News

US to livestream Army firing squad execution of Fort Hood shooter

The US will livestream the Army's upcoming firing squad execution of a gunman who killed 13 people at the Fort Hood military base in 2009, the Pentagon said, in what…

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Syria considers help in Yemen war after Saudi airports come under Houthi fire

Syria may deploy troops to help Saudi Arabia fight Yemen's Houthis, a US official and a Syrian defence official said, as the Iran-aligned group steps up its missile and drone…

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Belgian Strikes to Disrupt Public Transport and Brussels Airport on Friday and Monday

Public transport in Brussels and across Belgium will be disrupted on Friday and Monday as unions hold two days of action to protest the federal government's expected budget cuts. Friday's…

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France’s Student Protests: What’s Behind the Unrest

The movement: Since late September, students across France have protested education underfunding and blockaded many lycées (high schools for 15-18-year-olds). Hundreds of students, teachers and police have been injured, and…

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WHO Presses Russia for Information on Siberia Lab Death

The World Health Organization is looking into reports of a second pneumonia case linked to an anti-plague institute in Irkutsk, Siberia, after the Kremlin said there are no plague cases…

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Malta News Briefing – Thursday 8 October 2026

Morning Briefing Employers reject claim that private sector drove population growth Malta Employers has rejected Finance Minister Clyde Caruana’s suggestion that businesses helped drive Malta’s population growth by choosing cheaper…

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Turkey sending technical, defensive support to Saudi Arabia to help fight Houthis

Turkey is sending mainly defensive and technical support to Saudi Arabia to help it fight Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthis, two officials said on Wednesday, ‌after the NATO member and Pakistan pledged…

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Updated – Malta News Briefing – Wednesday 7 October 2026

Updated 1300 Malta Public Transport Passenger Journeys Hit Record High in 2026: Malta Public Transport recorded an average of 234,673 passenger journeys per day during the first six months of…

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Ukraine hit by deadly Russian strikes as Putin marks 74th birthday

Russia destroyed an apartment block in northern Ukraine as a birthday "gift" to Vladimir Putin, Volodymyr Zelensky said on Wednesday, after overnight missile and drone strikes killed at least 12…

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Israelis mark three years since Hamas attack that set off Gaza assault

Israelis will on Wednesday mark three years since Hamas attacked Israel on October 7, 2023, triggering a military assault that destroyed much of Gaza, where conditions remain dire despite a…

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Germany’s ex-spy chief arrested for espionage

Police have arrested the former head of Germany's BND foreign intelligence agency, August Hanning, on suspicion of espionage, the federal prosecutor's office announced Tuesday. Hanning served as the agency's chief from…

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Troops from NATO member Turkey, nuclear-armed Pakistan headed to Saudi Arabia

Turkey and Pakistan will send troops to Saudi Arabia in a "rapid deployment" under a new mutual defense alliance, the three countries said Monday, as the kingdom faces escalating attacks…

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Kenya confirms first Ebola case imported from Congo, patient has died

Kenya has ‌recorded its first confirmed Ebola case, a Kenyan citizen who has been living in Democratic Republic of Congo and arrived in Nairobi on Saturday, health minister Aden Duale…

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Dozens quarantined in Siberia after plague institute lab worker dies

A laboratory worker at a plague research institute in ‌Siberia fell ill and died in undisclosed circumstances, prompting authorities to quarantine dozens of people and the head of Russia's health…

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Jeffrey Archer, bestselling UK novelist and scandal-plagued politician, dies aged 86

Jeffrey Archer, the bestselling British novelist and former politician who was jailed for lying in a high-profile libel case, has died aged ‌86, his publisher HarperCollins said. Archer sold over…

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Malta News Briefing – Tuesday 6 October 2026

Morning Briefing MUT calls for quality-focused tertiary education The Malta Union of Teachers has called for a shift in tertiary education away from measuring success by the number of graduates…

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Warning that Germany at risk of violent conflict with Russia

Germany is at risk of entering ‌a violent conflict as Moscow steps up an increasingly aggressive "shadow war" against European democracies, its head of foreign intelligence warned on Monday. "The…

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Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez calls snap election

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez called an early general election on Monday, bringing forward a vote that had been scheduled for 2027. Sanchez announced the decision in a statement at…

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US removes B-1 bombers from UK base amid security concerns

