Monday Morning Briefing

Good morning,

The saying ‘a week is too long in politics’ keeps being challenged. While the past few weeks we saw this saying being challenged in the international world, yesterday this came under test in Malta.

We try to synthesise all the happenings of the past hours in Malta and abroad in our Morning Briefing.

Malta’s newspapers lead with the story about the publication of the conclusions of the Egrant inquiry which has cleared Prime Minister Joseph Muscat and his wife from any link to Panama paper Egrant. Read More

It was a rather long ‘day’ in Malta’s political life and the ripple effect might bring a rather turbulent time for the Nationalist Party, which for the second consecutive summer is embracing itself for internal issues and rifts. These were triggered following the decision taken by the current PN leader Adrian Delia to ask his predecessor Simon Busuttil to suspend himself. Busuttil refused.

The administrative committee of the PN was convened and declared its support to its current leader, against its former leader, claiming that the decision is based on ‘political responsibility’ which needs to be shouldered by Simon Busuttil just as it expects the Labour Government to shoulder responsibility on the wrongdoings of Keith Schembri and Konrad Mizzi.

The inquiry has cleared Muscat after concluding that all allegations were built on declarations which had falsified signatures and lack of consistency in the witness given by slain journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia, Whistle blower Maria Efimova and former Independent Content editor (currently Pierre Portelli is the Executive Chairman of the Nationalist Party Media).

The Malta Independent presents the EGRANT story on its front page through a photo of Prime Minister Muscat holding tears, under the title “The Nightmare is Over as Egrant saga is put to rest”.

The Times also presents an emotional Prime Minister in a photo entitled : “No evidence linking PM’s wife to Egrant”.

In-Nazzjon writes that the PN’s credibility in its fight against corruption needs to remain intact. 

L-Orizzont  writes that a Frame-up on Muscat’s family has been revealed.

Multiple people have been shot in Toronto’s Riverdale neighbourhood Sunday evening, according to paramedics. Read More

Britain will only pay its £39 billion EU divorce bill if the bloc agrees the framework for a future trade deal, the new Brexit Secretary warned in an interview published Sunday. Read More

Israel has evacuated 800 White Helmets rescuers and their families from Syria to Jordan overnight at the request of the United States and European countries. Read More

There’s a new feeling of hope that an end is near to Syria’s seven-year civil war. Read more

French President Emmanuel Macron ordered a shake-up of his office after acknowledging failings in the way the presidency handled a scandal over his top bodyguard who was filmed beating a protester on May Day, a source close to the Elysee said. Read more

Los Angeles police arrested a man outside a Trader Joe’s on Saturday evening, bringing an apparent end to an incident in which a man barricaded himself inside the grocery store for hours after running from police. Read More

The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) expressed concern at the humanitarian situation in Libya, especially in Derna, including the situation faced by migrants, refugees and internally displaced people, and called on all parties to respect applicable international humanitarian law. Read more here

Royal family releases photo of Prince George, the future King as he turns five. Read More Here.

Poland has sent a convoy of fire trucks to Sweden this weekend, joining several other EU states helping the country to battle wildfires caused by hot weather and low levels of rainfall. Read more here.

A three-year-old boy has suffered serious burns after acid was thrown in his face. Read more here.