News

Britain says Russian troll factory is spreading disinformation on social media

LONDON, May 1 (Reuters) - The British Foreign Office said on Sunday Russia is using a troll factory to spread disinformation about the war in Ukraine on social media and…

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Russian spy plane violates Swedish air space

A Russian reconnaissance plane briefly violated Sweden’s airspace on Friday, Swedish defense officials said, as the Scandinavian country ponders a bid for NATO membership after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.“A Russian…

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Denmark first country to suspend COVID vaccination programme

Denmark has become the first country in the world to pause its COVID vaccination rollout after health chiefs said the pandemic has been brought under control. The Danish Health Authority…

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White House press dinner returns after two years

U.S. President Joe Biden praised journalists covering the Russian invasion of Ukraine as he resumed a Washington tradition of speaking at the White House Correspondents Association dinner on Saturday night.…

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Angelina Jolie visits Lviv, trip interrupted by sirens

Hollywood actress Angelina Jolie visited the Ukrainian city of Lviv on Saturday, going to the station to meet people displaced by the war with Russia before later leaving after air-raid…

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UPDATED: More civilians evacuated from around Azovstal plant

BEZIMENNE, Ukraine, May 1 (Reuters) - A group of around 40 civilians arrived on Sunday at a temporary accommodation centre after leaving the area around the Azovstal steel plant in Ukraine's Mariupol,…

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Greens calls for better conditions for gig workers / Malta News Briefing – Sunday 1 May 2022

Morning Briefing Greens calls for better conditions for gig workersOn the occasion of May Day, ADPD – The Green Party has brought to the fore the conditions faced by gig…

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EPA’s Eye in the Sky: Doha, Qatar

An aerial view of high-rise buildings emerging through fog covering the skyline of Doha, as the sun rises over the city, in Doha, Qatar. Photo - EPA/YOAN VALAT

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EPA’s Eye In The Sky: Suqian Port, China

A photo made with a drone shows boats loaded with lumber and coal in the Suqian Port, Suqian, Jiangsu province, China. Suqian Port is located in the northern wing of…

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Ukraine says Russian strike knocks out Odessa airport

DOBROPILLIA, Ukraine/KYIV, April 30 (Reuters) - A Russian missile strike at the airport in the southwestern port of Odesa - a city that has so far been relatively unscathed in the war…

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Record French inflation adds to pressure on Macron

PARIS, April 29 (Reuters) - French inflation jumped to a record high in April, driven by surging energy prices, preliminary data showed on Friday, putting pressure on newly re-elected president Emmanuel Macron…

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Russia says risks of nuclear war must be kept to minimum -TASS

April 30 (Reuters) - Russia believes the risks of nuclear war should be kept to a minimum and that any armed conflict between nuclear powers should be prevented, the TASS news agency…

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Graying of Canada’s workforce threatens to worsen labor crunch

Canadians nearing retirement outnumbered those entering the workforce by a record margin in 2021, census data released this week showed, raising fears the country's labor shortage could worsen in coming…

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Swiss gold exports to the United States rocketed in March

Swiss shipments of gold to the United States surged in March to their highest since May 2020, Swiss customs data showed, as investors spooked by Russia's invasion of Ukraine and…

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North Korea signals expansive mission for its nuclear weapons

SEOUL (Reuters) - As South Korea’s new conservative president prepares to take office, North Korea is outlining an expansive, ambiguous, and potentially destabilising doctrine for using its nuclear weapons, analysts said. In…

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Football Agent Mino Raiola Has Died – Family

(Reuters) - Soccer agent Mino Raiola has died at the age of 54 in an Italian hospital after battling illness, his family said in a statement on Saturday. Born in…

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Tourist favourite Thailand’s recovery lags on COVID rule changes

BANGKOK (Reuters) - When 23-year-old Norwegian Anastasia Johansen and her boyfriend were planning their first vacation in two years, they considered going to Thailand but chose nearby Vietnam instead, for its simpler…

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MDB supporting SMEs through new schemes

Following the European Commission’s announcement of the approval of MDB’s Guaranteed Co-Lending Scheme (GCLS) under the COVID-19 Temporary Framework for State Aid, the MDB has also received a positive opinion…

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Gas-guzzling German carmakers face uphill struggle to go green

BERLIN (Reuters) - As Germany speeds up investment in renewables, the energy consumption of its carmakers reveals just how reliant the country's most important industry is on fossil fuels, a Reuters analysis…

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Wanted: woman with green credentials for worst job in France

It is known in France as the political job from hell. A French prime minister should be loyal, content at lingering in their boss's shadow and a dab hand with…

