Good evening
An eventful day as reported by Malta’s news portals.
One man drowned and two others were injured in an incident that took place at Exiles beach, Sliema, earlier today. The police said a 26-year-old Ukrainian man who lives in St Julian’s fell into the sea at around 4.20pm.
More than 200 migrants including the 49 that have been stranded off Malta’s coast for the past weeks will be relocated to other EU states. Prime Minister Joseph Muscat announced that a deal was reached among eight countries, a TVM report says. One News quotes the Prime Minister who reiterated that Malta was under no obligation to allow the stranded ships to dock.
Soon after the announcement, Italian Interior Minister Matteo Salvini vowed to refuse any migrants, saying he was not involved in the agreement. MaltaToday said that Prime Minister Muscat said in his press conference that Italy was one of the countries to receive migrants.
PN committees representing five localities have pledged their unanimous support of party leader Adrian Delia. LovinMalta says that the sectional committees of Valletta, Rabat, Senglea, Żurrieq, and Marsa have issued a joint declaration confirming their backing to the embattled leader. Meanwhile, members are preparing a show of loyalty at the PN headquarters on Thursday evening.
Newsbook follows the court sitting in the case about the murder of Hugo Chetcuti. Three doctors testify on the medical procedures on Chetcuti’s wounds after he was rushed to hospital. The case is adjourned to January 23rd.
Family and friends who testified in the case against a 25-year-old man from Marsa dismissed accusations of rape brought by his teenage cousin. The Times said the people taking the witness stand, including the man’s girlfriend, described the alleged victim as a difficult character who often told lies.
The Ombudsman admonished the Planning Authority for flying in a board member for the hearing of the db Group project in Summer. The Malta Independent says that the Ombudsman ruled that the PA should not intervene to make members attend meetings. The PA Executive Council accepted the recommendations made the Ombudsman.
A woman was caught by airport customs officials carrying 1.1 kilogrammes of marijuana. Net News reports that the passenger, who had just landed from a flight from Treviso, told the security officers that the substance was dried fish.
The jail sentence handed to a Turkish journalist who investigated on Malta-based companies on Tuesday has brought international condemnation. The Shift News says that press organisations, activists, and European politicians criticised the imprisonment of Pelin Unker, who was found guilty of defaming the Turkish Prime Minister by exposing details leaked in the Paradise Papers.
