Bank of Valletta announced it was closing down its operations after it was alerted to a cyber attack on its systems. MaltaToday quotes the Prime Minister who, in a statement in parliament, said that €13 million have been taken transferred out of the bank in false international transactions. Meanwhile, The Malta Independent says the bank assures that customers’ funds are safe and that services will return to normal as soon as possible.
Finance Minister Edward Scicluna said that government is not looking to phase out the 1 cent and 2 cent coins, an idea put forward by retailers. The Times quotes Minister Scicluna who warned that such a move could raise purchasing costs.
The Customs Department intercepted a record figure of drugs during 2018 with a combined street value estimated at €57.5 million. Newsbook says that just under 185 kilogrammes of cocaine and 16,000 kilogrammes of cannabis were confiscated.
The Ministry of Education has received 23 reports of aggression since the beginning of the year. Net News says that nine of the filed cases reported violence on educators and the Union of Teachers is calling for better security in schools.
A woman unleashed a scathing attack on TV programme Xarabank and presenter Peppi Azzopardi after the show afforded airtime to a man who killed her mother. LovinMalta publishes the vlog by Caricia Sammut, who said she was disappointed by the producers for airing an interview with Kenneth Gafa’ about prisoners’ rights.
Alternattiva Demokratika and Partit Demokratiku announced they are seeking ways to cooperate in order to serve the country better. TVM says that the respective leaderships have held various meetings, but no formal relationship has been established between the parties.
The Council of Europe notes that media freedom is in decline across Europe, with 140 threats reported last year. The Shift News says the Media Freedom report draws attention to Malta failure to conduct a proper investigation into the assassination of Daphne Caruana Galizia.
One News reports on a hold-up in a Żabbar confectionery this afternoon. The thief threatened the employees with a jack-knife and made away with an unknown quantity of cash. Another woman who was in the shop is reported to have suffered shock.
