Latest Update- News Portal Briefing
Times of Malta says semi-permanent tents at Comino’s camping site have left other campers unable to find any space to pitch their own tents in the limited area, while these structures remain largely unoccupied.
MaltaToday reports that the Valletta Soup Kitchen, run by the Franciscan Friars, has opened its doors five years after refurbishments began.
Newsbook reports that the Nationalist Party has launched an environmental working group dubbed PN Greens which will be led by general election candidate Janice Chetcuti.
TVM says that a new scheme was announced to treat the revision of commercial rents from the Lands Authority and the recognition of the same rents aimed at addressing a number of commercial rents which expired or are about to expire, and with today’s system, businesses were being faced with very high new rents.
Updated 1245
Yorgen Fenech distances himself from misinformation campaign: Murder suspect Yorgen Fenech has categorically denied any direct or indirect involvement in a disinformation campaign based on fake email exchanges and fraudulent website. A number of websites, including TVM, LovinMalta, Newsbook, Net News and Repubblika’s have been the target of website spoofing. Fenech’s lawyer Charles Mercieca told the press that Yorgen Fenech categorically denies any allegations linking him in any way, either directly or indirectly, to these spoof websites. “Perhaps it is of note that Mr Fenech’s lawyers have also been targeted by these spoof publications used in a bid to give the impression that they stand to gain from such publications. It cannot be stressed enough that such deceiving publications can never be condoned in anyway,” Mercieca said.
New project launched for the implementation of sustainable investment by private sector: The Energy and Water Agency, the Malta Business Bureau and the Chamber of Commerce have launched a guide to enterprises to be efficient in the use of energy and water. Through the agreement, small and medium sized enterprises in manufacturing will benefit from the WE Make programme which will offer auditing in the manufacturing system, among others. Energy and Water Agency chief executive, Manuel Sapiano, said that through this technical mechanism, businesses may improve their production while reducing the energy and water consumption.
Updated 1103 – Unemployment down to 9,093
The unemployment rate for July 2021 stood at 3.3 per cent, down by 0.1 percentage points from previous
month and dropping by 1.7 percentage points from July 2020, the NSO said today.
During July 2021, the number of unemployed persons stood at 9,093, with the unemployed males and the 25 to 74 age group being the major contributors to the overall level of unemployment. The seasonally adjusted number of unemployed youths amounted to 2,688, whereas those aged between 25 and 74 years stood at 6,405. In July 2021, the unemployment rate for males was 3.8 per cent, down by 0.1 percentage points from the previous month. The rate for females stood at 2.5 per cent, also dropping by 0.1 percentage points from June 2021 estimates.
Updated 0815 – Newspaper Review
The Independent reports that Yorgen Fenech has been charged with money laundering and misappropriation of property from a gaming company, Glimmer Ltd. The businessman is the majority shareholder of the company, through a company he owns with his uncle.
The Times says that Yorgen Fenech pleaded not guilty to charges of money laundering brought against him on Monday. He is among six business associates who stand accused of converting assets derived from criminal activity.
L-Orizzont reports that the General Workers Union has ordered industrial actions at the Central Bank after negotiations about a new collective agreement failed. The courts struck down a mandate of inhibition requested by the bank to avoid the actions.
In-Nazzjon follows a PN press conference calling on the Prime Minister to take up the recommendations presented by the Caruana Galizia public inquiry. The party said that failure to act will keep Malta on the FATF grey-list.
The Independent says that Manoel Island masterplan will be presented to the Planning Authority Board on Thursday, 19 months after it was first approved. In December, a tribunal flagged a conflict of interest in the process and nullified the confirmation.
In-Nazzjon says that employees at the Public Broadcasting Services claimed interference from Castille and mistrust between management and workers. The report says that the national broadcaster has been found in breach of rules several times in recent months.
The Times quotes Robert Brincau from Red Cross Malta warning parents to keep vigilant on the beach. He said that near-drowning incidents involving children occur frequently during the summer months.
In-Nazzjon quotes a PN statement demanding an update on the strategy announced by the government to fight obesity in Malta. The party said that radical reform in this area is a matter of priority for the national health system.
L-Orizzont says that EU Home Affairs and Justice Ministers will today meet to discuss developments in Afghanistan and the ensuing humanitarian crisis. Observers say that governments want to minimise the flow of refugees to member states.
Morning Briefing
Yorgen Fenech charged with money laundering
Yorgen Fenech, together with former business associats, was charged with money laundering in connection with a Maltese gaming company called Glimmer Limited. The man who stands accused of conspiring to murder Daphne Caruana Galizia, pleaded not guilty. He is accused of committing acts of money laundering between April and October 2019 by converting or transferring property known to have been derived from criminal activity.
Four other people linked to the businessman were also arraigned in court and deny the charges. In the arraignment, Inspector Brian Paul Camilleri also accused Fenech of concealing the provenance of property, which he knew came from criminal activity, and the use of property acquired from criminal activity.
Inquiry finds no wrongdoing in exam results
An inquiry has found no signs of foul play in public school examination results. The inquity was appointed by the Education Ministry after the Malta Union of Teachers had complained that Ministry officials had changed the results given by some teachers to students who were absent.
The union had noted that some students had obtained full marks in certain subjects despite not attending classes during that year. The board concluded that the education authorities had made the process public through three circulars it had sent out. They had explained that the system was put in place to ensure that vulnerable students who were affected by the Covid-19 pandemic would not miss out on their school certificate.
Such students would receive certificates based on their mid-year exams and previous assessments.
Covid-19 Update: 34 new cases of Covid-19 were reported on Monday, while 35 recovered, leaving the active case tally almost unchanged at 634. 2,362 swab tests were carried out yesterday.
CDE News
