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Malta Independent

Sun, 08 Aug 2021 09:00:00 +0100
The State mentioned in public inquiry is different than the State we have today – PL President
The State mentioned in the public inquiry into the assassination of journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia is a different State than the one we have today, PL President Ramona Attard said during an interview with The Malta Independent on Sunday.“A n...

Sun, 08 Aug 2021 08:30:00 +0100
Caruana committed to reducing deficit, says FATF action plan in final touches
The government has drafted its action plan to get Malta off the FATF grey list and is currently discussing to see whether any refinements are required, Finance Minister Clyde Caruana told The Malta Independent on Sunday. Caruana also pledged to reduc...

Sun, 08 Aug 2021 07:30:00 +0100
Nightclub owners feel misled, angered as decision on standing events postponed
A number of nightclub and disco owners expressed their disappointment and frustration after the government decided not to allow standing events for the time being, despite expectations that such events would be allowed from this month. While Deputy P...

Sun, 08 Aug 2021 09:30:00 +0100
PBS in the eye of a storm as election looms
A few days ago, the presenter of a popular programme on PBS said he will not carry on with the show on the national station because of interference which prevented him from being loyal to his audience. In other words, what Mark Laurence Zammit was sa...

Sun, 08 Aug 2021 08:00:00 +0100
Four months later, negotiations on Air Malta’s second state aid request still ongoing
Discussions between Air Malta and the European Commission on the airline’s request for state aid are still ongoing, more than four months after a second formal petition was lodged, this newsroom has been told. The national airline, whose operat...

Sat, 07 Aug 2021 20:17:00 +0100
Updated: ‘Not from me’: Zammit Lewis says on leaflet distributed to 8th district voters
Under pressure minister Edward Zammit Lewis said Saturday evening that a leaflet that is bearing his signature and is being distributed to voters on the eighth electoral district is not his.Neither is it being sent by his canvassers, he said in a Fac...

Sun, 08 Aug 2021 11:00:00 +0100
TMIS Editorial: We’re so lucky
Aren’t we a lucky country. In its century of representative government and democratically-elected parliaments, Malta has never had a Member of Parliament, still less a Cabinet Minister, who spent even one day in jail (save for Labour MPs in the...

Sun, 08 Aug 2021 06:43:00 +0100
Once-gloomy scientist says future UK lockdowns unlikely
A British scientist who gained prominence for issuing dire warnings about the spread of COVID-19 said Saturday the U.K. is unlikely to need future lockdowns, although new infections may rise significantly as social interactions increase.Professor Nei...

Sun, 08 Aug 2021 10:00:00 +0100
50 Shades of Greats: ‘Love the game not the contract or the money’ - Louis Arpa
Louis Arpa was born on 2 August 1949, son of Alfred and Domenica nèe Micallef. From his first marriage Louis has two boys aged 38 and 27 whereas from his second marriage he’s got an eight-year-old boy.Going back down memory lane Louis st...

Sun, 08 Aug 2021 06:47:00 +0100
Rescued migrants get OK to land in Italy after days at sea
A German charity boat carrying 257 migrants rescued from the Mediterranean docked Saturday in Sicily after Italian authorities granted permission, and hours later a French humanitarian vessel with 549 migrants aboard received a similar port assignmen...

Sun, 08 Aug 2021 06:50:00 +0100
Tokyo Olympics: Eliud Kipchoge wins marathon; US win volleyball gold
The Latest on the Tokyo Olympics, which are taking place under heavy restrictions after a year’s delay because of the coronavirus pandemic:MEDAL ALERTFrance has beaten the Russian Olympic Committee 30-25 for the gold medal in women’s hand...

Sun, 08 Aug 2021 07:00:00 +0100
Pharmacies opening today between 9am and noon
Valletta: Collis Williams Pharmacy, 15, Republic Street; Ħamrun: St Gaetan Pharmacy, Kappillan Mifsud Street; Qormi: Pinto Pharmacy, 43, St Sebastian Street; Swatar: Collis Williams – St Mark's Pharmacy, P. Borg Olivier Street c/w  Gi...

