Good morning,
The results of It-Torca electoral survey which shows that that PM Muscat leads the leaders’ trust rating by 30%, the change in the account given by witness who alleged of a meeting between Minister Cardona and one of the accused of Caruana Galizia’s murder, the views of the Dean of the Faculty of Law on the procedure adopted by the Attorney General in the Egrant enquiry saga and the latest in the story revolving around MEP David Casa occupy most of today’s front pages.
In other news, we read about scepticism on Saudi’s version about Khashoggi’s murder, the march for a second Brexit Referendum and the agreement within the Italian government coalition on the budget.
Your Sunday Morning Briefing provides you with a review of all the main stories covered in today’s front-pages of Malta’s newspapers and the latest news from around the world.
Start your day informed.
Malta’s Newspaper Front-pages
It-Torċa publishes a report which shows Joseph Muscat leading Adrian Delia by 30 percent in trust ratings. The same study says that the Nationalist Party is tailing the Labour Party by almost 18 percent.
MaltaToday says that the eyewitness alleging that Minister Cardona met one of the three men charged with the killing of Daphne Caruana Galizia in a Siggiewi bar, admitted in a police interrogation that he had only seen them separately there.
Another story in MaltaToday reports that an ex-employee of MEP David Casa has offered to give details about the politician’s misuse of money to the Attorney General and the EU anti-fraud agency.
It-Torċa follows up on a story published last week accusing David Casa of using cocaine but says that questions sent to Adrian Delia, Simon Busuttil, and the European People’s Party remained unanswered.
Illum also carries a story about MEP Casa and says that the statement released by the politician’s office last week, carried the signature of ‘Michael Fenech’ to hide the identity of, former Birkirkara mayor, Michael Fenech Adami.
The Sunday Times reveals that Cabinet has discussed the proposal of establishing a new commission to fight the spread of organised crime. The idea does not have the ‘political backing’ of all members of Cabinet.
The Independent on Sunday says that the EU Commission has met representatives of the Financial Intelligence Analysis Unit after several attempts. A delegation of the Commission will also visit the FIAU in 2019.
Another story in The Independent on Sunday quotes Faculty of Laws Dean Kevin Aquilina who says that, if he were in the Attorney General’s position, he would not have given the recommendations of the Egrant inquiry to the Prime Minister and the Justice Minister.
The Sunday Times carries another report on the search and rescue ship Seawatch 3, which has now been allowed to sail off on mission after being detained. In another story, the newspaper quotes Finance Minister Edward Scicluna who says the budget tomorrow will extend the ‘economic fruits’ of the country to families.
Kulħadd, too, reports on the budget speech tomorrow and says that it will spread the economic success around. The paper says the budget will be the seventh in a 10-year plan.
Illum says that the budget presented tomorrow will be ‘without any taxes’, and includes an cost of living adjustment of €3.33.
Another story in Kulħadd says that PN MP Chris Said refused his party’s offer to contest the 2019 MEP elections. The newspaper said the MP from Gozo did not want to be used by Adrian Delia.
Il-Mument leads with a story about a ‘crisis’ at MCAST, amid a series of resignation at director and deputy-director level. In another story, Il-Mument reports on the increase in ‘basic products’ such as gas, fuel, bread, and dairy products.
The Latest
The circumstances of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi’s death are deeply troubling, European Union foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini said on Saturday, calling for a thorough, credible and transparent investigation. Meanwhile, U.S. President Donald Trump joined European leaders on Saturday in pushing Saudi Arabia for more answers about Jamal Khashoggi after Riyadh changed its story and acknowledged that the journalist died more than two weeks ago at its consulate in Istanbul. Reuters
Protesters seeking a referendum on the final Brexit deal have attended a rally which organisers say was the “biggest” demonstration of its kind. Young voters led the People’s Vote march to London’s Parliament Square, which supporters say attracted approximately 700,000 protesters. CD
Italy’s coalition has reached an agreement about its budget, after tension had risen between the Cinque Stelle’s Di Maio and Lega’s Salvini. CD
Wim Kok, a former Dutch prime minister who helped forge the country’s famed consensus-based politics and oversaw the pioneering legalisation of euthanasia and gay marriage, has died of heart failure at the age of 80. The Guardian
Australia’s ruling coalition suffered a “catastrophic” loss in a crucial by-election on Saturday that has left prime minister Scott Morrison without a parliamentary majority. CD
Oil prices at $80 a barrel are too high and unhealthy for the world today, Bob Dudley, the chief executive of UK supermajor BP. “There’s a healthy price for oil and energy and I believe that balances producing countries and consuming countries,” Quartz quoted Dudley as saying on the sidelines of the conference One Young World in The Hague. OilPrice.com
The majority of British businesses are preparing to launch contingency plans before Christmas as hopes of a Brexit deal fade. A survey of 236 firms for the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) found that many will make “damaging” moves which will include cutting jobs and relocating work overseas. SkyNews
Voters in Poland will cast ballots on Sunday in a local election likely to earn the ruling nationalist Law and Justice (PiS) party more influence over regional affairs. Reuters
The Gold medal match of the 2018 FIVB Women’s Volleyball World Championship lived up to the name as it took Serbia five sets of intense Volleyball to edge Italy and claim the World Championship title for the first time in their history. CD
