Briefings

Insights

Headlines

World

24 cases of Covid-19 / Malta News Briefing – Wednesday 21 April 2021

Covid-19 Update 24 Covid cases were reported on Wednesday, along 65 recoveries. This pushes the number of active cases down to 522 and were identified through 1,992 swab tests. No new deaths were registered yesterday, leaving the count at 411. 288,797 vaccine doses were administered until yester...

Covid cases down to 13: Malta News Briefing- Tuesday 20 April 2021

Latest Update- News Portal Briefing Times of Malta reports that hackers have threatened to leak "valuable" Nationalist Party documents, unless the party agrees to "communicate and cooperate" with them in 10 days. MaltaToday reports that no new taxes will be introduced and no tax increas...

Malta registers 30,000th coronavirus case / Malta News Briefing – Monday 19 April 2021

Latest Update- News Portal Briefing Times of Malta reports that atotal of 1,137 fines were handed out over the last seven days to people who failed to follow COVID-19 mitigation measures, down from last week’s 1,261. MaltaToday reports that Government has awarded an alternative site to R...

Update – 19-year-old dies in traffic accident in Rabat – Malta News Briefing – Sunday 18 April 2021

Update 1230 h - Fatal Traffic Accident in Rabat, Malta - A 19-year-old person died in a traffic accident in Triq l-Infetti L/O Rabat Malta. Media reports said that the accident happened on Sunday morning when the car had a violent impact with a tree in the zone. Several members of the civil protec...

Four persons die of Covid-19 / Malta News Briefing – Saturday 17 April 2021

Updated 1250 Covid-19: Coronavirus cases have increased after the dip of the past few days, reaching 67 on Saturday. Health authorities reported 38 recoveries. Four people died, including three men aged 61, 77 and 79 and 63-year-old woman This means that 409 persons have now lost their lives a...

Malta: Passengers between the islands decrease by a third

The number of passengers crossing between Malta and Gozo in the first quarter this year decreased by 31.5 percent compared with the same period in 2020. Figures by the National Statistics Office show that a total of 710,749 persons travelled between Malta and Gozo in the first three months of 2021. ...

Malta: Nine students for every teacher in schools

The overall ratio between teachers and the student population stood at 9.2 in the academic year 2018-2019. Data by the National Statistics Office shows that the ratio was lowest in state schools with 8.3 students per teacher. It rose to 11.2 in church schools and 12.4 in private schools. The total ...

Malta: Retail sector registers sharpest drop in the EU

The volume of retail trade fell for a second consecutive month in February, decreasing by 1.5 percent from January. Data by Eurostat shows that the drop in Malta was the highest among EU members, followed by France and Hungary (both -1.2%). The retail sector in the EU27 registered a 2.9 percent mont...

Malta: Fewer tourists but longer stays in February

Inbound tourism in February dropped nearly 94 percent compared with the same month last year, with a total of 9,151 visitors. Figures by the National Statistics Office, however, show that the average length of stay more than doubled from 5.8 nights in 2020 to 12.4 nights this year. Almost nine in e...

Malta: January accounted for a fifth of language students in 2020

The number of students enrolled in English as a Foreign Language courses last year was just under 14,500, a drop of more than two-thirds from 83,610 registered in 2019. Data by the National Statistics Office shows that January emerged as the strongest month, with 3,480 students in language schools a...

Degiorgio brothers object to Cabinet decision

The Independent reveals that Alfred and George Degiorgio have filed a judicial protest challenging the decision by the Cabinet to reject their request for pardon in exchange for information on committed crimes. Another story says that the government deficit is expected to rise to 65 per cent of ...

Malta: Restaurant owners welcome PN VAT proposal

In-Nazzjon quotes the president of the Association of Catering Establishments, Reuben Buttigieg, who welcomed proposals by the PN to reduce the VAT rate on tourism sector services to seven per cent. Another story says that Prime Minister Robert Abela declined to explain the Cabinet decision to t...

Malta: Pandemic costing government €5 every day

L-Orizzont says that public spending on Covid-19 assistance schemes for business and families rose to €3 million a day. Finance Minister Clyde Caruana said that government income from economic activity decreased by €2 million daily. Another story reports on a European Court of Justice decision c...

Malta: PN suffers ransomware attack

Malta Today says that a magisterial inquiry has been launched into a cyber-attack that stole sensitive information from the PN’s servers. The hackers behind the Avaddon ransomware published employee data to the dark web. Another report quotes Finance Minister Clyde Caruana who revealed that the ...

Malta: Restaurants promised second helping of voucher scheme

The Times reports a meeting between the government and the Association of Catering Establishments. Restaurant and café owners were told that a voucher scheme will be issued shortly after the ban on catering places is lifted. Another story says that the Nationalist Party suffered an attack on its...