The United States removed its B-1 bombers from a UK air base one week after several men were arrested there on ‌suspicion of preparing terrorist acts, a Pentagon official said…

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Bolsonaro will face Lula in runoff in Brazil’s presidential vote

Right-wing Brazilian Senator Flavio Bolsonaro will face leftist President Luiz Inacio ‌Lula da Silva in a runoff of the presidential election later this month, after he exceeded expectations in Sunday's…

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Malta News Briefing – Monday 5 October 2026

Morning Briefing Labour ‘cannot pretend it heard nothing’ from Fenech trial - PL President Labour Party president Alex Sciberras has said the party cannot pretend it “heard nothing” from the…

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Pete Hegseth creates Pentagon Office of Religious Affairs

U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth is launching an Office of Religious Affairs at the Pentagon, the latest in a series of faith-related changes he has made at the department. Hegseth…

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Students and police clash as France struggles to quell school protests

Riot police clashed with high school students in cities across France on Friday, as President Emmanuel Macron's government battled to contain increasingly violent protests over classroom conditions and funding. Tear…

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Updated – Malta News Briefing – Friday 2 October 2026

Updated 1020 Finance Minister: Employers must invest to curb population growth Finance Minister Clyde Caruana said employers must invest more in capital and technology if Malta is to reduce its…

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Houthi strikes on Saudi Arabia and Iran’s war planning raise fears of wider Middle East conflict

Iran is preparing a broader and more forceful response in case the United States resumes large-scale military attacks, sources said, as its Houthi allies in Yemen traded strikes with a…

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Eurozone inflation heats up faster than expected

A faster-than-expected inflation jump across the eurozone’s biggest economies raises the odds that the European Central Bank will hike interest rates again this year to bring price growth down to…

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Russia sends nuclear warning to NATO as tensions rise in the Baltic

Russia has warned NATO it would be ready to resort to nuclear weapons if the Western alliance attempted to cut off Kaliningrad, a Russian exclave that borders the Baltic Sea.…

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Updated – Malta News Briefing – Thursday 1 October 2026

Updated 0930 Health centres need more staff, not longer hours, doctors say Opening more health centres at night would not address the main pressures facing Malta’s healthcare system, the Medical…

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Romania, Poland scramble jets as Russia pounds Ukraine with drones, missiles

Romania and Poland scrambled military jets to protect their airspace after Russia launched a new wave of attacks on neighboring Ukraine, both countries said in statements. Romania's defense ministry said…

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Flydubai plane traveling to Israel diverted to Saudi Arabia after alleged dispute between pilots

A commercial plane traveling from the United Arab Emirates to Israel was forced to make an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia on Wednesday, briefly raising concerns about a possible hijacking…

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Burnham considering going ‘all the way’ in closer relationship with EU

British Prime Minister Andy Burnham has suggested rejoining the EU is among options the government could examine to reshape the UK's long-term relationship with Europe. The prime minister told the…

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Updated – Malta News Briefing – Wednesday 30 September 2026

Updated 1000 Media groups call for consultation on reform The Institute of Maltese Journalists, PEN Malta, the Daphne Caruana Galizia Foundation and Repubblika have called on the government to consult…

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US forces exit Iraq after two decades, leaving opening for Iran

US forces are set to pull out from their last bases in Iraq by Wednesday, a departure celebrated as a victory by Iran and its allies who now have deep…

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Russia to enlarge armed forces again as Ukraine war takes toll

Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a decree to boost the army by 15,500 troops in the fourth such order this year. "The authorised ... strength of the Russian armed…

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Updated – Malta News Briefing – Tuesday 29 September 2026

Updated 1110 Malta’s Vegetable Production Falls Amid Changing Weather Patterns Malta’s vegetable production fell by 38% between 2001 and 2021, with changing temperatures and rainfall patterns putting pressure on agricultural…

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Most UK voters want Britain to move closer to the EU, poll shows

Seven out of ten voters want the government to build a closer relationship with the European Union, according to a new POLITICO Poll that shows the extent of support for…

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Sweden faces political deadlock after Andersson gives up attempt to form government

Attempts to form a new government in Sweden ‌hit the buffers on Monday after Social Democrats leader Magdalena Andersson said she was unable to secure enough support, despite the centre-left…

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Far-right Le Pen and hard-left Melenchon seen reaching French presidential run-off, poll shows

