News

For first time man named as formal suspect in Madeleine McCann case

Portuguese prosecutors announced a man had been formally identified as a suspect in the disappearance of British toddler Madeleine McCann 15 years ago. It is the first time Portuguese prosecutors…

Read More Here

Canada inflation could be at peak, but that’s little relief for central bank

OTTAWA, April 21 (Reuters) - Canada's headline inflation may have peaked after hitting a 31-year high in March, economists said, though the central bank still faces an uphill battle to bring rocketing…

Read More Here

In milestone move, China launches private pension scheme

BEIJING, April 21 (Reuters) - Chinese employees will henceforth be able to invest and supplement funds in their pension accounts, authorities said on Thursday, launching the country's first private pension scheme as they tackle economic challenges…

Read More Here

Peru seeks to punish pedophile rapists with chemical castration

Peru's government will present a bill to allow for chemical castration as a penalty for raping a minor, Cabinet members told reporters, following national outrage over the rape of a…

Read More Here

Carlsberg expects $1.4 bln writedown on Russia divestment

COPENHAGEN, April 21 (Reuters) - Carlsberg expects a writedown of about 9.5 billion Danish crowns ($1.39 billion) related to its decision to divest its business in Russia, the Danish brewer said on Thursday. The assessment…

Read More Here

More Britons go out shopping and dining – ONS

LONDON, April 21 (Reuters) - Britain's consumers increased their visits to retailers and leisure providers in the week to April 15 and bookings at restaurants were their strongest in seven months, according…

Read More Here

U.S. Justice Department appeals transportation mask ruling

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Justice Department appealed a judge's ruling ending a mask mandate on public transportation and airplanes after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said the measure…

Read More Here

Photo Story: Medellin celebrates the 90th birthday of Fernando Botero

Visitors appreciate some of the works by Colombian artist Fernando Botero during a commemorative act for the celebration of his 90 years, at the Museum of Antioquia in Medellin, Colombia.…

Read More Here

Swiss to keep mum on Russian commodity deal sanctions rulings

ZURICH (Reuters) - Switzerland will maintain tight non-disclosure rules as part of its Russian sanctions package and keep conversations with trading houses on their purchases of Russian crude confidential, the government agency…

Read More Here

Macron, Le Pen back on campaign trail after heated debate

PARIS, April 21 (Reuters) - French President Emmanuel Macron and challenger Marine Le Pen will be back on the campaign trail on Thursday after the far-right candidate failed, in a high-stakes TV…

Read More Here

Syrian and Libyan fighters now appearing in conflict in Ukraine

A top Ukrainian politician has shared photographs with Sky News showing three dead fighters in military-style fatigues, with their faces clearly visible, along with a number of other indistinguishable bodies.…

Read More Here

The Ukrainian crisis roundup

April 21 (Reuters) - President Vladimir Putin claimed victory in the biggest battle of the Ukraine war on Thursday, declaring the port of Mariupol "liberated" after nearly two months of siege, despite…

Read More Here

Estonia calls for EU sanctions on Russia oil and gas transport

TALLINN, April 21 (Reuters) - The European Union should impose trade sanctions on the transport of Russian oil and gas, Estonia's foreign minister said on Thursday. "The war against Ukraine must become…

Read More Here

Stung by criticism, Germany says it is open to sending Ukraine heavy weapons

TALLINN, April 21 (Reuters) - Germany is examining what extra maintenance and ammunition its stock of ageing Marder armoured infantry fighting vehicles will need for Ukraine to use them, Foreign Minister Annalena…

Read More Here

UK sets out 26 new sanctions against Russia

LONDON, April 21 (Reuters) - Britain on Thursday added 26 new designations to its list of sanctions against Russia over the Ukrainian war, including on military figures and defence companies. Britain, which…

Read More Here

China’s Xi proposes ‘global security initiative’, without giving details

BOAO, China, April 21 (Reuters) - Chinese President Xi Jinping on Thursday proposed a "global security initiative" that upholds the principle of "indivisible security", a concept also endorsed by Russia, although he…

Read More Here

TASS cites foreign ministry as saying Russia and Belarus will respond to NATO forces on borders

April 21 (Reuters) - Russia and Belarus will respond to the strengthening of NATO forces on the borders of their countries, TASS news agency reported on Thursday, citing a Russian diplomat. "Together…

Read More Here

Belgian Foreign Affairs minister steps down temporarily to take care of husband who has brain cancer

BRUSSELS, April 21 (Reuters) - Belgian vice-Prime Minister and Foreign Affairs minister Sophie Wilmes said on Thursday she will temporarily step down from the government to take care of her…

Read More Here

UPDATED: Russia has enough resources to avoid default, cenbank governor says

April 21 (Reuters) - Russia has enou gh resources to avoid defaulting on state debt, Central Bank Governor Elvira Nabiullina said on Thursday. Moody's said last week that Russia may be in…

