News

German firms want tough action from EU in U.S. tariff talks, DIHK says

The agreement between the United States and European Union on tariffs serves only as a burden to companies due to its lack of clarity, according to a poll of German…

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UPDATED: German cabinet passes bill for voluntary military service

Germany's cabinet passed a draft bill on Wednesday that would introduce a voluntary military service as the country seeks to bolster national defences over Russian security concerns. The text also…

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Updated – Malta News Briefing – Wednesday 27 August 2025

Updated 1200 Central Bank says Public Spending Growth Far Exceeds EU Benchmark: A Central Bank report shows Malta’s government spending grew by 14% in 2024—more than double the EU’s recommended…

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France plunges back into crisis after PM Bayrou’s confidence-vote backfires

France found itself mired in yet another crisis on Tuesday, after Prime Minister Francois Bayrou's gamble to win backing for his deeply unpopular debt-reduction plan backfired, plunging the country deeper…

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Ukrainian men aged 18-22 now allowed to cross the border freely

Ukrainian men aged 18 to 22 are now allowed to cross the border freely in either direction under martial law, Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko said. Previous regulations introduced after Russia's…

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UK’s Farage warns of ‘civil disorder’, unveils plan to deport asylum seekers

Nigel Farage, leader of Britain's anti-migration Reform UK party, announced a plan on Tuesday to repeal human rights laws to allow for mass deportations of asylum seekers, action he said…

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Lithuania Appoints Trade Union Veteran Inga Ruginienė as Prime Minister

Lithuania’s parliament on Tuesday confirmed Inga Ruginienė — a longtime trade union leader and relative newcomer to politics — as the country’s new prime minister, following the resignation of Gintautas…

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Headphones Only: London Targets Noisy Commuters

A new public awareness campaign is being launched in London to discourage commuters from playing music or videos out loud on trains and buses. Starting this week, posters will appear…

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Flemish Government Launches Major Push to Promote Dutch in Brussels

The Flemish government has approved a sweeping plan to strengthen the role of Dutch in Brussels, marking the most ambitious effort in years to bolster the language in Belgium’s officially…

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US fighters intercept Russian aircraft off Alaska for 3rd time in a week

Fighters from the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) on Sunday intercepted a Russian aircraft in the Alaskan Air Defense Identification Zone for the third time in the past week,…

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US orders more ships to southern Caribbean with eye on drug cartels

The United States has ordered additional ships to the southern Caribbean as part of President Donald Trump's effort to address threats from Latin American drug cartels, two sources briefed on…

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Ten years on: Merkel reflects on 2015 refugee decision

It has been ten years since German Chancellor Angela Merkel made her famous "Wir schaffen das" ("We can do this") statement regarding her decision to accept hundreds of thousands of refugees into Germany.…

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Eruption at Mount Etna, Catania Airport Stays Open

Mount Etna is exhibiting intense Strombolian activity at its summit craters, accompanied by a strong emission of volcanic ash, according to Italy’s National Institute of Geophysics and Volcanology (INGV), Etna…

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MSC Cruise Ship Bound for Malta Arrives Safely in Naples After Engine Failure

The flagship of MSC Cruises, the World Europa, arrived safely in Naples late Monday after drifting powerless for nearly 10 hours off the Italian island of Ponza due to an…

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Australia expels Iranian ambassador over antisemitic attacks

Australia says it will expel the Iranian ambassador alleging that Iran had directed antisemitic attacks in Sydney and Melbourne. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the attacks were "extraordinary and dangerous…

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Trump wants to meet North Korea’s Kim this year

U.S. President Donald Trump said on Monday he wanted to meet North Korean leader Kim Jong Un this year and was open to further trade talks with South Korea even…

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Updated – Malta News Briefing – Tuesday 26 August 2025

Updated 1230 CrediaBank Vows to Retain All HSBC Malta Staff After Takeover: CrediaBank CEO Eleni Vrettou has pledged to retain all 900+ HSBC Malta staff and current management following the…

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MSC Cruise Ship Suffers Engine Failure off Ponza

An MSC cruise ship suffered an engine failure off the island of Ponza in the Pontine Archipelago, south of Rome, early Monday morning. The MSC World Europa, sailing from Genoa…

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Israel hits Gaza hospital, killing at least 15 people, including journalists