Sat, 07 Aug 2021 07:54:00 +0100
Moody's changes Malta outlook to negative after FATF grey-listing; govt statement 'ignores' change
Moody's Investors Service ("Moody's") has affirmed the Government of Malta's long-term issuer and senior unsecured ratings at A2 but changed the outlook to negative from stable. In a report on the Moody’s website, the key drivers behind the neg...

Sat, 07 Aug 2021 08:52:00 +0100
Woman seriously injured in Xemxija crash
A woman was seriously injured on Friday afternoon in a crash in Xemxija, the police said.The accident took place in Xemxija Hill, St Paul’s Bay, at around 4.45pm.A Mazda Demio driven by a 32-year-old Ukrainian woman, who resides in Marsa, crash...

Sat, 07 Aug 2021 12:30:00 +0100
Covid-19: Number of new cases rises again to 71, as number of patients in hospital drops to 33
The number of new Covid-19 cases has again gone up, from the 48 registered on Friday to 71 on Saturday.Health authorities said however that that number of Covid-19 patients in hospital is now 33, down from 36 on Saturday.Five of these are in intensiv...

Sat, 07 Aug 2021 20:30:00 +0100
Leicester tops Man City 1-0 at Wembley in Grealish debut
Kelechi Iheanacho's late penalty gave Leicester a 1-0 victory over Manchester City in the Community Shield on Saturday, stealing the spotlight from Jack Grealish.Iheanacho’s left-footed rocket from the spot beat goalkeeper Zack Steffen in the 8...

Sat, 07 Aug 2021 12:45:00 +0100
Man arrested in connection with human trafficking
A man from Bangladesh was arrested in connection with human trafficking, the police said.Passport officers at Malta International Airport stopped 11 persons from Bangladesh as they were about to embark on a flight to Italy on suspicion they were usin...

Sat, 07 Aug 2021 07:09:00 +0100
Watch: Sons of jailed Turkish mothers ‘taken care of well’ – Minister Falzon
The Foundation for Social Welfare Services (FSWS) is taking good care of the children of the jailed Turkish mothers, Children’s Rights Minister Michael Falzon said.Falzon was speaking to The Malta Independent following a six-month jail term giv...

Sat, 07 Aug 2021 09:49:00 +0100
Not over yet: Sizzling heat to persist till end of next week
Saturday has given the Maltese Islands some respite from the heat.Although the temperature is at a high of 34 degrees (feel like 36), it is little when compared to the 38-39 degrees which we experienced in the past days, with a feel like temperature ...

Sat, 07 Aug 2021 20:06:00 +0100
Fires rampage through forests in Greece; thousands evacuated
Wildfires rampaged through Greek forests for yet another day Saturday, threatening homes and triggering more evacuations a day after hundreds of people were plucked off beaches by ferries in a dramatic overnight rescue.One volunteer firefighter has d...

Sat, 07 Aug 2021 07:27:00 +0100
Shots give COVID-19 survivors big immune boost, studies show
Even people who have recovered from COVID-19 are urged to get vaccinated, especially as the extra-contagious delta variant surges — and a new study shows survivors who ignored that advice were more than twice as likely to get reinfected.Friday'...

Sat, 07 Aug 2021 07:20:00 +0100
Italy: COVID 'Green Pass' needed for museums, indoor dining
Pompeii's archaeological park is offering free swab tests, the Vatican Museums posted refund instructions and tourists whipped out smart phones to show QR codes along with admission tickets Friday as a new COVID-19 certification rule took effect in I...

Sat, 07 Aug 2021 09:33:00 +0100
TMID Editorial: Caravans for votes?
The issue of illegally placed caravans has again come up in the news this summer.After Infrastructure Malta finally took action against the caravans which have long blighted the shoreline at Mistra Bay last June, these caravans seemed to have found a...

Sat, 07 Aug 2021 16:25:00 +0100
PSG remains in talks on signing Lionel Messi
Paris Saint-Germain and Lionel Messi are in negotiations on a contract after financially troubled Barcelona was unable to keep the superstar, a person with knowledge of the negotiations told The Associated Press on Saturday.Messi's legal team is in P...

Sat, 07 Aug 2021 07:31:00 +0100
Tokyo Olympics: US beat France to win men's basketball gold; Norway win men's beach volleyball gold
The Latest on the Tokyo Olympics, which are taking place under heavy restrictions after a year’s delay because of the coronavirus pandemic:___MEDAL ALERTFrance won the Olympic gold medal in men’s handball by beating Denmark 25-23 in the f...

