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Malta Independent

Wed, 10 Mar 2021 10:05:00 +0000
Over 400 Covid-19 cases expected to be registered
Over 400 new cases of Covid-19 are expected to be registered today, this newsroom is informed.This would again break the record high number of daily cases. The current record stands at 362 on 4 March.Recently the government introduced a number of new...

Wed, 10 Mar 2021 09:01:00 +0000
LIVE - Compilation of evidence against Agius brothers and associates continues
The compilation of evidence against Adrian Agius, his brother Robert Agius, and their associates Jamie Vella and George Degiorgio continues on Wednesday. In yesterday's first sitting, the court heard how Robert Agius had acquired a vehicle similar to...

Wed, 10 Mar 2021 10:52:00 +0000
‘Total silence’ on call to switch to online teaching in primary and secondary schools – UPE
The government has been 'totally silent' regarding whether primary and secondary schools will be allowed to go online, the president of the Union of Professional Educators (UPE), Graham Sansone, told The Malta Independent. Teacher's unions have ...

Wed, 10 Mar 2021 08:24:00 +0000
Debate on election of next University of Malta rector and institution’s future ’non-existent’ – Dean
There is no discussion or consultation taking place on the eve of the election for the University of Malta Rector and his team, the Dean of the Faculty for Social Wellbeing (FSW) Professor Andrew Azzopardi told The Malta Independent.The election is s...

Tue, 09 Mar 2021 12:35:00 +0000
248 new Covid-19 cases found as vaccine doses administered exceeds 100,000 mark
248 new cases of Covid-19 were reported by authorities on Tuesday as the number of vaccine doses that have been administered so far has exceeded 100,000.An 88-year-old man meanwhile passed away at his private residence while Covid-positive, making hi...

Tue, 09 Mar 2021 09:55:00 +0000
Daphne hitmen used car supplied by Robert Agius to practice lock-picking, court hears
Robert Agius, known as Tal-Maksar, had acquired a vehicle similar to the one used by Daphne Caruana Galizia so that her executors could train on how to defeat the car lock.The information was divulged in court this morning by Superintendent Keit...

Tue, 09 Mar 2021 19:59:00 +0000
PN deems bill drafted to exclude PM from appointing permanent secretaries ‘not enough’
The proposed bill by Minister for Justice, Equality and Governance Edward Zammit Lewis regarding the appointment of permanent secretaries is not enough to change the state of the country, and it will need to be amended, PN MP Joe Ellis said.Zammit Le...

Wed, 10 Mar 2021 08:35:00 +0000
The Kármán line
With the pandemic and all, the current state of affairs is not easy to manage. True, we are at the stage where the unrolling of the vaccination programme is starting to pick up. However, there are new variants that seem to be even more contagious mak...

Tue, 09 Mar 2021 10:52:00 +0000
Wage supplement support to continue till the end of the year
The government’s wage supplement support scheme will continue until the end of 2021, with the government continuing to provide monetary support to the businesses which are worst hit by the pandemic, Enterprises Minister Miriam Dalli announced o...

Tue, 09 Mar 2021 19:25:00 +0000
55% of vulnerable people have had first Covid-19 vaccine dose
55% of the 23,000 people considered to be vulnerable have had the first Covid-19 vaccine dose administered, Health Minister Chris Fearne said in Parliament.The minister was responding to a Parliamentary Question posed by PN MP Claudette Buttigieg.&nb...

Tue, 09 Mar 2021 16:44:00 +0000
Fearne did not breach parliamentary privilege in PN vaccine queue allegation, Speaker rules
Speaker Anglu Farrugia ruled that there was no abuse of parliamentary privilege by Deputy Prime Minister and Health Minister Chris Fearne when he accused PN MPs of asking him to jump vaccination queue.PN MP David Thake asked for a ruling on the matte...

Tue, 09 Mar 2021 16:51:00 +0000
Man gets four-year prison term for hurting partner, baby daughter confirmed
A 30-year-old man has been sentenced to four years in prison, as his appeal for the court to reduce his sentence in connection to a domestic violence case against his partner and daughter was denied.The court found him guilty of grievously injuring h...

