Latest Update- News Portal Briefing
Times of Malta reports that the Nationalist Party has nominated lawyer David Bonello to sit on the new Building and Construction Authority.
MaltaToday reports that Air Malta cabin crew want to be included with other transportation workers for COVID-19 vaccine eligibility, insisting they are at the forefront of risk with flights to the UK where the new virus variant originated.
Newsbook reports that The new measures will continue the negative impact on Gozitan tourism said the Gozo Tourism Association
TVM reports that the Head of Department of Obstetrics and Genealogy at Mater Dei, Yves Muscat Baron, said that fathers can enter the ward to support the mother until the baby is born.
Updated 1237 – Covid-19 update
329 new cases of coronavirus were reported in Malta on Friday, with 259 recovering. These were identified through 3,779 swab tests and further increase the number of active cases to 3,188. Malta is now on the verge of reaching 26,000 cases. In addition, five more persons died, including a man aged 38 and a woman aged 47. The number of fatalities have reached 346.
Health Superintendent Prof Charmaine Gauci said today that 245 persons are currently hospitalised, 29 of which in ITU at Mater Dei.
113,258 doses of Coivid-19 jabs have been administered.
Updated 1232 – PN wants ban on standing passengers
The Nationalist Party has called for a ban on standing passengers to stop the spread of the pandemic on local buses. The Opposition also suggested sanitisers for passengers as they get on and off, the cleaning of the drivers cabin each time the driver is changed, constant cleaning of buses throughout the day and increased frequency of popular routes.
Updated 1115 – Malta with second highest decrease in industrial production
In January 2021, the seasonally adjusted industrial production rose by 0.8% in the euro area and by 0.7% in the EU, compared with December 2020, according to estimates from Eurostat, the statistical office of the European Union. In December 2020, industrial production fell by 0.1% in the euro area and remained stable in the EU.
In January 2021 compared with January 2020, industrial production increased by 0.1% in the euro area and by 0.3% in the EU.
In the euro area in January 2021, compared with January 2020, production of intermediate goods rose by 1.8%, durable consumer goods by 1.6%, capital goods by 0.9% and energy by 0.4%, while production of non-durable consumer goods fell by 3.9%.
Among Member States for which data are available, the highest increases were registered in Ireland (+27.5%), Lithuania (+11.8%) and Poland (+5.6%). The largest decreases were observed in Portugal (-6.5%), Malta (‑6.2%)and Slovakia (-4.0%).
Updated 1110 – Imports, exports down again
The NSO revealed this morning that provisional data recorded a total trade in goods deficit of €102.1 million during January, compared to a deficit of €280.8 million in the corresponding month of 2020.
Imports amounted to €351.6 million, while exports totalled €249.6 million. This represents a decline of €256.1 million
and €77.3 million, respectively, over the same period of the previous year. The decrease in the value of imports was primarily due to Mineral fuels, lubricants and related materials (€113.0 million) and Machinery and transport equipment (€100.0 million). On the exports side, the main drop was registered in Mineral fuels, lubricants and related materials (€74.6 million).
The major import partners were the European Union (63.9 per cent) and Asia (21.8 per cent). Similarily, exports were mostly directed to the European Union (52.4 per cent) and Asia (15.1 per cent). The main increase and decrease in imports were registered from France (€27.3 million) and China (€99.9 million), respectively. With respect to exports, the main increase was directed to Italy (€5.6 million), whereas Germany reported the highest decrease (€23.8 million).
Updated 0825 – Newspaper Review
The Times reports on the testimony in court by hitman Vince Muscat who said that the killers were prepared to proceed with plans to blow up Daphne Caruana Galizia even if she was not on her own.
The Independent follows the compilation of evidence against the Degiorgio brothers. Vince Muscat told the court that, on one occasion, he had driven one of the men to meet former Economy Minister Chris Cardona at Castille.
L-Orizzont quotes state witness Vincent Muscat who said that the hit team that planted the bomb in Daphne Caruana Galizia’s car initially thought it did not explode. He also expressed surprise at the public reaction to the murder.
In-Nazzjon says that Vince Muscat named Labour politicians in his testimony about the Caruana Galizia assassination on Thursday. He alleged that PL Deputy Leader Chris Cardona relayed information provided by former Assistant Police Commissioner Silvio Valletta.
The Independent reports on a debate in parliament on the Covid-19 situation, during which the Prime Minister and the Opposition Leader traded accusations of not doing enough to help control the spread of the virus.
In-Nazzjon quotes Opposition Leader Bernard Grech who said that the government tried to create a sense of false security over the pandemic, and the country is not suffering the consequences for it.
L-Orizzont covers a conference on equal education organised by the General Workers Union. Secretary General Josef Bugeja said that the union has a role to play in the development of policies that ensure lifelong education to everyone.
Morning Briefing
Health authorities issue reassurance on AZ vaccine
Health authorities have dismissed concerns about a specific batch of Astra Zeneca vaccines, saying that no adverse effects have been reported in Malta. The particular batch is being investigated in several countries about a possible link to blood clots.
The Ministry of Health said the Malta consignment of the ABV5300 batch was used up several weeks ago, adding that Malta Medicines Authority had recommended the continuation of the vaccination programme as planned, more so since the European Medicines Agency had declared that there was no indication that it was the cause of complications reported in Austria.
“The consignment from this batch was used in Malta several weeks ago and no doses remain,” the ministry said. “The health authorities have not received any reports of reactions by the persons who received it.”
With teachers being the main beneficiaries of this jab, the MUT has requested a formal clarification from the Health Superintendent.
Shocking testimony by Il-Koħħu
Vince Muscat ‘il-Koħħu’, the man who has already been sentenced to a 15-year prison sentence for his part in the assassination of journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia, testified in Court yesterday. In a marathon five-hour session, after expressing an apology to the Caruana Galizia family, Muscat recounted how the alleged conspirators tracked the journalist for months with varous murder options considered at different stages of the plan.
Muscat also testified that Alfred Degiorgio would visit former Cabinet Minister Chris Cardona in Castille, with the latter accused of providing him with information on their impending arrest.
“Cardona came in to help us,” Muscat told prosecuting inspector Keith Arnaud when asked why Degiorgio had turned to the minister. Muscat also name-dropped lawyer and Cardona associate David Gatt, former OPM chief of staff Keith Schembri and former deputy police commissioner Silvio Valletta.
Muscat also said that Jamie Vella and Robert Agius Ta’ Maksar were fully aware of the murder plot. They procured the ammunition from them and eventually also the bomb used to assassinate Daphne Caruana Galizia.
Covid-19 update
283 new cases of coronavirus were reported on Thursday, with 338 persons recovering. Active cases therefore declined slightly, to 3,123. These were identified through 4,746 swabs.
Four persons died while Covid-19 positive, three men, aged 70, 72 and 79, and an 80 year old female.
CDE News
