News

Almost three million refugees have fled Ukraine for Poland

More than 2.9 million refugees have fled Ukraine to Poland since the war began on 24 February, the Polish Border Guard has said. More people entered Ukraine from Poland (23,800)…

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UPDATED: Madeleine McCann’s parents release statement after German man made official suspect over disappearance

Madeleine McCann's parents have said they welcome the news that convicted child abuser Christian B has been named an official suspect in the case of their daughter's disappearance. In a…

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Japan coast guard searching for missing sightseeing boat with 26 on board

TOKYO, April 23 (Reuters) - Japan's coast guard was searching off the northern island of Hokkaido after a sightseeing boat with 26 people on board went missing on Saturday, public broadcaster NHK…

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Russia has resumed offensive against Ukrainian forces in Mariupol’s Azovstal

Russian forces have resumed air strikes on and are trying to storm the Azovstal steel works where Ukraine's remaining forces in Mariupol are holding out, Ukrainian presidential adviser Oleksiy Arestovych…

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UPDATED: Strike causes chaos at Amsterdam airport as holiday begins

AMSTERDAM, April 23 (Reuters) - Amsterdam's Schiphol airport urged travellers to stay away for several hours on Saturday as a strike by ground personnel at the start of a school holiday caused…

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Construction worker dies at San Ġwann building site / Malta News Briefing – Saturday 23 April 2022

Updated 1255 Construction worker dies in fall at San Ġwann building site Another workplace fatality this morning, with a 25-year old man falling two storeys at a building site in…

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Outrage in Mexico after missing teenager found dead

The body of a Mexican teenager who went missing this month in the northern state of Nuevo Leon has been found submerged in a cistern inside the grounds of a…

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UPDATED: Russia to deploy Sarmat missiles by autumn in ‘historic’ nuclear upgrade

LONDON, April 23 (Reuters) - Russia said on Saturday it plans to deploy its newly tested Sarmat intercontinental ballistic missiles, capable of mounting nuclear strikes against the United States, by autumn. The…

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Prince Louis’ fourth birthday marked with beach photos

Photographs of Prince Louis have been released to mark his fourth birthday. The pictures were taken earlier this month on the Norfolk coast by his mother, the Duchess of Cambridge.…

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UPDATED: Missile strikes infrastructure in Odesa, Artillery strike kills two civilians in Ukraine’s Luhansk region

April 23 (Reuters) - A missile struck infrastructure in the Ukrainian port city of Odesa on Saturday, the local authorities said in an online statement without giving further details. "Odesa was hit…

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No deal yet in Polish air traffic row that could leave planes grounded

Poland failed to reach agreement with air traffic controllers on Friday in a dispute over pay and conditions, a trade union spokeswoman said, moving airlines closer to what European authorities…

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UK says Russian forces made no major gains in the last 24 hours

April 23 (Reuters) - Russian forces have made no major gains in the last 24 hours despite increased activity, as Ukrainian counterattacks continue to hinder their efforts, British military intelligence said on…

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One killed, several injured in Bosnia quake

SARAJEVO, April 23 (Reuters) - One person was killed and several injured after a magnitude 5.6 quake hit southern Bosnia on Friday night followed by a series of smaller aftershocks,…

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Iran Revolutionary Guards general survives assassination attempt

Gunmen opened fire on a car carrying a senior Revolutionary Guards commander in restive southeastern Iran early on Saturday, killing a bodyguard, Iranian state media reported. Brigadier General Hossein Almassi,…

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Macron tells voters: Now choose the France you want

French President Emmanuel Macron and far-right challenger Marine Le Pen made final appeals on Friday to undecided voters weighing fears of what a Le Pen presidency could bring against their…

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German prosecutor on McCann case says naming of suspect is legal formality

A German prosecutor investigating a jailed rapist over the 2007 disappearance of British toddler Madeleine McCann said on Friday that the man's naming as a suspect in the case by…

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UPDATED: Moldova protests to Russia over comments by top military commander

(Reuters) - The Moldovan foreign ministry said it had summoned Moscow’s ambassador on Friday to express “deep concern” about comments by a top military commander, who suggested the country’s Russian-speaking…

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Shanghai reports 12 new COVID deaths as frustrations boil over

SHANGHAI, April 23 (Reuters) - The major financial hub of Shanghai reported 12 new COVID-19 related deaths on April 22, up from 11 the previous day, as frustrations among residents continued to…

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SPECIAL REPORT – How crypto giant Binance built ties to a Russian FSB-linked agency

VILNIUS (Reuters) - In April 2021, Russia's financial intelligence unit met in Moscow with the regional head of Binance, the world's largest crypto exchange. The Russians wanted Binance to agree to hand…