Sat, 07 Aug 2021 07:25:00 +0100
More evidence emerges of improving COVID backdrop in UK
Further evidence emerged on Friday to show that the latest outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic in the U.K. has eased, with the number of people testing positive for COVID-19 falling across most parts of the country.In its weekly survey of the levels...

Sat, 07 Aug 2021 11:02:00 +0100
Protest against vaccination and anti-Covid measures in Valletta
A group of activists gathered in Valletta for the second time to protest against anti-Covid-19 restrictions.The group is arguing that Covid-19 restrictions imposed by health authorities to combat the spread of the virus breach human fundamental right...

Fri, 06 Aug 2021 13:12:00 +0100
Turkish mothers walk out of court after prison time is converted to suspended sentence
A judge has upheld an appeal filed by two Turkish teachers who had been jailed for passport offences last week, whilst claiming to be fleeing persecution in their homeland, later this afternoon.Rabia Yavuz and Muzekka Deneri had been sentenced to 6 m...

Fri, 06 Aug 2021 14:32:00 +0100
Record demands for power putting strain on Enemalta distribution system – CEO
The record demands for electricity have put a strain on the distribution system, leading to frequent power cuts in various pockets of the country, Enemalta said yesterday.In a technical press briefing on Friday, Corporation CEO Jason Vella said that ...

Fri, 06 Aug 2021 12:38:00 +0100
48 new Covid-19 cases found as cases decrease
48 new Covid-19 cases have been reported by health authorities as the number of new cases being found starts to decrease.It’s the first time since 7 July that the number of cases has been less than 50.120 people meanwhile have recovered, meanin...

Fri, 06 Aug 2021 16:39:00 +0100
Ponte Ferries hopes to resolve Augusta route situation ‘in shortest time possible’
Ponte Ferries has said that it is determined to resolve its current situation – where they claim to have been blocked by a legal challenge from using the port of Augusta in Sicily – “in the shortest possible time.” In a s...

Fri, 06 Aug 2021 07:23:00 +0100
Tokyo Olympics: Italy's Palmisano wins 20km race walk, Italy win 4x100 relay gold
The Latest on the Tokyo Olympics, which are taking place under heavy restrictions after a year’s delay because of the coronavirus pandemic:___MEDAL ALERTItaly has surprisingly won the men’s 4x100-meter relay to give Marcell Jacobs his sec...

Fri, 06 Aug 2021 09:58:00 +0100
Anglu Farrugia cancels symposium after four former speakers turn down invitation
Speaker of the House Anglu Farrugia has cancelled a symposium celebrating 100 years from the setting up of the Maltese Parliament, after noting that four former speakers turned down the invitation to attend.In a letter, Alfred Bonnici, Lawrence Gonzi...

Fri, 06 Aug 2021 10:53:00 +0100
Watch: Repubblika protests in Birkirkara, again calls for removal of Zammit Lewis
Repubblika organised a small protest in Birkirkara on Friday, using two vehicles with loudspeakers to convey a message."We have a justice minister who is servile to criminal millionaires," Repubblika President Robert Aquilina said.During the press co...

Fri, 06 Aug 2021 08:23:00 +0100
Two arrested within 24 hours of Gzira robbery
A man and a woman were arrested by the police within 24 hours of allegedly committing a robbery in Gzira.The police said that a 56-year-old woman and a 46-year-old man held up a third person, a 43-year-old man, at the Council of Europe Garden in Gzir...

Fri, 06 Aug 2021 10:16:00 +0100
Briton seriously injured in Sliema fight
A Briton was seriously injured in a fight in Sliema on Friday morning, the police said.The incident took place in the Tigne area at around 5am.The Briton, aged 21, was involved in a fight with another man who escaped from the scene.The Briton suffere...

Fri, 06 Aug 2021 12:26:00 +0100
9 areas in Grand Harbour under the spotlight in regeneration project
Nine areas in Grand Harbour will form part of a regeneration project to be undertaken by the government in the coming months, Infrastructure Minister Ian Borg said.They form part of a long-term regeneration project for the Grand Harbour area in a bid...

