Good morning,
Your morning briefing brings you a review of the latest news from Malta, Europe and around the world.
Today’s edition is dedicated to Mr Ivan Fenech, Assistant Editor of the Times of Malta, who passed away suddenly, on Wednesday 12th June 2019. Our condolences to his family and colleagues at Times of Malta and those who work in journalism on the Maltese islands.
Our main stories’ choice
Police in Cyprus have discovered the seventh victim of what is believed to be the island’s first serial killer.
Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte said that German Chancellor Angela Merkel would be a good candidate to be the next president of the European Commission, while adding that he does not think she wants the job.
US President Donald Trump has announced that US will deploy 1,000 more troops to Poland.
Ghana forces have rescued two Canadian women who were kidnapped last week outside their hostel in Ghana’s second city of Kumasi.
Chinese authorities launched a new campaign to clean up its internet, amid a fresh wave of censorship by Beijing blocking more foreign media websites and shutting down domestic accounts on social media.
These are the headlines from Malta’s newspapers.
The Malta Business Weekly reveals that De La Rue is selling its International Identity Solutions business to HID Corporation for £42 million in cash. In the year ending March 30, IIS generated £38 million sales with an operating profit of £2.3 million.
L-Orizzont says that International Identity Solutions employees will continue to enjoy the same conditions they had as part of De La Rue. General Workers Union, which represents most employees, said it will hold meetings with the new management.
Business Today says that the government acquired one share and veto rights in the newly formed Malta Air. Tourism Minister Konrad Mizzi said this will ensure Ryanair’s commitment to Malta.
The Malta Independent speaks to former Faculty of Laws Dean Kevin Aquilina who described the bill to create a State Advocate a ‘parody’ of the Venice Commission recommendations. Aqulina said that the proposed law is written in bad faith.
The Times reports that St Vincent de Paul residence and Mount Carmel hospital only have nine social workers between them, with a population of more than 1,000. The government’s Foundation for Social Welfare Services engages 246 social workers.
The Malta Independent says that Malta Enterprise issued a call for tenders for the design and construction of the Malta Pavilion at the Dubai 2020 Expo. The pavilion will be divided int on two floors with dedicated space for presentations and meetings.
The Times says that the United Nations Committee on Children’s Rights is calling on government to provide safe abortion to adolescents in Malta under all circumstances. The Health Ministry replied that it does not have a mandate to introduce abortion laws.
In-Nazzjon quotes Opposition Leader Adrian Delia who accused the government of ignoring the Constitutional Convention and passing laws separately. Delia said that the Bill to separate the powers of the Attorney General does not satisfy Greco recommendations.
L-Orizzont says that the consultation process for the parliament’s gender balance proposals has now ended. Speaker Anġlu Farrugia is expected to set up a commission to review the feedback to draw a strategic plan on the outcomes.
In other headlines:
The Federal Aviation Administration said it does not have a specific timetable on when Boeing Co’s troubled 737 MAX jet would return to service after two fatal crashes led to the airplane’s worldwide grounding in March.
Most criminal activity involving counterfeiting is carried out by increasingly professionalised organised crime networks, which can reap large profits while running relatively few risks.
