Updated 1745- News Portal Briefing
Times of Malta reports that Konrad Mizzi refused to answer questions at a public inquiry.
MaltaToday reports that the Good Samaritan hospital has rebutted claims on Covid-19 safety protocols
Newsbook reports that Alison Bezzina is the new Commissioner for Animal Welfare
TVM reports that Two Italian nationals, 34-year-old Vito Potenza and 35-year-old Antonio Saponara, have been remanded in custody after being charged with the importation and trafficking of 55 kg of cannabis.
Updated 1300 – 96 new cases of coronavirus, 4,000 people in quarantine
A total of 96 new cases were identified in the past 24 hours, with Malta’s number of active cases reaching 2,076. Over the same timeframe, 132 persons recovered from coronavirus. 3,049 people were swabbed between Thursday and Friday.
A total of 194 patients are getting treatment in hospital, Health Superintendent Charmaine Gauci said on Friday, with 15 of them at Mater Dei’s ITU.
There are currently over 4,000 people in quarantine.
Updated 1055
US welcomes anti-smuggling operations
The US embassy on Friday welcomed Malta’s commitment against oil smuggling following an operation targeting illicit Libyan oil and fuel.
“Through the international anti-money laundering operation, Malta has demonstrated its commitment to working with its regional and international partners, including Europol, Italy, the UK and the US, to protect Libya’s natural resources and to fight transnational organised crime,” it said in a statement.
The embassy’s comments come days after fuel trader Gordon Debono and his wife Yvette, their business partner Sean Higgins were arraigned in Court, together with ex-footballers Darren Debono and Jeffrey Chetcuti.
Malta Joins Med States in Calling For Mandatory Quotas For Relocating Refugees
Malta together with fellow Mediterranean countries Greece, Italy and Spain insisted that mandatory quotas for sharing out people who qualify for refugee status among the 27 EU countries must be pursued.
“The front-line member states cannot face the migratory pressure on the whole European Union,” the four countries said in a paper sent to the European Commission, the European Council and Germany, which currently holds the rotating Presidency.
In the paper, the four countries have expressed concern that new proposals to revamp the EU’s asylum system will continue to leave them to cope with the challenge alone. The standoff could further delay the long-awaited asylum reform plans.
Updated 0830 – Newspaper Review
The Independent speaks to the chairman of Tumas Group about claims that Yorgen Fenech paid for stays at the Hilton Evian-les-Bains for Joseph Muscat and Edward Zammit Lewis. The chair said Fenech could not have signed the cheques without company approval.
The Times quotes a statement by former minister Konrad Mizzi who said that the Caruana Galizia public inquiry has been politicised and indicated that he will not cooperate. Mizzi was due to testify before the three-judge panel today.
In-Nazzjon quotes a message by former minister Konrad Mizzi who said on Facebook that he is not bound to testify before his ‘political enemies’, in reference to the summons before the Caruana Galizia public inquiry.
L-Orizzont says that the number of long-term residents at Mount Carmel hospital has decreased ‘drastically’ since 2014, as more patients are being referred to treatment in the community. The information was released by the Commissioner for Mental Health.
The Times says that projects by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control anticipate that the number of new Covid-19 cases in Malta will remain in the triple digits in the weeks leading to Christmas.
In-Nazzjon reports the death of three Covid-19 patients between Wednesday and Thursday, raising the total number of casualties to 128. The victims were a woman aged 73 and two men aged 70 and 80.
The Independent reports that the testimony of investigator Keith Arnaud before the Caruana Galizia public inquiry on Thursday continued to be heard behind closed doors following a request by Yorgen Fenech’s lawyers.
L-Orizzont says that the government will propose law amendments to provide for the possibility of marrying couples to change surnames. Parliamentary Secretary of Citizenship Alex Muscat said the changes will address anomalies.
In-Nazzjon says thatBishop Mario Grech will address Pope Francis on behalf of the new Cardinals in the consistory on Saturday. The former Bishop of Gozo will lead another 12 Cardinal-elects in the ceremony.
Morning Briefing
Covid-19: Three more deaths
Malta’s Covid-19 death toll reached 128 yesterday evening after the Health Ministry confirmed three more fatalities between Wednesday and Thursday. The three victims include a 70-year-old-man, a 73-year-old woman and an 80-year-old man.
The Health Department reported 152 new cases of coronavirus in the previous 24 hours, with 103 recovering. The number of active cases has reached 2115. 2960 swab tests were carried out during the same timeframe.
The number of new COVID-19 cases registered daily in Malta is expected to remain over 100 all the way to Christmas, according to a forecast by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control reported on The Times of Malta.
MFSA “ratifies” former CEO’s resignation
The Board of the Malta Financial Services Authority has “ratified” the resignation of its CEO Joseph Cuschieri after the conclusions of a Board of Review into his trip to Las Vegas in 2018, but allowed its General Counsel Edwina Licari to return to the authority from her self-suspension which was in connection to the same trip.
Cuschieri had submitted his resignation the day before. In a statement, the regulator said that Dr Christopher Buttigieg will continue to serve as Chief Executive Officer ad interim while the process to recruit a new CEO gets underway.
Konrad Mizzi ordered to testify in front of Caruana Galizia inquiry
Former Minister Konrad Mizzi has been ordered by Judges Michael Mallia, Abigail Lofaro and Joseph Said Pullicino to appear before the inquiry looking into whether the state could have avoided the assassination of journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia.
The judges were reacting to an earlier statement by Mzzi, who had indicated his intention not to cooperate with the inquiry, calling it a “charade”.
He said the inquiry has deviated from its original purpose, and was being used to pursue a purely political agenda. Mizzi also filed an application asking not to appear at the inquiry, denying any involvement in the murder.
CDE News
