Latest Update- News Portal Briefing
Times of Malta says Konrad Mizzi finally appeared before a parliamentary committee on Wednesday to answer questions about the Electrogas power station deal, and left 90 minutes later without having answered a single one.
MaltaToday reports the Council of Europe’s assembly rules committee has postponed its investigation into an alleged ethics breach by Rosianne Cutajar pending the Maltese parliament’s decision
Newsbook reports over 1,200 residents have objected to the “outrageous” and unlawful ODZ development proposed in Għarb, Gozo, Moviment Graffitti said.
TVM says that a woman and two children have been admitted to hospital following a bad crash between two cars on the Naxxar Bypass.
Mid-Day Briefing
Covid-19 Update: The uptick in coronavirus cases continued on Wednesday as 34 new cases were reported, partly compensated by 21 recoveries. Active cases stand at 251, nine of whom remain in hospital.
49 migrants rescued in Siġġiewi: A group of 49 people, including a pregnant woman, have been rescued by the AFM at Għar Lapsi in Siġġiewi. The group includes 39 men, four women and six children. Police said the group arrived in the Għar Lapsi in the afternoon and the AFM carried out a “delicate” operation in rough seas.
Patients refused hospital services as nurses-government wrangle on allowances: A number of persons have been refused entry to their blood test appointments at Mater Dei amid an ongoing dispute between the nurses’ union and the government over increases in allowances. A number of healthcare professionals have been told to the number of patients they see every day and were ordered to stop any outsourcing work and the tackling of waiting lists.
Morning Briefing
PM Abela raises alarm on climate change impact on small states
PM Robert Abela raised the alarm on climate change’s impact on small states, telling the COP26 conference that Malta was ready to share the country’s experiences and lessons to help other small island developing states achieve a fair and successful decarbonised economy. Addressing world leaders in Glasgow, the PM highlighted how island states are increasingly “being battered by climatic extremes” and are “in grave danger”.
“This is why Malta is committed to offering its assistance to small island developing states. We share similar risks. We live common circumstances”, Abela said, while also announcing that Malta will double its contribution to the green climate fund in solidarity with developing countries facing disproportionate impacts from climate change. The PM insisted that it was a shared responsibility to find and implement solutions.
“Ones that give our children hope for a better future and the serenity of mind that we are committed to walk the talk with real global collaboration”, Abela said. (Maltatoday).
Imported Covid-19 cases on the rise
The proportion of COVID-19 cases imported from outside Malta has increased and now accounts for a third of all reported infections, according to Health Superintendent Prof Charmaine Gauci. Writing on The Times of Malta, Gauci noted that while virus numbers remain low overall, a growing number are among people who have recently arrived in the country. Imported cases accounted for a fifth of all cases in the third week of October, rising to a third by the last week of the month. Gauci explained the increase “could be a reflection of what is happening in other countries, where the number of cases is increasing”. (The Times of Malta)
CoE delegations calls for systemic reforms
A Council of Europe delegation reporting on developments in Malta emphasised that additional systemic reforms and changes are necessary to address the deficiencies and shortcomings highlighted by the Venice Commission and the Independent Public Inquiry into the murder of Daphne Caruana Galizia. They noted the public inquiry’s conclusion that Malta had a culture of impunity and of tolerance for corruption and conflict of interest, which cannot be addressed by legislative changes only, but requires a change of attitude and behaviour on the part of all concerned. The delegation also called for a profound reform of the Maltese Parliament with the aim of considerably strengthening parliamentary oversight of the executive.
