1745- Latest News update
Times of Malta says two threatening letters mailed to Repubblika president Robert Aquilina by an anonymous sender who signed off as ‘ex-PN’, were a “photocopy” of Labour’s narrative, court was told on Monday.
MaltaToday says Nationalist MP Eve Borg Bonello spent just over €600 throughout her 40-day election campaign, with the bulk of expenses stemming from Facebook advertising.
Newsbook says domestic violence has been cited as the leading cause among female participants who took part in a study which sheds light into homelessness in Malta, while the leading cause in male homelessness was found to be financial problems (26.3%).
TVM says civil Protection workers are currently involved in a delicate operation to control fires at a food factory in Triq il-Ħarrub, Santa Venera.
Update 1230
Man injured in gang attack in Paceville: A man was critically injured after he was attacked by a gang in St Julian’s on Sunday evening, the police said. The incident took place in a shop in Triq ix-Xatt at 9pm. The victim, an Austrian man aged 47, was attacked by a group of persons who escaped before the arrival of the police. The man was taken to Mater Dei Hospital, where he was found to have been critically injured. (The Malta Independent)
PN leader pledges new contest in 2024 if party fails to get third EP seat: PN leader Bernard Grech has pledged to put his leadership up for election again in 2024, if the PN fails to win a third seat in the European elections. While Labour has constantly won a majority of votes in these elections, it also held a majority of seats – except for 2014 when Malta’s delegation to the EP grew from five to six members, with the PN clinching a third seat. It lost that seat in 2019. “If my actions do not enable us to win a third seat in the European elections, I will put my leadership up for an internal election once again,” Grech told the PN’s party delegates at a General Council on Sunday. (Maltatoday)
Domestic violence links to homelessness exposed: Domestic violence has been cited as the leading cause among female participants who took part in a study which sheds light into homelessness in Malta, while the leading cause in male homelessness was found to be financial problems (26.3%). In a recent study published by YMCA entitled Contemporary Homelessness in Malta: Quantitative Research, it was established that 178 adult individuals and 58 children were homeless at the time the study was carried out between 17 January and 14 February 2022, while 11 individuals were deemed to be roofless. (Newsbook)
Morning Briefing
Former More Supermarket boss remanded in custody
Former More Supermarkets boss Ryan Schembri was on Sunday charged with money laundering and fraud. He pleaded not guilty. His lawyer said that Schembri left the island as he and his son were threatened. Schembri was arrested in the UK and extradited to Malta early this week. He had fled Malta in 2014, leaving behind a trail of debts worth millions of euros. Yesterday, he was charged and remanded in custody, with the court, presided by magistrate Charmaine Galea, requesting steps be taken in prison to ensure his safety. (Times of Malta)
PN’s future is at stake – Grech
PN leader Bernard Grech launched his re-election bid by warning that the party’s future is at stake. Addressing the PN general council on Sunday, Grech said “if we do not take the difficult decisions immediately the party’s existence is at stake. If we do not take the necessary decisions we are bound for constant failure.” Grech said that when he contested the leadership election in 2020, he knew that the job would not be an easy one. “I would be deceiving you and wasting everybody’s time if I’m not truthful and honest. I will face reality, as hard as it might be, because I have the party’s interests – and not my personal interests – at heart.” (Newsbook) Meanwhile, almost 70% of Nationalist Party councillors polled by MaltaToday believe that Bernard Grech should remain leader of the party.
Covid-19 Update
Malta has reported 196 new positive cases of Covid-19, with the number of known active cases dropping to 4,865 from yesterday’s 5,205, with 535 people deemed to have recovered.