Climate, not COVID, the biggest worry among young Europeans – poll

Young people in Europe worry most about climate change - even in the midst of a pandemic that has hammered the global economy and turned daily life upside-down around the world, a poll showed on Wednesday. Almost half of the respondents in the survey of more than 22,000 young people in 23 Eu...

UPDATED: EU aims to set global standards for AI, fines for violations

The European Commission on Wednesday announced tough draft rules on the use of artificial intelligence, including a ban on most surveillance, as part of an attempt to set global standards for a technology seen as crucial to future economic growth. The rules, which envisage hefty fines for vi...

UPDATED: Indonesia searching for 53 crew aboard missing submarine, seeks Australia, Singapore help

Indonesia's navy is searching for a missing submarine with 53 people on board that went missing on Wednesday and is seeking help from neighbouring Australia and Singapore in the hunt, the Indonesian military chief told Reuters. The German-made submarine, KRI Nanggala-402, was conducting a to...

UPDATED: EU reaches provisional deal on 55% greenhouse gas cut by 2030

The European Union clinched a deal in the early hours of Wednesday on a climate change law that commits the bloc to more than halving its net greenhouse gas emissions by the end of the decade. The deal arrives just in time for a summit of world leaders hosted by the U.S. government on Thursday a...

UPDATED: European countries to resume J&J COVID vaccine deliveries

European countries prepared on Wednesday to resume deliveries of Johnson & Johnson's COVID-19 vaccine and speed up the rollout after Europe's drug regulator backed the shot. Germany's health ministry said it would start deliveries to federal states for use in vaccination centres shortly,...

21st April 2021

24 cases of Covid-19 / Malta News Briefing – Wednesday 21 April 2021

21st April 2021

Degiorgio brothers object to Cabinet decision

21st April 2021

Malta: Restaurant owners welcome PN VAT proposal

21st April 2021

Malta: Pandemic costing government €5 every day

21st April 2021

Malta: PN suffers ransomware attack

21st April 2021

Malta: Restaurants promised second helping of voucher scheme

20th April 2021

Malta launches national campaign on climate change

Malta is at high risk for impacts of climate change, and this requires ambitious action and collective change. This is not a simple educational campaign, but a call for a change towards more sustainable lifestyles. There is a need for tangible change towards better quality of life for everyone. In this context, Government today launched the fi...

20th April 2021

Covid cases down to 13: Malta News Briefing- Tuesday 20 April 2021

20th April 2021

Maltese Editors Perspectives

The Times of Malta notes recent changes at the FIAU, saying that enacting good legislation is a crucial first step in proving Malta’s commitment to the rule of law. But the real test comes when law enforcement in all spheres of public life, especially in preventing financial crime, is intrusive, persistent and consistent. Bringing those who abuse ...

20th April 2021

Malta: Doctor warns about Covid-19 risks to children

L-Orizzont speaks to a paediatrician who cautions that the perception that children do not contract Covid-19 is misguided. An eleven-year-old boy recently died in Italy after a long battle with the disease. Another story quotes a government press release explaining that the decision to refuse a pardon request by Alfred and George Degiorgio was ...

20th April 2021

Malta: Speaker rules that committee witnesses have the right to silence

In-Nazzjon quotes a ruling by the House Speaker who said that witnesses summoned by the Parliamentary Accounts Committee are obliged to testify but have the right to silence. The opposition requested the ruling following Brian Tonna’s refusal to answer PAC questions. Another story quotes a reaction by the PN to the government’s announcement tha...

20th April 2021

Malta: Minister recuses himself from Cabinet pardon decision

The Independent says that Minister Carmelo Abela has recused himself from the Cabinet’s decision to pardon the Degiorgio brothers, following allegations that he was connected to a botched bank heist in 2010. The minister rejects the allegations. Another story quotes tributes posted on social media after the teenage victim of a traffic acc...

20th April 2021

Malta: Cabinet rejects pardon request by Degiorgio brothers

The Times reports that the Cabinet has advised the President against granting a pardon to brothers Alfred and George Degiorgio. The alleged hitmen in the Caruana Galizia murder volunteered information in exchange for immunity from prosecution. Another story says that Dar tal-Providenza has decided to postpone upgrading works on a home for perso...

19th April 2021

Malta registers 30,000th coronavirus case / Malta News Briefing – Monday 19 April 2021

19th April 2021

Malta: PN Leader says national restoration relies on party renewal

In-Nazzjon follows an interview with PN Leader Bernard Grech by the editor-in-chief of The Malta Independent. Grech said that transformation of the country must begin with the renewal of the Nationalist Party. Another story reports on a fatal traffic accident on Sunday morning which claimed the life of a 19-year-old driver and injured a passeng...