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Shrinking U.S. Stinger missile supply faces re-stocking challenges

Shoulder-fired Stinger missiles are in hot demand in Ukraine where they have successfully stopped Russian assaults from the air, but U.S. supplies have shrunk and producing more of the anti-aircraft…

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Lifting sanctions against Russia part of peace talks with Ukraine – Lavrov

April 30 (Reuters) - Lifting sanctions imposed on Russia is part of peace negotiations between Moscow and Ukraine, which are "difficult" but continue daily, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said in remarks…

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Three in four Americans back arms shipments to Ukraine -Reuters/Ipsos

Seventy-three percent of Americans support U.S. efforts to supply Ukraine with weapons, the highest level of support since Russia invaded its neighbor in February, according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll. The…

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Ukraine warns talks with Russia may collapse as battles rage in east

KYIV, April 30 (Reuters) - Ukraine and Russia traded accusations over shaky talks to end a war now in its third month as Russia pounded areas in the east of the country…

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Explainer: EU’s options to cut Russian oil imports – and their drawbacks

The European Union is considering options to cut imports of Russian oil as part of possible further sanctions against Moscow over its invasion of Ukraine, but none has been formally…

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Italian court rules children should get both parents’ surnames

Italian children should be given the surname of both parents, the Constitutional Court said this week, overturning the tradition by which all newborns are automatically named after their father. The…

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Pakistan, India reel under intense heat wave

PESHAWAR, Pakistan/AHMEDABAD,India (Reuters) - Pakistan issued a heat warning after the hottest March in 61 years while in parts of neighbouring India schools were shut and streets deserted as an intense heave…

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Bernard Grech uncontested for PN leadership race / Malta News Briefing – Saturday 30 April 2022

Updated 1330 Malta's financial sustainability at high risk Malta is facing a ‘high risk’ to its medium- and long-term financial sustainability, the European Commission has warned, calling for policies to…

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U.S. FDA pushes ahead with move to ban menthol cigarettes

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued a long-awaited proposal to ban menthol cigarettes and flavored cigars, a major victory for anti-smoking advocates but one that could face stiff opposition…

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Panama passes bill to permit use of crypto assets

PANAMA CITY, (Reuters) - Lawmakers in Panama's National Assembly approved a bill to regulate the use and commercialization of crypto assets in the Central American country renowned as a hub of offshore…

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Turkey’s tourism revenues surge 122% in Q1

ISTANBUL, April 29 (Reuters) - Turkey's tourism revenues jumped 122.4% from a year earlier to $5.45 billion in the first quarter, data from the Turkish Statistical Institute showed on Friday. It said…

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Eni presses ahead with gas hunt for Europe as profits soar

MILAN, April 29 (Reuters) - Eni will press ahead with plans to find alternative gas supplies following Russia's invasion of Ukraine after first-quarter profits soared above expectations on booming prices. The Italian energy…

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More UK firms plan to raise prices – Lloyds

LONDON, April 29 (Reuters) - Almost six out of 10 British companies plan to raise prices in the coming year due to rising cost pressures, a monthly survey by Lloyds, a bank,…

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Equine virus identified in deaths of wild captive horses in Colorado

Laboratory tests have pinpointed the equine virus suspected of triggering an outbreak of a respiratory illness that has killed at least 95 captive wild horses in less than a week…

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Tesla recalls another batch of Model 3 cars in China, the second in April

SHANGHAI, April 29 (Reuters) - Tesla Inc is recalling 14,684 imported and locally made Model 3 cars in China on problems with software that could lead to collisions, the country's market regulator…

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Oktoberfest to go ahead in 2022 after pandemic break

MUNICH, April 29 (Reuters) - The annual Oktoberfest, the world's largest beer festival, will take place this year without any coronavirus restrictions after being cancelled for the past two years…

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Sinn Fein retains wide lead days out from Northern Irish election

BELFAST (Reuters) - Sinn Fein holds a six-point lead with less than a week to go to elections in Northern Ireland, a poll showed on Friday, as they seek to…

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Sweden to strengthen military infrastructure on Gotland

STOCKHOLM, April 29 (Reuters) - Sweden's government said on Friday it had put aside up to 1.6 billion Swedish crowns ($163 million) to strengthen its military infrastructure on the strategically important island of Gotland…

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Montenegro approves new minority government focused on joining EU

Montenegro's parliament approved a new government, comprising moderate parties that are both pro-European and pro-Serb, led by Prime Minister Dritan Abazovic, who said its key goal will be to unblock…

