These are the main news reported by Malta’s news portals today.
There are sufficient grounds for former John Dalli canvasser Silvio Zammit to be sent to trial, a magistrate ruled on Thursday. The former aide and canvasser to European Commissioner John Dalli stands accused of seeking two bribes, including a €60 million bribe from a Swedish snus tobacco producer in order to influence changes to an EU tobacco directive while Mr Dalli was EU Health Commissioner. Times of Malta
Prime Minister Joseph Muscat said that despite the pressing time for the declared deadline there are still impeding issues for a Brexit deal, mainly the Irish border. One
A teenager was arrested after he attempted to run over a police officer in a car which had been reported stolen earlier, the police said. The incident took place in Kirkop at 10.30pm on Wednesday. Members of the Rapid Intervention Unit noticed the car which had been reported stolen from Msida in the afternoon. When they tried to stop the vehicle, the driver drove at one of the officers, but missed him and continued driving. The Malta Independent / Newsbook / Net
Forensic experts managed to retrieve fingerprints pertaining to Lorenzo Callus, better known as il-Ħeswes, from the inner part of a bomb which failed to detonate in Fgura on 4 January. TVM
Air Malta has disputed comments made by pilots’ union ALPA that pilots are being made to fly to their maximum legal limits. The national airline issued data showing that Air Malta pilots fly an average of 650 hours every year, well below industry standards it said or the legal limit of 900 hours annually. “Air Malta is surprised by the comments given to the media by ALPA, that the airline does not have enough pilots. The union added that the airline is ‘regularly rostering crew to fly to their maximum legal limits’ leading to an ‘unprecedented level of fatigue being recorded’.” MaltaToday
Reporters Without Borders (RSF) today announced the shortlist for its Press Freedom Awards, including Matthew Caruana Galizia in a list of 12 nominees. Caruana Galizia has been shortlisted for RSF’s prize for ‘Impact’ because of his tireless work over the past year in pursuit of justice for the assassination of his mother, Daphne. The Shift News
Nationalist MP Chris Said has confirmed he turned down a request by the party to contest next year’s European Parliament elections. “My response was clear from the start,” Said told Lovin Malta. “I am personally interested in national politics and contesting the MEP elections never even crossed my mind.” LovinMalta
