Fenech and Schembri discussed pardon draft, jury told
Messages exchanged between Yorgen Fenech and former OPM chief of staff Keith Schembri about “tweaking” a draft presidential pardon agreement for Melvin Theuma were revealed to jurors hearing the Daphne Caruana Galizia murder trial. Lead investigator Keith Arnaud testified that the conversations were recovered from more than 100,000 images stored on Fenech’s mobile phone. According to Arnaud, Schembri confirmed he had discussed the draft agreement with Fenech before the businessman attempted to flee Malta in November 2019. Jurors also heard that Fenech claimed former prime minister Joseph Muscat warned him that Theuma was about to be arrested, allegations Muscat has denied. Prosecutors allege Fenech commissioned Caruana Galizia’s murder through Theuma, who later received a presidential pardon in exchange for his testimony. Fenech denies complicity in the 2017 assassination. (Times of Malta)
Voice for Choice condemns court ruling on abortion case
Voice for Choice has sharply criticised the Constitutional Court’s ruling in the Andrea Prudente case, describing it as a setback for women’s rights and reproductive healthcare in Malta. The NGO argued the judgment ignored international medical evidence and reinforced a system where pregnant women must face life-threatening complications before receiving termination care. It cited guidance from the International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics, which states that pregnancies involving premature rupture of membranes at 15 weeks carry serious risks for the mother while offering virtually no chance of fetal survival. Prudente was forced to travel to Spain in 2022 after doctors in Malta declined to terminate her pregnancy despite severe complications. The organisation accused the court of disregarding expert medical opinion and relying on Prudente’s successful medical evacuation as evidence that her life had not been in danger. (Maltatoday)
Comino visitor cap could change, minister says
Tourism Minister Jo Etienne Abela has said the government’s daily 4,000-visitor limit for Comino could be revised if circumstances change, while insisting the island’s current management strategy will remain in place. Speaking in parliament, Abela said the cap was never intended to be permanent and could be lowered, increased or otherwise adjusted following future assessments. He stressed that the policy introduced under former tourism minister Ian Borg would continue, describing the limit as a practical measure rather than a fixed target. Abela said Comino had gone largely unmanaged for years despite its popularity and noted that the visitor cap followed extensive consultations with stakeholders. He also said Malta’s tourism policy is increasingly focused on improving quality rather than attracting more visitors, arguing that with more than four million tourists arriving annually, sustainable management has become the government’s priority. (Newsbook)
