1745- Latest News update
Times of Malta says Finance Minister Clyde Caruana warned on Tuesday that Malta must be “prepared for what’s to come” as he recalled the bulk-buying of food during the Gulf war in the early 1990s saying the same thing is happening now.
MaltaToday says Former prime minister Joseph Muscat is being touted to head the Malta Professional Football Clubs Association after his name was floated by several clubs.
Newsbook says Government MPs sitting on the Public Accounts Committee have blocked police commissioner Angelo Gafà from testifying before the same committee.
TVM says last year the Financial Intelligence Analysis Unit, FIAU, presented 70 reports to Police requesting further investigations into suspected financial criminality.
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Wardens not issuing infringement tickets in protest of working conditions: Wardens are not issuing traffic fines, not towing away illegally parked cars and most of them are not showing up to reported road accidents in protest against working conditions, and to demand better salaries. The LESA officials are also showing up to work without a uniform after the General Workers’ Union issued the directive over the weekend. “If we see you parked on a double yellow line or using your phone while driving, we will still stop you, inform you that you are breaking the law and politely ask you to move your car or stop using your phone. But we will not fine you,” one warden told Times of Malta on Tuesday.
Food prices increases rate of inflation in May: Inflation continued to go up steeply in May, with official data published on Tuesday confirming what people have been feeling in their wallets. The National Statistics Office said the annual inflation rate in May as measured by the Retail Price Index, was 6.02 per cent, up from the 5.67 per cent in April. The largest upward impact on annual inflation was measured in the food index (+2.12 percentage points), largely due to higher prices of take-aways, the NSO said.
Covid-19 Update: 488 new cases of coronavirus were reported on Tuesday, as the recent spike continues. This was the highest report since 20th April. Five persons passed away while Covid-positive.
Morning Briefing
Femicide bill approved
A Bill that adds femicide as an aggravating offence to the Criminal Code has cleared all stages of parliament after unanimous approval at Third Reading stage. Parliament approved the Bill on Monday afternoon, which now requires President George Vella’s signature to become law. For a homicide to be considered a femicide in court, the victim must be a woman and must have been killed because she was a woman. This will include domestic violence, honour killings, misogynistic intentions, religious practices such as genital mutilation and sexual abuse.(Maltatoday)
Almost 1,000 Ukrainians granted protection in Malta
Some 992 Ukrainians have been granted temporary protection in Malta, with the vast majority being women, the National Statistics Office said on Monday. Figures released by NSO show that between March and May a total of 1,002 people have been given temporary protection, with 99% of these being Ukrainians, and 76% women. (Newsbook)
€2.4m unaccounted for in Ryan Schembri’s books, court hears
Some €2.4 million remained “unaccounted for” in the books of a company formerly co-owned by More Supermarkets boss Ryan Schembri, who had taken loans from various creditors, including murdered hotel tycoon Hugo Chetcuti a court heard on Monday. Details of Schembri’s business dealings emerged when a former associate testified in the proceedings against the owner of the now-defunct supermarket chain, who denies fraud and money laundering estimated to run into tens of millions of euros. (Times of Malta)
Covid-19 Update
Health authorities reported 233 cases on Monday, while 72 people recovered. Active cases have increased to 2,881. On Twitter, Health Minister Chris Fearne said that the omicron variant driven rise in community-covid transmission underlines the importance of maintaining high levels of immunity. He revealed that next week the Health Department will be sending out new immunization dates to 65+ residents who missed their first appointment for the second booster dose.