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Zelenskiy warns Russia is eyeing other countries after Ukraine

KYIV/MARIUPOL, Ukraine, April 23 (Reuters) - Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy warned that Russia's invasion of his country was just the beginning and that Moscow has designs on capturing other countries, after a…

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New Ebola case confirmed in northwestern Congo

KINSHASA, April 23 (Reuters) - A new case of Ebola has been confirmed in northwestern Democratic Republic of Congo, the National Institute of Biomedical Research said on Saturday, four months…

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Kyiv Symphony’s European tour marks ‘cultural front’ in Ukraine crisis

For Eleanora Tymoshenko, a music teacher from Balakliia, near Kharkhiv in Eastern Ukraine, and now a refugee in Warsaw, a night of Ukrainian music is food for her soul as…

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Photo Story: Bluebell flowers in London

Bluebell flowers bloom in Wanstead Park in London, Britain. According to the National Trust, almost half the world's bluebells are found in the UK and they are relatively rare in…

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U.S. regulator says crypto bank violated anti-money laundering, compliance rules

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency said flagship crypto bank Anchorage Digital Bank National Association violated rules for monitoring for suspicious activity and preventing money laundering. The Sioux Falls, South…

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U.S. extends COVID vaccine requirements for non-citizens at land borders

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The United States government said on Thursday it was extending a requirement that non-U.S. citizens crossing land or ferry terminals at the U.S.-Mexico and U.S.-Canada borders must be vaccinated…

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German economy to shrink by 2% this year if war escalates – Bundesbank

FRANKFURT, April 22 (Reuters) - The German economy would contract by nearly 2% this year if the war in Ukraine escalated, resulting in a boycott of Russian energy, weaker external demand and…

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Warsaw mayor asks for more support, coordination on Ukraine refugees

The international community and Poland's government need to coordinate better and provide more support directly to local governments and charities helping Ukrainian refugees in Poland, Warsaw's mayor said. "We need…

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Singapore to remove most COVID curbs next week

SINGAPORE, April 22 (Reuters) - Singapore will remove most remaining COVID-19 restrictions from April 26 and ease its entry requirements for travellers, its health ministry said on Friday, in response to a…

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Thailand to scrap on-arrival COVID tests from May

BANGKOK, April 22 (Reuters) - Thailand will next month remove a requirement for arrivals vaccinated against COVID-19 to undergo a test and brief quarantine on arrival, an official said on Friday, the…

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PM Johnson says Indians could plug some labour gaps in UK

LONDON, April 22 (Reuters) - British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said on Friday that skilled workers from India could plug labour shortages in sectors such as information technology in the UK, even…

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Photo Story: Easter preparations in Belgrade, Serbia

A woman picks hand decorated Easter eggs at a farmers market in Belgrade, Serbia, 22 April 2022. The Orthodox Christian world will celebrate Easter Day on 24 April, according to…

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The Ukrainian crisis roundup

April 22 (Reuters) - Russia pressed its new offensive in eastern Ukraine while in the port city of Mariupol, teams of volunteers collected corpses from the ruins after Moscow declared victory there…

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Ferrari to recall 2,222 cars in China on braking issues

SHANGHAI/MILAN, April 22 (Reuters) - Luxury sports car maker Ferrari will recall 2,222 cars in China due to a potential fault in its braking systems, China's market regulator said in a statement on…

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Australia targets Putin’s daughters, Russian senators in fresh sanctions

SYDNEY, April 22 (Reuters) - The Australian government has imposed sanctions and travel bans on two daughters of Russian President Vladimir Putin and Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov's daughter, it said…

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Azerbaijan urges quick peace deal with Armenia but states firm line

April 22 (Reuters) - Azerbaijan's President Ilham Aliyev called on Friday for negotiations to take place soon on a peace treaty with Armenia, but said Yerevan would need to renounce any territorial…

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Russia says its air force struck 58 military targets in Ukraine overnight

Russia's defence ministry said on Friday it had struck 58 military targets in Ukraine overnight, including sites where troops, fuel depots and military equipment were concentrated. The ministry said it…

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Pope says June meeting with Russian Orthodox Patriarch suspended

VATICAN CITY, April 22 (Reuters) - Plans for Pope Francis to meet in Jerusalem in June with Russian Orthodox Patriarch Kirill, who has backed Russia's war in Ukraine, have been…

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Russia says it plans full control of Donbas and southern Ukraine

April 22 (Reuters) - Russia plans to take full control of Donbas and southern Ukraine as part of the second phase of its military operation, the deputy commander of Russia's central military district said on…

