Morning Briefing

Malta: Deterioration at shooting range opened four years ago

Il-Mument story says that shooting enthusiasts are disappointed that the national firing range in Ta’ Kandja has been left in a state of disrepair. The ranges were inaugurated in 2018…

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Malta: Melvin Theuma believed to have been involved in HSBC heist

Malta Today says that the presidential pardon granted to Melvin Theuma covered an indirect role he may have had in the attempted HSBC heist in 2010. Theuma is believed to…

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Malta: Government mulling buying band club properties

Illum says that the government is considering buying the properties of around 20 band clubs that are at risk of eviction. The measure echoes a proposal made by opposition MP…

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Malta: Adrian Hillman taken into custody

The Sunday Times reports that former Allied Group Managing Director Adrian Hillman was taken in police custody in the UK this week, following an arrest warrant issued by Malta. It…

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Malta: National airline seeking €290 million in state aid

The Independent on Sunday reveals that talks between the government and the EU Commission over support to Air Malta is likely to go on for several more weeks. The national…

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Malta: PN Leader calls for support of arts sector

In-Nazzjon quotes PN Leader Bernard Grech who said that the arts, entertainments, and culture sector is not only essential to a person’s development, but many artists depend on it to…

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Malta: Minister drops complaint against sisters accused of stalking

The Times says that former wife of Daniel Bogdanovic and her sister were cleared of stalking and harassing Education Minister Justyne Caruana after the minister dropped a criminal complaint against…

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Malta: SMEs report mental wellness issues in almost half of employees

The Independent says that nearly half of all businesses reported issues related to mental health and detachment among their employees. The study was conducted by the Chamber of SMEs with…

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Malta: Children taken out of the country without full parental consent

L-Orizzont says that year three cases of children being taken out of the country without the consent of both parents were reported in the last. The CEO of the Social…

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Malta: Children taken to Libya without their mother’s consent

L-Orizzont carries an interview with a victim of domestic violence who says her two children have been abducted by their father and taken to Libya four months ago. She has…

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Malta: PN calls for Carmelo Abela’s suspension

In-Nazzjon quotes a PN statement urging the Prime Minister to suspend OPM minister Carmelo Abela after being brought in for questioning by the police. The party said that Robert Abela’s…

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Malta: PM defends under-fire minister

The Independent says that the Prime Minister is prepared to take steps if evidence of wrongdoing by minister Carmelo Abela emerges. Speaking to journalists, Robert Abela said the minister was…

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Malta: Lowest rate of Covid-19 cases in the EU

The Times reports that the rate of new Covid-19 cases stands at 25.26 per 100,000 inhabitants, the lowest in the EU for the last 14 days. Malta also has the…

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Malta: Progress Press seeks to recoup €4 million from deal with Kasco

In-Nazzjon quotes a statement by Progress Press which said that it learnt from evidence presented in court that an agreement presented to the board of directors to purchase equipment from…

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Malta: Junior minister welcomes parliament vote on rent law revision

L-Orizzont quotes parliamentary secretary for housing, Roderick Galdes, who hailed the unanimous vote in parliament on the amendments regulating pre-1995 rent laws an historic step. The law impacts directly around…

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Malta: Minister Carmelo Abela called in for questioning by police

The Times says that Minister Carmelo Abela was summoned by the police for questioning on Wednesday in relation to an attempted heist on a bank in 2010. Confirming the questioning,…

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Malta: Murder suspect arraigned in court

The Independent says that a Serbian man suspected of killing an Egyptian man in 2018 pleaded not guilty when he was arraigned on Wednesday. Magistrate Simone Grech ordered the freezing…

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Malta: Group CEO sees opportunity for regional oil and gas sector

Business Today speaks to PB Group CEO David Raphael Busuttil who predicts increasing demands for energy infrastructure in the Mediterranean region, opening new opportunities for Malta in the sector. Another…

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Malta: Customs reports rise in fake Covid-19 equipment

The Malta Business weekly carries an interview with the director-general of the Customs Department Joseph Chetcuti who reported an increase in fraudulent health and safety gear during the pandemic, such…

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Malta: New pro-life group demands voice for unborn

