Seven major roads exceed pollution limits/ Malta News Briefing – Friday 15 July 2022

Updated 1220 – Mid-Day Briefing

Seven major roads exceed pollution limits: Seven major roads in Malta significantly exceed the pollution limit set by the EU, a new report short. St Anne Street in Floriana takes the unwanted accolade of most polluted street, with an annual nitrogen dioxide (NO2) concentration of 61.6 micrograms per cubic metre according to the data compiled last year. EU rules state that the NO2 annual mean value should not exceed 40 µg/m3, meaning the thoroughfare leading to Valletta exceeds it by more than 33%. According to the European Environment Agency, air pollution is the single biggest environmental health risk in Europe and a significant contributor to early death and disease. The most frequent causes of early death linked to air pollution are heart disease and stroke, followed by lung conditions and lung cancer.

PN presents parliamentary reform proposals: The Opposition has proposed the introduction of a ‘prime minister’s question time’ in parliament, with the prime minister having to respond to questions put to him from other MPs on a weekly basis, a system popular in the UK House of Commons. In a letter to Deputy Prime Minister Chris Fearne, a member of the House Business committee, the PN also proposed to reserve a parliamentary session every two weeks to discuss a motion presented by the Opposition. In the present procedure, such a session can only take place once every three to six months. “The Parliamentary Opposition, that represents thousands of Maltese and Gozitans, could really have a better say in discussions in the highest institution in the country.” Another proposal includes setting up a permanent parliamentary committee for justice.

Covid-19 Update
The health authorities reported 310 new Covid-19 cases on Friday while no new deaths were recorded.
The number of active cases has fallen to 6,928. (Newsbook)

Morning Briefing

Muscat’s lawyers pushback corruption claims

Lawyers representing Joseph Muscat have argued that no substantiated evidence of corruption by the former prime minister exists in the public domain or elsewhere. The lawyers were reacting to remarks made by MEPs hat Muscat continues to enjoy impunity from prosecution for serious and substantiated evidence of corruption, including through NAO and FIAU reports as well as comments by Daphne Caruana Galizia. They insisted that no such reports mentioning Muscat exist. (Times of Malta)

Decomposed body found in Birzebbugia

A heavily decomposed body of a man has been found in the vicinity of a wedding hall in Birżebbuġa, opposite Għar Dalam. The unidentified body was discovered at around 6:30pm with sources saying that identification will be possible through an autopsy. (Maltatoday)

PBS, BA violated PN’s right to expression – Court
Public Broadcasting Services and the Broadcasting Authority have breached a constitutional provision on discrimination and violated the right to freedom of expression of the Nationalist Party through TVM’s partisan coverage of the Marsa flyovers launch, a court has ruled. The BA and PBS were ordered to pay the PN €1,500 in non-pecuniary damages apiece. TVM was also ordered to broadcast the outcome of the sentence within a week on its 8pm news – and to give it due prominence. (Newsbook)