News

‘Putin only cares about parades’: fury as Russia rains missiles on Ukraine during 24-hour truce

Kyiv has accused Russia of escalating attacks overnight, launching more than 100 drones and three missiles at multiple Ukrainian cities despite a unilateral 24-hour ceasefire announced by President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.…

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Cruise ship infections rise with the WHO now confirming eight cases

The World Health Organization has confirmed an eighth hantavirus case linked to the cruise ship MV Hondius, as health authorities continue to investigate an outbreak that has already resulted in…

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Updated – Malta News Briefing – Wednesday 6 May 2026

Updated 1230 Malta Among Europe’s Most Affordable for Electricity, Eurostat Finds: Malta recorded some of the lowest electricity prices in Europe in the second half of 2025, according to Eurostat.…

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CMA CGM container ship hit in Strait of Hormuz, injuring crew

French shipping giant CMA CGM reported that its vessel San Antonio was attacked while passing through the Strait of Hormuz, leaving several crew members injured and the ship damaged. The…

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Sweden announces new spy agency in rethink prompted by war in Ukraine

Sweden has announced plans to establish a new foreign intelligence agency as part of a broader security overhaul driven by Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Foreign Minister Maria Malmer Stenergard…

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US–Iran Ceasefire Under Strain as Tensions Persist in Strait of Hormuz

A fragile ceasefire between the United States and Iran appears increasingly uncertain, as fresh incidents in the Strait of Hormuz raise doubts over its durability. US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth…

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Trump takes fresh potshots at Pope Leo as Rubio prepares for Vatican meeting

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio expects a "frank" meeting with Pope Leo during a visit to the Vatican this week, the U.S. ambassador said on Tuesday, after President Donald…

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UK sanctions people, entities for recruiting migrants to fight for Russia against Ukraine

Britain unveiled sanctions against 35 people and entities it said were involved in recruiting vulnerable migrants to fight for Russia ‌against Ukraine and produce drones for use in the conflict.…

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Britain explores legal options to prosecute suspect in McCann disappearance

British police are seeking to bring a German suspect to trial in the disappearance of Madeleine McCann, as investigators step up efforts ahead of the 20th anniversary of her case…

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Secret Service says it exchanged gunfire with armed suspect near White House

Secret Service officers shot a man during an exchange of gunfire Monday near the White House in an incident that wounded a child who happened to be in the area.…

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Updated – Malta News Briefing – Tuesday 5 May 2026

Updated 1230 Court Backs Pro-Rata Billing Method in ARMS Electricity Tariff Case: Malta’s Civil Court dismissed a case by Darren Cordina against ARMS, ruling that electricity tariffs can be applied…

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Merz plays down US military withdrawal plans

German Chancellor Friedrich Merz has insisted he will maintain close ties with Washington despite plans by Donald Trump to withdraw thousands of US troops. Speaking on German television, Merz said…

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NATO’s Rutte says Europeans have ‘gotten message’ from Trump

European nations have "gotten the message" from U.S. President Donald Trump and are now ensuring that ‌agreements on the use of military bases are being implemented, NATO Secretary General Mark…

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UK set to enter talks to join the European Union’s $105.9 billion Ukraine loan

Britain is set to enter talks to join the European Union's 78 billion ‌pound loan ($106 billion) to Ukraine, the government said, in a further sign of deepening European defence…

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Updated – Malta News Briefing – Monday 4 May 2026

Updated 1220 Malta Begins Distribution of Voting Documents Ahead of May Election: Malta’s Electoral Commission has started distributing voting documents for the 30 May general election, delivered daily by police…

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Some 287 nominated for 2026 Nobel Peace Prize, Trump likely among them

Some 287 candidates will be considered for the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize,, the secretary of the Norwegian Nobel Committee said on Thursday, with U.S. President Donald Trump ‌likely to be…

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Malta News Briefing – Friday 1 May 2026

Labour pitches stability, subsidies and broad social support Prime Minister Robert Abela used the third day of the campaign to reinforce Labour’s message of continuity, positioning the state as both…

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European police bust Albanian investment and call centre scam

A criminal gang suspected of running ‌an investment fraud scheme via call centres in Albania has been dismantled, the pan-European police body Europol said on Wednesday. Europol said the operation,…

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US war in Iran has cost $25 billion so far

