Good morning,
Your morning briefing gives you a roundup of the main news which feature in the headlines around the world and a review of the main stories on Malta’s newspaper front pages.
Start your day informed.
The Latest
- Sea Watch lodge urgent complaint against Italy with European Court for Human Rights
- Nancy Pelosi invites Trump to deliver State of the Union speech on February 5th
- Britain needs to decide what it really wants – EU
- Retailers warn of threat of No-Deal Brexit on food prices and availability
- US Justice Department files 13 charges against Huawei and its CFO
- Venezuela: US announces new sanctions blocking $7bn in offshore assets held by Maduro
- Medicines will be prioritised over food imports under No-Deal Brexit
- Mueller’s investigation into possible collusion between Trump’s campaign office and Russia soon over
- Trump warns European Countries not to try to evade Iran sanctions
- Havana hit by freak tornado
- Apple acknowledges FaceTime eavesdropping bug
- Netanyahu says Israel will eject any foreign force set up to protect Palestinians in Hebron
- Americans and Talibans agree in principle on terms for peace in Afghanistan
- UK Government’s plan to cut corporation tax is to result in more billions in lost revenue than thought
The Newspaper review
The Malta Independent says that most of the Planning Authority Board members are set to vote against a proposal to develop a 138-room hotel adjacent to Bay Street in St Julian’s. The project has been recommended for approval by the case officer but the PA Board has doubts on the impact on traffic in the area.
The Times reports that Malta fell to 54th place in the corruption perception index by Transparency International. The paper says that this is the lowest position for the country which has gradually fell 29 rungs since placing 25th in 2004.
The Malta Independent quotes President Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca who said that we have a duty to protect our cultural heritage. The president was speaking at the launch of the Sustainable Regeneration of Heritage Buildings project, led by architect Amber Wismayer.
The Times says that the director general of the Customs Departments fears that the infrastructure at the airport arrivals lounge could create a bottleneck after Brexit, with 12 UK flights arriving and departing every day, carrying some 160 passengers each.
L-Orizzont quotes health authorities who assured there is no cause for alarm after an eight-month-old child was taken into intensive treatment at the hospital. The paper says there is no epidemy and this case is unrelated to the two other recent cases involving young children.
In-Nazzjon speaks to a prison warden who says that, if inmates are ill-treated, so are wardens. The unnamed warden says that prisoners are held in ‘inhuman conditions’ and that wardens must obey orders that are either senseless or have a hidden agenda.
L-Orizzont carries and interview with a person from Alcoholic Anonymous about his experience, and says that when he drinks, he becomes impossible to live with. The man says that he started drinking aged 14, up to when he was an ordinary, exemplary child.
In-Nazzjon follows a session for mayors in parliament and quotes Marsaskala mayor Mario Calleja who said that local councils need to have contacts at public departments to find help from the government.
Other news
- Brazil eyes management overhaul for Vale after deadly dam disaster – Reuters
- Nigeria adjourns trial of top judge suspended by president – Reuters
- Migranti, Di Maio: pronti a un incidente diplomatico con l’Olanda – Ansa
- ISIS Bombing of Cathedral in Philippines Shows Group’s Reach into Asia – New York Times
- EU to fight US tariffs on Spanish olives at WTO – DW
- After 1MDB, Malaysia launches anti-graft plan to clean stables – Reuters
- Elderly women die in Malaysian food coupons stampede – BBC
