News

Russia ramps up chemicals weapons use in Ukraine, European spies warn

The German and Dutch intelligence services said Friday that Russia is increasing its use of chemical weapons in Ukraine. Moscow's military is employing "a wide range of chemical weapons with…

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One dies in violent storm pounding Milan

One person was killed by a falling tree near Milan, local firefighters said on Sunday, as a powerful storm battered the northern Italian city after days of high temperatures. The…

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Trump calls Musk’s new political party ‘ridiculous’

US President Donald Trump has hit out at former close ally Elon Musk over the multi-billionaire's plan to launch a new political party. "I think it's ridiculous to start a…

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Hamas security officer says group has lost control over most of Gaza

A senior officer in Hamas's security forces has told the BBC the Palestinian armed group has lost about 80% of its control over the Gaza Strip and that armed clans…

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Oil tumbles as OPEC+ hikes August output more than expected

Oil prices slipped on Monday after OPEC+ surprised markets by hiking output more than expected in August, while uncertainty over U.S. tariffs and their potential impact on global economic growth…

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Belarusian opposition leader calls for Trump to ‘punish’ dictator Lukashenko

Belarus unexpectedly released the imprisoned husband of opposition leader Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya last month, but she continues to call on U.S. President Donald Trump to keep up pressure on the country’s…

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Israel attacks Houthi targets in three Yemeni ports and power plant

Israel has attacked Houthi targets in three Yemeni ports and a power plant, the Israeli military said early on Monday, marking the first Israeli attack on Yemen in almost a…

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Malta News Briefing – Monday 7 July 2025

Mornring Briefing Stagnation in Malta’s ELT Sector Despite Tourism GrowthMalta’s English Language Teaching sector has seen no significant growth for over a decade, with student numbers stagnating between 75,000 and…

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Germany plans six-month voluntary military service

Germany plans to introduce a voluntary six-month military service scheme, sources familiar with the plan said on Friday, as Berlin tries to train more reservists and bolster national defences over…

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Europe boils as South America freezes: At least 15 dead in unprecedented cold snap

As Europe swelters under record-breaking heatwaves, Southern Hemisphere nations Argentina, Chile and Uruguay are enduring an extraordinary cold spell that has left at least 15 people dead and prompted emergency…

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Over 20 injured in gas explosion at Rome petrol station

A powerful gas explosion at a petrol station in northeastern Rome on Friday injured at least 21 people, including police officers and rescue workers who had responded to a reported…

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US House approves Trump’s ‘Big, Beautiful’ spending bill

Republicans in the US House of Representatives passed President Donald Trump's self-annointed One Big Beautiful Bill, assuring passage when it lands on his desk for signing on July 4, as demanded…

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Trump says no progress at all after phone call with Putin

U.S. President Donald Trump said that a phone call earlier in the day with Vladimir Putin resulted in no progress at all on efforts to end the war in Ukraine,…

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Malta News Briefing – Friday 4 July 2025

Morning Briefing No debates in PN leadership race Adrian Delia and Alex Borg have been barred from debating or referring to one another under rules issued by the Nationalist Party…

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Sicily to Host First F-35 Pilot Training Centre Outside US: Italy’s Defence Minister

Sicily will become the first location outside the United States to train F-35 fighter jet pilots, Italian Defence Minister Guido Crosetto announced on Wednesday. Speaking during a visit to the…

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Air traffic control nightmare looms this summer

French air traffic controllers are planning to walk off the job on Thursday and Friday, signaling a summer travel season that threatens to be plagued with delays. The core reason…

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US Decision to Halt Some Arms Shipments Prompts Kyiv Warning Over Weakened Defences

A decision by Washington to halt certain shipments of critical weapons to Ukraine has sparked alarm in Kyiv, which warned on Wednesday that the move risks undermining its ability to…

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Austria set to deport man to Syria, marking first for EU since Assad’s fall

Austria is preparing to deport a Syrian man whose asylum status was revoked due to a criminal conviction, in what an EU official and rights groups say will be Europe's…

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Rising Death Toll as Europe Endures Record-Breaking Summer Heatwave

Four people died in Spain, two in France and two in Italy as an early summer heatwave continued to grip much of Europe on Wednesday, triggering health alerts and forest…

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Malta News Briefing – Thursday 3 July 2025

