Corporate Dispatch Morning Briefing and News Review
6514 Mins Read
Good morning
52 persons have died and over 300 injured as a number of churches and hotels were targeted in explosions in Sri Lanka, while heavy bombing erupted in South of Tripoli. In Malta we read that the US and Russia didn’t welcome a request to hold a Putin – Trump summit for the 30th anniversary of the Malta Summit.
This is our review of the main news from Malta and around the world in your daily morning briefing.
MaltaToday leads with a story about Malta’s envoy to the World Trade Organisation, Alex Sciberras Trigona, who is actively promoting a summit between Presidents Trump and Putin in Malta to mark 30 years since the historic Bush-Gorbachev summit. Washington and Moscow view the proposal negatively.
The Sunday Times says that the Council of Europe has chosen to review the democratic commitments and obligations of Malta, Hungary, and Romania. The organisation carries frequent checks, but a new mechanism now allows it to take specific action on members.
The Independent on Sunday carries an interview with Pippa dos Santos who served jail time in Malta after trafficking heroin from Turkey. Dos Santos said that prison gave her the break she needed to break out of a vicious circuit.
MaltaToday reveals that Air Malta is receiving government funds, although it is not allowed to do so under state aid rules. The paper assesses the company’s books for the year ending March 2018, published this week.
The Sunday Times also follows the story about Air Malta’s financial situation and reports that the carrier expects to register a loss in 2019. The airline says that losses will mainly derive from investments in new routes.
The Independent on Sunday analyses the functions of six enforcement entities in Malta: the Planning Authority; Occupational Health and Safety Authority; Malta Gaming Authority; Malta Financial Services Authority; Malta Tourism Authority; and Transport Malta.
The Sunday Times says that migrants who shared an apartment with Lassana Cisse, murdered in a drive-by shooting in Ħal Far, are worried at the “deafening silence” by the police. The migrants described the killed Ivorian as a Good Samaritan.
Illum quotes Bireżebbuġa parish priest Anton Galea Scannura who referred to the killing in his Good Friday reflection. Father Galea Scannura said that the murder is ‘a stain and a dent’ on the village.
Kulħadd reports that PN MP Simon Busuttil and the two PD representatives, Godfrey Farrugia and Marlene Farrugia, were absent from the parliamentary vote on the motion about the permanent link between Gozo and Malta.
It-Torċa says that the General Workers Union is conducting discussions to implement the EU directive on work-life balance as soon as possible. Secretary General Josef Bugeja said that the union wants a better quality of life for workers.
Il-Mument announces that tomorrow, Monday, the Nationalist Party will start the electoral campaign towards the May 25 elections. The paper publishes an interview with Secretary General Clyde Puli about preparations underway.
Illum speaks to Midwives and Nurses Union president Paula Pace who said that 14 wards in Mount Carmel Hospital have been structurally condemned. Health Minister Chris Fearne, meanwhile, says that new wards are being built where 60 patients will be transferred to in summer.
It-Torċa carries an interview with MEP Miriam Dalli on her work in the European Parliament, focusing on efforts to promote the circular economy, the decrease in car emissions, and contact with constituents.
Il-Mument, meanwhile, says that participants in the LEAD programme by the Labour Party feel cheated that none of them were selected as MEP candidates. The article says that the programme was only intended to push MEP Miriam Dalli’s agenda.
Kulħadd announces that singer Corona and DJ Federico Scavo will perform at the mass meeting outside Castille on May.