19th April 2021

Malta: Karting site to be converted into garden centre

The Independent reports that the Planning Authority gas approved the conversion of the Badger go-karting track in Ta’ Qali into a garden centre. The new site is expected to have ancillary facilities including an animal petting area and a bumping car ride. Another story follows an interview with PN Leader Bernard Grech who said that the electora...

19th April 2021

Malta: Disability helpline receives hundreds of calls every month

L-Orizzont speaks with Aġenzija Sapport CEO Ruth Sciberras who said that the national helpline for persons with disability, 153, received nearly 1,700 since it was launched in November last year. The paper quotes Health Minister Chris Fearne who said that the doses of Johnson & Johnson vaccines will remain sealed until the European Medicine...

19th April 2021

Malta: Prime Minister warns against Covid-19 complacency

The Times quotes Prime Minister Robert Abela who appealed for caution as the authorities started easing Covid-19 restrictions. Abela said that the fight against the pandemic has not been won yet. Another story reports that the daughter of a top advisor to Transport Minister Ian Borg was engaged as a junior lawyer with the same ministry months b...

18th April 2021

Update – 19-year-old dies in traffic accident in Rabat – Malta News Briefing – Sunday 18 April 2021

18th April 2021

Malta: Tourism sector calling for national plan

Il-Mument says that social partners are urging the government to draw a comprehensive plan for tourism. The president of the Association of Travel Agents said that the body has presented a series of proposals. The paper publishes an interview with the PN spokesperson for Air Malta, Mario de Marco, who appealed to the government to remove all po...

18th April 2021

Malta: Rate of Covid-19 fatalities lower than in other countries

It-Torċa carries an interview with Health Minister Chris Fearne who said that the rate of deaths caused by the coronavirus in Malta is lower than in other countries where the pandemic has claimed a life in 45. The rate in Malta is one casualty from 75 people. Another story says that Commissioner for Standards is investigating a government decis...

18th April 2021

Malta: PM hails Marsa Junction project

Kullħadd leads with the official inauguration of the Marsa Junction project this week. Prime Minister Robert Abela described the flyover complex as a reflection of the ambition and perseverance of people in Malta. The paper dismisses claims by former PN Leader that the last election was skewed by the power of incumbency of the Labour government...

18th April 2021

Malta: Majority disagree with introducing new Covid-19 restrictions

Illum quotes survey findings showing that 55 percent of the population is against further restrictions. Two-thirds of in the 18-35 age bracket disagree with more restrictions while 60 percent of people aged 51 to 65 want stricter rules. The paper says that proposals by the Nationalist Party to revitalise the tourism sector will include a seven-...

18th April 2021

Malta: PN urging long-time politicians to take a step back – Updated

The Independent on Sunday says that the PN is spearheading an effort to open its structures, including the parliamentary group, to new people. Veteran MPs are being asked to move to new roles within the party. The idea, first floated by Nationalist MP Claudio Grech last year, seems to have garnered more support, including that of PN Leader Bern...

18th April 2021

Malta: Government mulling replacing jail time with electronic tagging

Malta Today reveals that the government is considering electronic tags for people convicted of minor crimes with sentences of less than a year. The system is intended to ease population pressures on Corradino Correctional Facility. The paper publishes survey findings showing that worries about corruption have risen by six points from March, ris...

18th April 2021

Malta: FIAU investigating hundreds of local businesspeople

The Sunday Times reports that around 300 people from the business community are under investigation by the Financial Intelligence Analysis Unit. Money laundering probes have increased by 200 percent in the last three years. Another story quotes a statement by the Health Ministry which said that 14 percent of Covid-19 victims died of other condi...

17th April 2021

Four persons die of Covid-19 / Malta News Briefing – Saturday 17 April 2021

17th April 2021

Malta: Parliament passes gender parity reform

L-Orizzont reports on the vote in parliament to amend the Constitution to widen the participation of women in the Chamber. The reform guarantees that a minimum 40 percent of MPs in the next legislature are women. The paper says that the funeral of the Duke of Edinburgh will take place today. Prince Philip had a special bond with Malta, it...

17th April 2021

Malta: PN preparing electoral manifesto for young people

In-Nazzjon says that the PN launched a process of formulating an electoral programme for young people. In a meeting with the party youth sections, leader Bernard Grech invited members to plan for better quality of life. Another story quotes state witness Vince Muscat who said that the executioners of the plot on Caruana Galizia were instructed ...

17th April 2021

Malta: Vince Muscat says killers sought former minister’s help

The Times follows the testimony of state witness Vince Muscat who revealed that the hitmen turned to then minister Chris Cardona for help with their plan to kill Daphne Caruana Galizia. He said Cardona could provide information on the journalist’s movements. Another story reports that the Inland Revenue department has launched an investigation ...