Morning Briefing New law to make State liable for civil cases involving public officialsJustice Minister Jonathan Attard has presented a bill making the State liable for public officials in civil…

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Merz supports not flying rainbow flag on German parliament during Pride

Germany Chancellor Friedrich Merz has supported a move not to fly the rainbow flag — a symbol of the LGBTQI+ community — on the Reichstag building in Berlin during Pride celebrations.…

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Belarusian leader Lukashenko frees 16 people in new batch of pardons

Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has pardoned 16 people convicted of various crimes, including "extremism", ahead of the country's independence day, state media reported on Wednesday. Human rights groups and the…

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Updated – Malta News Briefing – Wednesday 2nd July 2025

Updated 1130 Government postpones mandatory Skills Pass for Maltese and EU Nationals The government has announced that the mandatory Skills Pass for Maltese and EU nationals will be postponed from…

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Italy to issue half million non-EU work visas over next three years

Italy will issue nearly 500,000 new work visas for non-EU nationals from 2026 to 2028, a cabinet statement said, as part of a strategy to expand legal immigration channels in…

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Limpet Mine May Have Struck Greek Tanker Near Libya

A limpet mine may have caused a blast that damaged a Greek tanker sailing off Libya's coast last week, the fifth such incident to hit commercial shipping in the region…

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Trump urges Hamas to accept ‘final proposal’ for 60-day Gaza ceasefire

U.S. President Donald Trump urged Iran-backed Hamas militants on Tuesday to agree to what he called a "final proposal" for a 60-day ceasefire with Israel in Gaza that will be…

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Spain and England record hottest June ever

Spain and England have recorded their hottest June ever, as scorching temperatures continue to grip Europe. Spain's weather service Aemet said the "extremely hot" June - with an average temperature…

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US halts some missile shipments to Ukraine over low stockpiles

The Pentagon has halted some shipments of air defense missiles and other precision munitions to Ukraine over concerns that U.S. stockpiles are too low, two people familiar with the decision…

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Poland to trial four-day week from July

Poland will begin its first-ever trial of a shortened working week this July, as the government explores ways to improve work-life balance and workplace efficiency. The pilot reflects growing public…

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ICC hit by cyberattack around NATO summit

The International Criminal Court (ICC) has confirmed it was targeted by a “sophisticated and targeted” cyberattack, coinciding with last week’s NATO summit held in The Hague. In a statement issued…

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Italian authorities halt outdoor work as Europe swelters under record-breaking heat

As Europe swelters under record-breaking heat, with temperatures exceeding 40°C from France to Greece, Italian authorities are taking steps to protect outdoor workers from heat-related illnesses. In Lombardy, regional president…

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Elon Musk threatens to launch ‘America Party’ if domestic policy ‘megabill’ passes

Elon Musk has reignited his criticism of the GOP’s sweeping domestic policy bill, vowing to form a new political party if the legislation is passed. In a post on X,…

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China appoints ethnic affairs head as Xinjiang Communist Party chief

China’s ruling Communist Party has named Chen Xiaojiang as the new party secretary for Xinjiang, according to state news agency Xinhua. Chen currently heads an ethnic affairs panel and has…

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Russia claims full control of Ukraine’s Luhansk region

Russia has claimed full control over the Luhansk region, which it illegally annexed in 2022. If confirmed, Luhansk would be the first Ukrainian region to fall entirely into Russian hands…

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Malta News Briefing – Tuesday 1 July 2025

Morning Briefing Suspect Charged with Murder in Bidnija ShootingThe suspect in Sunday’s fatal shooting in Bidnija has been formally charged with the murder of his neighbour, Jean Paul Busuttil. The…

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No injuries or pollution after explosion at oil tanker off Libya

A Greek-managed oil tanker carrying about 1 million barrels of crude oil suffered an explosion off Libya on June 27 but no injuries or pollution were reported, a spokesperson for…

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Portugal’s Porto Cracks Down on Public Drinking in Tourist Hotspots

Porto is implementing new restrictions on daytime alcohol sales in its downtown core, part of an effort to reduce public disturbances and promote a safer, more family-friendly atmosphere in the…

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Spain, Serbia and Slovenia register record hot temperatures

A heatwave continues to grip large parts of Europe, with authorities in many countries issuing health warnings amid searing temperatures. Southern Spain is the worst-affected region, with temperatures in the…