Tue, 09 Mar 2021 18:58:00 +0000
UK palace ends silence on Harry, Meghan racism allegations
Buckingham Palace issued a statement Tuesday, saying the family was "saddened" to learn of the struggles that Harry and Meghan revealed this week - and that they would be taken very seriously.The statement is the first comment by the palace following...

Tue, 09 Mar 2021 17:34:00 +0000
Government incentivises remote working, but inequalities need to be addressed - minister
Teleworking and remote working will be incentivised, Minister for Finance and Employment Clyde Caruana said, but added that the government must be careful as inequalities can emerge.The Finance minister was answering a Parliamentary question posed by...

Tue, 09 Mar 2021 14:43:00 +0000
Curia education secretariat calls for urgent vaccination roll out at church schools
While welcoming the strong drive towards Covid-19 vaccination for school staff members which is currently underway, the Secretariat for Catholic Education and the Church Schools Association call for greater urgency and a more balanced vaccination rol...

Tue, 09 Mar 2021 12:45:00 +0000
Giovanni Curmi Higher Secondary school to go online from tomorrow
Giovanni Curmi Higher Secondary school will move to online schooling as from Wednesday until the end of this month, the school announced on Tuesday.In a statement given by the school administration, they announced that as of 10 March the school will ...

Tue, 09 Mar 2021 15:23:00 +0000
Maltese athletes place in the top 10 of online Shotokan karate world championship
Three Maltese athletes have placed in the top 10 in the first ever online Shotokan karate world championship.The athletes competed in the Funakoshi Gichin Online Festival, a festival which replaced the Japenese Karate Association World Championships ...

Tue, 09 Mar 2021 15:45:00 +0000
Greece: Country mourns as 37-day-old baby becomes youngest Covid-19 victim
Greece on Monday mourned a 37-day-old baby, the youngest among the country's nearly 6,800 Covid-19 victims."Sadly, today we had the pandemic's youngest victim in our country, an infant that spent 17 of its 37 days fighting the coronavirus," Prime Min...

Tue, 09 Mar 2021 12:18:00 +0000
Eyesore oil rig towed out of Grand Harbour
An oil rig that disrupted the view of the Grand Harbour has been towed after Transport Minister Ian Borg instructed the relevant shipyard to stop the rig’s operations. The Atwood Beacon was removed this morning from the Palumbo Shipyard and tow...

Tue, 09 Mar 2021 14:46:00 +0000
Air Malta will continue waiving the rebooking fee till end of May
Air Malta will continue to waive rebooking fees until 31 May, 2021, the company said in a statement. The Airline will also continue to apply the reduced name change fee of just €5. “Other ticket terms and conditions, including that travel ...

Tue, 09 Mar 2021 08:00:00 +0000
Malta has lowest percentage of women in parliament in EU, Eurostat reports
Malta has the lowest share of women in the national parliament in Europe, Eurostat has said.According to the statistics, only 13% of MPs in Malta were women in 2020. Hungary also shares this figure, and is therefore tied with Malta for the lowest sha...

Tue, 09 Mar 2021 11:38:00 +0000
Inbound tourism down by 90.8% in January 2021 when compared to January 2020 – NSO
The total inbound visitors for January 2021 stood at around 13,806, a 90.8% decrease when compared to the corresponding month in 2020, the National Statistics Office said.This is a sharp decrease which is attributed to Covid-19.During the month under...

Mon, 08 Mar 2021 12:27:00 +0000
Updated: Law to be amended to allow removal of masks while eating and drinking outdoors
A Legal Notice regulating the use of face masks will be amended to allow people to take their mask off while eating and drinking, a Health Ministry spokesperson has told Lovin Malta.There was confusion over the weekend as several people were fined af...

Tue, 09 Mar 2021 12:05:00 +0000
TMID Editorial: Covid-19 - Hamrun in the news for the wrong reasons
Hamrun has been in the news quite a bit recently, and for all the wrong reasons. This is mainly because a few supporters of the local football club have been ignoring Covid regulations, shedding a bad light on the club.Over the past months we have se...

Tue, 09 Mar 2021 08:23:00 +0000
Only 28% of managers in Malta are women - Eurostat
The number of Maltese women in management positions remains low, with 28% of all people employed in management positions being women in the third quarter of 2020, a Eurostat statistic showed.This is noticeably behind the EU average of 34%. The EU ave...

