LATEST UPDATE Updated 1745- News Portal Briefing
Times of Malta reports that the EU has launched infringement proceedings against hunting and trapping
MaltaToday reports that The number of Filipino nationals granted work and residency permits has registered an increase over the years, up from 259 in 2013 to 1,661 in 2019
Newsbook reports that there was an 83% decrease in tourism in October
TVM reports that 38-year old Libyan Samir Almiri has denied in Court of killing Victor McKeon whose body was found wrapped in black plastic bags last March in Santa Luċija.
Updated 1234 – Covid-19 Update
Health authorities reported 96 new cases of coronavirus, with 128 persons recovering. The number of active cases thus decreased to 2034. 2909 swab tests were carried out in the past 24 hours.
Updated 1035 – Two Covid deaths
Two elderly COVID-19 patients died at Mater Dei Hospital on Wednesday, the Health Ministry said.
This brings the COVID-19 death toll in Malta to 148. The men were aged 64 and 74 respectively.
Meanwhile Government said that Malta is not pursuing national emergency authorisation for a COVID-19 vaccination. Reacting to the news that Britain had initiated such process, a spokesperson from the health ministry told Times of Malta that they would not be pursuing a similar route for widespread vaccine roll-out locally.
The authorities will be relying on a final assessment by the European Medicines Agency, which is expected by the end of December, before a vaccine is approved for general use in Malta.
Muscat to cooperate with Inquiry Board
Joseph Muscat says he will cooperate with the public inquiry into the assassination of journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia after he was summoned to appear on Friday.
The board of inquiry’s secretary on Wednesday said court bailiffs had handed the summons to the former prime minister’s father when they turned up at his residence.
It was not immediately clear whether the former politician, who resigned from politics in the aftermath of the journalist’s murder, would attend Friday’s sitting. However he dispelled such doubts, expalaining today that: “I intend attending and replying to the questions of the Board of Inquiry which I myself appointed as prime minister.”
Updated 0900 – Newspaper Review
The Malta Business Weekly speaks with the management of Debenhams stores following the collapse of the brand in the UK on Tuesday. The director of United Group said that the franchise in Malta operates independently from Britain and trading will not be impacted.
The Independent leads with the sentencing of Jelle Rijpma for 30 years imprisonment for the murder of former girlfriend Shannon Mak. The case happened in August 2018 when the victim was found lifeless by neighbours in her street in Santa Venera.
The Times follows the case against Jelle Rijpma who was found guilty of killing Shannon Mak in 2018. The court heard how the victim’s body was covered in bruises and injuries, suggesting she was brutally beat before being fatally stabbed.
L-Orizzont reports on the murder case of Shannon Mak in 2018. The Dutchwoman’s former colleague and partner changed his original plea to admit guilt in October this year, leading to a 30-year jail sentence by Madame Justice Consuelo Scerri Herrera.
In-Nazzjon quotes PN Leader Bernard Grech who called for a new social pact that embraces innovative models of employment which protect both employers and employees. Grech was addressing a meeting with the Malta Employers Association.
The Times sent questions to Joseph Muscat who confirmed that he intends to cooperate with the Caruana Galizia public inquiry. The former Prime Minister has been summoned to testify before the inquiry board on Friday.
The Malta Business Weekly carries an interview with the CFO of Gaming Malta Foundation who said that the sector remains strong and recent layoffs were the result of mergers and acquisitions, not economic disruption related to Covid-19.
The Independent speaks to SME Chamber deputy president Philip Micallef who said that the organisation is pushing for more state aid for businesses but acknowledged that governments cannot sustain all costs and jobs.
L-Orizzont publishes replies to questions sent to Opposition MP Claudio Grech about his proposal for the PN to be more inclusive of new political candidates. Grech said that the suggestion is part of a wider vision to attract ‘new talent’ to the party.
In-Nazzjon says that Prime Minister Robert Abela has remained silent on the ‘serious decree’ by the court against Ian Borg on Monday, which found the testimony of the Transport Minister not credible.
Morning Briefing
Covid-19 Update: Prof Gauci calls for restraint this Christmas
Superintendent for public health Prof Charmaine Gauci insisted again that people should celebrate Christmas within their household only, and places of work should not hold staff parties.
Replying to questions on COVID-19 at a meeting with the parliamentary Family Affairs Committee, Charmaine Gauci said 18 virus patients are currently in intensive care. There are currently 39 ITU beds ready with equipment and staff, with up to 100 beds available in case of a surge in cases.
Malta has exceeded the grim landmark of 10,000 coronavirus cases after 126 new cases were reported yesterday. With 139 new recoveries, the number of active cases has gone down slightly to 2,068.
Coronavirus has caused the death of five other patients in Malta, the Health Ministry said. This brings the COVID-19 death toll in Malta to 146. The fatalities were three men and two women.
Afriqiyah Airways Hijacker Sentenced To 25 Years In Prison By Maltese Court
One of the men in the hijacking of an Afriqiyah Airways in 2016, a 29-year-old Libyan man, Shah Soko Moussa, was sentenced by the Maltese courts to 25 years in prison and ordered to pay a fine of € 9,990 after admitting the charges against him.
Moussa had hijacked an Afriqiyah Airways flight with 30-year-old Ali Ahmed Saleh back on 23 December 2016, which landed in Malta. The two had boarded the Airbus A320 in Libyan airspace and diverted it to Malta.
The pair of hijackers were loyal to the late Libyan dictator, with some Libyan media even claiming that they hijacked the plane because they wanted publicity for a new political party.
Joseph Muscat summoned by Caruana Galizia inquiry board
Former Prime minister Joseph Muscat has been summoned to appear before the Daphne Caruana Galizia inquiry board this Friday. The Inquiry Board’s Secretary said today that court bailiffs had handed the summons to Muscat’s father when they turned up at his residence. So far, the board has not heard any confirmation of attendance.
Today’s session was meant to see the chairman and secretary of the Permanent Commission against Corruption appeared but the witnesses said that they were precluded at law from testifying.
CDE News
