News

Kremlin accuses Ukraine of changing tune during peace talks, slowing process

April 20 (Reuters) - The Kremlin accused Ukraine on Wednesday of going back on commitments it had made during peace talks and said this was having bad consequences for the negotiations. Kremlin…

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Biden hosts military chiefs as Ukraine crisis intensifies

WASHINGTON, April 20 (Reuters) - President Joe Biden will convene top U.S. military leaders on Wednesday in an annual White House gathering that takes on special significance as the war…

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Use of facemasks may remain for some situations in Italy after May 1

Health Undersecretary Andrea Costa said Wednesday that the obligation to wear facemasks in enclosed public places in Italy is set to be largely abolished as of May 1, although masks…

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UPDATED: Russia defence ministry seeks greater secrecy on military deaths in Ukraine

The Russian defence ministry has proposed that relatives of soldiers killed in Ukraine should have to apply to military rather than civilian authorities for compensation payments, imposing an extra level…

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Tourists to Venice will have to book their visits starting this summer

Venice tourists will have to book their visits to the historic centre of the lagoon city starting this summer, Mayor Luigi Brugnaro said after a packed Easter weekend.Reservations will be…

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Four dead after probable methane explosion in Polish coal mine

WARSAW, April 20 (Reuters) - Four people died and seven were missing in a coal mine in southern Poland, a senior government official said, after what the mine's owner described as a…

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French extreme-right leaders call for coalition ahead of legislative elections

April 20 (Reuters) - Leaders of the party founded by Eric Zemmour, the extreme-right candidate who was knocked out of France's presidential election in the first round, have called for…

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Prince Harry says he made sure queen was ‘protected’ during recent trip

LONDON, April 20 (Reuters) - Britain's Prince Harry said he made sure that Queen Elizabeth had the "right people around her" and was "protected" when he met the British monarch…

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Denmark in talks with Rwanda on transfer of asylum-seekers

COPENHAGEN, April 20 (Reuters) - Denmark is in talks with Rwanda about setting up a new procedure for transferring asylum seekers to the east African nation, mirroring a similar move…

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Opinion poll shows growing majority of Swedes back joining NATO

STOCKHOLM, April 20 (Reuters) - A growing majority of Swedes are in favour of joining NATO, a poll showed on Wednesday, as policy-makers in both Sweden and Finland weigh…

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Hopes rise in Shanghai’s battle against COVID as two districts report no new cases

SHANGHAI, April 20 (Reuters) - Shanghai reported on Wednesday no new cases of COVID-19 outside quarantined areas in two districts, raising hopes that the tide was turning in its battle against the…

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Mysterious hepatitis cases detected in children in Europe and the US

Health officials say they are now investigating unexplained cases of hepatitis in children in four European countries and the US. Cases of hepatitis, or liver inflammation, have been reported in…

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Ethiopians queue at Russia embassy to enlist for war in Ukraine

Dozens of young Ethiopian men are gathering at the Russian embassy in the capital, Addis Ababa, following rumours of soldiers being recruited to fight in the war in Ukraine. But…

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Ukraine hopes to evacuate women, children and elderly from Mariupol on Wednesday

April 20 (Reuters) - Ukraine has reached a preliminary agreement with Russia on establishing a humanitarian corridor to evacuate women, children and the elderly from the besieged city of Mariupol…

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EU Council’s Michel makes surprise visit to Kyiv

BRUSSELS, April 20 (Reuters) - European Council President Charles Michel made an unexpected visit to Kyiv on Wednesday, following a trip to the Ukrainian capital by the head of the EU's executive…

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Austria says Ukraine war is swelling deficit back to EU’s 3% limit

VIENNA, April 20 (Reuters) - The Ukraine war's negative impact on economic growth and associated costs such as reducing dependence on Russian natural gas have forced Austria to increase its budget deficit…

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Russia’s war in Ukraine to blame for rising global food insecurity – Yellen

Russia's war in Ukraine is to blame for exacerbating "already dire" world food insecurity, with price and supply shocks adding to global inflationary pressures, U.S. Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said.…

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Macron, Le Pen face off in crucial election debate

PARIS, April 20 (Reuters) - French President Emmanuel Macron and far-right challenger Marine Le Pen will face off on Wednesday in a debate which could be decisive in the tight race to…

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Delegate protests over Russia to upstage G20 meeting

Western nations are preparing to stage coordinated walk-outs and other diplomatic snubs to protest against Russia's invasion of Ukraine at Wednesday's meeting of G20 finance ministers in Washington, their officials…

