Updated 1145
Man gets life sentence for partner’s murder: Michael Emmanuel has been sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of his partner, Maria Lourdes Agius. The mother-of-seven was found strangled to death in her bedroom in Paola, five years ago. The man faced several charges, including wilful homicide, attempted grievous bodily harm of Agius and her mother, and slight bodily harm of Agius and her mother. He was found guilty of wilful homicide with eight votes against one and guilty of slight bodily harm of Agius with eight votes against one. Additionally, he was unanimously found guilty of disobedience of lawful orders and as an accomplice to forgery of public, commercial, or private bank documents.
Fire engulfs Marsa: A thick cloud of black smoke can be seen in Marsa and nearby areas after a fire broke out in the vicinity of the Marsa Sports Club earlier this morning. There were conflicting reports on local media sources as to the origin of the fire with different portals attributing the smoke to a grassfire (Newsbook), to burning tyres (NET News) and to PVC piping (ONE).
Earlier:
Large crowd attends vigil: Thousands later made their way to the capital and attended a vigil held in Castille Square in support of Jean Paul Sofia’s family. Prime Minister Robert Abela was jeered by the crowds as he exited his office in Castille during a vigil for Jean Paul Sofia last night. Earlier on Monday, former PM Joseph Muscat also indicated that he supported the appointment of a public inquiry following the closure of the magisterial one. The vigil was also supported by the General Workers Union among a number of other organisations.
Government to appoint public inquiry on Jean Paul Sofia’s death
After meeting with the parents of Jean Paul Sofia at Castille, Prime Minister Robert Abela made a significant decision to appoint a public inquiry into their son’s death. This decision came as a U-turn, which occurred following the magistrate’s extension of the inquiry by another 60 days. The Prime Minister had been exerting pressure on the magistrate to conclude the investigation, and the extension seemingly sparked his change of stance on the matter. In a press briefing this evening, the PM formally apologised to Sofia’s parents for the delay and for what he described as a perceived lack of emotion expressed in recent weeks as he sought to balance his feelings as a parents and the need to defend the institutions. Ombudsman Joseph Zammit McKeon will be appointed as President of the inquiring committee. He will be assisted by Auditor-General Charles Deguara and Perit Mario Cassar a Court expert.
Cars on road reach 424,904
According to data from the National Statistics Office (NSO), by the end of 2022, there were 424,904 licensed vehicles in Malta, which were registered under 276,715 driving license holders. Among all licensed vehicles, 74.7% were passenger cars, with 23,016 new motor vehicles receiving licenses in 2022. As a result, the total number of passenger cars in Malta reached 317,232 by the end of that year. On the other hand, the NSO’s regional statistics report indicated that the number of public transport users in 2022 was 49,222,424. The month with the highest number of public transport commuters was October, while January saw the fewest public transport users. (NSO)
Cannabis associations likely to be operational by March
Cannabis associations are expected to become operational by the end of March 2024, media reports suggest. In June, it was disclosed that 26 groups had applied for cannabis association licenses from the Authority for the Responsible Use of Cannabis (ARUC), but no specific timeline had been provided at that time. The main challenge in the license approval process was obtaining the approval from banks to secure loans for their operations. However, sources indicate that this obstacle has now been resolved. (Maltatoday)