Tue, 09 Mar 2021 08:34:00 +0000
Explosive Harry, Meghan interview reverberates across globe
Prince Harry and Meghan’s explosive TV interview divided people around the world on Monday, rocking an institution that is struggling to modernize with claims of racism and callousness toward a woman struggling with suicidal thoughts.During the...

Mon, 08 Mar 2021 12:35:00 +0000
201 new cases of Covid-19 found as 345 recover
201 new cases of Covid-19 were reported by authorities on Monday as 345 people recovered from the virus.No new Covid-19 related deaths were reported during the last 24 hours, meaning that the total death count remains at 334.The number of active case...

Mon, 08 Mar 2021 16:35:00 +0000
UPE calls for schools to shift online, MUT says it is monitoring situation
The Union of Professional Educators (UPE) has called for schools to shift online because of the increase in Covid-19 cases and the circulation of the new UK variant, which has been seen to be more transmissible in children.“We need to go online...

Tue, 09 Mar 2021 13:47:00 +0000
Six new urban community projects announced
The locality of Mosta will be benefiting from urban embellishment projects including the paving of roads and the creation of an outdoor gym financed by the Development Planning Fund (DPF).This was announced by Minister for the Environment, Climate Ch...

Mon, 08 Mar 2021 09:14:00 +0000
Companies will have to publish gender pay gaps under new Commission proposal - Dalli
A European Commission proposal for pay transparency will mean that companies will have to publish what their gender pay gaps are, and it is only for objective reasons such as those related to productivity that they can pay men and women differently, ...

Mon, 08 Mar 2021 15:14:00 +0000
706 people fined for not wearing mask in public; no one found breaching quarantine
Over 700 people were fined for not wearing a face mask over the past seven days, accounting for 90% of Covid-19-related fines issued during that period.In total, 5,768 inspections were carried out by the police, the Malta Tourism Authority, the Envir...

Mon, 08 Mar 2021 16:49:00 +0000
‘Only a few supporters did not abide by health directives’ – Ħamrun Spartans statement
Only a few supporters did not abide by the health directives being issued, a statement by Ħamrun Spartans Football Club read.This comes after a number of Hamrun Spartans fans breached Covid-19 laws to celebrate after winning a match against Hibe...

Mon, 08 Mar 2021 12:08:00 +0000
Prime Minister defends MTA chief: ‘Johann Buttigieg never did business with Yorgen Fenech’
Prime Minister Robert Abela has defended current Malta Tourism Authority CEO Johann Buttigieg after his close links with alleged Caruana Galizia murder mastermind Yorgen Fenech were revealed.Questioned on Monday morning, a day after the Times of Malt...

Mon, 08 Mar 2021 18:48:00 +0000
Covid-19 positive persons reached by contact tracing team ‘within 24 hours’ - Fearne
The contact tracing team gets in touch with people who test positive for Covid-19 within 24 hours, Deputy Prime Minister Chris Fearne told Parliament on Monday.Fearne was replying to a Parliamentary Question by PN MP Kevin Cutajar, who asked what the...

Mon, 08 Mar 2021 17:22:00 +0000
PM says he will wait his turn to take vaccine; Grech again denies PN MPs asked to skip queue
Prime Minister Robert Abela has said he will wait his turn for the vaccine instead of getting any precedence over others.The issue was raised during parliament this evening, where Speaker of the House Anglu Farrugia made an appeal that Members of Par...

Mon, 08 Mar 2021 12:28:00 +0000
Church sex abuse case to be heard behind closed doors, court decides
The case against two Gozitan priests who are charged with sexually abusing an altar boy will continue to be heard behind closed doors, a court ruled on Monday.Magistrate Bridgette Sultana barred the press from reporting on the alleged crimes and said...

Mon, 08 Mar 2021 16:57:00 +0000
James Caterers breached parliamentary privilege with threatening letter sent to NAO - Speaker
James Caterers breached parliamentary privilege when it threatened to take legal action against the National Audit Office, Speaker Anglu Farrugia has ruled.Last week, Auditor General Charles Deguara accused the catering company of trying to intimidat...

