Good morning
Malta Today‘s revelations about a drug habit of MEP David Casa, Malta Independent‘s verifications of phone calls between ship owner Pierre Darmanin and two of the accused of Daphne Caruana Galizia’s murder (and lack of similar calls with Minister Cardona) and The Sunday Times’ feature on Caruana Galizia’s murder’s anniversary are amongst the main news we find on today’s newspapers.
In other news we read about the release of American Pastor by Turkey, warnings by US President to Saudi Arabia as pressure mounts following the alleged murder of Jamal Khashoggi and the latest on Brexit.
Your morning briefing brings you a roundup of the latest and a review of Malta’s Sunday newspapers.
The Latest
American pastor Andrew Brunson, recently freed after nearly two years of detention in Turkey, asked God for “supernatural wisdom” for President Donald Trump. Trump and Brunson met Saturday at the White House shortly after Brunson returned to the U.S. Brunson told Trump that “you really fought for us.” CD
U.S. President Donald Trump has promised “severe punishment” for Saudi Arabia if it is proven that the kingdom was responsible for murdering Jamal Khashoggi, the missing journalist.
Hurricane-force winds have brought down hundreds of trees and left more than 15,000 homes without power in Portugal. The remnants of Hurricane Leslie swept into the centre and north of the country overnight on Saturday. There have been no reports of deaths or injuries, but officials have warned people not to venture outdoors, and a number of flights have been cancelled. BBC
Secret plans to allow an extension of the transition period in the Brexitwithdrawal agreement could result in the UK living under all EU rules well beyond the 21 months so far negotiated, the Guardian reveals.
Scotland’s first minister, Nicola Sturgeon, is to unveil a “commonsense” alternative to the UK government’s Brexit plans. A new Scottish government paper, due out on Monday, will reinforce the case for continued membership of the single market and customs union, Sturgeon has said. The Guardian
Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo wants to open the capital’s city halls to the homeless during the winter. Even the palatial Hotel de Ville, housing the local administration in the city center, will open up space for up to 100 homeless women to receive food and shelter, she said in an interview with the Journal du Dimanche newspaper on Sunday. DW
Rescuers intensified efforts on Saturday to find survivors who might be trapped amid the ruins of a small Florida Panhandle community nearly obliterated by Hurricane Michael, where one body has already been recovered, tempers are flaring, and power could be out for weeks. The Telegraph
“We may consider some interventions (as the bill goes through parliament) but it was constructed as a whole and I would exclude amending anything significant”. Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte said this in view of concerns about the League/5-Star Movement’s budget plans, which have also been raised by several national and international institutions in addition to the Commission and which have led to tension on the financial markets recently. ANSA
The White House is adding two high-profile women, both confirmed ambassadors, to the list of candidates to succeed Nikki Haley at the United Nations, according to two senior administration officials: Jamie McCourt and Kelly Knight Craft. Politico
An explosion has hit an election rally in Afghanistan’s northeastern Takhar province killing at least 13 people and wounding dozens, according to Associated Press news agency. Al Jazeera
The Bank of Lithuania and the National Bank of Ukraine have agreed to work together to facilitate financial innovation development and share fintech experience, the Lithuanian central bank said on Friday. The Baltic Times
Rome Mayor Virginia Raggi on Friday said tour buses would be eliminated from circulating in the city’s historic centre starting in January 2019, following a ruling by the Lazio regional administrative court (TAR) that upheld the city government’s November 2017 decision to regulate buses. “Our revolution starts in January: safer streets and a more liveable city,” Raggi tweeted. ANSA
The Netherlands defeated Germany 3-0 on a day when several teams neared promotion and Gibraltar made history. UEFA
The Review
MaltaToday leads with a story claiming that ‘a former aide of the Nationalist MEP David Casa has declared in a sworn affidavit that the MEP’s has a drug habit which at times meant a €700 spent on weekend binge. In his affidavit the former aide said that what prompted him to do this declaration is that the PN should be represented by exemplary individuals of high moral integrity. (UPDATE) – All staff members at the office of PN MEP David Casa said in a statement this morning that they had never witnessed any of the allegations made in a Malta Today story linking the MEP with drug use. Shift News
The Malta Independent on Sunday reports that ‘the alleged telephone call between ship owner Pierre Darmanin and Minister Cardona, as alleged by newspaper La Repubblica didn’t take place. The Malta Independent on Sunday quotes sources close to the investigations who confirmed this. On the other hand, Darmanin did call brothers Degiorgio, two of the accused of killing the journalist, shortly after the phone call with Daphne Caruana Galizia. Linked to this Il-Mument reports that the Police did not call in Minister Cardona.
The Sunday Times dedicates its front-page and a number of pages to the anniversary of the brutal murder of journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia (on Tuesday). The newspaper carries a number of comments on the matter, including those of former PN leader Simon Busuttil. Pn leader Adrian Delia, the head of Government’s communications Kurt Farrugia, Auxiliary Bishop Joseph Galea-Curmi and Philosopher Joe Friggieri
In other stories we read:
The Malta Independent on Sunday we read that the National Council for the Elderly has made a number of proposals for the upcoming budget, including that no income tax should be paid on pension.
Illum reports that this week, the Government will be publishing the White Paper on the reform in the rental market.
Il-Kullħadd reports that for the first time in ‘history’, the number of people who own their homes superseded the 100,000.
It-Torca reports that the Speaker of Parliament said that the happenings which took place in the past week in Parliament are shameful. In another story, the newspaper says that Malta is among the least risky in terms of money laundering and financing of terrorism. In a photo follow-through story, It-Torca reports about the issue of euthanasia and assisted suicide.
Il-Mument reports that Minister Farrugia has been reprimanded by Castille. This had to happen in view of the changes leaked by the newsroom of the change of thePolice Commisioner Lawrence Cutajar with Superintendent Ian Abdilla.
The Sunday Times reports that the Prime Minister has more advisers than allowed, and between them all, they are paid €700,000. The newspaper also reports that the Partit Demokratiku has appointed Dr Godfrey Farrugia as its new leader.
