News

Maltese Editors’ Perspectives

Immigration and environmental concerns remain on the Editors' agenda in their Editorials today. The Times of Malta’s Editorial considers the first months of Robert Abela as Prime Minister. It says…

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Russian, Chinese sources keep pushing false narratives on coronavirus and EU efforts to fight pandemic

Russian and Chinese sources are pushing through fake narratives in the European Union, aimed at audiences in Europe and its neigbourhood with misinformation and "conspiracy narratives about COVID-19". This emerges…

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Italy to announce plans this week to ease lockdown restrictions after 4th May

"It would be irresponsible to withdraw from the lockdown at this point in time, but by the end of the week, plans for a gradual re-opening will be made public."…

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Pandemic may derail US-Afghan peace efforts

American Efforts to bring the long-drawn conflict with the Taliban in Afghanistan to an end may be derailed by the coronavirus pandemic. Fighting has tended to escalate in the Spring…

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Malta: Pilots to take Air Malta, Economy Minister to court

The Independent reports that the Air Malta pilots’ union filed a judicial protest against the airline and the Economy Minister after the dismissal of 108 members. The union said that…

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Malta: Pardon for Caruana Galizia murder suspect under consideration

The Times says that sources close to the Daphne Caruana Galizia investigation confirmed that authorities are considering granting one of the suspected hitmen, Vincent Muscat, a presidential pardon in exchange…

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Malta: Reduction in active Covid-19 cases

L-Orizzont reports that the number of active Covid-19 cases continued to decrease on Monday after eight patients were confirmed recovered and four new people tested positive. There are currently 302…

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Malta: Employers concerned over salaries

In-Nazzjon quotes a report by the Chamber of SMEs which says that the primary concern of businesses is the payment of salaries. The paper says that 87 percent of employers…

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Live Update: Covid-19 Bulletin Malta – Tuesday 21st April 2020

Updated 1233 Twelve new cases in Malta while 24 others recover Prof Charmaine Gauci announced that 24 other persons have recovered taking the tally to 150. Twelve new cases were identified…

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Two months after Patient-1, Italy sees first decline in active cases

Exactly two months after the first positive patient was identified in Codogno, near Lodi, in Lombardy, Italy has registered the first decrease in the number of active cases since the…

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449 new deaths in UK as authorities plan 30,000 extra mortuary spaces

The UK Department of Health announced 449 new deaths around the country's hospitals, after having contracted coronavirus. The latest increase brings the death count to 16,509. 124,743 persons have now…

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Maltese Editors’ Viewpoints

The economy and the environment are the two central themes in today’s Editorials. The Times of Malta refers to recent economic assessments by the IMF and credit rating agencies, noting…

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Not the time for stricter rules for production of ventilators and facemasks – EPP

The EPP Group said in a statement that it supported the postponement by one year of the entry-into-force of new, stricter rules regarding the production of medical devices such as respiratory…

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Malta: Air Malta to sack four-fifths of pilots tomorrow

In-Nazzjon reports that Air Malta has called off meetings with its pilots and withdrew offers for pay-cuts. The paper says that the carrier is expected to lay off 80 percent…

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Malta: Supermarket chief says e-commerce increased fourfold

L-Orizzont carries an interview with Charles Borg, the CEO of PG Group which runs the Pavi and Pama supermarkets. Borg said that online shopping grew by four times since the…

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Malta: PM and Opposition Leader trade blows over criminal complaint

The Independent leads with a war of words between the Prime Minister and the Opposition Leader over a criminal complaint filed by NGO Repubblika to investigate the deaths of migrants…

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Malta: Concerns over growing truancy patterns

The Times says that students missed an average of just under 12 days of school in the 2017-2018, continuing an upward trend in unauthorised absenteeism over the years. Authorities fear…

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Italy registers further decreases in new cases and deaths

Italy has witnessed yet another decrease in its death toll: 433 passed away today, taking the tally to 23,660. New cases have also gone down with 3,047 identified today, that's…

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Malta: A third of private sector employees concerned over jobs

The Sunday Times says that a third of employees in the private sector fear losing their jobs as a result of the coronavirus impact on the economy. A survey commissioned…