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Updated – Malta News Briefing – Monday 30 June 2025

Updated 1245 AFTA Urges Consultation Before Expanding Skills Pass to All Foreign Workers: The Association for Temping and Outsourcing Agencies (AFTA) has urged the Maltese government to consult with industry…

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Dalai Lama set to reveal succession plan as China watches

The Dalai Lama will address a major three-day gathering of Buddhist religious figures this week ahead of his 90th birthday, as his followers wait for the Tibetan spiritual leader to…

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Ukraine F-16 pilot killed in large-scale Russian attack, Zelenskiy calls for US help

A Ukrainian F-16 fighter pilot died in a crash while repelling a Russian air attack that involved hundreds of drones, cruise and ballistic missiles, authorities said on Sunday, as Moscow…

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Global cocaine boom keeps setting new records, UN report says

e global cocaine trade keeps setting new records, with cocaine the world's fastest-growing illicit drug market as Colombia production surges along with users in Europe and North and South America,…

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Denmark to tackle deepfakes by giving people copyright to their own features

The Danish government is to clamp down on the creation and dissemination of AI-generated deepfakes by changing copyright law to ensure that everybody has the right to their own body,…

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Malta News Briefing – Saturday 28 June 2025

Morning Briefing Malta Records 42% surge in Skin Cancer Cases as Deaths Double Over Decade Malta has seen a 42% rise in skin cancer cases in the first five months…

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45 Years On, Italy’s Mattarella Urges Ongoing Search for Truth on Ustica Disaster

Italian President Sergio Mattarella on Friday called for renewed efforts to uncover the full truth behind the 1980 Ustica air disaster, urging the cooperation of friendly nations as Italy marks…

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Syrian juvenile charged with Taylor Swift concert plot

Germany has charged a Syrian juvenile with supporting a foreign terrorist organization for helping to plan a foiled attack on a Taylor Swift concert in Vienna last year, the prosecutor…

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Israel sought to kill Khamenei, but didn’t find an opportunity

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said in a circuit of interviews aired Thursday evening that Israel sought to eliminate Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, during its 12-day conflict with…

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Britain considers joining European customs pact

The U.K. government will consult businesses on whether Britain should join a European customs agreement to simplify rules around international supply chains. The Pan-Euro-Mediterranean customs convention (PEM) relaxes rules of…

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EU prosecutors uncover criminal scheme involving Chinese imports via Greece

European prosecutors have uncovered a criminal scheme involving false documentation of Chinese imports to Europe through the Greek port of Piraeus that defrauded authorities of about 700 million euros ($820…

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Germany to stop funding migrant rescue ships in Mediterranean

Germany is cutting financial support for charities that rescue migrants at risk of drowning in the Mediterranean, saying it will redirect resources to addressing conditions in source countries that spur…

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Iran says war with Israel caused ‘serious’ damage to nuclear sites

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said that damage to Iran's nuclear sites from the 12-day war with Israel was "serious," as the country begins assessing the conflict's impact. "A detailed…

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Updated – Malta News Briefing – Friday 27 June 2025

Updated 1000 Landscape Treaty in Effect: Malta Must Report on View Protection: Malta has ratified the European Landscape Convention after a 25-year delay, committing to submit periodic reports on its…

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Taiwan says it is determined to defend itself as China vows to boost combat readiness

Taiwan is determined to defend itself and protect its free way of life, the island's defence minister said on Thursday discussing next month's annual exercises, as China's military vowed to…

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UPDATED: Khamenei hails Iran’s “victory” over Israel and US as CIA says nuclear sites severely damaged

US defence secretary Pete Hegseth is held a news conference to respond to an early leaked intelligence report suggesting US strikes against Iran likely put the country back mere months.…

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North Korea may send more troops to Russia in July or August for Ukraine war

North Korea may deploy additional troops to Russia to fight in the war against Ukraine in July or August and Pyongyang is continuing to supply arms to Russia, South Korean…

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Turkey to start exploring for gas off Libya

Turkey is moving slowly and methodically in its developing relations with Libya so as not to disrupt the delicate balance it has achieved with the United States, as is evident…

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Pope Leo laments ‘diabolical intensity’ of Middle East conflicts

Pope Leo said on Thursday that conflicts in the Middle East were raging with an unprecedented "diabolical intensity" and appealed for greater respect for international law, in comments to Catholic…

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