Reading Time: 4 minutes
Good morning,
The news around the world, including Malta are dominated with the tragedy that took place on Tuesday in Genoa, Italy. Earlier, the last news cycle started off with the issue of the Westminster terror attack, at the same time that the economic world was waiting for developments on the Turkish front. In the process, a solution for the MV Aquarius was found.
Our morning briefing follows:
Italy witnessed an unprecedented, perhaps foretold disaster in Genoa. Over a hundred meters of the Morandi bridge on the A10 motorway collapsed while a storm struck the region. 35 people were confirmed death, including an 8, 12 and 13 year old. Get more insights here.
Not even the time to digest the tragedy which hit Genoa passed that the Italian peninsula was struck by yet another news. Just before midnight an earthquake of magnitude 4.9 was felt in Molise. The first earthquake was followed by a 2.3 magnitude aftershock around 0112h (local time). There were no reports of damages or victims so far, although both tremors were felt widely in various parts of the Italian peninsula, including Campania and Napoli.
Malta announced that it was to allow the MV Aquarius to enter its ports, despite having no legal obligation to do so. Malta will serve as a logistical base and all of the reportedly 141 migrants on board will be distributed amongst France, Germany, Luxembourg, Portugal and Spain.
In the UK a number of people have been injured after a car crashed into security barriers outside the Houses of Parliament on 14 August 2018, Scotland Yard said. The driver, a man in his late 20s, was arrested at the scene. Authorities said that the incident was treated as terror related and an investigation by the counter terrorism command was underway
Turkey increased tariffs on series of US imports in ongoing feud with the USA. (Developing Story)
Bishops and other leaders of the Roman Catholic Church in Pennsylvania covered up child sexual abuse by hundreds of priests over a period of 70 years, persuading victims not to report the abuse and police officers not to investigate it, according to a report issued by a grand jury on Tuesday. The case involved over 300 priests and 1,000 children.
Apart from the tragedy in Genoa, The Times reports that after waiting for more than two years, the competition watchdog may finally rediscover its teeth and impose fines in the wake of proposed changes to the law, parts of which had been declared unconstitutional. Still, no specific time frames have been given on when the draft amendments, now open for public consultation, will be presented to Parliament.
The Malta Independent dedicates its front page to the Genoan tragedy and the issue of the MV Aquarius.
In-Nazzjon’s other main story is about the publication of the Egrant inquiry, claiming that the Attorney General is insisting in his ‘hard-headed’ position as he objected to the PN’s request for publication.
L-Orizzont follows the case of migrants living in a Qormi farm, stating that this wasn’t the first case of humans living in the inhuman conditions.
US Democrats voted for diversity in a new night of firsts while Republicans rejected a face of the GOP’s old guard on Tuesday as the 2018 primaries’ season entered its final stages. (AP)
Police raided the Chilean Episcopal Conference on Tuesday in a case over alleged rapes and sexual abuse committed by members of the Marist Congregation, prosecutor Raúl Guzmán said.
Masked gangs of youths used Molotov cocktails to set fire to about 100 cars in Swedish towns and cities in what appeared to be coordinated attacks, thrusting crime into the heart of next month’s election campaigns.
Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has announced a controversial plan to scrap fuel subsidies in a bid to combat what he calls rampant smuggling.
Paul Manafort’s lawyers declined Tuesday to call any witnesses to defend him against charges of bank and tax fraud. Mr. Manafort, President Trump’s former campaign chairman, also told the judge that he did not want to testify, clearing the way for closing arguments from both sides and the start of jury deliberations on Wednesday.
Hungary’s government will stop financing gender studies university courses, Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s chief of staff said on Tuesday, marking one of the first concrete steps in a cultural shift signalled last month.
The widow of one of the victims of the Munich Olympics terror attack has accused Jeremy Corbyn of hypocrisy and has demanded he apologise. Ankie Spitzer’s husband Andrei, a fencing coach, was murdered at the 1972 games by Palestinian terrorists.
