News

Trump says Zelenskiy should not target Moscow

U.S. President Donald Trump said that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy should not target Moscow and that Russian President Vladimir Putin should agree to a ceasefire deal by a 50-day deadline…

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As theories swirl about Air India crash, key details remain unknown

While the preliminary report into what caused the loss of Air India Flight 171 last month has provided some answers, it has also prompted a wave of speculation about its…

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UPDATED: Israel steps up Syria strikes with Damascus attack as Druze clashes continue

Israel's military said it struck the entrance to the Syrian defence ministry in Damascus on Wednesday, stepping up attacks on the Islamist-led authorities with the declared aim of protecting the…

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France’s PM wants to scrap two public holidays to help fix government finances

French Prime Minister Francois Bayrou proposed scrapping two public holidays and freezing most public spending as part of a 43.8 billion euro ($50.88 billion) budget squeeze he outlined on Tuesday.…

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Portofino tightens tourist rules with dress code and alcohol ban in summer crackdown

Authorities in the exclusive Italian Ligurian resort town of Portofino have extended a sweeping summer ordinance that imposes restrictions on tourist behavior, including a ban on public drinking and a…

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New synthetic opioid spreads across the Baltic states

The widespread proliferation of nitazenes—a highly potent class of synthetic opioids—has emerged as a key factor behind the sharp increase in drug overdose deaths in Estonia in recent years, ERR.ee…

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British Diplomatic Personnel in Libya Come Under Fire as Instability Deepens

British diplomats came under fire in Tripoli late last month, as Libya is wracked by rising instability and geopolitical tension. At around 6 a.m. on June 26, two U.K. embassy…

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Trump asked Zelenskiy if Ukraine could hit Moscow

U.S. President Donald Trump has privately encouraged Ukraine to step up deep strikes on Russian territory, even asking Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy whether he could strike Moscow if the U.S.…

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Updated – Malta News Briefing – Tuesday 15 July 2025

Updated 1150 Ombudsman recommends doubling cap for irregular development fines to €100,000: The Ombudsman has recommended doubling the cap on fines for irregular development from €50,000 to €100,000, arguing the…

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Clerics accuse West Bank settlers of attacking Christian sites

Christian leaders accused Israeli settlers of attacking sacred sites in the West Bank, in violence that one said was forcing some to consider quitting the occupied territory. The Greek Orthodox…

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Sweden eyes extending military officers’ conscription age to 70

Sweden should raise former officers' upper conscription age limit to 70 from 47, a government-appointed review suggested, as part of the country's moves to strengthen its defence in the face…

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Trump threatens Russia with tariffs while unveiling Ukraine weapons plan

US President Donald Trump has announced the US will send "top-of-the-line weapons" to Ukraine via Nato countries, while also threatening Russia with severe tariffs if a deal to end the…

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Heatwaves in Spain caused 1,180 deaths in past two months

High temperatures caused 1,180 deaths in Spain in the past two months, a sharp increase from the same period last year, the Environment Ministry said. The vast majority of people…

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Magnitude 5.8 earthquake strikes Luzon, Philippines,

An earthquake of magnitude 5.8 struck Luzon in the Philippines on Tuesday, the German Research Centre for Geosciences (GFZ)said. The quake was at a depth of 10 km (6.21 miles),…

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Meredith Kercher’s Murderer Confronts Fresh Charges of Sexual Assault

The man convicted of the murder of British student Meredith Kercher has been charged with sexual assault against an ex-girlfriend. Rudy Guede, 38, was the only person who was definitively…

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Iran president was reportedly injured in Israeli strikes

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian was reportedly slightly injured during one of Israel's attacks on Iran last month. Iran's state Fars news agency, close to the revolutionary guard, says that on…

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Trump says US will send Patriot missiles to Ukraine

U.S. President Donald Trump said on Sunday he will send Patriot air defense missiles to Ukraine, saying they are necessary to defend the country because Russian President Vladimir Putin "talks…

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Malta News Briefing – Monday 14 July 2025

Morning Briefing Armenia’s Ardshinbank bids for HSBC Malta Ardshinbank, one of Armenia’s largest banks, has submitted a bid to acquire HSBC Malta, reports suggest. It is believed to be one…

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Piracy in Asia surged 83% in early 2023, particularly in Malacca and Singapore Straits

There were 95 piracy and armed robberies against ships in Asia from January to June this year, an 83% increase compared to the same period last year, according to data…

