A Maltese emergency response team has been deployed to Libya to assist the country’s newly established National Centre of Emergencies and Disaster Management. The three senior Civil Protection officers and a Malta Police sergeant are on a three-day mission focused on two key operations. In Isbeya, around 50 kilometres from Tripoli, the team conducted a technical inspection of substantial ground cracks to assess their structural risks. In a separate task, water samples were taken from a lake in Zuwara, near the Tunisian border, to evaluate quality and availability for nearby communities. Home Affairs Minister Byron Camilleri said the deployment demonstrates Malta’s growing capability to provide assistance beyond its shores, while the experience gained abroad strengthens the Civil Protection Department’s expertise locally. (Times of MAlta)
Malta looks at space tech opportunities
Experts from the financial, legal and government sectors met this week to explore how space technologies are influencing financial services. The conference discussed the use of satellite data for improved regulatory compliance, risk management and investment opportunities supported by the European and EU Space Agencies. Dr James Catania, head of Malta’s Space Unit, said the forthcoming Space Activities Act is nearing Cabinet approval, updating laws linked to data use and space operations. Representatives from Finance Malta emphasised the potential for specialised jobs and growth within the sector. KPMG’s Steve Stivala said Malta could benefit significantly even from a small share of a global market valued at over €600 billion. The Parliamentary Secretary for Innovation, Keith Azzopardi Tanti said space is no longer futuristic, but an emerging economic reality. (The Malta Independent)
PN, Labour trade barbs on Standards report on wife of former PM
The Nationalist Party has accused the government of discriminating within the voluntary sector, citing a Standards Commissioner report that found rule breaches in civil service secondments to NGOs chaired by Michelle Muscat, wife of former Prime Minister Joseph Muscat. The report noted that up to five public employees were assigned to the NGOs, exceeding the one-person limit, though it found no involvement by Prime Minister Robert Abela. The PN said this confirmed preferential treatment for certain organisations while others struggled for resources. In response, the Labour Party said the Opposition was distorting the Commissioner’s findings, which had rejected parts of the original complaint. It insisted the government remains committed to NGOs, noting over €17 million invested across 1,800 voluntary projects under its Malta Flimkien programme. (TVM News)