Israeli strikes on Nasser hospital in Gaza on Monday killed at least 15 people, including four journalists, one of whom worked for Reuters, Palestinian health officials said. Cameraman Hussam al-Masri,…

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U.S. confirms nation’s first travel-associated human screwworm case connected to Central American outbreak

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services reported the first human case in the United States of travel-associated New World screwworm, a flesh-eating parasite, from an outbreak-affected country. The…

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Libyan Coast Guard Fires on Ocean Viking NGO Vessel After Rescue Operation

The humanitarian ship Ocean Viking, operated by SOS Mediterranée, came under heavy fire from the Libyan Coast Guard in what the NGO has denounced as a “violent and deliberate attack.”…

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Russia’s Lavrov outlines terms for Ukraine peace: big power security guarantee and no NATO

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said in an interview published on Sunday that a group of nations including United Nations Security Council members should be the guarantors of Ukraine's security.…

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Israel strikes on Yemeni capital Sanaa

Israeli strikes hit the Yemeni capital Sanaa on Sunday in retaliation for Houthi missiles fired towards Israel, with a Houthi health official saying the attack killed six people and wounded…

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Malta News Briefing – Monday 25 August 2025

Morning Briefing Digital IDs to be rolled out in 2026 From next year, Malta will be obliged under EU rules to provide a digital wallet, holding key personal identification documents…

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Berlin courts tourists as Paris and Barcelona tire of the crowds

As many southern European cities grow tired of tourists, Berlin is pitching itself as an antidote to the crowds, blistering heatwaves and anti-tourism protests causing problems elsewhere. The German capital…

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In Madrid’s Poorest Areas, Residents Ask for Trees to Survive Heatwaves

As Madrid sweltered at the peak of one of Spain's longest-ever heatwaves, the temperature on a street in one of its poorest neighbourhoods - Puente de Vallecas - measured 41.4…

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Paris’ Montmartre battles overtourism

Residents of Montmartre in Paris are sounding the alarm over overtourism, fearing their picturesque hilltop neighbourhood could become the next Barcelona or Venice, as tourist numbers spike following last year's…

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The Muslim world has been strong on rhetoric, short on action over Gaza and Afghanistan

By Amin Saikal, Emeritus Professor of Middle Eastern and Central Asian Studies, Australian National University; and Vice Chancellor's Strategic Fellow, Victoria University When it comes to dealing with two of…

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Malta News Briefing – Saturday 23 August 2025

Morning Briefing Knights College launches scholarships for displaced IEU students The Knights College has announced a special scholarship initiative to support international students affected by the revocation of the International…

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DNA Traces Reveal Shark Activity in the Mediterranean

The Mediterranean white shark is as elusive and mysterious as the sharks in the Atlantic and Pacific are well known. “There’s really not much known about them, and they are…

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Denmark scraps book tax to fight ‘reading crisis’

The Danish government has announced it will abolish a 25% sales tax on books, in an effort to combat a "reading crisis". The tax is is one of the highest…

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Greece’s travel sector sees 6 billion euro surplus in first half of 2025

The Greek travel services sector saw a surplus of 6 billion euros ($7 billion) in the first half of 2025, a 9.1% increase from the previous year, the data from…

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Famine has officially struck Gaza, says global hunger monitor

Gaza City and surrounding areas are officially suffering from famine, and it will likely spread, a global hunger monitor determined on Friday, an assessment that will escalate pressure on Israel…

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Syria to revalue currency, dropping two zeros in bid for stability

Syria will issue new banknotes, removing two zeros from its currency in an attempt to restore public confidence in the severely devalued pound, according to seven sources familiar with the…

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Putin’s demand to Ukraine: give up Donbas, no NATO and no Western troops, sources say

Vladimir Putin is demanding that Ukraine give up all of the eastern Donbas region, renounce ambitions to join NATO, remain neutral and keep Western troops out of the country, three…

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Mount Etna’s Southeast Crater Produces Fresh Lava Stream

Mount Etna, Europe’s most active volcano, is once again showing signs of life with three lava vents currently open on its slopes, Italian scientists said Friday. The National Institute of…

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Crude Prices Recover on Geopolitical Uncertainty

Oil prices were little changed on Friday as hope for immediate peace between Russia and Ukraine dimmed, increasing the risk premium demanded by oil sellers and putting prices on track…

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Belarus says it is looking at how to arm its missile systems with nuclear warheads