Mon, 08 Mar 2021 15:26:00 +0000
Repubblika ‘convinced’ PM is behind NGO Commissioner’s ‘threats’
Civil society NGO Repubblika has warned the Prime Minister that it will report his “abuse” to foreign embassies and international organisations unless he “withdraws his threats.”Repubblika said it was convinced that Robert Abe...

Mon, 08 Mar 2021 16:51:00 +0000
Holy Week: Church announces additional Covid-19 directives
The Curia has announced additional Covid-19 directives for Good Friday and Easter.It said that Church organisations will not be holding any exhibitions during Holy Week and the washing of feet ceremony will not be held.Also cancelled are the traditio...

Mon, 08 Mar 2021 16:16:00 +0000
Government is trying to remove right to a fair hearing – PN
The Government is trying to impede and remove a citizen’s right to a fair hearing by amending laws which enable persons of trust to impose a fine, the PN said in a press conference. “This new law that they are trying to introduce – ...

Mon, 08 Mar 2021 15:00:00 +0000
Virtu Ferries applies for Malta-Gozo fast ferry route
Virtu Ferries has applied to Transport Malta for a license to operate the Malta-Gozo fast ferry route.In a statement, the company welcomed the announcement by Minister Ian Borg, and Minister Clint Camilleri, on the liberalisation of the High-Speed Pa...

Mon, 08 Mar 2021 08:15:00 +0000
Plan is to continue vaccinating to make Malta a viable tourism destination option – Tourism Minister
Malta's current plan is to keep vaccinating and reach herd immunity in order for the country to become a viable tourism destination option, the minister responsible for the sector Clayton Bartolo told The Malta Independent.British Prime Minister Bori...

Mon, 08 Mar 2021 08:30:00 +0000
New plans filed for tourism development on Dingli ODZ factory
Plans to redevelop a disused explosives factory into a tourism development on land located outside the development zone in Dingli have resurfaced, The Malta Independent can reveal.The Pulvic Explosives Factory, located on Triq il-Qaws in Dingli, has ...

Mon, 08 Mar 2021 14:42:00 +0000
Updated: Melita say player subjected to racist abuse; Luqa FC say player punched their player first
A Melita FC player was subjected to racist abuse after the conclusion of a key title match over the weekend, the club said in a statement on Monday. A statement issued by Luqa St. Andrew's - the other club involved in the matter - however states...

Mon, 08 Mar 2021 13:47:00 +0000
PN launches gender stakeholder consultation to protect women in politics
The Nationalist Party has launched a plan of action and consultation to encourage more women to pursue careers in politics.The plan of action titled ‘Political Empowerment for the Inclusive Growth of a Nation’ was launched on Women’...

Mon, 08 Mar 2021 10:15:00 +0000
Former MGA CEO Heathcliff Farrugia charged over Yorgen Fenech communications
The former Malta Gaming Authority CEO Heathcliff Farrugia has been charged after a trading in influence investigation regarding Yorgen Fenech, The Times of Malta reports.The newspaper said that he was charged last January, but that it was kept under ...

Mon, 08 Mar 2021 09:30:00 +0000
‘Staying inside for long periods of time means fighting our very nature’ – Mental health workers
Loneliness is the subjective feeling that you are lacking social connections; the feelings of closeness, affection and trust from friends, close ones and a community.The past year has seen a surge in individuals experiencing loneliness. A study carri...

Mon, 08 Mar 2021 12:12:00 +0000
TMID Editorial: Hate speech - such acts cannot be tolerated
Hate speech cannot be tolerated under any circumstances. Some people never seem to learn that what is written on social media has consequences.It is not ok to promote violence against people just because you do not agree with something.Maltese societ...

Mon, 08 Mar 2021 09:00:00 +0000
Performing arts sector fights to stay afloat despite Covid-19 challenges
It has been just over one year since Malta had its first case of Covid-19 and the world as we knew it ground to a halt in 2020. This situation has had a drastic impact on everyone's lives, including those working within the performing arts sector. Th...

Mon, 08 Mar 2021 08:48:00 +0000
Two seriously injured in Zejtun traffic crash
Two were seriously injured in a traffic accident which happened in Zejtun on Sunday evening, police said on Monday.The accident took place at Triq Bir id-Deheb at around 6pm.Preliminary investigations showed that there was a crash between a Honda mot...

