Latest Update- News Portal Briefing
Times of Malta says a permanent link project linking Gozo and Malta and a complete shift of Gozo’s public transport system to smaller and more frequent electric buses and among the budget proposals made by the Gozo Business Chamber.
MaltaToday reports that a baby girl was rushed to Mater Dei hospital on Friday afternoon, after she was found drowning in a private residence, the police have confirmed.
Newsbook reports that two 17th century chapels in Għargħur have been restored by the Cultural Heritage Foundation of the Archdiocese of Malta, with EU funds covering 80% of the bill.
TVM says that that a 22-year-old man, a Floriana resident, has been arrested in connection with trafficking of cocaine.
Update 1750h
A six-month-old girl has died at Mater Dei Hospital after a near-drowning incident in a private residence in St Paul’s Bay, the police have confirmed. The incident, which took place on Triq l-Arznell, was reported at 1:40pm on Friday. The baby was rushed to hospital after she was found drowning in a bath tub. Via Newsbook
Updated 1300 – Mid-Day Briefing
Covid-19 Update: 40 new cases were reported in the past 24 hours, health authorities said. Malta registered 66 recoveries as active cases stood at 642. 3,411 swab tests were taken. A 61-year-old woman died while positive to COVID-19 overnight.
2021 deficit stands at €1.6 billion: A Finance Ministry mid-yearly report has revealed that Malta is facing a projected deficit of €1.6 billion for 2021. This deficit, amounting to 12% of Malta’s GDP, is a marked increase from earlier projections made last year of 5.9%. Despite the higher-than-expected deficit figure, Finance Minister Clyde Caruana has ruled out tax hikes in the next budget. Meanwhile, NSO data published today has shown that until the end of July, government deficit has reached €882.5 million.
Covid-19 spike ‘unlikely’ after Santa Marija break: A spike in Covid-19 cases after the Santa Marija holiday is unlikely, medical professionals told the press. Earlier in the month, public health chief Charmaine Gauci said authorities were geared up to tackle any increase in cases. At the time, small surges were being seen and the rate of positive cases from tests had also risen slightly. However, the number of Covid-19 cases has plateaued two weeks after the holiday and medical sources are now confident that a post-holiday spike is unlikely. Other healthcare workers have raised concerns that it is still too early to tell whether there will be a rise in the number of hospitalised people. This is because there is often a lag between detection of cases and hospitalisation.
Updated 0850 – Newspaper Review
The Times says that Yorgen Fenech has been charged with buying weapons and ammunition from the dark web. Investigators believe the businessman paid for the equipment using cryptocurrency, but it is not known whether the weapons ever made it to Malta.
The Independent says that the lawyers representing Yorgen Fenech questioned the urgency of their client’s arraignment over suspicion of buying weapons from the dark web, but did not contest the charges.
In-Nazzjon says that the Nationalist Party is pledging a flat rate of 10.5c per unit for the charging of electric vehicles. Party spokesperson for Energy Ryan Callus said that the government has a responsibility to enable the shift to electric mobility.
L-Orizzont says that the union of teachers is warning against changes to the educational system to accommodate businesses. The union was reacting to a proposal by the chamber of commerce to extend compulsory schooling to post-secondary levels.
The Independent reports that newsrooms were copied into an email thread pretending to be an exchange between opposition MP Jason Azzopardi and journalist Manuel Delia. The paper tracked the source code back to a fake emailer service.
L-Orizzont quotes figures by the British meteorological office showing that 2020 was the warmest year on record in Europe, with average temperatures reaching 0.5 per cent above the second-warmest year, 2015.
In-Nazzjon follows a meeting between the PN spokesperson for climate change, Robert Cutajar, and the Malta representative to the International Summit of Climate Change, Xandru Cassar. The MP praised the young activist for his ambition and example.
The Times quotes a Finance Ministry report projecting a government deficit of €1.6 billion for 2021. At 12 per cent of GDP, the rate is double what was estimated earlier this year and ranks among the highest in the EU.L-Orizzont announces a new website by Union Print to replace its online news service inewsmalta.com. The new portal, Talk.mt, will feature magazine sections and feature
Morning Briefing
Unemployment drops in July
The job market registered a positive improvement in July, with the number of persons registering for work decreasing by 2,439 when compared to the corresponding month in 2020. It not stands at 1,542. Data provided by Jobsplus for July 2021 indicates a year-on-year decrease of 2,238 persons registering under Part I, and an additional drop of 201 persons registering under Part II of the unemployment register. “As TeamMalta, we successfully to safeguard families’ livelihoods from the pandemic’s threat. Together we can move forward and build a new prosperity,” PM Robert Abela wrote on Twitter.
PN promises cheap rate for electric car charging
A new Nationalist government will give electric car owners a fixed preferential charging rate of 10c5, irrespective of the time of day, the party said in a media briefing. The PN wa reacting a day after the government announced plans to introduce new, more competitive electricity rates for electric car users with the minister touting them as “some of the cheapest across Europe”. PN energy spokesperson Ryan Callus described the preferential rate of around 13c per unit during off peak hours to charge a car announced by Enemalta was “just a gimmick”.
Yorgen Fenech charged in connection with arms, poison purchase
Yorgen Fenech was arraigned on Thursday in connection with dark web purchases of firearms, explosives and poison in separate proceedings. Media outlets reported that Fenech was seen entering the police depot in Floriana in a prison car at around 1pm, to be interrogated. He was charged in court four hours later and accused of buying weapons in breach of the Arms Act and without having the necessary licence from the Police Commissioner.
CDE News