Fri, 06 Aug 2021 15:15:00 +0100
Number of people on social aid or unemployment benefits falls by 8,645 – Minister Falzon
There are currently 6,469 people who are receiving social aid or unemployment benefits in Malta − a substantial decrease from the 15,114 who were relying on these benefits at the end of the Nationalist government in 2013.This was announced at a...

Fri, 06 Aug 2021 06:57:00 +0100
CNN fires three employees for coming to work unvaccinated
CNN has fired three employees who violated company policy by coming to work unvaccinated against the COVID-19 virus.CNN chief Jeff Zucker told staff members of the firing in a memo sent Thursday that reminded them that vaccines were mandatory if they...

Fri, 06 Aug 2021 11:54:00 +0100
Traffic accidents in second quarter 2021 up nearly 60% - NSO
During the second quarter of 2021, road traffic accidents and casualties increased when compared to the same quarter of the previous year, the NSO said. Road traffic fatalities amounted to one. The number of reported traffic accidents during second q...

Fri, 06 Aug 2021 07:00:00 +0100
French will need health pass by Monday after court approval
A French constitutional court on Thursday validated most aspects of a new law that, starting next week, requires people to carry a special COVID-19 health pass to access cafes, restaurants, long-distance travel and, in some cases, hospitals. But it s...

Fri, 06 Aug 2021 11:20:00 +0100
37 local councils submitted EU funding applications between 2018 and 2020
Through the assistance of Servizzi Ewropej f'Malta (SEM), the Marsaskala Local Council obtained European funds to implement a twinning project involving participants from localities from Malta, Italy, Germany, Poland and the Netherlands. This project...

Fri, 06 Aug 2021 08:26:00 +0100
TMID Editorial: Mr Speaker or Mr Gatekeeper?
The Speaker of the House of Representatives has chosen to turn down a request from the Opposition to hold an urgent debate on a motion of no confidence in the Justice Minister, Edward Zammit Lewis, which was filed by the Opposition last Monday.Anglu ...

Fri, 06 Aug 2021 07:10:00 +0100
UK police arrest 11 over racist abuse after Euros final
British police said Thursday they have made 11 arrests in connection with the online racial abuse of England soccer players following their team's loss to Italy in the final of the European Championship last month.Marcus Rashford, Jadon Sancho and Bu...

Thu, 05 Aug 2021 12:17:00 +0100
Quarantine for fully vaccinated case contacts reduced, booster vaccine jabs to start being given out
Restrictions surrounding the mandatory quarantine period in the case of a fully vaccinated person being a close contact of a Covid-19 case have been relaxed, while the government has announced plans for a booster vaccine shot to be given out to selec...

Thu, 05 Aug 2021 14:20:00 +0100
Last minute legal challenge forces Ponte Ferries to delay start of Sicily service
A last-minute legal challenge with Sicilian authorities by another competing operator, which objected to Ponte’s use of the Augusta Port, has forced the ferry operator to delay the start of its Sicily service. Ponte Ferries said in a state...

Fri, 06 Aug 2021 10:02:00 +0100
'We made no legal challenge,’ Virtu Ferries says on rival’s statement
Virtu Ferries said that it has made no legal challenge against its' rival's application to use a berthing area in Sicily.In a statement, Virtu Ferries said: "A section of the media and social media have associated Ponte Ferries' excuse, for not comme...

Thu, 05 Aug 2021 09:55:00 +0100
95% of new Covid-19 cases are of Delta variant as 86% of adults fully vaccinated - Fearne
95% of Malta's Covid-19 cases are of the Delta variant, with the remaining 5% being of the Gamma variant, Health Minister Chris Fearne said on Thursday.Addressing a press conference where he gave details about the Covid-19 situation in Malta, Fearne ...

Thu, 05 Aug 2021 17:57:00 +0100
Former Police Sergeant Simon Schembri granted financial compensation by the government
Former Police Sergeant Simon Schembri has been given financial compensation by the government.In a statement, the Home Affairs Ministry said that on 15 May 2018, Schembri was involved in an incident while on duty, that left him with serious physical ...

Thu, 05 Aug 2021 17:17:00 +0100
Marsascala goes 15 hours without power as Enemalta blames underground cable faults
Marsascala went some 15 hours without electricity supply between Wednesday and Thursday, leaving residents reeling from the effects of the current heatwave.Many residents of the seaside town took to social media to vent their frustrations, particular...