Sun, 07 Mar 2021 08:00:00 +0000
Watch: ‘A matter of weeks’ before we can reduce our defences against Covid-19 – Fearne
It is a matter of weeks before Malta can start to reduce its defences against Covid-19, Health Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Chris Fearne told The Malta Independent on Sunday in an interview – something which is down to the country’s...

Mon, 08 Mar 2021 08:40:00 +0000
Race, title and anguish: Meghan and Harry explain royal rift
In a wide-ranging interview aired Sunday, Harry and Meghan described painful palace discussions about the colour of their son’s skin, losing royal protection and the intense pressures that led the Duchess of Sussex to contemplate suicide.The in...

Sun, 07 Mar 2021 17:37:00 +0000
Authorities break up Tombla game in Hamrun hall
Around 60 people, the majority elderly, were found playing Tombla in a Hamrun hall, TVM reports.The Transport Malta enforcement section, together with the health authorities and the police, went on site to the large hall slightly after 3pm, where ten...

Sun, 07 Mar 2021 12:29:00 +0000
‘Without acceptance of the situation, there is no way we will ever get out of it’ – frontliner
Since the beginning of the pandemic there were a lot of uncertainties - no one knew how things would pan out and what the repercussions would be."We immediately started being very cautious. We started to prepare the ITU because everyone knew that, ev...

Sun, 07 Mar 2021 09:30:00 +0000
‘Very few people predicted that the pandemic would be this big’ – Charmaine Gauci
It's now been a year since the start of the pandemic, how has it changed your life both personally and professionally?As you rightly said, it’s been a year since the start of the pandemic. In my position as Superintendent of Public Health as we...

Sun, 07 Mar 2021 18:31:00 +0000
Calls for investigation into Johann Buttigieg mount
Moviment Graffitti has called for an independent investigation into Johann Buttigieg's conduct at the Planning Authority.This follows an article which appeared in The Sunday Times of Malta, which read that former Planning Authority chairman Johann Bu...

Sun, 07 Mar 2021 07:30:00 +0000
R-factor up to 1.39; most new cases linked to social activities - Marmara
The Covid-19 r-factor has climbed to 1.39 as daily cases continue to increase, statistician Vincent Marmara said in his weekly exclusive video blog with The Malta Independent on Sunday.The reproduction factor of the virus is one of the key figur...

Sun, 07 Mar 2021 10:15:00 +0000
TMIS Editorial: 12 months of pandemic
This time last year, Malta had its first case of Covid-19. We had been expecting it, for other countries across the world were already well into their pandemic experience, but nothing could have prepared us for what was to follow. We certainly did no...

Sun, 07 Mar 2021 13:21:00 +0000
Government is working on agricultural rent reform, Prime Minister says
Prime Minister Robert Abela On Sunday announced that the government is working on a reform related to agricultural rents.During a political event on the occasion of Women's Day, the Prime Minister revealed a new reform that the government is working ...

Sun, 07 Mar 2021 14:44:00 +0000
‘We need to remove all obstacles for women to get into politics’ - Grech
The parliamentary gender reform was raised alongside other issues during 'INDAQS': a special program on NET TV in celebration of Women's Day, Monday 8th March. The programme aimed to raise awareness of problems that women are facing today in Malta, e...

Sun, 07 Mar 2021 12:35:00 +0000
182 new Covid-19 cases, five people die
182 new covid-19 cases were registered on Sunday, while five patients died while positive for the virus.One woman aged 63 and three men aged 95, 78 and 50 died at Mater Dei Hospital. Another man aged 51 died in his private residence. The total number...

Sun, 07 Mar 2021 16:28:00 +0000
Man arrested over armed robbery
A 28-year-old man was arrested over armed robbery, the police said in a statement.The man was arrested in Ta' Xbiex. Investigation into the robbery of two women that took place between Wednesday and Thursday night continued after the arrest was made....

Sun, 07 Mar 2021 08:52:00 +0000
Several fines issued over Hamrun street party
Several fines were issued yesterday during the Hamrun celebrations, the Police Force said in a post on Facebook.On Saturday, Hamrun Spartans fans celebrated their team's win against Hibernians with an illegal street party.Footage uploaded on social m...

