1745- Latest News update
Times of Malta says former PN MP Mario Galea has addressed a Labour conference about mental health that also featured his former party colleague Roseyln Borg Knight.
MaltaToday says a court compiling evidence against the three young men accused of hijacking an oil tanker which had rescued them and a boatload of 105 migrants at sea in 2019 has heard more rescued migrants testify that the accused had gone to the bridge at the invitation of the captain.
Newsbook says 73-year-old man is in danger of dying after suffering serious injuries from a fall while walking in Paola.
TVM says that speaking during a meeting of the Malta Council for Economic and Social Development on the Ukraine crisis, Prime Minister Robert Abela gave an assurance that the millions in wage supplement given during the two years of the pandemic, will remain in the businesses’ pockets.
Updated 1502 – Malta part of EU-wide effort to freeze and seize Russian assets
Malta is part of an EU-wide effort to “freeze and seize” assets of Russian individuals and entities subject to sanctions, Prime Minister Robert Abela said on Tuesday. Speaking at an MCESD meeting, the PM said that only a few companies registered in Malta might be impacted by sanctions. The PM explained that efforts are ongoing with another EU country to seize two assets of a Maltese company with Russia links. (Times of Malta)
Updated 1300 – Mid-Day Briefing
Bernard Grech calls out Labour leader’s ‘hypocrisy over criticism of Lawrence Gonzi’:
Bernard Grech has lashed out at Robert Abela, accusing him of being untrustworthy, dishonest, and engaging in fearmongering. The Nationalist Party leader was in combative mode when interviewed by Saviour Balzan on TVM News Plus’s Xtra yesterday. Grech insisted the Prime Minister’s only interest in the election was to achieve a better result
than his predecessor, Joseph Muscat.
No donations were discussed with Portelli- Abela: Prime Minister Robert Abela said that he did not discuss donations when meeting with Gozitan developer Joseph Portelli. He said he meets people from the commercial sector daily, as well as other sectors of society. Reports said Abela met with Portelli just one week before a permit for his Sannat
development was approved.
Covid-19 Update: The number of new COVID-19 cases continued to creep up, reaching 194, but tHE number of cases referred to hospital remained relatively constant, at 43. Two patients are in intensive care. During the last 24 hours, 1 man aged 52 and 1 woman
aged 91 died.
Newspaper Revie
Morning Briefing
Finance Minister says one cannot force workers to join a union
Finance Clyde Caruana said on Monday that not all workers will want to join a union and one cannot force them to unionise. In its electoral manifesto launched last Friday, Labour said that it is, in principle, in favour of making membership in a trade union mandatory and would seek to start discussions to that end.Caruana was speaking at a Malta Chamber of Commerce event about human capital and education when he faced criticism for the PL’s proposal by those present, including Chamber President Marisa Xuereb.
Grech rejects claims of illegally-built home
PN leader Bernard Grech strongly rejected claims his home was built illegally accusing Labour of trying to “build a story out of nothing”. He was reacting to comments by Labour leader Robert Abela who on Monday said Grech “illegally built” his home. Abela claimed his political rival had committed a number of illegalities when building his home and had only sought to sanction and regularise them once he had entered the race to become PN leader. The claims were made by PM Robert Abela as he dribbled past criticism that in 2017 he acquired a Żejtun villa just three months after it was regularised by the Planning Authority. [Times of Malta]
Abela denies Portelli donation claims
Labour leader Robert Abela on Monday confirmed meeting Gozitan developer Joseph Portelli earlier this month but insisted a controversial development that was approved last week had not been discussed. He also denied receiving donations from Portelli. Abela categorically denied that he or other Labour Party officials accepted any donations during the event. Abela was reacting to media reports that he was the guest of honour at an event organised by Portelli.
Covid-19 Update
143 new cases were reported on Monday, health authorities said, while recoveries stood at 38. Active cases now stand at 1,413, while deaths reached 615 after another elderly man passed away overnight.