Belarus is assessing how best to ramp up domestic production of missiles, including exploring how to equip its Polonez rocket launcher systems with nuclear warheads, a senior Belarusian security official…

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Russia launches biggest wave of strikes on Ukraine for weeks

Russia has launched 574 drones and 40 missiles on Ukraine in one of the heaviest bombardments in weeks, Ukrainian officials say. One person was killed in a drone and missile…

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Magnitude 7.5 earthquake hits off South American tip

There was no tsunami threat after Thursday's earthquake of magnitude 7.5 in the Drake Passage between South America and Antarctica, the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said, following its brief warning…

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Malta News Briefing – Friday 22 August 2025

Morning Briefing MCAST Finance Manager created fake salary payments to embezzle funds A finance manager has been accused of embezzling more than €2.3 million from MCAST by creating fake salary…

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Mediterranean Heat Grips Cyprus and Italy as Weather Extremes Intensify

Much of the Mediterranean sweltered Thursday as Cyprus issued a yellow alert for soaring inland temperatures and Italy battled a mix of searing southern heat and violent storms in the…

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Germany recruiting nurses in Indonesia

German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul on Thursday was given a tour of a German language school in Indonesia as part of an effort to recruit specialized foreign workers from the…

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Arrest made in Italy over Nord Stream pipeline explosions

German prosecutors announced Thursday that a suspect had been arrested in connection with an alleged 2022 attack on the Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipelines, which transported Russian gas to…

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Hungary ready to host Ukraine-Russia peace talks, foreign minister says

Hungary has offered to host peace talks between Russia and Ukraine twice, and the offer still stands, Hungarian Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto said in a podcast broadcast on Facebook on…

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Updated – Malta News Briefing – Thursday 21 August 2025

Updated 1200 Towed cars, Unfair Fares and Botched Hiring Among 36 Ombudsman Cases: Malta’s Ombudsman has highlighted 36 cases of maladministration in its Case Notes 2024 report, exposing unfair practices…

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Uganda says it has agreed with US to take people who may not qualify for asylum

Uganda has entered an agreement with the United States to take in nationals from third countries who may not get asylum in the U.S. but are reluctant to return to…

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Turkish ports asking ships to declare they are not linked to Israel

Turkish port authorities have begun informally requiring shipping agents for letters declaring that vessels are not linked to Israel and are not carrying military or hazardous cargo bound for the…

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Most Americans believe countries should recognize Palestinian state, Reuters/Ipsos poll finds

A 58% majority of Americans believe that every country in the United Nations should recognize Palestine as a nation, according to a new Reuters/Ipsos poll, as Israel and Hamas considered…

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Pope Leo plans to visit Lebanon by December, marking his first trip outside Italy

Pope Leo plans to visit Lebanon, the country's senior Catholic official announced, in what could be the first visit outside Italy by the new leader of the global Church. The…

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Israel takes first steps of military operation in Gaza City

Israel's military has taken the first steps of a planned operation to take over Gaza City, Israeli military spokesman Brigadier General Effie Defrin said. Following a clash with Hamas south…

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Vance says Europe will have to take ‘lion’s share’ of burden for Ukrainian security

U.S. Vice President JD Vance said on Wednesday that European countries will have to pay the "lion's share" of costs for Ukraine's security guarantees. WHY IT'S IMPORTANT President Donald Trump…

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Israel to call up 50,000 reservists before Gaza City offensive

Israel will call up 50,000 reservists before a planned offensive to take Gaza City but most forces that would operate in the Gaza Strip's largest urban centre would be active…

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Pope Leo sets day of fasting, prayers for peace on Friday

Pope Leo has asked Catholics and other religious faithful to observe a day of fasting and prayers for peace in the Middle East, Ukraine and other war-torn areas of the…

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Millions in Forged Banknotes Confiscated in Global Operation

Europol has supported a joint law enforcement operation that disrupted the distribution of counterfeit currency through postal services. The action resulted in the interception of nearly one million items, including…

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Updated – Malta News Briefing – Wednesday 20 August 2025

Updated 1130 One in five passengers flew with KM Malta Airlines - Malta International Airport Malta International Airport welcomed a record 1,035,341 passengers in July, a 5.3% increase over last…

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Closing Chapter: Final Queen Elizabeth II Coins Enter Circulation

The final batch of Queen Elizabeth II's £1 coins is entering circulation across the UK, the Royal Mint has announced. More than 23 million coins depicting the late monarch are…

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