway sends 2 fighter jets to Denmark for Ukraine training mission

OSLO, Jan 3 (Reuters) - Norway will send two F-16 fighter jets to Denmark to contribute to the training of Ukrainian pilots on the use of the U.S.-made airplane, the…

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Updated – Malta News Briefing – Wednesday 3 January 2023

Udpdated 1300 School has €1.6 million in debts written off The government of Malta has forgiven €1.6 million indebts for a school serving the Muslim community, as revealed by a…

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Majority of Britons say Brexit has completely failed for UK – poll

A clear majority of the British public now believes Brexit has been bad for the UK economy, has driven up prices in shops, and has hampered government attempts to control…

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Western navies step up protection of Baltic Sea critical infrastructure

Ten northern European countries, including the UK and Nordic states, are deploying ships to Baltic Sea to protect critical infrastructure against submarine sabotage, according to officials. The move is part…

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Only 15% of Israelis want Netanyahu to keep job after Gaza war

Only 15% of Israelis want Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to stay in office after the war on Hamas in Gaza ends, though many more still support his strategy of crushing…

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US charges ex-fintech CEO who tried to buy Sheffield United with fraud

By Jonathan Stempel NEW YORK, (Reuters) - U.S. prosecutors in Manhattan unveiled criminal charges against a Nigerian fintech businessman who recently bid unsuccessfully for an English Premier League soccer team,…

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One dead in Belgium as heavy rainfall hits the country; Sweden and Finland freezing in minus 40C

A 59-year-old woman died in Belgium's East Flanders province on Tuesday after being hit by a blown-away fence during a period of heavy rainfall in the country, local governor Carina…

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Record-breaking doctors’ strike to pile pressure on health service in England

LONDON, Jan 3 (Reuters) - Junior doctors in England will begin a six-day walkout on Wednesday, the longest strike in the state-run National Health Service's (NHS) 75-year history which is…

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Taiwan spots Chinese balloons over island near major air base

TAIPEI, Jan 3 (Reuters) - Three Chinese balloons flew across Taiwan island on Tuesday and near an air base, the Taiwanese defence ministry said, the first time it has reported…

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Ukraine launches drone attack at Russia’s Belgorod

Jan 3 (Reuters) - Ukraine launched a drone attack on Russia's Belgorod, the governor of the region bordering Ukraine said on Wednesday, adding that several drones were destroyed on approach…

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