Read More Here

Greece to raise minimum wage from May 1 to boost low incomes

Greece will raise the minimum wage from May 1 for a second time this year, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis announced as rising inflation takes a toll on household incomes. "The…

Read More Here

UPDATED: Russian tanker impounded by Greece will be released

ATHENS, April 21 (Reuters) - A Russian tanker impounded by Greek authorities off the island of Evia this week will be released, the coast guard said on Thursday. Greek authorities had said…

Read More Here

Crypto exchange Binance limits services in Russia after EU sanctions

April 21 (Reuters) - Binance, the largest crypto exchange by trading volumes, said on Thursday it is limiting services for Russian nationals that have crypto assets exceeding 10,000 euros ($10,912.00), in light…

Read More Here

West warns of powerful Russian cyber-attacks

Western governments jointly warned about a potential threat of increased malicious cyber activity by Russia against critical infrastructure as a response to sanctions imposed as punishment for its invasion of…

Read More Here

Photo Story: Britain’s Prime Minister Boris Johnson visits India

Britain's Prime Minister Boris Johnson performs a greeting near a picture of Mahatma Gandhi during his visit at the Sabarmati Ashram in Ahmedabad, India, 21 April 2022. Boris Johnson is…

Read More Here

UPDATED: Magnitude 6.7 earthquake strikes near coast of Nicaragua region – USGS

April 21 (Reuters) - A magnitude 6.7 earthquake struck off the Pacific coast of Nicaraguaon Thursday near a fishing village popular as a vacation spot, with no initial reports of damage. The quake's epicenter was at sea, 58 km…

Read More Here

Ramos-Horta declares victory in East Timor presidential election

DILI, April 21 (Reuters) - Independence leader and Nobel laureate Jose Ramos-Horta has declared victory in East Timor's presidential election, saying on Thursday that he had secured "overwhelming" support and would now work to foster…

Read More Here

UPDATED: Putin claims victory in Mariupol despite leaving defenders holed up

KYIV, April 21 (Reuters) - President Vladimir Putin claimed victory in the biggest battle of the Ukraine war on Thursday, declaring the port of Mariupol "liberated" after nearly two months of siege,…

Read More Here

UPDATED: Denmark to deliver more weapons to Ukraine, Danish PM says during Kyiv visit

COPENHAGEN/MADRID, April 21 (Reuters) - Denmark's prime minister on Thursday pledged to send more weapons to Ukraine during a trip to Kyiv, where she and her Spanish counterpart Pedro Sanchez were meeting…

Read More Here

Moderna to file for EUA of COVID-19 shot for very young kids by April end

Moderna plans to submit an application to the U.S. health regulator for emergency use authorization (EUA) of its COVID-19 vaccine among kids between the ages of six months to five…

Read More Here

Israeli war planes strike Gaza after rocket attack

GAZA, April 21 (Reuters) - Israel carried out air strikes in central Gaza before dawn on Thursday after a rocket launched from the Palestinian territory landed in Israel, Hamas officials…

Read More Here

Mayor of Ukraine’s Kharkiv says city is under intense bombardment

April 21 (Reuters) - Ukraine's second-largest city Kharkiv was under intense bombardment on Thursday, its mayor Ihor Terekhov said. "Huge blasts, the Russian Federation is furiously bombing the city," Terekhov said in…

Read More Here

Italy to become almost independent from Russian gas in 2023 – paper

MILAN, April 21 (Reuters) - Italy could start being independent from Russian gas by the second half of next year, the country's ecological transition minister was quoted as saying on Thursday. The Italian government "believes…

Read More Here

Biden to speak on Ukraine war amid expectation of new military aid, US starts training of some Ukrainian troops

WASHINGTON, April 21 (Reuters) - President Joe Biden will deliver an update on the Russian invasion of Ukraine on Thursday as he works to complete a new arms package for its military.…

Read More Here

New U.S. sanctions for Russian bank, oligarchs, crypto miner BitRiver

The United States imposed sanctions on dozens of people and entities, including a Russian commercial bank and a virtual currency mining company, hoping to target Moscow's evasion of existing sanctions…

Read More Here

Security scare sparked by plane, parachutists at game prompts evacuation of Congress

WASHINGTON, (Reuters) - A security scare at the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday prompted evacuation of Congress after a small airplane from the U.S. Army's Golden Knights parachute demonstration team flew over a…

Read More Here

Britain’s Queen Elizabeth gets own Barbie doll for Platinum Jubilee, 96th birthday marked with gun salutes

LONDON, April 21 (Reuters) - Britain's Queen Elizabeth is being honoured with a Barbie doll in her likeness to mark her Platinum Jubilee this year. Toy maker Mattel said on…

Read More Here

Taiwan is part of China, Beijing tells U.S.