17th April 2021

Malta: Lowest number of new Covid-19 cases in 28 weeks

The Independent reports the lowest number of new Covid-19 cases registered in a single day since the end of September. Health authorities on Friday announced 27 new infections and 30 recoveries. Another story follows the cross-examination in court of Vince Muscat on Friday who mentioned an aborted plot to kill Daphne Caruana Galizia between 201...

16th April 2021

Malta’s deputy Perm Rep to UN to serve as vice-chair of UN’s CPC

Malta’s deputy permanent representative to the United Nations has been elected to serve as vice-chair of one of the organisation’s key committees. The Times of Malta reports that Giovanni Buttigieg will serve in that role at the UN’s Committee for Programme and Coordination (CPC), which is responsible for planning, programming and coordin...

16th April 2021

59-year old man dies after five-storey fall – Malta News Briefing – Friday 16 April 2021

Update 1830 - A 59 year old man from Zejtun died after falling from a height of five storeys while doing work in a block of an apartments in Triq John Dalli - Żabbar. This is the second incident of its kind this week. On Wednesday, a 38-year-old worker fell to his death on a construction site in Marsascala. Magistrate Rachel Montebello ordered an...

16th April 2021

Air Malta announces May operating schedule

As Air Malta prepares to shortly announce its increased Summer flying programme, the Airline has announced its May schedule. The Parisian airport of Orly is the latest addition to the airline’s flight schedule which will now increase to 26 weekly flights across 11 destinations. Commenting on this announcement Roy Kinnear, Air Malta’s Chief Comm...

16th April 2021

Malta – 19% of catering establishments close in first year of pandemic – ACE

In a study conducted by the Association of Catering Establishments (ACE) in collaboration with a number of suppliers it transpires that between March 2020 and March 2021 approximately 19 percent of establishments closed down . This staggering figure confirms the studies that the ACE had done in 2020 whereby 24 percent of the establishments declar...

16th April 2021

Ms. Joanne Bondin is the new president of the Malta Employers’ Association

Following its Annual General Meeting, Ms. Joanne Bondin has been appointed as the President of the Malta Employers’Association. Ms. Bondin has served on the Council of the MEA for a number of years, and has 15 years of experience in providing consultancy services to a variety of companies. She advises small, medium and large enterprises on cha...

16th April 2021

Malta: PN Leader reiterates commitment to make party younger

In-Nazzjon quotes PN Leader Bernard Grech who said that decisions need to be made to revitalise the party and open it to more young people. Grech said it is his responsibility to make the difficult decisions that. Another report publishes a statement by the Nationalist Party calling on the Prime Minister to sack minister Carmelo Abela following...

16th April 2021

Malta: Seven in ten vaccinations are Pfizer doses

The Independent says that nearly 70 percent of vaccinations administered in Malta so far were Pfizer-BioNTech doses. The AstraZeneca vaccine made 28 percent of all jabs while four percent received the Moderna vaccine. The paper speaks to the Dean of the Faculty for Social Wellbeing, Andrew Azzopardi, about the state of the prison. He described ...

16th April 2021

Malta: Animals Commissioner demands upgrade of pet-friendly bays

L-Orizzont speaks with Animal Welfare Commissioner Alison Bezzina who said that the dog-friendly bays that are currently available are less than acceptable. She said that many of these bays are inaccessible and not well-kept. Another story reports that a police officer won over €10,000 in compensation after he was accidentally shot by another o...

16th April 2021

Malta: Restaurants could reopen within a month

The Times says that the government is planning to reopen restaurants by mid-May, but no dates have been set for bars and clubs. Businesses in the catering industry are warning that they are on the brink. The paper carries an interview with Phyllis Stewart, whose husband Tom disappeared five years ago after breaking out of Mount Carmel hospital....

Dubai’s commodities hub plans Gulf’s first blockchain-backed facility

Dubai Multi Commodities Centre (DMCC) plans to create the first precious metals refinery and st...
CureVac’s shot ready in Europe by May

The COVID-19 vaccine by German biotech firm CureVac candidate should be "ready" in Europe by the en...
AC Milan, Inter Milan, Atletico Madrid abandon the Super European League, Juventus retreat to plan further

London (dpa) - The breakaway European Super League announced by 12 elite sides ...
IATA head Walsh hits out at expensive PCR tests for travel

The head of global airline industry body IATA has hit out at the high cost of COVID-19 testing,...
Erdogan replaces Turkish trade minister, forms two new ministries

President Tayyip Erdogan appointed a prominent member of Turkey's ruling AK Party, Mehmet Mus, ...