Updated 1600 – Newsportal Review
Times of Malta reports that a court on Wednesday slashed 10 days off the timeframe to appeal a ruling that annulled contracts which handed three state hospitals to private investors. This means that Steward Health Care now have 20 days, rather than the usual 30, to appeal the landmark ruling passed last week by Mr Justice Francesco Depasquale.
Maltatoday shares NET TV footage from inside St Luke’s hospital building, which reveals the extent of neglect, eight years after the concession was granted to Vitals Global Healthcare, and later transferred to Steward.
TVM provides details on a state visit by the President of the Republic, Dr George Vella, to Ireland. Vella will have a meeting today with Irish President Michael D. Higgins.
The Malta Independent says that the deputy Attorney General has dismissed as “somewhat pathetic,” a claim by Yorgen Fenech’s lawyers to the effect that Fenech had been high on cocaine while releasing his statement to the police.
Updated 1215
Well possible that local banks increase interest rates – APS CEO
It is “well possible” that local commercial banks could introduce increases in their interest rates to pass on the cost of the European Central Bank’s rate-rising cycle, APS CEO Marcel Cassar has warned. Mr Cassar said that banks are under increasing pressure to react to the ECB’s rates hike in a move that would impact home loan holders. He added that in an environment of rapidly rising rates, banks will be increasingly under pressure to “react or pass on” sooner or later. (Times of Malta)
Muscat’s place is in jail, activists claim
Anti-corruption activists unfurled a large banner that reads ‘corruption’, outside a government office used by former prime minister Joseph Muscat at Sa Maison. The protestors, called by NGO Repubblika describd Muscat the instigator of a corrupt hospitals privatisation deal that was last week declared null by a court. “Muscat and his accomplices’ place is in jail”, Republikka’s Robert Aquilina said. “It is crucial that those tainted by corruption, abuse and fraud, are prosecuted in court to be served justice.” (Maltatoday)
Central Link accident leaves woman in danger of losing life
A 50-year-old woman from Msida is in danger of dying following an accident yesterday between two cars in Attard. The accident happened at around 7pm last night on the Central Link road in the direction of Attard. Police are investigating. (TVM)
Morning Briefing
Cospicua man gets suspended sentence for hitting ex-partner in front of child
A 39-year old man from Cospicua was sentenced to a year in prison, suspended for four years, and fined €4,500 for grievously injuring his ex partner in front of her 5-year old daughter. He was also found guilty of assaulting and resisting police officers at the Cospicua station in September 2019. Court testimony had revealed that the victim had informed the accused about the end of their relationship and when they entered in the car, he grabbed her by the hair and punched her. The victim was treated by various doctors for grievous injuries. (Maltatoday, TVM)
Authority opens call for cannabis clubs
The Authority for the Responsible Use of Cannabis (ARUC) has opened a clall for applications from people interested in setting up a non-profit cannabis club. Anyone interested in setting up a club can apply through the authority’s website, where one must provide details on the number of members that the club will accept, the registered address and name of the club, and the details of the relevant founding members, among other details. (Maltatoday)
Industrial prices on the rise – NSO
The industrial producer price index has increased by 2.30 over a year, the NSO said. Increases were registered in the consumer goods (6.81 per cent) and in the capital goods (6.52 per cent). A drop of 1.37 per cent was registered in the intermediate goods. No price change occurred in the energy sector. Industrial producer prices for the domestic market increased by 4.66 per cent while non-domestic prices increased by 0.79 per cent. (NSO)