Sun, 07 Mar 2021 16:15:00 +0000
Schembri and Hillman expected to be charged - report
A magisterial inquiry has recommended that former OPM chief of staff Keith Schembri and ex-Allied Group managing director Adrian Hillman be charged, The Times of Malta reported.According to the newspaper, the two could be charged in court "in a few w...

Sun, 07 Mar 2021 10:00:00 +0000
‘We must protect our patients at all costs’ – Oncology centre chaplain
The patients at the Sir Anthony Mamo Oncology Centre must be protected from the Covid-19 virus, Fr Mario Attard told The Malta Independent on Sunday.Fr Mario has worked as a hospital chaplain since 2004. He had started at St Luke’s Hospital, an...

Sun, 07 Mar 2021 09:00:00 +0000
Watch: You start to think 'this is it’ – First ITU patient with Covid-19
You were one of the first persons to go to ITU because of Covid-19. How did you realise you had the virus?On the 13 March 2020, I had a high temperature, and at once thought I had Covid-19. In fact, I stayed at home and I told my partner to stay ther...

Sun, 07 Mar 2021 07:36:00 +0000
Zurrieq man grievously injured in Xrobb l-Għaġin fall
A man was grievously injured on Saturday after falling at Xrobb l-Għaġin.The accident took place at around 5.30pm, the police said.An Armed Forces of Malta helicopter and patrol boat assisted in the rescue operation. The man, a 58-year-old ...

Sun, 07 Mar 2021 10:30:00 +0000
‘We're out of cash, we are literally running on minimal capital’ – Bar owner
“I ended 2019 by making a promise to myself, that 2020 was going to be a record year for us. The irony is not lost on me,” Nathan Brimmer, co-owner of The Pub and the Grokk Cafe in Valletta told The Malta Independent on Sunday.2020 was a ...

Sun, 07 Mar 2021 11:00:00 +0000
A teacher’s life during a pandemic: ‘Many students have not been to school for a year’
“Being a teacher after 12 March 2020 was not easy at all for those with a genuine conscience and a sense of duty towards their students,” said John*, an educator who has been teaching in state schools since 1996.Over the past year, teache...

Sat, 06 Mar 2021 12:34:00 +0000
Covid-19: 345 new cases found as one more patient dies
345 new cases of Covid-19 were found on Saturday, and one patient has died, the health authorities said.The number of active cases now stands at 3,403.The total number of cases so far is 24,216.The patient who died was an 88-year-old female. She pass...

Sat, 06 Mar 2021 10:11:00 +0000
Updated: Micallef asks Standards Commissioner to investigate Azzopardi’s tax filings
Labour media chairman Jason Micallef has asked Standards Czar George Hyzler to investigate Jason Azzopardi’s tax filings.The Labour Party this week said the PN MP had not filed a tax return for his 2018 income. One News published the report aft...

Sat, 06 Mar 2021 19:22:00 +0000
Watch: Hamrun Spartans fans hold street party, in breach of Covid-19 restrictions
Hamrun Spartans fans celebrated their team’s win against Hibernians with an illegal street party on Saturday afternoon.Footage uploaded on social media shows a large crowd celebrating in the streets as police officers look on helplessly.Mass ev...

Sat, 06 Mar 2021 16:56:00 +0000
Repubblika accused of breaching NGO law; says this is attempt at silencing it
Civil society group Repubblika has been accused of breaching NGO laws by “instigating political progaganda” by the Commission of Voluntary Organisations.The group has hit back, accusing the Commission of trying to silence it and warning i...

Sat, 06 Mar 2021 12:44:00 +0000
Government must be transparent and honest on vaccination programme – Bernard Grech
Opposition Leader Bernard Grech on Saturday said that the government must be transparent and provide all information on the Covid-19 vaccination programme.During an interview on NET FM, the Nationalist Party’s radio station, Grech referred to t...

Sat, 06 Mar 2021 14:05:00 +0000
60+ cohort to start receiving vaccination letter
People aged 60 and over will over the coming days start receiving their vaccination letter, Deputy Prime Minister Chris Fearne said on Saturday.The appointment letters will be sent gradualy over the coming weeks, he added.People aged between 71 and 7...

