Good morning,
Another earthquake jolts the world, this time in Haiti, Brett Kavanaugh is sworn in to the Supreme Court and the arrival of 120 persons in Malta after being saved in the Mediterranean are the latest news.
Your morning briefing, on Sunday, gives you the latest headlines and a review of Sunday’s Malta’s newspaper front-pages.
Wishing you a good day!
The Latest
The Armed Forces of Malta has rescued 120 migrants whose inflatable boat was adrift, the Department of Information said. “Following a sighting, during routine patrolling, Armed Forces of Malta vessel P52 rescued 120 migrants within Malta’s Search and Rescue Region after their inflatable boat was adrift. The Malta Independent / Newsbook
Hundreds of people, many wearing orange to evoke life vests, demonstrated Saturday in Paris to back a private humanitarian ship that rescues migrants who are making the dangerous voyage to Europe across the Mediterranean Sea. Demonstrators at the Place de la Republique carried signs reading “Saving lives: A duty not a crime,” ”Save the Aquarius,” and other slogans backing the ship. France 24
Brett Kavanaugh was sworn in at a private ceremony at the Supreme Court by Chief Justice John Roberts and the man he will replace, retired Justice Anthony Kennedy. Outside, a crowd of noisy protestors gathered, and was eventually pushed back from the ornate building’s steps by police. The Senate voted to send Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court on Saturday, ushering in a generational conservative majority and delivering a huge victory to President Donald Trump after a vicious confirmation battle inflamed by allegations of sexual assault against the nominee. CNN
President Donald Trump celebrated the confirmation of Brett Kavanaugh to the Supreme Court at a rally in Kansas on Saturday, condemning Democrats for what he called a “shameless campaign of political and personal destruction” against Kavanaugh. To cheers of supporters at the Kansas Expocentre in Topeka, Trump declared it an “historic night,” not long after signing the paperwork to make Kavanaugh’s status official. AP
A magnitude 5.9 earthquake that struck off the northern coast of Haiti late on Saturday killed at least 11 people and injured more than a hundred when several buildings collapsed in the impoverished Caribbean country, officials said. Reuters
Leading Brexiteers have backed a package of concessions to help unlock a Canada-style trade deal with Brussels. Senior members of the Conservatives’ 60-strong European Research Group (ERG) have told The Telegraph they would support EU officials being stationed at UK ports after Brexit to break the impasse with Brussels.
Voting begins Sunday in Brazil’s most polarized presidential race in decades, pitting far-right former army captain Jair Bolsonaro against the Workers Party’s Fernando Haddad, chosen successor of jailed ex-president Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. France 24
One week after the deadly earthquake and tsunami which struck Indonesia, 1,558 people are confirmed dead and 113 others are missing, according to Indonesia’s military authority, KOREM. Rescuers say the number of people missing is likely much higher; a team in the destroyed neighbourhood of Balaroa said thousands are unaccounted for across the seaside province. Various
Interpol has made a formal request to China for information about its president, a Chinese citizen who seemingly vanished on a trip home, citing concerns for his well-being. New York Times
Turkish investigators believe a prominent Saudi journalist who contributed to The Washington Post was killed in “a preplanned murder” at the kingdom’s consulate in Istanbul, the Post reported Saturday night, citing two anonymous officials. One Turkish official also told The Associated Press that detectives’ “initial assessment” was that Jamal Khashoggi was killed at the consulate, without elaborating. Saudi authorities early Sunday called the allegation “baseless.” AP
A pro-Russia party has won the most votes in Latvia following Saturday’s general election. The Harmony party polled 19% with the pro-EU For Development party taking 12% and two populist parties, the KPV LV and the New Conservatives winning 27% between them. BBC
A group of Arab exiles arrive in an imaginary border guarded by military forces. Their conflict diminishes thanks to a child who helps communication between the two groups. This is the basic theme of «Volleyball», the film awarded at the Invertime Festival, the review of sports culture that will take place in Macerata from 10 to 14 October. Corriere Della Sera
Artist Banksy pulled a million-dollar prank after his famous “Girl with Balloon” sold at Sotheby’s auction house in London on Friday. Right after the piece was sold for an impressive $1.4 million, a hidden shredder built into the frame activated and began shredding the work of art, stunning auctioneers. Time
The Review
It-Torċa takes comments from educators who says that the greatest challenge remains earning the deserved respect from society. The comments were made after the Malta Union of Teachers withdrew the strike due to take place on Monday.
Kulħadd also leads with the story saying that tomorrow school will proceed as normal and quotes Education Minister Evarist Bartolo who says that ‘fair weather follows the storms.’
Il-Mument says that the government had to pull back in what it calls a humiliating stand-off with the Malta Union of Teachers. The newspaper says that the tense situation that developed is the result of lack of planning and consultation.
The main story in today’s Sunday Times reveals that Fr Charles Fenech, the former Kerygma Movement director once accused of sexual abuse, has been prohibited from carrying out the functions of his ministry anywhere in Malta and Gozo. This story is flanked by three other main stories. The first one concerns Pilatus Bank’s directors who are suing the Malta Financial Services Authority for damages in the hope of regaining control of their now-defunct business. The second story reports that traffic plannersare running simulations for anti-gridlock measures in and around Paceville in anticipation of the mega developments planned for the area. The third story reports how activists have written to the police and government demanding that Deputy Police Commissioner Silvio Valletta, who is married to the Minister for Gozo, should be barred from holding a role at the FIAU due to conflict of interest.
Illum publishes a story about the ‘imported’ women engaged to work in gentlemen’s clubs, who the newspaper says are given a two-week contract on €20 a day.
The front page of the MaltaToday is dominated by a photo showing Malta’s contemporary arts centre MICAS. The main news story then concerns the Air Malta pilots’ union ALPA which is planning to take industrial action that will start by refusing to train 20 Qatari cadets. Another story reports how according to a Maltatoday survey, the Nationalist Partyhas managed to halt a downward trend in support that had been developing since May. The PN registered 29% support, an increase of four points over the last survey in September.
Two main stories dominate today’s front page of the Malta Independent on Sunday. The first story concerns the reaction of Shirley Micallef, the widow of the cyclist Cliff Micallef who in 2009 was killed in a hit and run accident, to a suspended sentence verdict given to the driver responsible for killing her husband. The second story reports how the Ministry for European Affairs and the Ministry of Finance were never informed by the European Commission of its intent to publish a formal opinionon actions it believed must be adopted by the FIAU and that state authorities only found out about this through the media.
Kulħadd speaks to Frank Mercieca, General Director of the Courts, who says that the cases that take longer are often those that involve love – such as separation and inheritance.
It-Torċa publishes an interview with Zachary Kilhoffer from international think-tank CEPS who said that electronic platform for online services are increasing the risk of precarious jobs in Europe.