French far-right candidate Marine Le Pen and far-left contender Jean-Luc Melenchon are seen reaching a run-off vote in next year’s presidential election in each of five scenarios polled, according to…

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Swiss voters reject tighter neutrality rules that would have curbed NATO cooperation

Swiss voters ‌on Sunday firmly rejected a proposal to adopt a more restrictive form of neutrality that would have blocked their country from imposing economic sanctions or cooperating with NATO.…

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Catania airport closed for third day due to Etna’s ash

Catania airport will remain closed for the third consecutive day on Monday because of volcanic ash being spewed out by Mount Etna, SAC, the company that runs the airport, said.The…

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Serbia heads for early elections

Serbia's president has resigned after more than a year of student-led protests and growing public discontent over allegations of government corruption. Aleksandar Vučić said his administration had preserved peace and…

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Updated – Malta News Briefing – Monday 28 September 2026

Updated 1055 Malta and Gozo Hit by Widespread Power Cut A widespread power cut affected Malta and Gozo shortly before 10.15am on Monday, with Enemalta restoring electricity to most areas…

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Trump says men arrested at UK air base used by US were looking to do ‘big damage’

British police arrested five men on suspicion of explosives and terrorism offences on Sunday near an air base that has been used by the US to strike Iran, after a…

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Allies unite behind Saudi Arabia as Houthis step up attacks

Saudi, Turkish and Pakistani military chiefs are to meet to discuss how to support Saudi Arabia under a joint defence pact, after Saudi's top religious authority told troops to be…

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Pope makes first official visit to France in 18 years

Church bells will quite literally be ringing across France this Friday morning as Pope Leo XIV lands on the tarmac of Paris-Orly airport for the first official papal visit to…

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Poland Predicts Murkier Russian Escalation, Not Full Invasion

Poland's foreign minister said that Russia is preparing a significant escalation this year, warning that President Vladimir Putin may be looking for a pretext to justify a new mobilization. "Russia…

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Finland and Sweden scramble Quick Reaction Alert jets to intercept Russian aircraft

Finland's air force said on Friday that Swedish and Finnish fighter jets had been scrambled to identify Russian fighter jets flying over the Gulf of Finland. The air force said…

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Macron: Russian Attack on Europe “Plausible”, Pledges Troops to Saudi Arabia

French President Emmanuel Macron denied Thursday that the CIA had warned France of a possible Russian drone operation targeting southern Europe, even as he pledged to send French "military assets"…

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Cabinet Approves Contested School Decree as Italy Confronts Immigration Debate

Italy's government approved a decree Thursday that caps the share of foreign pupils in classrooms at 30% and bans burqas and niqabs from schools, a measure Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni…

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Six arrests for smuggling migrants via Schengen airports

Europol supported a migrant smuggling investigation involving law enforcement authorities from 17 countries. The criminal network was also engaged in document fraud and money laundering. The action day on 22…

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The world’s two most powerful men just met. How did it go?

US President Donald Trump welcomed Chinese President Xi Jinping to the White House on Thursday, with talks on trade and artificial intelligence and the growing strategic rivalry between the countries…

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Malta News Briefing – Friday 25 September 2026

Morning Briefing Community police trained to tackle online risks facing children Almost 150 community police officers have completed extensive training aimed at helping them respond more effectively to online abuse…

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US intelligence warns of Russian drone operations in Mediterranean

US intelligence has warned European governments of a possible Russian drone operation targeting Spain, France or Italy, raising concerns about a potential new security threat in the Mediterranean. According to…

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Malta News Briefing – Thursday 24 September 2026

Updated 1140 Victoria Chosen as European Capital of Culture 2031: The European Commission has recommended Victoria (Rabat), Gozo as Malta’s European Capital of Culture for 2031, following an assessment by…

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Switzerland votes on proposal to enshrine stricter neutrality in constitution

Switzerland is set to vote on Sunday on a proposal to strengthen the country’s traditional policy of military neutrality by enshrining a stricter definition in its constitution. The initiative, launched…

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Pope Leo XIV faces packed 19,000-mile South American tour

Pope Leo XIV will travel more than 19,000 miles on 14 flights during a 12-day visit to Uruguay, Argentina and Peru in November, in what will be his longest international…

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Morocco election marked by low turnout and growing youth frustration

Morocco’s parliamentary election has produced a new political configuration, but with turnout falling to just 38.08%, down from 50.86% in 2021 and the lowest level in almost two decades. Provisional…

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