1745- Latest News update
Times of Malta says Konrad Mizzi has claimed that he was simply an “observer” in meetings that led to the decision to grant a power station contract to the Electrogas consortium.
MaltaToday says Former European Commissioner John Dalli was charged in connection with an alleged €60 million bribery bid aimed at overturning an EU-wide ban on snus, a form of smokeless tobacco, when he was occupied the post
Newsbook says Plans are underway to hold the Labour Party’s congress before the end of February
TVM says that Luke John Milton has been released on bail after pleading not guilty to the charge of kidnapping Carlos Schembri from Triq it-Tabija, Rabat on 21 January.
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Almost half of Covid fatalities hadn’t taken booster – Gauci: Health Superintendent Prof Charmaine Gauci revealed that almost half of all COVID-19 deaths among over 60s this year came from the five per cent of people in that age group who did not take a vaccine booster dose. Speaking to The Times of Malta, she noted how around 95% of people aged 60 and older – roughly 120,000 people – have received a vaccine booster dose, leaving just 5% of that age cohort, or 6,000 people, who are either not fully vaccinated or not vaccinated at all.
PL kicks general congress plans: The Labour Party has kicked off plans to hold its general congress before the end of February, according to media reports. This event usually serves as the platform for the approval of the electoral programme and candidate by its delegates and is usually held after the electoral campaign has kicked off. According to the report, senior Labour Party sources said the meeting discussed the possibility of holding the congress event as early as Sunday, 20 February. With a congress at the end of the month, the general election would be likely in the few weeks after.
Covid-19 Update: Recoveries increased to 304 on Wednesday, with new cases standing at 172, leaving an active case tally of 2097. During the last 24 hours, a 92-year-old woman passed away, the 572nd fatality of the pandemic. Hospitalised cases have also gone down (79), four of whom in ITU.
Morning Briefing
Court to hear PN case on PBS with urgency
PBS, the Broadcasting Authority, Minister Carmelo Abela and the State Advocate have been given six days to reply to a constitutional case opened by the PN and media imbalance across the state broadcaster. The first hearing will take place on 17 February. In its case, the Nationalist Party is asking for stronger impartiality in state broadcasting, arguing that the PN suffered months of political imbalance in PBS news coverage. In a statement on Tuesday, the PN said it will put for balance and impartiality in all broadcasting, but most especially in the national broadcasting services. “The Nationalist Party spent whole months trying to make sure the Broadcasting Authority and PBS take needed action on this imbalance. Nonetheless, the party had no alternative than to take legal action to protect the rights of the Opposition and the Maltese public, the latter of whom deserves balanced broadcasting and communications. (Maltatoday)
PM inaugurates new National Distribution Centre
Prime Minister Robert Abela inaugurated the Ħas-Saptan National Distribution Centre on Tuesday evening. Through this project, fuel storage was moved from the heart of Birżebbuġa to Ħas-Saptan. Abela said that one of the biggest challenges a policy maker in a small country faces is how and where to provide essential services while leaving a minimum negative impact. “This new facility saw a €70 million investment to eliminate toxic fumes during the transfer of fuel from the tank to the bowser. These emissions are also eliminated during the process when bowsers transfer fuel to fuel pumps,” he said.
BOV ordered to pay €370 million on Deiulemar case
BOV has been ordered by an Italian Court to to pay €370 million over massive losses suffered by bondholders in the so called Deiulemar case. Shareholders in the latter company were found guilty of fraud and in 2014 seven members of the company’s founders were jailed by an Italian court. BOV has always disputed the amount in compensation being claimed, saying the shares held were deemed worthless following the bankruptcy of Deiulemar Group. “The bank held no other assets on behalf of the Deiulemar Group,” BOV said in a press statement were it also announced to appeal. (Times of Malta)
Covid-19 Update: 186 new cases were found in the last 24 hours, with 286 new recoveries. There are 89 patients currently being treated at Mater Dei Hospital, 4 of whom are in the ITU. The Health Ministry announced that an 85-year-old woman died while Covid-19 positive.