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Most Covid-19 restrictions, including masks, removed by May / Malta News Briefing – Friday 22 April 2022

1745- Latest News update Times of Malta says Prosecutors have filed a bill of indictment against alleged murderer Daniel Muka, just one week before he would have become automatically eligible…

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Lithuania’s president calls for more NATO troops

VILNIUS, April 22 (Reuters) - NATO should increase its deployment of troops in Lithuania and elsewhere on Europe's eastern flank following Russia's invasion of Ukraine, Lithuania's president told Germany's foreign…

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UPDATED: U.N. rights office cites growing evidence of war crimes in Ukraine

ZURICH, April 22 (Reuters) - The United Nations human rights office sounded the alarm on Friday about growing evidence of war crimes in Ukraine, urging both Moscow and Kyiv to…

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UPDATED: Scholz says top priority is avoiding NATO confrontation with Russia

BERLIN, April 22 (Reuters) - NATO must avoid a direct military confrontation with Russia that could lead to a third world war, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz said in an interview with Der…

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Malta: Government deficit reaches 8% in 2021

In 2021, the General Government registered a deficit of €1,161.7 million, equivalent to 8.0 per cent of GDP. The General Government debt amounted to €8,284.4 million or 57.0 per cent…

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Palestinians clash with Israeli police at Jerusalem holy site

JERUSALEM, April 22 (Reuters) - At least 31 Palestinians were injured in clashes with Israeli police at Al-Aqsa mosque compound in Jerusalem on Friday, Palestinian medics said, the latest outbreak…

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Germany to provide 37 mln euros for Ukraine reconstruction

BERLIN, April 22 (Reuters) - Germany will provide a further 37 million euros ($40.12 million)to Ukraine for reconstruction as a result of the war, Augsburger Allgemeine newspaper reported on Friday, citing development…

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Biden bans Russian ships from U.S. ports over Ukraine invasion

WASHINGTON, (Reuters) - President Joe Biden announced that the United States will ban Russian-affiliated ships from American ports, joining Canada and European nationsin the latest step to pressure Russia over its invasion of Ukraine.…

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Slovenia reportedly sending tanks to Ukraine in a weapon swap

Germany is working on a three-way swap via Slovenia that would see heavy equipment sent to Ukraine. German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said the priority was to ensure Ukraine quickly…

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UK says it may have to take unilateral action on N. Ireland protocol

LONDON, April 22 (Reuters) - Britain may have to take unilateral action to address problems in Northern Ireland caused by Brexit arrangements, Northern Ireland Office minister Conor Burns told LBC radio on…

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Ukrainian troops begin training in Britain

A small number of Ukrainian troops are being trained in Britain for the first time since the start of the Russian invasion as Prime Minister Boris Johnson steps up his…

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North Korea’s Kim offers rare praise for South’s departing Moon

SEOUL, April 22 (Reuters) - North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has thanked South Korea's outgoing president for trying to improve relations, a rare gesture of goodwill but one that…

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UPDATED: One killed in transport plane crash in southern Ukraine

KYIV, April 22 (Reuters) - One person was killed and two were injured when a Ukrainian AN-26 transport plane crashed during a "technical flight" in the Zaporizhzhia region of southern…

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Satellite imagery of mass graves at cemetery in Manhush, Ukraine

A handout satellite image made available by Maxar Technologies claims to show a mass grave site adjacent to an existing village cemetery on the northwestern edge of Manhush, some 20…

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On Earth Day, climate activists set to rally against fossil fuels

BRUSSELS, April 22 (Reuters) - Climate change campaigners planned a wave of protests for Earth Day on Friday, pushing demands such as an immediate halt to European imports of Russian oil and…

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Polls puts Macron in lead with 55.5%-57.5%, but suggests abstention level will be high

French President Emmanuel Macron has maintained and possibly slightly extended his lead over far-right challenger Marine Le Pen following a prickly television head-to-head debate which he was judged to have…

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Canada would be supportive of Sweden and Finland joining NATO -PM Trudeau

Canada would support including Sweden and Finland in the NATO military alliance, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said, after Russia's invasion of Ukraine has prompted both countries to consider joining. "Conversations…

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World Bank estimates Ukraine physical damage at roughly $60 billion so far

WASHINGTON, (Reuters) - Physical damage to Ukraine's buildings and infrastructure from Russia's invasion has reached roughly $60 billion and will rise further as the war continues, World Bank President David Malpass said.…

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WHO backs Pfizer’s oral COVID therapy Paxlovid for high-risk patients

The World Health Organization (WHO) endorsed the use of Pfizer Inc's oral COVID-19 antiviral treatment in high-risk patients after an analysis of trial data by the U.N. agency showed the…

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