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Lithuania bans using letter ‘Z’ in protest over Russia’s war in Ukraine

Lithuania's parliament on Tuesday voted to ban public displays of the letter "Z", the black and orange ribbon of St George, and other symbols seen as expressing support for Russia's…

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Canada to keep mask mandate

TORONTO (Reuters) - Canada's government said it has no plans to stop requiring masks on planes after a Florida judge struck down a U.S. version of the law. "We are taking a…

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U.S., Britain, Canada, France and Germany promise more help, New surrender deadline in Mariupol for today

KYIV/KHARKIV, April 20 (Reuters) - Russia gave Ukrainian fighters still holding out in Mariupol a fresh ultimatum to surrender on Wednesday as it pushed for a decisive victory in its new eastern…

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Protected birds shot down at start of Spring hunting season / Malta News Briefing – Wednesday 20 April 2022

1745- Latest News update Times of Malta says some schools are telling pupils and teachers they will have to return to school next week in masks if the health authorities…

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America stresses importance of status quo at Jerusalem holy sites

U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken discussed recent violence in Israel and the West Bank with his Jordanian counterpart and stressed the importance of maintaining the status quo at Jerusalem holy sites,…

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IMF cuts global growth forecast due to “seismic waves” from Russia’s war in Ukraine

The International Monetary Fund on Tuesday slashed its forecast for global economic growth by nearly a full percentage point, citing Russia's war in Ukraine, and warning that inflation was now a…

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WATCH: Israel fires at Hamas target in Gaza after rocket attack

Israel fired on a target in the Gaza Strip, in response to a rocket attack, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said early on Tuesday. The rocket attack was the first…

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UK targets Moscow bourse to try to curb investments in Russia

Britain said on Tuesday it planned to revoke the Moscow Stock Exchange's (MOEX) status as a recognised stock exchange in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine, a move that would remove…

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UPDATED: UK PM Johnson apologises to parliament for COVID fine

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Tuesday apologised to parliament for breaking COVID rules with a gathering on his birthday after he was fined by the police last week. Johnson…

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Poland declines to take or pay for more COVID-19 vaccines for now despite contract

Poland will not take or pay for more doses of COVID-19 vaccine under the European Union's supply contract, its health minister said on Tuesday, setting the stage for a legal battle with manufacturers.…

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Balkans turns to coal as energy crisis trumps climate commitments

Balkan nations in southeast Europe are turning to coal as they try to tackle a global surge in energy prices, raising fears among environmentalists that countries are rowing back on…

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Trial over 50kg cannabis shipment kicks off / Malta News Briefing – Tuesday 19 April 2022

1745- Latest News update Times of Malta says tens of protected Marsh-harriers were massacred overnight in the Delimara area, BirdLife said on Tuesday, adding that law enforcement is 'out of…

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French prime minister says outcome of presidential vote not clear

French Prime Minister Jean Castex said on Tuesday that Emmanuel Macron was not guaranteed to win the April 24 runoff in the presidential election against far-right candidate Marine Le Pen.…

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Ukrainian mayor speaks of ‘hard’ interrogations after being held by Russians for a week

Ukrainian mayor described hours of "hard" interrogations when held for almost a week by Russian forces last month and said he had appealed to the pope for help to stop…

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An EU embargo on Russian oil in the works – French minister

French Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire said on Tuesday that an embargo on Russian oil at a European Union level was in the works, adding that France's President Emmanuel Macron wants such a…

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Blasts hit Kabul high school, killing at least 6

Three explosions rocked a high school in western Kabul on Tuesday, killing at least six people and injuring children, according to Afghan security and health officials. Many residents in the…

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Russia launches ‘Battle of Donbas’ on eastern front, Ukraine says

Russian forces have launched their anticipated offensive in eastern Ukraine, attempting to push through defences along almost the entire front line early on Tuesday in what Ukrainian officials described as…

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China to increase coordination with Russia, says senior Chinese diplomat

China told Russia it will continue to increase "strategic coordination" with it regardless of international volatility, the foreign ministry said in a statement on Tuesday. Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Le…

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Catalan independence leaders targeted by spyware, rights group says

Catalonia's regional leader accused the Spanish government on Monday of spying on its citizens after a rights group said his phone and dozens more belonging to Catalan pro-independence figures had…

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U.S. CDC lifts COVID ‘Do Not Travel’ recommendations on about 90 countries

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said on Monday it had dropped its "Do Not Travel" COVID-19 recommendations for about 90 international destinations. Last week, the CDC…