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UAE-Based Second Passport Holders Face Growing Uncertainty Amid Global Crackdown

Thousands of UAE residents who invested in Citizenship by Investment (CBI) programmes across the Caribbean, Africa, and Asia now face mounting uncertainty as Western governments tighten scrutiny of such schemes.…

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Malta News Briefing – Saturday 12 July 2025

Morning Briefing Lilu King granted bail again in grievous injury case Mohammed Ali Ahmed Elmushraty, better known as Lilu King, was granted bail for the third time on Friday, against…

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Cyprus a step closer to joining Schengen

Parliament in Cyprus on Thursday voted into law a bill which allows for the European Union’s visa information system (VIS) to be implemented and operated in Cyprus, bringing the island…

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Mystery interstellar object could be oldest known comet

A mystery interstellar object spotted last week by astronomers could be the oldest comet ever seen, according to scientists. Named 3I/Atlas, it may be three billion years older than our…

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158 human traffickers arrested and 1,194 victims safeguarded in global operation

A major operation against human trafficking has resulted in the safeguarding of 1 ,194 potential victims and the arrest of 158 suspects. As part of ongoing investigations, an additional 205…

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PKK to Disarm in Bid to End Decades-Long Turkish Conflict

After 40 years of armed struggle against the Turkish state, the outlawed Kurdish PKK will hold a ceremony on Friday to mark a symbolic first step in laying down its…

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France and UK agree to joint migration deal

France and the United Kingdom on Thursday reached several deals on migration, nuclear cooperation and support for Ukraine, after a visit from French President Emmanuel Macron to London. The three-day…

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Trump says US to impose 35 percent tariff on Canadian goods

U.S. President Donald Trump said on Thursday the United States would impose a 35% tariff on imports from Canada next month and planned to impose blanket tariffs of 15% or…

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Malta News Briefing – Friday 11 July 2025

Morning Briefing ESMA Flags Concerns over Malta’s Crypto Licensing ProcessThe European Securities and Markets Authority (ESMA) has criticised Malta's financial regulator, the MFSA, over shortcomings in its licensing process for…

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Greek tanker fleet steps up ship inspections near Russian ports after mysterious blasts

Greek shipping companies calling at Russian ports are boosting their vessels' defences after a series of mysterious blasts in recent months have damaged tankers linked to Moscow's oil trade according…

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Conference commits over 10 bln euros to Ukraine rebuilding, Italy says

Participants in a Rome conference on the economic recovery of Ukraine have pledged over 10 billion euros ($11.7 billion) to help the war-torn country, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni said…

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Greece to Introduce Tougher Measures to Deter Migrant Arrivals

Migration and Asylum Minister Thanos Plevris on Thursday indicated that the government is planning to introduce new “disincentives” as part of a crackdown on migrant arrivals following an influx from…

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Gaza truce possible in one or two weeks but not in a day, Israeli official says

Israel and Hamas may be able to reach a Gaza ceasefire and hostage-release deal within one or two weeks but such an agreement is not likely to be secured in…

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Trump sets 50% US tariffs on copper, Brazilian imports; tariff letters to Libya and six other countries

U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday issued a round of tariff letters to seven countries, including Algeria, Iraq, Libya, Sri Lanka and the Philippines. The letters call for tariffs of…

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EU Diplomatic Setback Coincides with Heightened Military Activity Near Tripoli

The United Nations on Wednesday urged all Libyan factions to refrain from inflammatory rhetoric and military maneuvers around Tripoli, warning of the risk of renewed conflict, as tensions mount following…

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Kyiv Under Attack: Russian Missiles and Drones Once More Pound Ukrainian Capital

Russian drones and missiles bore down on the Ukrainian capital of Kyiv early on Thursday, with officials reporting two deaths, 13 injured and fires in apartment and non-residential buildings as…

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Updated – Malta News Briefing – Thursday 10 July 2025

Updated 1110 Buhagiar Reappointment Row Sparked Mini Cabinet Reshuffle: Stefan Zrinzo Azzopardi requested to leave the Lands Ministry after the reinstatement of Kurt Buhagiar, accused of involuntary homicide in the…

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Greece to suspend processing asylum applications from north Africa for three months

Greek prime minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis has just told the parliament that Greece will suspend processing asylum applications for migrants arriving on boat from north Africa. In comments reported by Kathimerini,…

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Pope Leo interrupts vacation to appeal for action on climate change