The United States' war in Iran has cost $25 billion so far, a senior Pentagon official said on Wednesday, providing the first official estimate of the military's ‌price tag for…

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Trump says administration will release ‘a lot of things’ on UFOs

President Donald Trump said his administration will release "a lot of things" about unidentified flying objects to the American public in the near future. "For some reason, and I guess…

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Trump says the US is reviewing a potential reduction of its troops in Germany

President Donald Trump, who has criticized Germany and other NATO allies for not sending their navies to help open the Strait of Hormuz, said his administration is looking at reducing…

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Italy Warns of Major Flight Disruption as May 11 Strikes Loom

Travellers heading to Italy next month are being warned to expect widespread disruption as airport and air‑traffic control staff prepare for coordinated strikes that could halt flights for hours. Italian…

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Malta News Briefing – Thursday 30 April 2026

Morning Briefing Gozo in focus for Labour on second day of campaign: Day two of the 2026 general election campaign saw the Labour Party focused heavily on Gozo, where Prime…

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US mandates what it calls ‘enhanced’ security checks for immigration applicants

President Donald Trump's administration has mandated what it calls "enhanced" security checks for immigration applicants, according to internal guidance sent to the employees of the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services,…

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Most Swiss back initiative to cap population

A slim majority of Swiss are backing an upcoming referendum proposal to limit Switzerland's population to 10 million, and support for it is growing, an opinion poll showed on Wednesday.…

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Malta News Briefing – Wednesday 29 April 2026

Morning Briefing Labour's first proposals centre on families and first-time buyers Labour has launched its 2026 election campaign with a package of early proposals aimed at first-time property buyers and…

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Record Tourism Prompts Greece to Impose Strict Rules on Remote Beaches

Greece has introduced strict new rules to protect some of its most fragile coastlines as the country struggles with the environmental pressures of record tourism. Officials say the measures target…

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Eni says market underestimating Iran war’s impact on energy prices

The Iran war will have a bigger and more lasting impact on oil and gas prices than is being priced in, Eni's finance chief Francesco Gattei said as the group…

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Sweden warns of potential jet fuel shortage

Sweden is ‌issuing an early warning of a potential shortage of jet fuel stemming from the war ⁠in the Middle East, Energy Minister Ebba Busch said on Tuesday. "This is…

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Black Sea Escalation as Ukraine Strikes Russian Oil Facilities

Ukraine struck Russia’s oil infrastructure in the Black Sea port city of Tuapse for the third time in a month, local authorities said Tuesday. The city, which declared an environmental…

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King Charles in US for state visit amid differences over Iran war

Britain's King Charles and Queen Camilla arrived in the United States on Monday for a four-day trip, welcomed by self-proclaimed royal fan Donald Trump even as the U.S. president has…

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Malta Heads For Snap General Election on 30 May

Malta will head to the polls on 30 May, after Prime Minister Robert Abela called a snap general election nine months ahead of schedule. The announcement, delivered in a short…

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Malta News Briefing – Tuesday 28 April 2026

Morning Briefing Malta set for 30th May General Election: Maltese voters will go to the polls on May 30 after Prime Minister Robert Abela called a general election nine months…

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EU leaders back US president after attack

Brussels was jolted into action this weekend after a gunman opened fire outside the White House Correspondents’ Dinner in Washington, where US President Donald Trump was attending. As details emerged,…

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Malta News Briefing – Monday 27 April 2026

Morning Briefing PM warns of difficult months ahead but vows to turn challenges into opportunities Prime Minister Robert Abela has warned that the months ahead will be challenging, but insisted…

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Polish PM questions US loyalty in case of Russian attack

Europe's "biggest, most important question" is whether the United States is ready to be a loyal NATO partner in case of a Russian attack, Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk told…

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Pentagon email floats suspending Spain from NATO

An internal Pentagon email outlines options for the United States to punish NATO allies it believes failed to support U.S. operations in the war with Iran, including suspending Spain from…

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Global hunger crisis to worsen in 2026 as war, drought and aid cuts bite, United Nations report warns

Conflict, drought and shrinking aid will keep global hunger at critical levels in 2026, with food insecurity expected to worsen in some of the world's most ‌fragile countries, according to…

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Israel, Lebanon extend ceasefire as Trump seeks ‘best deal’ with Iran