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Malta: Air Malta bracing itself for €130 million loss

Malta Today estimates that Air Malta will register a loss of €130 million by the start of summer between ticket refunds and direct losses. The paper says the airline says…

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Malta: EU Commission examining Malta proposal for Libya

The Independent on Sunday speaks to EU Home Affairs Commissioner Ylva Johansson who said that Malta’s proposal to coordinate aid for Libya to dissuade migrants from crossing to Europe is…

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Malta: Robert Abela to reach first hundred days this week

It-Torċa marks the first hundred days of Robert Abela as Prime Minister and says that around 150 legal notices have been issued since his election in January. The paper says…

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Malta: Adrian Delia challenges Prime Minister’s claims

Il-Mument covers a press conference by PN Leader Adrian Delia responding to claims made by the Prime Minister that the Opposition is accusing him and AFM officials of murder. Delia…

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Malta: The AFM rescued 13,000 migrants in four years

Illum says that the Armed Forces of Malta rescued some 13,000 migrants in four years besides “hundreds more” who found themselves in distress at sea. The AFM patrol boat P52…

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Malta: Optimism in the rate of Covid-19 cases

Kullħadd says that the rate of new Covid-19 cases is similar to that registered 10 days ago while infected patients are recovering every day. The paper says that this could…

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Another glum Saturday for the UK as 888 lives lost to coronavirus in a day

888 patients have lost their lives in hospitals in the United Kingdom after having contracted the novel coronavirus. All but 104 of these deaths happened in England. In today's briefing,…

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COVID-19: Stepping up EU’s response to alleviate the effects of the crisis

MEPs adopted additional measures so that EU funding can be granted immediately and with exceptional flexibility to combat the COVID-19 pandemic. In Friday’s extraordinary plenary session, the European Parliament endorsed…

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Malta: Economy Minister lays into pilots’ union

The Independent quotes Economy Minister Silvio Schembri who criticized Air Malta pilots for pulling out meetings with the carrier at the last minute of Wednesday. The Minister said he cannot…

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Malta: Concerns over public land sold to Tumas Group subsidiary

The Times reveals that an internal audit by the Lands Authority found that a tract of public land in Qormi that was put up for sale upon the request by…

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Malta: Adrian Delia praises AFM soldiers

In-Nazzjon covers a visit by Opposition Leader Adrian Delia to the Armed Forces to thank them for their efforts during the epidemic. Delia said that AFM officers are Malta’s ‘shield’…

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Malta: Criminal investigation into PM, Brigadier after complaint by PN MP

L-Orizzont says that the police have launched an investigation into the Prime Minister and AFM Brigadier Jeffrey Curmi after Opposition MP Jason Azzopardi filed a complaint accusing them of voluntary…

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EU Parliament voting on €3 billion emergency support for national health care systems

The European Parliament is today voting on new measures mobilising €3 billion of targeted support for health care systems in EU regions that have been hit the hardest by the…

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English League Football to complete season behind close doors, with live tv coverage

While English Premiership clubs are still in discussions on whether and when to finish off the season, the Football League’s lower echelons have taken the decisive step to finish off…

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Maltese Editors’ Perspectives

Friday’s four Editorials tackle different issues, ranging from immigration to the environment, and from social conditions to sport. The Times of Malta continues to look at the recent migrant tragedy,…

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Malta: Government issues scheme to support business loan interests

The Independent leads with an announcement by the government that it will subsidise up to 2.5 percent of interest rates on bank loans taken by businesses. Companies must pay a…

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Malta: More than 350 people waiting to return from abroad

The Times quotes Foreign Affairs Minister Evarist Bartolo who revealed that 355 Maltese citizens are still waiting to be repatriated to Malta. He said that most of them are outside…

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Malta: Food prices increase by around eight percent

L-Orizzont calculates that the price of a regular shipping list has increased by some eight percent since the start of the outbreak. The paper says that not all food stores…

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Malta: 25,000 jobs could be in danger

In-Nazzjon quotes Chamber of Commerce president David Xuereb who said that up to 25,000 could lose their jobs as a consequence of the emergency. The paper says that the rescue…

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Live Update: Covid-19 Bulletin Malta – Friday 17th April 2020

