1745- Latest News update
Times of Malta says the victim of a Gozo murder went to the Marsalforn apartment where he was killed to fight and settle a long-standing issue with the man accused of stabbing him to death, a police inspector said on Friday.
MaltaToday says Agriculture minister Anton Refalo struck a conciliatory tone over a farmers’ battle in Mġarr against plans to turn over 6,000sq.m of agricultural land into a solar farm.
Newsbook says Justice minister Jonathan Attard charged a client of his legal firm a total of €100,000 after providing legal assistance to obtain authorisation for the development of a hotel in Mellieħa a few months after graduating as a lawyer in 2016.
TVM says a 43-year-old man who lives in Rabat, Gozo was arrested yesterday morning in a joint operation by Anti-Drug Squad Police and officers from the Canine Section at a Nadur farmhouse.
Russians top Malta’s new citizens list: Fresh Eurostat data has shown that more Russian people were awarded Maltese citizenship in 2020 than the next two countries combined. The EU Statistics Office revealed today how 175 Russians were granted Maltese citizenship in 2020, the greatest number of any nationality. A total of 54 Libyans and 52 Filipinos were also granted citizenship. In total, 1,181 Russian citizens were granted Maltese citizenship in that year, accounting for over 15% of all beneficiaries.
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Russians top Malta’s new citizens list: Fresh Eurostat data has shown that more Russian people were awarded Maltese citizenship in 2020 than the next two countries combined. The EU Statistics Office revealed today how 175 Russians were granted Maltese citizenship in 2020, the greatest number of any nationality. A total of 54 Libyans and 52 Filipinos were also granted citizenship. In total, 1,181 Russian citizens were granted Maltese citizenship in that year, accounting for over 15% of all beneficiaries.
Less than half of Maltese interested in activism: According to an EU-wide poll, just 48% of young Maltese individuals have participated in voluntary organizations, sports clubs, cultural organizations, political groups, and other NGOs. Participation in such organizations is only lower in Cyprus (47%) and Latvia (47%) according to the Eurobarometer survey. A majority of young people have participated in one or more organizations in all nations save six (Cyprus, Hungary, Latvia, Malta, Poland, and Slovakia).
Covid-19 Update: Health authorities reported 69 new coronavirus cases while 136 people recovered. Active cases have dropped to 2,015. The death toll remains at 716.
Morning Briefing
47% of consumers will only buy essentials – study
An EY study has found that while the middle classes are most aware of rising prices, inflation is causing consumers at all income levels to change their shopping behaviors and purchase decisions. According to the Future Consumer Index, 52% of consumers say the increasing cost of goods and services is making it harder to afford things. People are making the most changes in how they purchase non-essentials, such as clothing and electronics, to be able to afford gas and fresh food, where there are fewer alternatives. 34% say they are buying fewer physical goods because they don’t need them while a staggering 47% said that they will just buy the essentials.
Second interconnector discussed with Sicilian authorities
A second interconnector between Malta and Sicily was discussed between the respective authorities in bilateral meetings held on the Italian island The Maltese delegation, led by the Minister for the Environment, Energy and Enterprise, Miriam Dalli met with Sicilian President Sebastiano Musumeci at Palazzo Orléans. During discussions on the interconnector project, in particular the strengthening of the current link from Malta to Ragusa, Minister Dalli explained that Malta is exploring different routes for both onshore and offshore parts to improve -security of supply. This process will involve both onshore and offshore environmental and design studies.
Covid-19 Update: 85 new cases of Covid-19 were reported on Thursday, while 151 recovered. This brings the active case tally down to 2,082. 151 people meanwhile have recovered from the virus, meaning that the number of active cases currently stands at 2,082.
