Update 2200 Stabbing
A young man was injured in a stabbing incident in Birkirkara, TVM reports. The attack took place in Valley Road at around 7pm. The police have mounted a search for the aggressor.The injured man was taken to hospital for treatment. Malta Independent / TVM
Update 1245 – Covid-19 Update
53 new COVID-19 cases have been detected overnight, according to the latest update from the Health Ministry in Malta. There were 50 recoveries, which brings the number of active cases to 667. There are 41 receiving treatment in hospital. Ministry of Health
Political Leaders Interviews
Prime Minister Robert Abela has called out the opposition for never coming forward with proposals on climate change, despite its criticism of government. “Everyone has to understand this is a challenge which needs a collective effort to be overcome,” Abela said. More on MaltaToday
Opposition Leader Bernard Grech said that Prime Minister Robert Abela is protecting Joseph Muscat’s close allies, thereby making him the latter’s ‘hostage’. Grech mentioned the current Minister for Justice, Equality and Governance, Edward Zammit Lewis, “who is a close ally to Joseph Muscat,” saying that the PM is too scared to remove him. Grech insisted that Abela must denounce Joseph Muscat and “sack him from the Labour party.” More on Malta Independent
Accident
A 32-year-old man sustained life-threatening injuries after he fell from a height of 3 storeys in Msida early on Sunday morning. The incident occurred at around 6am in a private residence in Triq tal-Qroqq. The man, a Venezuelan national, was rushed to Mater Dei Hospital for treatment after receiving first aid on site. Newsbook.com.mt
Updated 0845 – Newspaper Review
Malta Today says that Yorgen Fenech was seeking to deposit €1.5 million in Monaco in early 2019 after a bank in the UAE closed down his accounts related to 17 Black. Institutions at the time were informed by Europol that the businessman was under investigation.
The Sunday Times leads with an interview with former Prime Minister Joseph Muscat who said that he was never aware that his chief of staff Keith Schembri was passing on information about the Caruana Galizia case but declared that he stands by him.
It-Torċa reports on study findings showing that the rate of children displaying Social Emotional Behavioural Disorders in Malta stands at 9.7 per cent. Research author Maria Josephine Grech attributes the high rate of SEBD to genetic and environmental factors.
Illum quotes Marsascala mayor Mario Calleja that plans for a marina in the seaside town should be decided by a referendum among residents. Calleja said that most people are against the project proposed by Transport Malta.
Il-Mument reports unrest among the members of the PL Parliamentary Group in the wake of plans for a marina in Marsascala announced by Transport Malta. The paper says that MPs were not sufficiently consulted about the project.
The Independent on Sunday carries an interview with the new chairman of the PN’s Executive Committee, Joseph Grech, who admitted that surveys paint a difficult situation ahead of the upcoming election but said he still believes that the party can win.
Kullħadd publishes an interview with Environment Minister Aaron Farrugia who criticised emissions targets proposed by the opposition, calling them unrealistic. He said that the EU Commission acknowledged Malta’s limited resources.
The Independent on Sunday quotes Professor Maria Attard that Malta could miss the 2030 emissions target unless effective steps are taken immediately. She urged action by both policymakers and citizens to reduce the human impact on the climate.
Malta Today says that a Maltese man living in Australia raised concerns about romanticising the memory of his brother Ċikku Fenech who was found guilty of murder in the 1960s. The government recently announced plans to restore the criminal’s Jeep.
Il-Mument quotes PN spokesperson for Home Affairs Beppe Fenech Adami calling for the removal of prison director Alexander Dalli. He said that the latest suicide attempt indicates systemic failure at Corradino.
It-Torċa says that the government is channelling €3.2 million into the Corradino Correctional Facility to upgrade services and introducing measures including the construction of a new medical centre.
Illum publishes an interview with the president of the Malta Chamber of Construction Management, Jesmond Chetcuti, who questioned whether all players in the sector are conducting the required risk assessments.
Kullħadd says that the Gozo pool complex is nearing completion and is expected to be inaugurated shortly. Gozo Minister Clint Camilleri said that the €16 million project will be the largest investment in sports on the island.
Morning Briefing
Muscat stands by Keith Schembri
In the second part of an exclusive interview with The Times of Malta, former PM Joseph Muscat stands strongly by his former right-hand man Keith Schembri, saying that he will never ditch him, irrespective of whether he is involved or not in the murder of Daphne Caruana Galizia.
Muscat insisted that whatever happens to Schembri, he has already paid a political price for it. Muscat also criticises the public inquiry into the same murder accusing one of the judges of a conflict of interest. He also suggests that the conclusions were leaked beforehand to the Opposition leader.
Minister Camilleri points to improvements in prison
Home Affairs Minister Byron Camilleri said that that there were a number of problems within the prison system but insisted that the situation has improved greatly, as it is far better now than how it was during “laissez-faire times that existed until recently.” Following the death of another inmate after an attempted suicide, the Opposition and a number of organisations called for urgent reform. “Unfortunately, at times this discussion has even taken the form of a debate, which I believe is not doing any good,” Camilleri said.
He pointed out a number of improvements which happened in recent months: “Now there is more order, cleanliness, no accessible drugs, a healthy medical service as well as a team of professionals in place which offer rehabilitation for those prisoners serving their sentence,” he said.
88-year-old is 436th Covid death
An 88-year-old man died while infected with COVID-19 while 68 new virus cases were reported on Saturday. Active cases now stand at 664.
