Air Malta Cabin Crew cost cutting plan expected soon / Malta News Briefing – Thursday 8 December 2022

Updated 1030

Air Malta Cabin Crew cost cutting plan expected soon

Finance Minister Clyde Caruana said that Air Malta’s cabin crew with soon be presented with a cost-cutting plan as part of the government’s bid to save the national airline. In comments to the Times of Malta, Caruana said “that there are further decisions that I need to announce to the cabin crew union.” “We need to cut more costs if we want a national airline. We cannot sustain an airline with eight planes at the current expense.” (Times of Mala)

Man in danger of dying after bike incident

A motorcyclist, aged 43, resident in Rabat, is in danger of dying following an accident in St Paul’s Bay. The accident happened at around 1am in Triq Burmarrad. TVM News has more.

Government wants to make space for Chalet commercialisation – reports

Maltatoday reveals that ​the government wants to ‘declassify’ the Sliema Chalet site, now earmarked for privatisation in a recently issued call for bidders, from the Public Domain Act, which stipulates that the first 15 metres of foreshore should be public and not be commercialised

Half of Maltese feel at risk of depression

Over 50% of people in Malta said they are at high risk of depression, the fifth round of the Living, working and Covid-19 survey found. This came as 40% of respondents in Malta reported that they are facing difficulties making ends meet. Additionally, the survey shows that poor work–life balance was reported across the board. Further details on Newsbook.

Morning Briefing

Rivas murder apparently linked to prostitution ring

Two Romanian brothers were on Wednesday charged with murdering Joseff Rivas in Paceville on Monday. The court sitting revealed that the fight was the result of an argument relating to organised crime involving prostitution. Rivas, 44, died at Mater Dei Hospital soon after the attack. Romanians Ionut Iulian Tanase, 35, and Dan-Andrei Tanase, 32, pleaded not guilty to the murder, being in possession of a weapon, carrying a knife in public without a licence and breaching the peace. They also pleaded not guilty to living off the proceeds of prostitution. A third man is in hospital and is expected to face similar charges today. (Times of Malta)

Anti-abortion NGOs call for life to be protected at all stages

Anti-abortion protestors returned to Valletta on Wednesday evening as they lit hundreds of candles in a vigil outside parliament to voice their anger against new amendments to Malta’s abortion law. Activists lit red candles around a large picture of a baby, with each candle representing “the life of the unborn child”. The vigil was advertised during an anti-abortion demonstration last Sunday as vigil for all the children that would die if the amendments are passed in parliament. Life Network Foundation chairperson Miriam Sciberras asked government pay attention to those concerned with the amendments. “Let us reword this amendment so that doctors, women and everyone has peace of mind and can know that every effort is being made to protect life”, she said. (Maltatoday)

PN condemns threats to own MP

The Nationalist Party has condemned threats that have been made against PN MP Eve Borg Bonello. A statement said that Borg Bonello has been the aim of threats on social media because of a speech in Parliament where she expressed her position against the introduction of abortion into the country.
It said that in a democratic country it is not acceptable that Parliamentary Deputies be made subject to threats simply because they express their beliefs in favour of life. (TVM)