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At least 1,000 civilians hiding under Ukrainian stronghold steel plant in Mariupol- city council

No fewer than 1,000 civilians are hiding in underground shelters beneath the vast Azovstal steel plant in the southeastern Ukrainian port city of Mariupol, the city council said on Monday,…

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U.S. will no longer enforce mask mandate on airplanes, trains after court ruling

The Biden administration will no longer enforce a U.S. mask mandate on public transportation, after a federal judge in Florida on Monday ruled that the 14-month-old directive was unlawful, overturning a key White House effort to reduce the spread…

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Faced with criticism, Le Pen allies tone down rhetoric on hijab ban

A planned hijab ban if French presidential candidate Marine Le Pen is elected would come "little by little" and be determined by lawmakers, her allies said on Monday, marking a…

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France’s Macron says dialogue with Putin stalled after mass killings discovered in Ukraine

French President Emmanuel Macron said on Monday that his dialogue with Russian President Vladimir Putin has stalled after mass killings were discovered in Ukraine. "Since the massacres we have discovered in Bucha…

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Ukraine says civilians killed in Lviv, new Russia push seen in east

Ukraine said a Russian missile attack killed seven people in Lviv on Monday, the first civilian victims in the western city, and reported signs that Russia had started its anticipated new…

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EPA’s Eye in the Sky: Malmi airport, Helsinki, Finland

An aerial view taken with a drone shows a skating rink of the decommissioned Malmi airport in Helsinki, Finland. In early February, the City of Helsinki announced that Malmi's former…

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Trump attempt at a coup to be a focus of U.S. House hearings, lawmaker Raskin says

Then-President Donald Trump attempted a coup on Jan. 6, 2021, and that will be a centerpiece of committee hearings in Congress next month, said Democrat Jamie Raskin, a committee member…

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Putin discusses Russia-Ukraine talks, Middle East with Palestinian leader Abbas

Russian President Vladimir Putin held a phone call with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas about negotiations between Russia and Ukraine, the Kremlin said on Monday. They also talked about "the problems of…

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Serbia accuses Ukraine and unnamed EU country of Air Serbia bomb hoaxes

Serbian President Aleksandar Vucic accused Ukraine and an unidentified EU country of being behind a series of hoax bomb threats against Air Serbia planes. Since Russia launched its invasion of…

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Oil rises as Libya outages add to Russia supply fears

Oil prices rose on Monday in choppy trade, with Brent crude topping $112 a barrel, as outages in Libya deepened concern over tight global supply and the Ukraine crisis dragged…

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Italy’s Draghi positive for Covid, will skip Africa energy trip

Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi has tested positive for COVID-19 and ministers will replace him on a trip to Africa this week for deals to cut his country's reliance on…

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Ukraine completes questionnaire for EU membership – official

Ukraine has completed a questionnaire which will form a starting point for the European Union to decide on membership for Kyiv, Ihor Zhovkva, deputy head of President Volodymyr Zelenskiy's office, said. European Commission…

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Turkey says its warplanes hit Kurdish militant targets in northern Iraq

Turkish warplanes, helicopters and drones hit Kurdish militant targets in northern Iraq in an air and land operation that targeted facilities ranging from camps to ammunition stores, Turkey's defence ministry…

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Ukrainian President invited to address Parliament / Malta News Briefing – Monday 18 April 2022

1745- Latest News update Times of Malta says the daughter of Carmen Sapiano – the 75-year-old woman who died after being crushed by her car earlier this month – has…

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Jerusalem violence puts strain on Israel’s coalition government

JERUSALEM, April 17 (Reuters) - Clashes in Jerusalem that have stoked tensions during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan spread into Sunday, triggering 18 arrests and putting further strain on…

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Russia reports shelling of more than 100 military objects, three Ukrainian aircraft downed

Russian forces said they shelled more than 100 targets where Ukrainian military equipment and troops were concentrated overnight. "The army planes destroyed eight tanks and other armoured vehicles, as well…

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Missiles strike Lviv, bodies in streets of Mariupol

Ukrainian authorities said missiles struck the western city of Lviv on Monday, killing six, and explosions rocked other cities as Russian forces kept up their bombardments after claiming near full control of…

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China Eastern resumes Boeing 737-800 flights after March crash

BEIJING, April 17 (Reuters) - China Eastern Airlines 600115.SS has started putting its Boeing 737-800 jetliners back in use for commercial flights less than a month since a crash killed 132 people and led…

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