Sat, 06 Mar 2021 11:25:00 +0000
February another record month for the property market - MDA
The Malta Developers Association (MDA) welcomes the latest results of property sales registered in February. The data shows that last month a total number of1,600 promises of sales with a total sales value of over €350 million were registered la...

Sat, 06 Mar 2021 15:12:00 +0000
Cyclist grievously injured in Rabat accident
A cyclist was grievously injured on Saturday after he was hit by a car in Rabat, the police said.The accident took place in Triq il-Buqana, at around 7.30am.The cyclist, a 54-year-old man from Rabat, was involved in a collision with a Toyota Aygo dri...

Fri, 05 Mar 2021 18:34:00 +0000
Watch: Gozo Bishop asks for forgiveness for the Church from all abuse victims
The Gozo Bishop Anton Teuma has asked for forgiveness for the Churh from all victims and their families, for any kind of abuse perpetrated within the context of the Church, in an Open Letter.Recently, two priests were charged with raping an altar boy...

Sat, 06 Mar 2021 17:42:00 +0000
Frenchman grievously injured in Gozo quadbike accident
A 30-year-old Frenchman was grievously injured on Saturday afternoon in a quadbike accident in Xaghra, Gozo.The accident took place in Triq il-Marga at around 3.30pm, the police said.The man lost control of a quadbike and fell. His injuries were late...

Sat, 06 Mar 2021 12:00:00 +0000
Hate speech: It is also a journalist’s job to hold those in power to account - IGM
Journalists have again been the targets of hate speech and threats on social media, the Institute of Maltese Journalists (IGM) said in a statement, after the pertinent questions that were asked during a press conference called by the Prime Minister l...

Fri, 05 Mar 2021 09:11:00 +0000
Magistrate Nadine Lia recuses herself in cases against Agius brothers and associates
Magistrate Nadine Lia has withdrawn from hearing the compilation of evidence against Adrian Agius, his brother Robert Agius, and their associates Jamie Vella and George Degiorgio.The men are facing charges of involvement in two murders, inc...

Sun, 07 Mar 2021 09:00:00 +0000
Why is the European Commission putting forward the pay transparency legislative proposal?
"The principle that women and men should receive equal pay for the same work or work of equal value has been enshrined in the European Treaties since 1957. Nonetheless, despite the adoption of a body of gender equality legislation since then, gender ...

Sat, 06 Mar 2021 08:31:00 +0000
TMID Editorial: Prison error - Find the problem and fix it
A man spent an extra four months in a prison ward and the authorities do not seem to be batting an eyelid over the incident.Fingers have been pointed in all directions and the parties involved have tried to shed the blame, but the unfortunate fact is...

Fri, 05 Mar 2021 12:57:00 +0000
Courts told to defer non-urgent cases until after 11 April
Magistrates and judges have been instructed to defer any non-urgent cases until after April 11 as Covid-19 cases in Malta continue to increase.Chief Justice Mark Chetcuti decreed that the court must help stop the spread and must act to protect those ...

Fri, 05 Mar 2021 12:29:00 +0000
Watch: Health chief addresses weekly briefing; 283 new cases found and three patients die
Despite a new measure banning the mixing of more than four households at private events, no mixing is recommended during this phase of the pandemic, Health Superintendent Charmaine Gauci said on Friday.On Thursday, the government announced new rules,...

Fri, 05 Mar 2021 19:40:00 +0000
Government to grant €1,000 to restaurants and snack bars due to new restrictions
The government will grant €1,000 to each eatery establishment affected by the measures announced on Thursday, Tourism Minister Clayton Bartolo announced.As part of the government's plan to reduce the spread of Covid-19, it introduced new restric...

Fri, 05 Mar 2021 11:16:00 +0000
Residency permits for foreign health sector workers to be valid for three years under new agreement
Residency permits for third country nationals employed in the public health sector will be valid for three years as opposed to just one year under a new agreement which was reached between the government and the Malta Union of Midwives and Nurses (MU...

