30

Mar

Malta: Prime Minister says we are still in time to rescue summer

L-Orizzont covers a radio interview with Prime Minister Robert Abela who said that if people fail to observe directives today, we will not enjoy summer this year. Abela appealed for…

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30

Mar

Malta: PN Leader calls to collective effort

In-Nazzjon quotes PN Leader Adrian Delia who said that the country finds itself at war that it must overcome together. Delia appealed for people to make a collective effort and…

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29

Mar

Malta: Agreement signed in August complicates Steward deal

Malta Today reveals details of an agreement signed between Konrad Mizzi and Steward Health Care in August last year that turns any termination of the hospital concession into a government…

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29

Mar

Malta: Health Minister says Malta response praised by WHO

The Sunday Times quotes Health Minister Chris Fearne who said that Malta was commended by the World Health Organisation for good practice in the handling of the outbreak. The paper…

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29

Mar

Malta: GWU chief says emergency is defining the union

It-Torċa carries an interview with General Workers Union secretary general Josef Bugeja about the initiatives of the union throughout the outbreak. Bugeja said that the emergency is defining what the…

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29

Mar

Malta: Precautionary measures to safeguard inmates

The Independent on Sunday says that Corradino Correctional Facilities introduced new measures against the spread of the virus. All visits have been banned and inmates can now speak to their…

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29

Mar

Malta: Three Covid-19 patients in ITU

Il-Mument quotes Public Health Superintendent Charmaine Gauci who reported that there are now three Covid-19 patients in intensive care. A woman aged 60, a man aged 70 and another aged…

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29

Mar

Malta: Record rate for employment and unemployment in 2019

Kullħadd quotes the Labour Force Survey for the year ending 2019 which says that Malta registered a ‘double record’ of both the highest number of people in employment and the…

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29

Mar

Malta: State owed almost €4 billion by 2018

Illum says that by the end of 2018, there was more than €1.1 billion in outstanding employers’ tax and national insurance to be collected, while the state still had to…

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28

Mar

Malta: Real estate activity grinds to a halt

The Independent speaks to sources in the real estate industry who said that the activity is at a “complete standstill”. Real estate agents said that it is not easy to…

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28

Mar

Malta: Some prices go up by a quarter

L-Orizzont investigates price hikes as a result of the virus spread and reports that some businesses have increased prices by up to 25 percent for fruit and vegetables. The paper…

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28

Mar

Malta: People puzzled by lockdown instructions

In-Nazzjon says that Prime Minister Robert Abela on Friday overruled health authorities on Friday evening when he announced that there will not be a lockdown on people living with vulnerable…

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28

Mar

Malta: Police preparing for wave of criminality

The Times quotes Home Affairs Minister Byron Camilleri who said that the police are readying themselves for a spike in crime as the economic impacts of the crisis begin to…

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27

Mar

Malta: Groups of five are officially forbidden

L-Orizzont says that police have been ordered to disperse gatherings of five people or more in public as part of new measures against Covid-19. People will be asked to keep…

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27

Mar

Malta: Vulnerable people ordered indoors from Saturday

The Times leads with fresh measures announced by the government ordering high-risk people, including the elderly and people with specific medical conditions, to stay home. The restrictions will come into…

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27

Mar

Malta: Covid-19 spread entering new phase

The Independent quotes Health Minister Chris Fearne who said that predictive modelling used by authorities indicates that the spread can be expected to surge, entering a new phase of local…

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27

Mar

Malta: Almost 120,000 people to go into lockdown

In-Nazzjon says that the lockdown for elderly and vulnerable people will directly impact 118,000 people and their families. Individuals affected by the new restrictions are being asked to keep at…

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26

Mar

Malta: Pandemic is a €3 billion blow to tourism sector

The Times quotes a government adviser who said that the economic effects of the coronavirus on the tourism sector could grow to as much as €3 billion. The unnamed consultant…

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26

Mar

Malta: Teachers scrambling to take lessons online

The Independent speaks to teachers from different schools who say that the closure of schools has had an impact on them as they have had to quickly adapt their teaching…

