Latest Update- News Portal Briefing
Times of Malta reports that December to February this year saw more than double last winter’s rainfall at 141mm compared to the super low 66.8mm, but it was still way below climactic norms, according to data from the meteorological office.
MaltaToday reports that authorities have fined 1,066 people for breaking COVID-19 regulation over the past week.
Newsbook reports that an inmate who has filed an application claiming inhumane treatment at Corradino Correctional Facility, targeting him and other prisoners, has filed a fresh application claiming he has been placed in solitary confinement.
TVM reports that the police are searching for a thief who committed a hold-up this afternoon at a food shop in Ħal Għaxaq. The thief escaped from the establishment with €20.
Updated 1600 Malta’s Prime Minister Robert Abela took his Covid-19 jab on Monday. In a post on Facebook, where the Prime Minister is pictured next to boxes of AstraZeneca vaccine, Abela urged “those who can, to get vaccinated so that we protect each other and continue looking ahead.” The Prime Minister, 43, had chosen to wait his turn to take the jab.
Malta is currently implementing its vaccination plan, a plan which is well advanced compared to other EU states and praised in various international media, including Euronews and Financial Times.
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Covid-19 Update: 35 new cases of Covid-19 have been reported in the past 24 hours, along with 16 recoveries, bringing the total number of known active cases to 280. The 35 new cases have been identified through 1,550 swab tests. No new Covid related deaths were reported.
Enemalta considering second interconnector: While the Government and Enemalta are considering the way forward to increase the supply of electricity in Malta, the utility has revealed that it was considering the possibility of another interconnector. As a result, Enemalta workers went to Ragusa, Sicily, where they performed maintenance on equipment used for the transmission of energy from the European grid to Malta.
Engineer Joseph Vassallo told PBS: “When the interconnector was designed in the past, thought had already been given to the second interconnector. In fact some works had already been done – foundations for the equipment and a second shunt reactor that could be used with the second interconnector. In the control room we already have space for equipment control system for the second plant and the control system is already designed for the second interconnection. ”
Large drone to be deployed for border protection: A large drone will be deployed from Malta in a multi-million euro mission that EU border protection agency Frontex hopes will help support longer rescue operations. The contract, totalling €100 million, has been awarded to Airbus and an Israeli arms company to operate remotely piloted aircraft systems for “maritime aerial surveillance services”.
A drone carried out a test flight from Malta International Airport on Friday, The Times of Malta reported. “Often our planes have to return to base because of fuel limits, something that we saw last week when a Frontex plane spotted a boat in distress and alerted all Maritime Rescue Coordination Centres in the area,” a spokesperson for Frontex said.
Newspaper Review
The Times reports that five language schools have shut down as a consequence of the pandemic. The federation of English language schools did not identify the schools but said the closures demonstrate the urgency of the situation.
The Independent reports that the Planning Authority will decide on new development plans for the former Grand Hotel Verdala in Rabat. The project proposes to convert the site into residential units and retail space.
In-Nazzjon quotes PL Leader Bernard Grech who announced plans by the party to unveil a mental health care strategy. Grech said that mental wellbeing needs a comprehensive strategy that includes support from a young age.
L-Orizzont speaks with the head of Crisis Resolution Malta, Dr Mark Xuereb, who said that everyone may suffer periodic bouts of mental illness. The psychiatrist says that an estimated one per cent of the population has this condition.
The Independent says that people aged over 30 can register for the Covid-19 vaccine from Tuesday. Health authorities have administered nearly 340,000 doses of vaccine so far, with over 100,000 people having received two doses.
L-Orizzont quotes Prime Minister Robert Abela who expressed satisfaction that the measures introduced some weeks ago are have an impact on the number of cases. He appealed to the public for caution.
In-Nazzjon reports the return to Malta of Roseanne Barbara and her newly adopted daughter from India on Sunday evening. Roseanne’s husband, Ivan, contracted Covid-19 on the trip and died last week just before take-off.
The Times says that EU border control agency Frontex is planning to start operating a surveillance drone from Malta to follow migrant movements in the Mediterranean. A spokesperson said that currently planes are limited by fuel capacity.
Morning Briefing
Jobs, workers and business will remain a priority for the Government in the future – PM Abela
PM Robert Abela insisted on the centrality of protecting workers and jobs, while speaking on Labour media on Sunday. Abela said that these are not concepts we developed for the pandemic and now the pandemic is over. Those are the principles that shape the Labour Party: work and business. We are the workers’ party and the business party.” The Prime Minister also mentioned statistics released this week on poverty, showing that in a year of pandemic, the severely deprived were reduced by a thousand people.
Abela argued that “if the government had not intervened, if we had done nothing, in a year of pandemic, things would naturally explode in terms of poverty. We have seen the opposite happen because we have said that we are a People’s Government, that in a moment of challenge that the world has never seen before, let us not do as we did eleven years ago when they had an economic crisis ten times more. from today and leave the people alone. ”
Migration a challenge, but saving lives is a must – PN Leader
PN Leader Bernard Grech said that the countries needs to abide by international law regarding immigration, adding that at the same time the country’s security needs to be safeguarded. The PN leader added that a serious Government has to follow international laws and has to assist those in danger of losing their lives. Grech further stated that whilst we should not leave anyone to die, it is very important that we look to the people’s security, even through processing their requests as speedily as possible.
“The financial price is the one that worries me the least. What worries me is security. It’s one thing taking on 10 people and another thing taking on 100,000… there are millions of people living in Africa so there is a possibility of thousands leaving their countries for Europe”, Grech said
150 people fined over weekend
Around 150 people were fined by the police and the Malta Tourism Authority during between Saturday and Saturday following reports of crowds in Pembroke and Mellieħa in breach of COVID-19 regulations. A police officer was attacked and slightly injured in the process.
The police said on Sunday that around 3am on Saturday, police at the St Julian’s station received information that there were several people drinking on the rocks at the Natura 2000 site in Pembroke. The police went on site and on seeing the officers, those present tried to escape.
Covid-19 Update
On Sunday, Maltese Health authorities announced that there were 12 new Covid-19 cases and 20 recoveries. The amount of active cases now is 261.
PN leader Bernard Grech became the latest politician to get the Covid-19 vaccine. Grech posted on Facebook showing how he was vaccinated at the Mosta health centre on Sunday. “Today it was my turn to get the Covid-19 vaccine. I encourage those who can take it to get vaccinated when it is their turn. Like that, together we can continue fighting this pandemic”, he said.
CDE News