Fri, 05 Mar 2021 18:12:00 +0000
Vaccination process in elderly care homes concludes
The vaccination process in elderly care homes concluded earlier than predicted, Minister for the Elderly Michael Farrugia announced todayHe said that the process has concluded in 39 elderly care homes. "More than 3,700 residents and 2,800 staff have ...

Fri, 05 Mar 2021 17:44:00 +0000
Public inquiry: Tax Commissioner admits familiarity in exchange with Yorgen Fenech was a mistake
Tax Commissioner Marvin Gaerty has told a panel of three judges that he never accepted gifts or invitations to dine with Yorgen Fenech, as the public inquiry into the murder of Daphne Caruana Galizia continued this morning.He was replying to que...

Thu, 04 Mar 2021 11:44:00 +0000
Restaurant ban among new measures announced to curb spread of Covid-19
Restaurants, kiosks and snack bars will only be allowed to provide a take-away service between tomorrow and 11 April, Prime Minister Robert Abela has announced.The PM, together with Deputy Prime Minister Chris Fearne and Health Superintendent Charmai...

Fri, 05 Mar 2021 17:07:00 +0000
Archdiocese suspends physical group meetings
The Archdiocese has suspended all physical group meetings, including catechism lessons for children due to Covid-19.While appreciating that a number of meetings are taking place online, the Archdiocese urged for such initiatives to, where possible, t...

Fri, 05 Mar 2021 17:57:00 +0000
65 new Police Constables recruited
65 new Police Constables were recruited on Friday, the Police Force said. 54 of the 65 are men and 11 are women. Their training within the academy lasted four months, and included both physical and academic training.Home Affairs Minister Byron Camill...

Fri, 05 Mar 2021 17:47:00 +0000
Man seriously injured on construction site
A man was seriously injured in Xghajra at 3.30pm, the police said.The man, 54 from Birkirkara, was hit by a concrete bucket while on a construction site on Triq il-Fortizza tal-Grazzja. The man was taken to Mater Dei Hospital.A Magisterial inquiry wa...

Fri, 05 Mar 2021 15:08:00 +0000
Speaker publishes legal advice to rebut Hyzler’s claims that he exceeded his powers
Speaker Anglu Farrugia has published legal advice rebutting claims that he exceeded his powers when he ruled that Standards Czar George Hyzler should not have investigated the 2019 lock-up of journalists at Castille.The Speaker ruled last w...

Fri, 05 Mar 2021 13:51:00 +0000
Teenage activist drops court proceedings over hate speech after she receives apology
A teenage activist has dropped court proceedings against two men related to hate speech, after she received an apology from them, she wrote on Facebook.Back in 2019, Eve Borg Bonello - who was a 16-year-old student and activist - delivered a speech a...

Fri, 05 Mar 2021 17:33:00 +0000
Pembroke school mourns passing of young student
Sorrow has befallen a school in Pembroke, as a young girl tragically passed away.In a Facebook message, the St Clare College Secondary School wrote how one of their own, Mariam Bodokia, an 8.5 student, passed away."Our students have reacted different...

Fri, 05 Mar 2021 14:29:00 +0000
Drug treatment in 2019 increased slightly over 2018 – report
There was a slight increase in the number of people seeking treatment for drugs in 2019 when compared to 2018, with 1,943 entrants recorded in 2019 compared to 1,898 entrants in 2018, the National Report on the Drugs Situation in Malta showed.This re...

Fri, 05 Mar 2021 17:01:00 +0000
500 trees planted at Majjistral Park
Further afforestation initiatives are underway in Natura 2000 sites, as another 500 indigenous trees were planted at Majjistral Park, a government statement read. This was announced by Minister for the Environment, Climate Change and Planning Aa...

Fri, 05 Mar 2021 15:23:00 +0000
PN General Council postponed indefinitely due to Covid-19 situation
The PN General Council has been postponed indefinitely in view of the current Covid-19 situation, the party said.Secretary General Francis Zammit Dimech said this was being done with respect towards the directives and recommendations issued by the he...

Fri, 05 Mar 2021 12:44:00 +0000
2021 saw 6th driest February on record – Met Office
Having produced just 7.8mm of precipitation, rather than the expected 56.9mm, last February did not live up to its reputation of being a wet month, the Met Office said in a statement."The month went down on record as the sixth driest February since 1...



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