L-Orizzont carries an interview with the founders of a new pro-life group who argued that young people should be proud to take a stance in favour of life. A spokesperson…

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Malta: Destiny makes it to Eurovision finals

In-Nazzjon says that singer Destiny earned Malta a place in the Eurovision Song Contest finals with “a spectacular performance” on Tuesday night. The paper report that the young singer’s number…

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Malta: Government plans consider alternatives to UK tourism

The Independent speaks to Tourism Minister Clayton Bartolo who said that the government has considered a scenario in which Malta was not added to the UK’s green list but urged…

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Malta: Building magnate tax bill reduced

The Times says that construction tycoon Charles Polidano has negotiated a reduction of a €40 million tax bill following a meeting with senior government officials. It is understood that iċ-Ċaqnu…

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Malta: Carmelo Abela says he was summoned by police on behalf of bank

Malta Today quotes minister Carmelo Abela who confirmed that he was questioned by the police in relation to the 2010 attempted heist on HSBC bank, but he said that the…

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Malta: PN calls for Minister Carmelo Abela’s removal

In-Nazzjon says that the PN is calling for the resignation of Minister Carmelo Abela following investigations by the police. The party spokesperson for National Security Beppe Fenech Adami asked whether…

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Malta: Covid-19 protocols curtailed influenza cases

The Independent speaks to the president of the Medical Association, Martin Balzan, who said that facemasks and social distancing have had a positive impact on respiratory diseases like influenza. Another…

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Malta: Hackers post details of PN members online

The Times reports that hackers have released the details of about 21,000 PN members on the dark web. The party refused to negotiate with the group behind the cyber-attack launched…

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Malta tops ILGA-Europe rankings for sixth time

L-Orizzont says that Malta retained the top position in the annual report for civil liberties by ILGA-Europe for the sixth consecutive row, registering 94 points. Second-placed Belgium achieved 74 percentage…

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Malta: Electrogas director to face grilling in parliament

The Times says that Electrogas director Paul Apap Bologna is expected to be summoned by the parliamentary Public Accounts Committee to explain the power station deal. The businessman was behind…

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Malta: PN leader welcomes clearance of allegations against MP

In-Nazzjon quotes PN Leader Bernard Grech who said that truth prevailed in the case of MP Toni Bezzina who was cleared of corruption charges. Grech asked what was holding the…

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Malta: Welfare agency head sees greater involvement of state in children’s care

L-Orizzont publishes an interview with the CEO of the Foundation for Social Wellbeing Services, Frans Grixti, who said that the state shares responsibility for the care of children with their…

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Malta: Catering lobby satisfied with business activity

The Independent quotes the president of the Hotels and Restaurants Association, Tony Zahra, who said that results from the first week of operations after a two-month shutdown beat expectations. The…

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Malta: Psychiatrist calls for mental health support for front-liners

It-Torċa carries an interview with psychiatrist Mark Xuereb who expressed concern about the effects of the pandemic on mental health among workers. Xuereb said that front-liners are especially affected and…

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Malta: PN MP cleared of corruption charges

Il-Mument says that PN MP Toni Abela was cleared of corruption charges related to works on a party club in 2012. The Nationalist Party welcomed the notification by the police…

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Malta: No agreement on new Ombudsman between government and opposition

Illum says that the Office of the Ombudsman faces uncertainty as the Prime Minister and the Opposition Leader fail to agree on the appointment of a new Ombudsman. The role…

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Malta: Prime Minister adopts wait-and-see approach to election date

The Sunday Times speaks to sources within the Labour Party who said that the Prime Minister is not expected to decide about the general election date before August, giving him…

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Malta: Marlene Farrugia says she remains pro-life

The Independent on Sunday quotes independent MP Marlene Farrugia who said that she is pro-life and believes that life begins at conception but argued that decriminalisation of abortion is a…

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Malta: Police investigating allegations of sitting minister’s role in bank robbery

Malta Today asks Minister Carmelo Abela whether he will step down until a fresh police probe into claims linking him to an attempted bank heist is concluded. Abela dismissed the…

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Malta: Ministers noncommittal on abortion motion