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26

Mar

Malta: GWU chief says crisis highlights role of trade unions

L-Orizzont quotes General Workers Union secretary general Josef Bugeja who said that only membership of a trade union can guarantee workers the safeguards they need in situations like the current…

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26

Mar

Malta: PN says 18,000 self-employed left out of rescue plan

In-Nazzjon quotes PN Leader Adrian Delia who said that the relief package unveiled by the Prime Minister this week is ‘too little, too late’. He said that the needs of…

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26

Mar

Malta: Social partners welcome aid measures

The Malta Business Weekly leads with positive reactions by employers’ associations and trade unions to the third aid package announced by government this week. Prime Minister Abela said that the…

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26

Mar

Malta: Bankers rebuff windfall tax recommendations

Business Today says that the Malta Bankers Association came out against suggestions of a windfall tax on profits made by local banks. The MBA defended ‘super-profits’ and said that banking…

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25

Mar

Malta: Adrian Delia insists on lower electricity rates: The Headlines – In-Nazzjon

In-Nazzjon quotes PN Leader Adrian Delia who said the government was being “reactive and selective” in its new financial aid measures. Delia also criticised the government for refusing to lower…

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25

Mar

Malta: Covid-19 cases are still rising

The Independent says that the number of confirmed cases rose to 110 after three more people tested positive by Tuesday. Public Health Superintendent Charmaine Gauci warned that, despite a lower…

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25

Mar

Malta: Revised aid package to support 60,000 employees

The Times says that the new rescue package unveiled by the Prime Minister on Tuesday will guarantee a salary of €1,200 to around 60,000 workers. The state will fund €800…

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25

Mar

Malta: New incentives added to previously announced measures

L-Orizzont says that the new relief plan for business by the government will effectively pay a week’s salary for every employee in critical sectors that were forced to shut down.…

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25

Mar

Malta: Government unveils new rescue measures for business

Malta Today leads with the announcement of a third set of financial measures by the government focusing on businesses in the hardest-hit sectors. Prime Minister Robert Abela said that the…

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24

Mar

Malta: Most Covid-19 cases were contact-traced

The Times quotes Public Health Superintendent Charmaine Gauci who said that many of the Covid-19 are being actively traced by authorities and the number of patients reporting contagion themselves remains…

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24

Mar

Malta: Banks introduce concessions to help clients

The Independent says that several banks are offering moratoria and incentives for personal clients to ease repayments of home loans and other services. Banks said they are also engaging with…

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24

Mar

Malta: New relief initiatives for businesses to be launched

L-Orizzont reveals that new measures to support businesses and protect jobs will be announced by government following a Cabinet meeting on Monday night. The paper says the decisions came after…

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24

Mar

Malta: PN proposes specific Covid-19 fund for Gozo

In-Nazzjon says that the Nationalist Party proposed a set of measures addressing the needs of Gozo, including the setting up of a special fund. PN Leader Adrian Delia said that…

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23

Mar

Malta: Non-essential businesses close indefinitely

The Times leads with government’s order for closure of shops and services that fall within the non-essential category to limit the spread of the virus. The mandatory shutdown is effective…

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23

Mar

Malta: PN Leader accuses government of penny-pinching with workers

In-Nazzjon quotes PN Leader Adrian Delia who said that the government is being tight-fisted with business and workers and called for an improved aid package that ‘re-invests’ the wealth created…

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23

Mar

Malta: Covid-19 cases reach 90 in two weeks

The Independent reports that 17 new coronavirus cases have been found by the health authorities, ten of which were travel related and the rest were locally transmitted. This brings the…

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23

Mar

Malta: Prime Minister hints at new stimulus package for companies

L-Orizzont quotes Prime Minister Robert Abela who said that the government wants to rescue businesses and make sure that jobs are not lost, indicating that new measures to support companies…

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22

Mar

Malta: Three in four concerned about impact on their finances

The Sunday Times publishes survey results showing that nine in ten people believe the virus outbreak will cause significant damage to Malta. Three-fourths of respondents said that the situation will…

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22

Mar

Malta: Equality Minister warns employers against taking advantage of crisis

It-Torċa quotes Justice and Equality Minister Edward Zammit Lewis who said that workers must not be used by employers to negotiate on their terms. The minister said that businesses should…