Israel and Lebanon extended their ceasefire for three weeks at a meeting at the White House brokered by President Donald Trump, who said he was prepared to wait for "the…

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Malta News Briefing – Friday 24 April 2026

Morning Briefing €2.8bn rail project to reshape Malta’s transport network Malta plans to build a 24-kilometre light rail line linking St Paul’s Bay to the airport as part of a…

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ICC confirms trial against former Philippine President Duterte

Judges at the International Criminal Court on Thursday confirmed all three counts of murder as ‌crimes against humanity against former Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte and committed him to trial. The…

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Pope Leo heading back to Rome after outspoken Africa tour

Pope Leo returns to Rome on Thursday after wrapping up ‌an ambitious four-nation Africa tour in which he forcefully decried the direction of global leadership, denouncing despotism and war, and…

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Leader of Russia’s Communists warns parliament of risk of revolution due to faltering economy

The veteran leader of Russia's Communist Party has warned parliament that the country's faltering economy risks stoking a 1917-style revolution and that the government needs to take urgent measures to…

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U.S. navy chief resigns amid Pentagon infighting

Navy Secretary John Phelan abruptly left his job on Wednesday in part because a hugely expensive new battleship he championed sparked friction with his superiors — including Defense Secretary Pete…

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Mass rescue operation by Libyan authorities: over 400 migrants saved from 10 boats

Libya's eastern-based coast guard of the Libyan National Army rescued at least 404 migrants on board 10 ‌boats after they had "faced harsh conditions at sea," the Tobruk Red Crescent…

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Cyprus urges EU to prepare joint response plan if member state is attacked

President Nikos Christodoulides called on European Union leaders to begin preparing a coordinated response framework if a member state is attacked, stressing the need for greater readiness and clarity in…

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Updated – Malta News Briefing – Thursday 23 April 2026

Updated 1010 Parliament approves “living wills” law granting patients right to refuse future treatmentParliament has approved legislation introducing "living wills", giving citizens the legal right to set out in advance…

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UK lawmakers approve lifetime smoking ban for today’s under-18s

Children in Britain who are 17 or younger, ‌and anyone born in the future, will never be able to legally buy cigarettes after lawmakers approved new stricter restrictions on smoking.…

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Belgians advised to have enough supplies to last 72 hours

Belgium’s National Crisis Centre has launched a nationwide campaign urging citizens to be ready to cope independently for up to 72 hours in the event of an emergency. The initiative…

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Russian official says Russians in Moldova’s Transdniestria under threat

The safety of Russian citizens in Moldova's breakaway Transdniestria region is currently under threat and Moscow will take all steps to protect them, Sergei Shoigu, the secretary of Russia's powerful…

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Malta News Briefing – Wednesday 22 April 2026

Morning Briefing Diesel shock strains Maltese freight sector as costs surge across Europe A sharp rise in diesel prices across Europe is placing renewed pressure on Malta’s freight and logistics…

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Nearly 8,000 people died or disappeared trying to migrate in 2025

Nearly 8,000 people died or disappeared on migration routes last year, with sea routes to Europe the most deadly and many victims lost ‌in "invisible shipwrecks", a U.N. agency said…

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Iran war exposes weakened state of Britain’s armed forces

The Iran war has left Britain's armed forces exposed, heaping pressure on Prime Minister Keir Starmer to act on his promises to invest in defence, after years of warnings from…

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Report Finds Corruption in Italy Growing More Hidden and Systemic

Corruption in Italy has become “more insidious and evasive,” spreading into “every part of public life,” according to the anti-corruption agency ANAC in its annual report. The report, presented to…

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Iran crisis costs France up to 6 billion euros, says minister

The economic fallout from the crisis in Iran has cost France between 4 ‌billion euros ($4.70 billion) and 6 billion euros, Finance Minister Roland Lescure said on Tuesday, as the…

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Russia has taken 1,700 square km of Ukraine this year

Russian forces have taken 1,700 square km (656 square miles) of territory in Ukraine this ‌year and are advancing on its so-called fortress belt in Donbas, Moscow's top general said…

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Updated – Malta News Briefing – Tuesday 21 April 2026

Updated 1230 Borg: Global Trade Shifting to ‘Trusted Corridors’ as Uncertainty Grows: Foreign Minister Ian Borg told a Commonwealth trade summit in London that global trade fragmentation is already underway,…

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