Updated 1254 – Covid Update
Health authorities reported 65 positive cases for COVID-19 between Friday and Saturday, while another 43 recovered. After a week of decreases, this means that active cases have gone up again, to 455.
Updated 0911 – Newspaper Review
The Independent publishes an interview with Justice Minister Edward Zammit Lewis who defended the track record of Attorney General Peter Grech. The minister said there are different interpretations of the former AG’s performance, but he always did his duty.
The Times reports that Keith Schembri and the directors of his companies have filed an application before the Constitutional Court claiming a breach of fundamental human rights after a magistrate ordered an asset freeze on his businesses.
L-Orizzont quotes General Workers Union secretary general Josef Bugeja who called for reform of the legislation that regulates home-working. The union says that security, career progression, and benefits should be upheld in more flexible working conditions.
In-Nazzjon says that the total number and percentage of paid-up members who have voted in the PN leadership election are both higher than in the 2017 contest. The party’s general convention will be launched this evening ahead of the election results.
The Times reports that two-thirds of PN members have cast their votes in the leadership contest between Adrian Delia and Bernard Grech. The winner will be announced today after the final day of voting.
The Independent speaks to PN electoral commission president Peter Fenech who said that the sealed ballot boxes from voting stations will be brought to a ‘virtual strong room’ before the counting process starts this evening.
In-Nazzjon reports on three more fatalities linked to Covid-19 announced between Thursday and Friday. The pandemic has now claimed the lives of 38 people in Malta, 22 of whom died in the past two weeks.
L-Orizzont reports that 202 babies were born since IVF services were launched at Mater Dei hospital in January 2015. There were 112 girls and 90 boys, including 27 pairs of twins and three sets of triplets.
In-Nazzjon quotes a PN statement accusing the government of irresponsibility for delaying support for agricultural workers by more than a year and a half. The government earlier announced compensation for damage to crops caused by a February last year.
Morning Briefing
PN to conclude leadership election this evening
After a lengthy months-long process, the PN will choose its leader today with paid-up members voting between 8am and 4pm in Malta, and between 8am and 2pm in Gozo.
Incumbent leader Adrian Delia is facing off with Bernard Grech. A result is expected late in the evening, the culmination of a troubled year for the party in Opposition.
In the first four days of early voting, more than two-thirds of the 21,499 paid-up members of the PN have already cast their vote.
Caruana Galizia murder: Magistrate orders sharing of exhibits with defence team
Magistrate Rachel Montebello, who is presiding over the compilation of evidence against alleged Daphne Caruana Galizia mastermind Yorgen Fenech has ruled that a number of acts related to the enquiry, including taped conversations and mobile phone data, should be shared with the defence.
Fenech’s lawyers had argued that failure to do so would be breaching their client’s right to a fair hearing. On his part, the Attorney General had declared that he intended to exhibit the acts of the inquiry in the next sitting, on October 6.
The court also decided that it has the last word on what can be shared, as the inquiry file itself contained copies of acts from several other related inquiries which should not be revealed lest it damage the ongoing inquiries
Covid-19 Update
Three persons passed away yesterday, as Malta’s death tally has now reached 38. 44 new cases of coronavirus were reported by the authorities today, while 63 have recovered.
During the weekly briefing yesterday, Prof Charmaine Gauci said that less than 10% of the 434 active cases are currently requiring hospitalisation, with five being in intensive care. The number of cases in residential homes for the elderly have continued to increase, particulary at the San Ġużepp home, where 127 residents and 32 members of staff have contracted the virus.
The Health Superintendent also said that 14 cases this week were related to air travel.
CDE News