Fri, 06 Aug 2021 07:06:00 +0100
Man City pay record fee to sign Grealish from Aston Villa
Premier League champion Manchester City broke the British transfer fee record on Thursday to sign midfielder Jack Grealish from Aston Villa.City paid a fee of 100 million pounds ($139 million), Villa chief executive Christian Purslow confirmed. That'...

Thu, 05 Aug 2021 20:31:00 +0100
Barcelona say Messi will not stay with the club
Barcelona said Thursday that Lionel Messi will not stay with the club after Spanish league financial regulations made it impossible for a deal to be reached between the club and the player.Barcelona said in a statement that a deal for a new contract ...

Thu, 05 Aug 2021 20:55:00 +0100
Motorcycling great Valentino Rossi retiring at end of year
Motorcycling great Valentino Rossi is retiring at the end of the season.The nine-time MotoGP world champion announced his decision Thursday at the Styrian GP — at the venue where Rossi took his first grand prix podium in the 125cc class in 1996...

Thu, 05 Aug 2021 15:54:00 +0100
‘Sacrificial lamb of the pandemic’: MEIA calls for compensation for cancelled events
The Malta Entertainment Industry and Arts Association (MEIA) have lamented on how their industry remains “the only one suffering from sustained discrimination”, seeing as Malta’s health authorities still haven’t permitted the ...

Thu, 05 Aug 2021 12:47:00 +0100
78 new Covid-19 cases reported as elderly woman passes away
78 new cases of Covid-19 were reported by health authorities on Thursday, as an elderly woman became the 424th person to die in Malta while positive for the virus.204 people meanwhile have recovered from the virus, meaning that the number of active c...

Thu, 05 Aug 2021 12:48:00 +0100
Pandemic hits Church coffers as income drops by €3.13m
A significant €2.3 million decrease in surplus was registered by the Archdiocese of Malta in comparison to that of 2019 which has been attributed to the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic.€1.2 million surplus was documented in 2020 whereas &eu...

Thu, 05 Aug 2021 19:26:00 +0100
23 Govanni Curmi Higher Secondary School teachers to be redeployed to other schools
In an attempt to enable all government schools in Malta to achieve the same teaching standards, 23 teachers from the Govanni Curmi Higher Secondary School (GCHSS) will be transferred to other schools wherein teachers have been struggling to keep up w...

Thu, 05 Aug 2021 17:40:00 +0100
PN working on proposals to address farm land issues
Proposals to protect farmers and the land they farm are being worked on by the Nationalist Party, the PN said in a statement.PN spokespersons Peter Agius and PN candidate Clifford Zahra Fenech have expressed their concerns over the future of around 4...

Thu, 05 Aug 2021 14:41:00 +0100
Government should compensate consumers who suffered regular power cuts – PN
The government should compensate consumers who suffered frequent power cuts as a result of the government’s irresponsibility, Nationalist Party spokesman Ryan Callus said.Addressing the media, Callus said that the Labour government had won the ...

Thu, 05 Aug 2021 11:04:00 +0100
NGO says justice system weak with the strong, strong with the weak
Moviment Graffitti along with the Maltese Association of Social Workers and aditus foundation today held a symbolic activity in front of the Law Courts to reiterate its position regarding the “inhumane and unjust judgement” whereby two mi...

Thu, 05 Aug 2021 11:39:00 +0100
Power cuts: ‘The situation is unacceptable’ - Miriam Dalli
Energy Minister Miriam Dalli said today that it is “unacceptable” that in this day and age Malta is experiencing power cuts with such frequency, and that she has demanded an explanation about the situation from Enemalta. “The issue ...

Thu, 05 Aug 2021 11:59:00 +0100
Standing events will not be allowed yet, capacity for seated events to increase
In what will be determined as a blow for event organisers, standing events will continue to be barred throughout the month of August, although the capacity for seated events is set to increase from later this month.Addressing a press conference, Heal...

Thu, 05 Aug 2021 11:54:00 +0100
Four former Speakers turn down Anglu Farrugia invitation
Four former Speakers of the House of Representatives have turned down an invitation by the current Speaker Anglu Farrugia to take part in a symposium he will be organising next week.Farrugia will be holding a symposium on the 100th anniversary of the...