Taiwan is a part of China and no one can change that, Chinese Defense Minister Wei Fenghe said during a rare phone call with U.S. Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, according…

Read More Here

Macron more convincing than Le Pen in French election debate – poll

PARIS, April 21 (Reuters) - French President Emmanuel Macron was found to be more convincing than far-right candidate Marine Le Pen in a pre-election debate on French televison ahead of Sunday's presidential…

Read More Here

EU prosecutor unable to find Malta anti-fraud bodies / Malta News Briefing – Thursday 21 April 2022

1745- Latest News update Times of Malta says a woman escaped serious injury by inches after gale-force winds blew a door into her Xemxija home, sending shattered glass flying around…

Read More Here

Google to set up first Africa product development centre in Nairobi

NAIROBI, April 20 (Reuters) - Alphabet Inc's Google is investing in its first ever Africa product development centre in the Kenyan capital Nairobi, it said, as it positions itself to serve a…

Read More Here

UK sets target of 40% women on company boards

LONDON, April 20 (Reuters) - Women should make up at least 40% of boards at British listed companies and one director should be a person of colour, the country's financial watchdog said…

Read More Here

FACTBOX-Where you still need to wear a mask in the United States

WASHINGTON, April 20 (Reuters) - Airlines and airports, the ride-sharing company Uber and national train service Amtrak, are now lifting mask mandates that have been in place for more than a year.…

Read More Here

Italy posts 1.662 bln euros trade deficit in February

April 20 (Reuters) - Italy posted a trade deficit with the rest of the world of 1.662 billion euros ($1.80 billion) in February, compared with a surplus of 4.750 billion euros in the same month of…

Read More Here

Bookmakers see France’s Macron easily winning Sunday’s runoff

PARIS, April 20 (Reuters) - French President Emmanuel Macron has a more than 90% chance of winning Sunday's presidential runoff vote against far-right challenger Marine Le Pen, the odds offered…

Read More Here

Serbia restricts exports of grains and cooking oil

SARAJEVO, April 20 (Reuters) - Serbian government said on Wednesday it has restricted the quantities of wheat, corn, flour and cooking oil slated for export to confront risks of market disturbances caused…

Read More Here

Biden administration will appeal lifting of mask mandate, if CDC agrees

WASHINGTON, April 19 (Reuters) - U.S. President Joe Biden's administration said it would appeal a judge's ruling ending a mask mandate on airplanes if public health officials deem it necessary to stem…

Read More Here

Photo Story: Slavic Festival at Krakus mound in Krakow

People dressed in Slavic costumes and members of the public take part in the Rekawka Slavic Festival at Krakus mound in Krakow, Poland. After a two-year break caused by the…

Read More Here

EU works to cut cost of Russia oil ban to win over sceptics

BRUSSELS, April 20 (Reuters) - The European Commission is working to speed up the availability of alternative energy supplies to try to cut the cost of banning Russian oil and persuade Germany…

Read More Here

Photo Story: Speakers of parliaments of the EU countries visit Polish Ukrainian border in Dorohusk

Parliamentary Speakers of the European Union countries Eløbieta Witek (2-R) of Poland, Inara Murniece (3-L) of Latvia, Christine Schwarz Fuchs (R) of Austria, Eliane Tillieux (L) of Belgium and Anita…

Read More Here

Macron’s polling lead over Le Pen widens ahead of France’s Sunday runoff

French President Emmanuel Macron's lead in voting intention polls widened but his prime minister said a Macron win in Sunday's presidential runoff vote was not guaranteed, as far-right challenger Marine…

Read More Here

Malta registers increase in FDI in 2021

As at the end of 2021, the Maltese economy recorded a net international investment position of €7.7 billion, the NSO reported today. When compared to the figures recorded at the…

Read More Here

Libya shutdowns cause 550k bpd output loss

TUNIS, April 20 (Reuters) - Libya is currently losing more than 550,000 barrels per day in oil production from blockades on major fields and export terminals, the National Oil Corporation media office…

Read More Here

Italy to turn down air conditioning to save energy

ROME, April 20 (Reuters) - Italians could face a long hot summer with the air conditioning turned down in public offices and buildings as the government seeks to reduce its reliance on…

Read More Here

Photo Story: A particular house in Makowiska, Poland

Polish artist Maciej Chesiak (R) and his wife Jenifer Penroz (L) pose in front of a house in the shape of a teapot in Makowiska village, north-central Poland, 20 April…

Read More Here

The Ukrainian crisis roundup

April 20 (Reuters) - Ukrainian officials said they hoped to get thousands of women and children out of the besieged southeastern city of Mariupol as Russia pressed ahead with a new offensive…

Read More Here

EU preparing measures to prevent Russia from evading sanctions

The European Union is preparing new measures to prevent Russia from evading sanctions imposed over the war in Ukraine, Latvian Foreign Minister Edgars Rinkevics told a news conference on Wednesday.…

Read More Here

Number of refugees fleeing Ukraine war exceeds 5 million-UNHCR

PRAGUE, April 20 (Reuters) - The number of people fleeing Ukraine to escape Russia's invasion has passed 5 million in Europe's worst refugee crisis since the end of World War Two, U.N.…

Read More Here