Good morning,
This is your morning briefing for Saturday, with a review of the main news from Malta, Europe and the world.
Latest News
At least 50 migrants die off the coast of Tunisia after their boat capsized
Iran could target U.S. commercial ships including oil tankers, the U.S. Maritime Administration said on Friday, as a senior Iranian cleric said a U.S. Navy fleet could be “destroyed with one missile.”
The UN Security Council called for warring Libyan parties to recommit to political talks and agree to a ceasefire as a month-long offensive on the capital showed no signs of ending.
Italian police capture gunman suspected of shooting 4-yr-old
Maltese web-portal Newsbook is reporting that 85 migrants were saved by an AFM Maltese patrol boat during the night and are expected to be brought to Malta in the coming hours.
Pete Buttigieg, a candidate for the Democratic Party’s nomination for the Presidential election in 2020, continues to ramp up support amongst the American electorate
Reuters reports that Israel has launched a PR campaign to counter boycott of the upcoming Eurovision Song Contest final in Tel Aviv ,
Greece’s left-wing government late Friday won a confidence vote called by Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras nearly two weeks before European Parliament elections.
These are the headlines from Malta’s newspaper front-pages.
The Times quotes President George Vella who called for a review of working conditions in the construction industry. The President said that workers’ health should not be sacrificed for the interests of their employers.
The Malta Independent leads with the unveiling of the national strategy against single-use plastics. The consultation document proposes the banning of plastic confetti and balloon releases in public events by 2020, among other measures.
The Times carries a story about plans to increase the Ta’ Qali park by 200,000 square metres. Prime Minister Joseph Muscat said that an area used as a concrete factory will be transformed into open space for families.
L-Orizzont also covers the announcement by the Prime Minister who described the project as the largest open space in the country, effectively doubling the park in Ta’ Qali in size. The paper says government is investing €20 million to convert the site.
The Malta Independent asks Education Minister Evarist Bartolo whether parents whose children are still on the free transport waiting-list will receive any compensation. The minister said that there are currently no plans for that.
In-Nazzjon quotes PN Leader Adrian Delia who said that the Nationalist Party is working on a European masterplan to fight cancer. Delia said that the party has already spoken to the EPP’s spitzenkandidat Manfred Weber who welcomed the proposal.
L-Orizzont reveals that Palm Village in Libya, which is led by ‘Maltese interests’, will remain open despite the internationally-recognised government ordering the suspension of some 40 foreign companies from the country.
In-Nazzjon says that 10 of 14 Labour Party candidates for the MEP elections failed to answer a survey by Life Network Malta about their positions on abortion. The paper says that the Nationalist Party candidates declared their opposition to abortion, surrogacy, and euthanasia.
Other Stories
The US is sending a Patriot air defence missile system and a warship to the Middle East amid escalating tensions with Iran.
900 children involved in fight against Boko Haram freed by pro-government militias in Nigeria.
Macron demands more from Facebook in combatting hate speech
David and Victoria Beckham have acquired full ownership of the footballer’s brand company, buying out the minority stake held by Simon Fuller, their longtime business partner and creator of the American Idol talent show.
Uber began trading on the New York Stock Exchange Friday at $42 per share, below its IPO price of $45.
Uefa, European football’s governing body, has come under fire over a proposal to change the structure of the Champions League that would ensure the richest clubs are likelier to play each season in one of the sport’s most valuable and prestigious tournaments.
A Montenegro court has sentenced 14 people including two Russian military intelligence officers, two Montenegrin opposition leaders, nine Serbian citizens and another Montenegrin to up to 15 years in prison after they were found guilty of attempting to overthrow the Montenegrin government in 2016.
CD
The European Parliament is set to test new rules in its upcoming June plenary session to avoid empty seats during debates and improve engagement between lawmakers and EU Commissioners.
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Ryanair is being investigated by the UK's competition watchdog over charges it imposes on parents to sit next to their child on flights.
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) sa...
Morning Briefing
Fiscal Council urges shift towards productivity-led growth
The Malta Fiscal Advisory Council (MFAC) has endorsed the government’s latest economic forecasts while w...
Updated 1200
Four New Permanent Secretaries Appointed as Government Reshuffles Top Civil Service Roles: The government has appointed four new Permanent Secretaries following the forma...
The European Union's new Migration and Asylum Pact enters into force on 12 June, ushering in the most significant reform of the bloc's migration framework in years and placing renewed em...
The European Parliament has approved a major new initiative aimed at reducing workplace accidents and strengthening worker protection across the European Union, as concerns continue to g...
Ryanair is being investigated by the UK's competition watchdog over charges it imposes on parents to sit next to their child on flights.
The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) sa...
Oil prices jumped on Thursday as Tehran declared the critical energy chokepoint, the Strait of Hormuz, closed after the U.S. launched additional strikes against Iran and as President Do...
The European Parliament has approved a major new initiative aimed at reducing workplace accidents and strengthening worker protection across the European Union, as concerns continue to g...
The European Union has approved new rules aimed at tightening the screening of foreign investments in strategic sectors, marking a major shift in Europe’s approach towards economic secur...
The global labour market is being reshaped by the combined pressures of escalating geopolitical conflict and rapid artificial intelligence adoption, creating a “dual shock” to jobs, skil...
Design has become one of the most influential factors shaping consumer behaviour across the European Union, but new evidence from the European Union Intellectual Property Office shows th...
The United States launched military strikes against Iran on Tuesday after President Donald Trump said Tehran was responsible for the downing of a U.S. Apache helicopter near the Strait o...
Israel and Iran exchanged fresh attacks on Monday, marking a significant escalation in tensions and raising concerns over regional stability and global energy supplies.
The Israeli mi...
Thousands of Cuban security personnel have begun leaving Caracas after nearly two decades in Venezuela, as Washington ramps up efforts to dismantle the long standing alliance between the...
María Corina Machado is a prominent figure in Venezuela’s opposition. She has reported that one of her closest associates, Juan Pablo Guanipa, was abducted. This occurred mere hours afte...
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy proposed a face-to-face meeting with Vladimir Putin in an open letter to the Russian leader on Thursday, saying he was ready for a "full ceasefire...
All members of the European Union agreed to open talks with Ukraine and Moldova on the first cluster of issues in their accession talks, Ukrainian Prime Minister Yulia Svyrydenko said ...