Thu, 05 Aug 2021 07:36:00 +0100
Tokyo Olympics: Italy's Stano wins 20k race walk gold; third medal for San Marino
The Latest on the Tokyo Olympics, which are taking place under heavy restrictions after a year’s delay because of the coronavirus pandemic:MEDAL ALERTSpanish teenager Alberto Gines Lopez has won the first Olympic gold medal in sport climbing, r...

Thu, 05 Aug 2021 11:20:00 +0100
Man who coined ‘Blockchain island’ says term became ‘moniker of most nefarious significance’
The man who coined the term 'Blockchain island' for Malta back in 2016 has said that the term has become a 'moniker of the most nefarious significance.'Steve Tendon, in an email to members of the Blockchain Island Club (BIC), which he had founded bac...

Thu, 05 Aug 2021 14:01:00 +0100
MicroInvest scheme for small businesses and self-employed extended
Malta Enterprise CEO Kurt Farrugia together with Energy and Enterprise Minister Miriam Dalli announced that the MicroInvest scheme has been extended to “provide a further support structure for businesses during the pandemic.” Since t...

Thu, 05 Aug 2021 12:06:00 +0100
President, PM meet Caruana Galizia family
The President and the Prime Minister have held separate meetings with the family of murdered journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia.The meetings were held a week after the publication of the report compiled by three judges entrusted with a public inquiry ...

Thu, 05 Aug 2021 11:59:00 +0100
62% decline in tourism arrivals in first half of 2021 – NSO
Total inbound visitors for June 2021 were estimated at 70,300, while total nights spent amounted to 639,768, the NSO said.During the month under review, a total of 59,639 inbound tourists visited Malta for holiday purposes, followed by 6,606 tourists...

Thu, 05 Aug 2021 09:19:00 +0100
‘Intimate relationships’ between businessmen, politicians ‘not okay’ - Chamber president
Close relationships which could lead to favouritism between businessmen and politicians are “not okay”, Chamber of Commerce President Marisa Xuereb told The Malta Independent when asked about the business-related findings from the Daphne ...

Thu, 05 Aug 2021 08:00:00 +0100
Naxxar council’s by-law on caravans falls through due to government stalling
The Naxxar local council recently proposed the enactment of a by-law to tackle the rising number of caravans along the coast road, however this has fallen through due to the government stalling on the issue, Naxxar mayor Anne Marie Muscat Fenech Adam...

Thu, 05 Aug 2021 10:34:00 +0100
We are in dire need of space at customs – Express Trailers CEO
How has Brexit impacted importation and logistics sector? Franco Azzopardi, CEO of Express Trailers explains the repercussions and the new challenges that Brexit brought about in an interview with Dayna Camilleri Clarke.What are the new importation s...

Thu, 05 Aug 2021 07:20:00 +0100
Italy presses EU nations to open ports to rescued migrants
Italy stepped up pressure Wednesday on fellow EU nations to open their ports to migrants rescued by humanitarian ships as political tension simmers in the Italian government's coalition over a sharply rising number of arrivals this summer on the coun...

Thu, 05 Aug 2021 08:29:00 +0100
TMID Editorial: Politics – The Ġahan voter
We have known it for quite a while that most politicians think of the rest of the population as being in their grasp and can be easily manipulated.They smile, pose, shake hands and mingle with others simply because they need the people’s vote t...

Thu, 05 Aug 2021 08:16:00 +0100
Octogenarian grievously injured in Zejtun crash
An 84-year-old man was grievously injured when the car he was driving crashed into a wall, the police said.The man, from Ghaxaq, was driving his Peugeot Partner along tal-Barrani Road at 3.30am when the accident happened.He was taken to Mater Dei Hos...

Thu, 05 Aug 2021 07:04:00 +0100
UK to roll out COVID-19 vaccines to 16 and 17-year-olds
The U.K. plans to offer coronavirus vaccines to 16 and 17-year-olds in the next few weeks after the independent body of scientists that makes vaccine recommendations to the government changed its advice.The four nations of the U.K. all accepted the c...

