Updated 1100
Salaries increase by 7.6% in Q3-2022 – CBM: Compensation of employees grew by an annual 7.6% in the third quarter of the year, compared with 9.6% in the previous quarter, the CBM said today. Its contribution to nominal GDP growth edged down to 3.3%. Compensation of employees increased in all sectors, with the one comprising wholesale and retail trade registering the largest increase in absolute terms. Other significant increases were recorded in financial and insurance activities, in the sector comprising professional, scientific and technical activities and in public administration.
UoM defends critical thinking unit: The University of Malta is defending a new and compulsory unit for all students after a petition started circulating online with students claiming they were not informed of the unit. In a statement, the University said that it has long felt the need for such a programme and that foreign universities have had similar programmes for several years. This new study unit, which starts in the second semester of Year 1 and continues into the first semester of Year 2, is called the Communication and Academic Skills Programme. The University said the aim of this unit is to help students develop critical thinking and reasoning, evaluate and process information, collaborate through mediation, self-direction and creative problem-solving skills. (Maltatoday/Newsbook)
Jesmond Gatt gets Parliament nod as MFSA chair: Jesmond Gatt is the new chairperson of the Malta Financial Services Authority (MFSA) replacing John Mamo. Following a meeting of the Public Appointments Committee held on Wednesday, the committee gave a positive recommendation for the appointment of Gatt as Chairman of the board of Governors of the MFSA. Gatt previously served as chairman of the Financial Intelligence Analysis Unit for the past three years and in different executive positions within the Central Bank of Malta. MPs from both sides of the political divide backed Mr Gatt’s nomination.
Morning Briefing
Malta calls for mandatory relocation of asylum seekers
Malta is among eight EU states to insist that as long as Europe does not enforce a mandatory relocation of asylum seekers, or returns of failed asylum seekers, the EU will be itself a ‘pull factor’ for migrants smuggled at sea or over land borders. In a letter signed by PM Robert Abela together with his counterparts of Austria, Denmark, Estonia, Greece, Lithuania, Malta, Latvia and Slovakia, the leaders said “that national and local authorities are struggling to cope with the influx” and that member states should be giving priority to people in need of international protection, “including the Ukrainians that have been displaced in light of the Russian aggression.” (Maltatoday)
Maltese rescuers pull dead victims from rubble in Turkey
Maltese rescuers in Turkey have been pulling dead victims out of the rubble of a hotel that collapsed during Monday’s earthquake in Turkey but they have still to rescue a survivor, a leading assistant rescue officer at the Civil Protection Department reported. In a call with Home Affairs Minister Byron Camilleri, Jonathan Callus said that “as more time passes, the hope that we may find people alive diminishes, not least because it is very cold here”. He said that rescue workers worked through the night in a -6 temperature.” (Times of Malta)
Strong winds expected today – Met Office
Storm Helios hit Malta overnight after a depression moved from Libya and made its way towards the central Mediterranean. While a strong wind warning has been in effect since Wednesday afternoon, the Met Office said in a statement that the low-pressure system will be closest to the Maltese Islands between Thursday and Friday bringing more severe weather conditions. The Meteorological Office has issued orange warnings for rain and wind today.
