Updated 1700pm – Newspaper Review
Times of Malta says that neighbours of an elderly woman who died after a pit bull attack on Monday had made multiple complaints to authorities about the conditions in which the animals were being kept.
Malta Today reports that an intruder has been caught on CCTV entering a protected enclosure for Barn Owls run by the hunting federation FKNK in Rabat’s Buskett wood.
Newsbook says that Bernard Grech apologised for allowing his tax affairs to get out of hand, but questioned the timing of the leak of information about them to the press.
TVM reports that 23 new cases of Covid-19 have been identified in Malta over the past 24 hours after 1,364 swab tests were carried out.
The Malta Independent says that Infrastructure Malta has said that ‘a few’ Marsa junction project workers have tested positive for Covid-19.
Updated 1244 – 23 new cases of coronavirus
The health authorities reported 23 new cases of coronavirus in Malta during the past 24 hours. 39 persons have recovered, bringing the number of active cases down again to 356.
The total number of persons who were at one point or another infected has now reached one short of 2,100.
1,364 swabs were taken yesterday, the authorities said in their daily update.
Updated 0911: Newspaper Review
The Times claims that Yorgen Fenech and current Minister for Justice, Edward Zammit Lewis, have exchanged hundreds of messages between January and October last year, up until two weeks before the businessman was arrested in November.
The Independent quotes the Coalition on Human Trafficking and Prostitution which said that the legalisation of prostitution does not reduce the stigma around sex work. Their statement came in reaction to comments by the Commissioner for Domestic Violence.
L-Orizzont publishes an interview with Finance Minister Edward Scicluna who said he is not concerned about the national deficit which rose to over €1 billion between January and July. The minister said the pandemic found the country financially prepared.
The Independent quotes a report by Amnesty International which notes a change of tactics in the way Malta deals with immigrants crossing the Mediterranean. The global NGO calls Malta’s measures ‘dangerous and illegal’.
The Times reports that a 95-year-old woman died in her Msida home on Monday after being attacked by two pit bulls belonging to her nephew. The dogs were kept in a nearby yard but managed to make their way into the victim’s ground floor residence.
In-Nazzjon says that neighbours of the elderly woman who was mortally attacked by two pit bulls, heard the screams coming out of her house. The dogs were taken away by the Animal Welfare Department while investigations are ongoing.
L-Orizzont speaks to Minister Carmelo Abela about the study on the basic living wage which is being conducted by economist Joe Falzon. The Minister said that the findings are expected to be published within six months.
In-Nazzjon reports on a fatal collision between a motorbike and a car in Xemxija on Monday after it had just rained. The motorcyclist was given medical assistance but was certified dead on the spot.
Morning Briefing
Two deadly incidents mar Monday evening
Yet another life was lost on the roads yesterday evening after a motorcyclist died after a crash in Xemxija.
The accident happened at about 6.30pm at the bottom of Xemxija Hill when the motorcycle was involved in a collision with a Land Rover. The motorcyclist, a 46-year-old German who lives in St Paul’s Bay, died on the spot.
Earlier, a 95-year-old woman has died after she was attacked in her Msida home by two pitbulls belonging to her nephew, according to media reports.
PN leadership hopeful settles tax dues
Bernard Grech, who will be contesting the incumbent PN leader in a month’s time for the top party post, yesterday settled almost €30,000 in tax dues, according to The Times of Malta.
Grech insisted that he disputed this amount, but opted to close the issue. A spokesperson for the leadership candidate said that although the would-be PN leader had the right to contest both the amount owed as well as penalties and interest, he had chosen not to exercise this right and had settled the full amount.
It is understood that the lawyer, who runs a family practice, adjusted his declared income for 2016, 2017, and 2019, raising it from what he had previously claimed to have earned.
Covid-19 Briefing
Health authorities have yesterday reported 37 new cases of coronavirus in Malta over the previous 24 hours, resulting from 1,640 swab tests. Sunday saw a significant increase in recoveries, 63, lowering the tally of active cases to 372.
The authorities said that from 30 new cases the day before, only 11 were traced to specific clusters. The number of cases in Malta has reached 2,076, with 203,777 total swabs being carried out.
UNHCR call on Government to disembark migrants
International organisations, including the UNHCR, accused government of breaching international law by denying disembarkation to 27 migrants who were rescued by a commercial vessel more than a month ago.
The oil tanker, Maersk Etienne, picked up the migrants on 5th August after Sea Watch had raised an alert. Among them, there is one child and a pregnant woman.
Last Sunday, Prime Minister Robert Abela has re-iterated that this situation “is not Malta’s responsibility”.
CDE News