Thu, 05 Aug 2021 07:09:00 +0100
Sydney reports worst day of its current Covid-19 virus outbreak
Australia’s most populous state is reporting the worst day of its outbreak of the coronavirus delta variant, with a record 262 new local infections and five deaths from COVID-19.New South Wales state Premier Gladys Berejiklian said Thursday tha...

Wed, 04 Aug 2021 12:40:00 +0100
82 new Covid cases registered, 293 people recover
82 new Covid-19 cases were registered on Wednesday, while 293 people recovered, the health authorities said.This brings the active cases down to 1,333. No new deaths were registered.Since the start of the pandemic, 34,590 cases of the virus were regi...

Wed, 04 Aug 2021 14:09:00 +0100
Melvin Theuma asked to show proof he owned Mosta flat used as safe house in HSBC heist
Melvin Theuma has been asked to show proof that he owned a Mosta flat allegedly used in the 2010 HSBC bank heist as a safehouse by the criminals.Theuma, the self-confessed middleman in the murder of journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia, made a brief app...

Wed, 04 Aug 2021 11:08:00 +0100
Simon Busuttil calls for President George Vella's resignation
Former Opposition Leader Simon Busuttil has said that the President of Malta George Vella should resign from his post.Busuttil, who currently occupies the position of Secretary-General of the EPP Group in the European Parliament, said: "Such is the s...

Wed, 04 Aug 2021 10:37:00 +0100
MCCF Foundation ‘denies’ that patient data was ever to be transferred to third party
The Malta Community Chest Fund Foundation has categorically denied that patient data or information was ever to be transferred to any third party, including the Blockchain Charity Foundation."All patient information is treated as strictly confidentia...

Wed, 04 Aug 2021 15:32:00 +0100
Fraudster posed as priest to defraud 90-year-old man out of thousands, court told
A fraud who posed as a priest collecting money for charity wept in the dock as he was remanded in custody pending sentencing after pleading guilty to defrauding a 90-year-old man of some €3,000.This afternoon, Dillon Kenneth Junior Bartolo, 28, ...

Wed, 04 Aug 2021 14:34:00 +0100
Discrimination complaints from persons with disability dropped by 24%
The Commission for the Rights of Persons with a Disability (CRPD) received 24% fewer complaints from persons with a disability in 2020, when compared to 2019.In 2020, the CRPD received 475 requests for investigations into discriminatory issues, while...

Wed, 04 Aug 2021 14:50:00 +0100
Gozo Employment Refund Scheme extended
Minister for Gozo Clint Camilleri has announced the extension of the 2020 Gozo Employment Refund Scheme.The main objective of this scheme, which is a key measure of the budget, is to drive the creation of sustainable jobs in Gozo on a full-time basis...

Wed, 04 Aug 2021 10:29:00 +0100
Legal notice implementing new social standards for long-term homes for elderly to be published
A legal notice implementing new social standards, regulating the operations of long-term homes for the elderly will be published in the coming days, Minister for Senior Citizens and Active Ageing Michael Farrugia said.He made this statement while bei...

Wed, 04 Aug 2021 12:21:00 +0100
‘Darkness and heat’ is the government’s energy policy, PN says
The past few days have seen power cuts in a number of localities, the PN said, criticising the Labour government’s handling of the situation.“At a time when families needed stable electricity provision, the government gave them darkness a...

Wed, 04 Aug 2021 17:18:00 +0100
PL describes PN as ‘blackout experts’, says they cannot give lessons on energy sector
The Labour Party has described the PN as 'blackout experts', arguing that they are not credible when it comes to the energy sector.This was in response to a PN statement on the recent blackouts."It is an undisputed fact that energy provision interrup...

Wed, 04 Aug 2021 07:06:00 +0100
China orders mass testing in Wuhan as COVID outbreak spreads in city where virus first detected
China suspended flights and trains, canceled professional basketball league games and announced mass coronavirus testing in Wuhan, as widening outbreaks of the delta variant reached the city where the disease was first detected in late 2019.While the...

Wed, 04 Aug 2021 08:43:00 +0100
Tokyo Olympics: McLaughlin wins hurdles gold, sets world record; De Grasse wins gold in 200m
The Latest on the Tokyo Olympics, which are taking place under heavy restrictions after a year’s delay because of the coronavirus pandemic:World champion the Netherlands is out of the women’s handball competition at the Tokyo Olympics aft...