Updated 2007 Malta is registering "success" in the health and economic sector - PM Abela. Among the contributors to this success, the PM singled out the Armed Forces of Malta.…

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Italy “confirms downward trend” as more than 2,000 recover in a day

Italy has registered 3,786 new cases of the novel coronavirus while 525 more have perished during the past 24 hours, according to the latest data published by the Civil Protection.…

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UK to remain under lockdown for at least three more weeks

Return to some sort of normality will have to wait at least for three more weeks for the UK public. Government has announced today that its coronavirus lockdown will remain…

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EU guidelines play down infection risks posed by domestic waste

Household waste does not facilitate the spread of Covid-19 infections, according to guidelines issued by the European Centre for Diseases Prevention and Control (ECDC). The centre listed recommendations on the…

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UPDATED – Government to subsidise interest rates for businesses

Updated 1850 Malta Chamber of Commerce welcomes interest rate subsidy The Malta Chamber of Commerce welcomed the Government subsidy up to 2.5% of interest, on business loans related to the…

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European Parliament seeks reassurances and reimbursements for Erasmus+ students

The 165,000 current Erasmus+ exchange students and 5000 EU volunteers need reassurance that they will be reimbursed and retain their status, MEPs say. In a letter addressed to Commissioner Mariya…

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Malta: Four facing charges over Ħamrun house collapse

The Independent reports that four people were charged with the involuntary homicide of Miriam Pace, who died when her home in Ħamrun collapsed in March. The accused were working on…

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Malta: Five people found dead in Maltese waters

The Times reports that five migrants were discovered dead in a boat adrift in Malta’s Search and Rescue Area. The International Organisation for Migration said that 51 survivors were intercepted…

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Malta: Economists sceptical of IMF projections

Business Today carries reactions by economists and the Chamber of Commerce who said that predictions by the IMF that Malta’s economic performance will shrink by seven percent this year is…

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Malta: New waste management facility in Magħtab

L-Orizzont announces the investment in a new Waste-to-Energy plant in Magħtab that will reduce landfilling and help Malta reach its recycling targets. The paper says that the state-of-the-art technology will…

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Malta: Adrian Delia discusses migrant situation with EU Commissioner

In-Nazzjon follows a meeting between PN Leader Adrian Delia and EU Commissioner for immigration Ylva Johansson. Delia argued that migrants without the right for asylum should be repatriated while the…

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Malta: Infections by migrant account for five percent of Covid-19 cases

The Malta Business Weekly says that three of the six new Covid-19 cases recorded on Wednesday were migrants, resident at the Ħal Far centre. Cases among migrants in the facility…

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Live Update: Covid-19 Bulletin Malta – Thursday 16th April 2020

Updated 1440 Government to subsidise interest rates for businesses Parliamentary Secretary Clayton Bartolo announced that Government will be subsidising 2.5% of interest rates for the first two years. Individuals and…

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Italy registers less cases for fourth day running

New coronavirus cases in Italy have gone down for the fourth day running, at 2,667 in the past 24 hours. The day before the country had registered more than 300…

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Life will get back to normality if we all pull the same rope – Stella Kyriakides, EU Commissioner

Among the women at the helm of the EU’s Coronavirus Crisis Team is Cypriot Commissioner Stella Kyriakides. Like many other leaders, she describes the current fight against the pandemic as…

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UK counts another 761 deaths as 106-year-old becomes oldest person to recover from Covid-19

The United Kingdom has registered another 761 coronavirus-related deaths in its hospitals today. The Department of Health said that 12,868 persons have now lost their lives since the start of…

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COVID-19 outbreak: Council approves financial assistance for EU fishermen

The EU's Council of Ministers has agreed on a proposal to help tackle the negative impact of the COVID-19 outbreak on the fishery and aquaculture sector. The proposal will amend…

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Maltese Editors’ Perspectives

Migration returns at the centre of a number of Editorials in print today. The Times of Malta focuses on current migratory challenges, which, added to the current pandemic provide Malta…

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Malta: Medavia ejects employees despite winning lucrative deal

Malta Today says that aviation company Medavia has let pilots, cabin crew and engineers go even after having won a profitable contract to deliver supplies for the World Food Programme.…

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