In-Nazzjon says that a statement by the Labour Party declaring that Prime Minister Robert Abela opposes abortion does not clarify the party’s position. Cabinet ministers questioned by the paper did…

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Malta: Abortion Bill unlikely to be debated in parliament

The Times says that the Labour Party will likely propose a national consultation on the decriminalisation of abortion, but the motion presented in parliament does not have the support of…

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Malta: Population grows by a quarter in 10 years

L-Orizzont says that the population in Malta reached 514,564, an increase of 24 per cent over a decade. Figures by the National Statistics Office show that the share of non-Maltese…

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Malta: Herd immunity to be reached within days

The Independent quotes Public Health Superintendent Charmaine Gauci who said that herd immunity from the Covid-19 virus is expected to be reached within days, adding that people are still bound…

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Malta: Bernard Grech criticises prejudice against LGBTQI+ community

In-Nazzjon follows a public Q&A with Bernard Grech who, asked about LGBTQI+ rights, said that politics should start from the equality of persons. He said that personhood comes before ideas…

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Malta: Village festas to be cancelled this summer

The Times says that villages feasts will be cancelled for the second consecutive year to lower the risks of Covid-19 contagion. Health authorities are due to meet church officials to…

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Malta: No Covid-19 casualties for six days

L-Orizzont says that the number of Covid-19 cases fell to 189 while no fatalities were recorded for the sixth day running on Thursday. Vaccinations have surpassed 400,000 with 272,000 people…

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Malta: President ready to resign if abortion law landed on his desk

The Independent speaks to President George Vella who declared his position against abortion and said that he would be left with no option but to resign if a law introducing…

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Malta: New Chamber of Commerce CEO outlines top skills needed by businesses

The Malta Business Weekly carries an interview with newly-appointed Chamber of Commerce CEO Marthese Portelli who said that businesses need new skills based on social, emotional, and digital capabilities. The…

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Malta: Government aiming for UK green list

Business Today says Maltese authorities are keeping regular contact with British counterparts to make sure that the country joins the UK green travel list this summer. Tourism Minister Clayton Bartolo…

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Malta: Concerns about incinerator impact assessment report

In-Nazzjon says that the Environmental Impact Assessment for the proposed incinerator in Magħtab was conducted by a person selected by Wasteserv that has a conflict of interest. The government has…

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Malta: Number of nurses stands at 3,500

L-Orizzont says that the number of nurses in Malta increased by 0.7 per cent between 2011 and 2019, the highest rate in the EU. There are currently 3,500 nurses and…

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Malta: Marlene Farrugia presents Bill to decriminalise abortion

The Times reports that independent MP Marlene Farrugia has tabled proposals to decriminalise abortion. Currently, anyone who seeks to helps with an abortion can be sentenced up to three months…

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Malta: Young people from the age of 16 can register for Covid-19 vaccine

The Independent quotes Health Minister Chris Fearne who announced that vaccinations will open for people aged 16 and over from Monday. The number of active Covid-19 cases fell below 200…

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Malta: Malta Enterprise CEO confident about impact of government aid

L-Orizzont speaks with Malta Enterprise CEO Kurt Farrugia who expects that a €20 million aid package unveiled by the government will contribute to a 2.5 per cent economic growth this…

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Malta: Herd immunity within a week

Malta Today says that the country is set to reach herd immunity on Monday 19, with seven in every ten having received at least one dose of Covid-19 vaccine. By…

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Malta: Degiorgio brothers file Constitutional case against Cabinet decision

In-Nazzjon says that murder suspects Alfred and George Degiorgio filed a Constitutional case against the government, accusing the Cabinet of abusing its power when their request for a presidential pardon…

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Malta: Libya requests millions linked to Gaddafi family

The Times says that the Libyan government is requesting Malta to release some €80 million in frozen bank deposits linked to the Gaddafi family. Libyan Foreign Minister Najla El-Mangoush was…

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Opposition urges government to make use of EU Covid-19 funds: The Headline – In-Nazzjon

In-Nazzjon quotes Opposition Leader Bernard Grech who raised questions in parliament about the government’s use of EU funds allocated for wage supplement schemes. Grech pledged the opposition’s backing for stronger…

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