Wed, 04 Aug 2021 13:16:00 +0100
New sea transport service between Grand Harbour and Esplora launched
A new sea transport service between the Grand Harbour and Esplora was inaugurated as part of a project to restore the Kalkara coast near the facility, which was done through an investment of €2.5 million.During the inauguration, Prime Minister R...

Wed, 04 Aug 2021 08:54:00 +0100
TMID Editorial: Journalist-hating - Have we learned nothing?
One of our duties as journalists is to inform the public about various issues.Here is a lesson for some people out there, particularly those who comment beneath our stories on Facebook: hate speech is a crime.We say this because, over the past few da...

Wed, 04 Aug 2021 14:05:00 +0100
Rudolph Marmara elected as PN’s new Executive Organisational Secretary
The PN's Executive Committee has elected Rudolph Marmara as its new Executive Organisational Secretary.This election came about after the post was vacated by Michael Piccinino, who was elected Secretary General.Marmara will be responsible for the org...

Wed, 04 Aug 2021 09:46:00 +0100
Jesmond Saliba appointed as the new Commissioner for Voluntary Organisations
Jesmond Saliba has been appointed as the new Commissioner for Voluntary Organisations.Jesmond Saliba has worked in the public, private, and voluntary sectors where throughout his career he was entrusted with the policy-making of various entities and ...

Wed, 04 Aug 2021 07:13:00 +0100
New York governor urged to resign after probe finds he harassed 11 women
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo faced mounting pressure Tuesday to resign, including from President Joe Biden and other onetime Democratic allies, after an investigation found he sexually harassed nearly a dozen women and worked to retaliate against one o...

Tue, 03 Aug 2021 19:59:00 +0100
Speaker refuses PN’s request to urgently convene parliament for no confidence motion in Zammit Lewis
The Speaker of the House Anglu Farrugia has refused the Nationalist Party's request to convene Parliament with urgency to discuss a motion of no confidence in Justice Minister Edward Zammit Lewis, the PN said in a statement.The Speaker noted that wha...

Tue, 03 Aug 2021 11:13:00 +0100
Assistant Commissioner Ian Abdilla suspended from police
Assistant Commissioner Ian Abdilla, who is a former head of the economic crimes unit, has been suspended from the police force.Replying to The Malta Independent, the police said: "The Malta Police Force has suspended an MPF official in line with...

Wed, 04 Aug 2021 09:44:00 +0100
Malta Development Bank’s impact on the ground exceeds half a billion euro since inception
The Malta Development Bank has provided support to over half a billion euro in loans since the first scheme was launched back in late 2018, it said in a statement.These loans were taken up by close to 650 local businesses, operating across the local ...

Tue, 03 Aug 2021 20:22:00 +0100
Watch: If the PM does not dismiss Zammit Lewis, apology he made last week would mean nothing - NGO
Calls for the dismissal of Edward Zammit Lewis from his ministerial post continued on Tuesday evening, as Repubblika held a protest outside the Justice Ministry. "On his Wikipedia page, Minister Edward Zammit Lewis describes himself as being one...

Tue, 03 Aug 2021 18:09:00 +0100
Speaker, Clerk of the House describe Repubblika judicial protest as ‘unfounded’, ‘baseless’
The Speaker and Clerk of the House have hit back at the NGO Repubblika, describing a protest they had filed for not being allowed into Parliament last week as “unfounded” and “baseless.”In a counter-protest filed on Tuesday, t...

Tue, 03 Aug 2021 12:40:00 +0100
69 new Covid-19 reported as over 400,000 people vaccinated cases
69 new cases of Covid-19 have been reported by health authorities, as the number of vaccinated persons exceeded 400,000.134 people meanwhile have recovered, and with no deaths reported in the last 24 hours the number of active cases currently stands ...

Tue, 03 Aug 2021 21:10:00 +0100
Enemalta postponing scheduled works, deploying technicians to carry out emergency repairs
In view of heatwave that hit the Maltese Islands, Enemalta is postponing all maintenance works that are regularly scheduled on its distribution system, with the exception of those considered to be essential."All of Enemalta's engineers and technician...



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