Pope Leo interrupted a two-week vacation on Wednesday to celebrate a special Mass exhorting Catholics to exercise care for creation, in the Vatican's second major appeal in a week for…

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Uncertainty over CNN report that Trump threatened to bomb Moscow

The Kremlin said on Wednesday that it was not sure of the veracity of a CNN article that reported U.S. President Donald Trump had once threatened to bomb Moscow to…

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‘Ndrangheta associates arrested for drug trafficking and violence

Europol has supported Italian law enforcement in dealing a heavy blow to the ‘Ndrangheta criminal organisation. In an action day conducted on 8 July 2025 across Italy, Spain and Albania,…

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Tunisia sentences opposition leader Ghannouchi, others

Tunisia sentenced several top politicians and officials including opposition leader Rached Ghannouchi to jail on Tuesday. A court sentenced a total of 21 people to 12 to 35 years in…

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Edinburgh lifts ban on liquids over 100ml

Edinburgh is the latest airport in the UK to lift the hand luggage ban on liquids over 100ml. Travellers will now be able to take two-litre containers through the security…

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Iran nuclear program ‘extremely delayed’ — French spy chief

Iran's nuclear program was delayed by several months following American and Israeli strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities last month, according to France's intelligence chief. Speaking to France's LCI broadcaster in his first remarks since the…

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Former British PM Rishi Sunak takes job at Goldman Sachs

Former Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has joined Goldman Sachs as a senior advisor. Sunak, who resigned as PM in July 2024, will work part-time advising the bank's clients with his…

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European heatwave caused 2,300 deaths, scientists estimate

Around 2,300 people died of heat-related causes across 12 European cities during the severe heatwave that ended last week, according to a rapid scientific analysis published on Wednesday. The study…

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Libya’s eastern-based government bars entry of EU migration commissioner, three ministers including Malta’s

Libyan officials ordered EU Migration Commissioner Magnus Brunner and several senior European ministers to leave the country. cdBrunner, on a diplomatic mission with government ministers from Italy, Greece and Malta,…

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Poland scrambles aircraft as Russia launches strikes on Ukraine

Polish and allied aircraft were activated early on Wednesday to ensure the safety of Polish airspace after Russia launched air strikes targeting western Ukraine, near the border with the Poland,…

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Updated – Malta News Briefing – Wednesday 9 July 2025

Updated 1200 Newcastle Disease Restrictions Lifted after Clean Bill of Health for Malta's Poultry: All restrictions imposed due to the Newcastle disease outbreak in Malta and Gozo have been lifted,…

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Germany outlines emergency draft plans

A bill to be put forward by Defense Minister Boris Pistorius would allow the Cabinet, with parliamentary agreement, to call up conscripts if a situation arises that requires a rapid…

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Italy braces for more heat and storms after deadly weekend

Italy was bracing for more extreme weather on Tuesday after a woman was killed by a falling tree near Milan as violent storms swept across the north over the weekend,…

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Norman Tebbit, key Thatcher ally, dies aged 94

Norman Tebbit, who served as a cabinet minister in Margaret Thatcher's government, has died aged 94. Throughout the 1980s he worked as the chairman of the Conservative Party and led…

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US justice department finds no Epstein ‘client list’

The US Department of Justice and FBI have concluded that sex offender Jeffrey Epstein did not have a so-called client list that could implicate high-profile associates, and that he did…

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BP, Shell to study hydrocarbon potential at three Libyan oilfields

Oil Majors BP and Shell agreed with Libya's National Oil Corp (NOC) to conduct studies for hydrocarbon exploration and development at three Libyan oilfields, NOC said in a statement. Libya,…

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Greece Hosts Growing US Military Presence as Regional Focus Intensifies

The United States has increased its use of key military facilities in Greece, including the strategically located Souda Bay and the northern port of Alexandroupoli, amid heightened tensions in the…

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Benjamin Netanyahu nominates Donald Trump for Nobel Peace Prize

Israel's prime minister has nominated Donald Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize. Benjamin Netanyahu made the announcement at a White House dinner, handing over the letter for the US president…

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Poland imposes checks on German and Lithuanian borders amid migration fears

Poland introduced temporary controls on its borders with Germany and Lithuania on Monday, in what the government said was a step to check migrants more thoroughly amid public concerns over…

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Trump says US will send more weapons to Ukraine

U.S. President Donald Trump said the United States would send more weapons to Ukraine, primarily defensive ones, to help the war-torn country defend itself against intensifying Russian advances. Washington's decision…

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