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22

Mar

Malta: Over 12,000 approved planning applications in a year

The Independent on Sunday says that 12,500 planning applications for dwellings were approved in 2019, around 400 less than the previous year. Apartments accounted for 85 percent of approved dwelling…

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22

Mar

Malta: Social partners urge government to beef up rescue plan

Illum speaks to trade unions and employers’ associations who said that, unless improved measures are introduced by government, businesses will fail, and jobs will be lost. They say that the…

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22

Mar

Malta: PN promises more proposals to support business

Il-Mument quotes PN Leader Adrian Delia who urged government to allocate ‘serious and direct’ aid to safeguard the income of workers and their families. Delia said that the party will…

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22

Mar

Malta: Government relief plan does not go far enough

Malta Today argues that the Prime Minister must go all in to save the economy even if it means accumulating government debt. The paper says that the rescue package for…

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22

Mar

Malta: Covid-19 budget is higher than EU recommended minimum

Kullħadd says that the financial package announced by the government on Wednesday ‘exceeds the expectations’ of the European Council. The paper says that the €1.8 billion budget goes further than…

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21

Mar

Malta: PN discusses outbreak with social partners

In-Nazzjon follows a meeting between the Nationalist Party and constituted bodies on Friday to discuss the virus emergency. PN leader Adrian Delia said that the party wants to provide peace…

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21

Mar

Malta: First Covid-19 patient with health complications

The Independent leads with updates from the Covid-19 situation in Malta as the number of confirmed cases rose to 64. One of the patients in the group of 11 admitted…

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21

Mar

Air pollution falls drastically over one month: The Headlines – The Times

The Times reports that nitrogen dioxide readings from morning rush hours have fallen by as much as 70 percent over the past month as schools remain closed and more people…

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21

Mar

Malta: Economist warns of virus impact on economic performance

L-Orizzont quotes economist Gordon Cordina who described the virus outbreak as a “shock” to economies around the world. He warned that the spread is likely to lead to a global…

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20

Mar

Malta: Employers and unions say rescue plan not satisfactory

The Times leads with reactions to the government business relief plan by employers and unions who were unanimous in their views that the proposals are not enough to save companies…

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20

Mar

Malta: Opposition lashes out at government aid measures

In-Nazzjon quotes Opposition Leader Adrian Delia who criticized the rescue package laid out by the government. He said that the plan will only release €175 million in aid and not…

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20

Mar

Malta: Health authorities warn against false hope

L-Orizzont quotes Public Health Superintendent Charmaine Gauci who warned that the fall in cases between Wednesday and Thursday is not a sign of a turning tide. She said that the…

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20

Mar

Malta: President appeals for national solidarity

The Independent quotes President George Vella who urged people to remind those who are in isolation that they are not forgotten. Vella assured the public that the health authorities are…

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19

Mar

Malta: Government unveils €1.8 billion package for businesses

Business Today leads with the launch of a €1.8 billion rescue package for businesses. Government will pay €350 per employee on quarantine while companies that are requested to shut down…

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19

Mar

Malta: Special Covid-19 rescue budget launched

The Times reports on the government Covid-19 mini budget for business which will provide €700 million in tax deferrals, €900 million in loan guarantees and a direct boost of €210…

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19

Mar

Malta: Confirmed Covid-19 cases now 48

The Independent reports that Covid-19 cases in Malta rose to 48 by Wednesday and the disease has now infected two elderly persons for the first time. Public Health Superintendent Charmaine…

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19

Mar

Malta: PN presents proposals to aid affected businesses

In-Nazzjon publishes a series of proposals by the Nationalist Party to help businesses and sustain people’s livelihoods. The proposals include a 50 percent reduction of utility bills and a temporary…

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19

Mar

Malta: GWU appeals for employee equality

L-Orizzont Another report quotes a General Workers Union statement urging government to focus on priorities and not convenient decisions.  The union said that all workers including third-country nationals must be…

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19

Mar

Malta: Coronavirus claims 8,000 lives globally: The Headlines

The Malta Business Weekly says that the global confirmed cases of coronavirus have reached 200,000, with virus-linked deaths exceeding 8,000. China reported 81,000 cases, the highest registered anywhere, followed by…

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