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Tesla recalls 48,000 U.S. vehicles over speed display

April 29 (Reuters) - Tesla is recalling about 48,000 Model 3 Performance vehicles in the United States because they may not display the speedometer while in "Track Mode," documents released Friday show. The…

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The Ukrainian roundup

Ukraine acknowledged on Friday it was taking heavy losses in Russia's assault in the east but said Russian losses were even worse, as U.S. President Joe Biden called on Congress…

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Finland, Sweden could deepen military cooperation if situation worsens

Sweden and Finland could deepen military cooperation if security in the Baltic Sea region worsens, for example during the process of a possible application to join NATO, Finland's foreign minister…

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Tunisia’s dinar hits record low versus dollar

TUNIS, April 29 (Reuters) - Tunisia's dinar currency has fallen to record lows versus the dollar, driven down by high inflation, a worsening trade deficit and the severe impact of the Ukraine…

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Shortage of materials in German manufacturing eases slightly – Ifo

BERLIN, April 29 (Reuters) - A shortage of materials in the German manufacturing industry has eased slightly, the Ifo economic institute said on Friday after it surveyed 2,000 companies in the sector.…

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Dutch airline KLM cancels dozens of flights to relieve pressure on workers

AMSTERDAM, April 29 (Reuters) - Dutch airline KLM on Friday cancelled dozens of flights to and from Amsterdam to improve working conditions for its staff, Dutch news agency ANP reported. KLM ground…

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Norway shuts borders, ports to Russian goods, exempts fishing vessels

OSLO, April 29 (Reuters) - Norway will close its borders and ports to Russian trucks and ships, joining sanctions imposed by the European Union over the war in Ukraine, the Norwegian foreign…

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UPDATED: Russia kills Radio Liberty journalist in missile attack on Kyiv

Russia killed a journalist from the U.S.-backed broadcaster Radio Liberty in a missile attack on Kyiv during a visit to the Ukrainian capital by the secretary-general of the United Nations,…

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More than 3,000 people lost in sea crossings to Europe in 2021 -UNHCR

GENEVA, April 29 (Reuters) - More than 3,000 refugees, migrants and asylum seekers died or went missing last year while trying to reach Europe via Mediterranean and Atlantic sea routes,…

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Finance Minister announces company tax regime overhaul by 2025 / Malta News Briefing – Friday 29 April 2022

Updated 1245 - Mid-Day Briefing Finance Minister announces company tax regime overhaul by 2025: Finance Minister Clyde Caruana has revealed that Government is currently working towards a major overhaul of…

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Russian submarine strikes with cruise missiles, Ukraine acknowledges it is taking heavy losses

April 29 (Reuters) - Russia used a diesel submarine in the Black Sea to strike Ukrainian military targets with Kalibr cruise missiles, the defence ministry said on Friday. Ukraine acknowledged on Friday…

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Israeli Prime Minister Bennett’s family receives another death threat letter and bullet in mail

The family of Prime Minister Naftali Bennett has received a death threat and bullet in the mail for the second time this week, the police said. This time the letter…

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UK sends war crimes experts to Ukraine – Foreign Office

LONDON, April 29 (Reuters) - Britain said on Friday it was sending experts to help Ukraine with gathering evidence and prosecuting war crimes, with a team due to arrive in Poland in…

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Fossils of giant marine reptiles found high in the Swiss Alps

Fossils from some of the largest creatures ever to swim Earth's oceans - whale-sized marine reptiles called ichthyosaurs - have been found in a counterintuitive place: atop three mountains in…

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North Korea’s Kim calls for stronger military as nuclear test work ‘well underway’

SEOUL, April 29 (Reuters) - North Korean leader Kim Jong Un called on the country's military to "bolster up their strength in every way to annihilate the enemy", state media reported on…

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Greece, Turkey trade barbs over Aegean airspace incursions

ATHENS/ANKARA, (Reuters) - Greece accused its neighbour Turkey of undermining NATO unity by violating its airspace with fighter jets, prompting an angry Turkish response that blamed Athens for "provocative" violations…

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French economy grinds to a halt in first quarter, worse than forecast

PARIS, April 29 (Reuters) - France's economy ground unexpectedly to a halt in the first quarter as consumer spending dropped in the face of an energy price shock and war in Ukraine,…

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‘Entry only. No exit:’ Beijing sees more COVID closures as anger grows in Shanghai

BEIJING/SHANGHAI, April 29 (Reuters) - China's capital Beijing closed more businesses and residential compounds on Friday, with authorities ramping up contact tracing to contain a COVID-19 outbreak, while resentment at the month-long…

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