The Malta Business Weekly reports that the British pound dropped sharply against the American dollar on Wednesday after Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced plans to suspend parliament, increasing the likelihood of a no-deal Brexit.
The Malta Independent says that the poor conditions of the Paloma hostel in Buġibba have remained largely unaffected by the ‘superficial cleaning exercise’ carried out after the police raided the property on Monday.
In-Nazzjon follows the story, too, and says that the police are still on the hunt for the ‘hidden brains’ behind the illegal rentals. The paper says that the landlords made a quarter of a million annually off the back of migrants.
The Malta Business Weekly says that banknote printer De La Rue lost four senior executives in a few months, with the chief technology officer the latest to resign this week. The British company has a facility in Malta.
The Times quotes a report by the Centre for Aviation which says that Air Malta made net losses in the financial year ending March 2019. The airline disagreed with the conclusions of the report and insisted it will register a profit.
The Times reveals that the Superintendence for Cultural Heritage withdrew its objections to the proposed conversion of two iconic townhouses in Saqqajja into a boutique hotel. The culture watchdog said revised plans respect the architectural value of the properties.
The Malta Independent quotes the latest edition of the Financial Stability Report by the Central Bank which warns against borrowers taking on mortgages higher than their salaries. The Central Bank says this creates ‘pockets of vulnerability’.
L-Orizzont leads with priorities earmarked by the General Workers Union in its budget proposals. The union demands more attention to industrial relations, pensions, Gozo, and vulnerable people.
In-Nazzjon quotes figures by the Basel Anti-Money Laundering Index and says that Malta dropped six places between 2013 and 2019. The latest report ranks the country in the 13th place.
L-Orizzont carries an interview with Charles Spiteri, an expert in Constitutional law on Human Rights, who said that people in Malta are not protected against the decisions of the US Office of Foreign Assets Control.
