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Malta Independent

Fri, 22 Jan 2021 08:53:00 +0000
Maltese medical student co-authors international e-book on Covid-19
Rebecca Caruana, a Maltese medicine and surgery student, has taken her locally published articles to the international scale, co-authoring a Covid-19 e-book with renowned professionals from across the globe.On 25 March, when Covid-19 was still in its...

Fri, 22 Jan 2021 07:31:00 +0000
Mater Dei 'full to the brink' - MAM calls for weekend curfew
MAM said today it is seriously preoccupied with persistent high daily numbers of Covid patients which average above 150 a day.  While the increasing number of daily vaccinations is encouraging, this should not lure the authorites into a false se...

Fri, 22 Jan 2021 06:50:00 +0000
EU leaders agree to keep borders open, want to limit travels
European Union leaders agreed that borders should remain open and assessed more measures to counter the spread of coronavirus variants during a video summit Thursday as the bloc's top disease control official said urgent action was needed to stave of...

Fri, 22 Jan 2021 06:47:00 +0000
Biden Cabinet: Buttigieg urges big funds for Transportation
President Joe Biden’s nominee for secretary of transportation, Pete Buttigieg, was headed down a smooth path to quick confirmation, pledging to senators on Thursday to work with them to carry out the administration’s ambitious agenda to r...

Fri, 22 Jan 2021 08:50:00 +0000
TMID Editorial: Covid-19 - More information needed
When, nearly one year ago, the Covid-19 pandemic started and, as a consequence, there was so much alarm in the country, the health authorities made it a point to be constantly present in the media to explain what was happening.We soon started having ...

Thu, 21 Jan 2021 15:51:00 +0000
Around 400 people have received the second dose of Covid-19 vaccine, Health Minister says
Around 400 to 500 people have received the second dose of the vaccine, Health Minister Chris Fearne said while answering to questions for this newsroom. The first dose of the Covid-19 vaccine started being rolled out in Malta on 28 December 2020 whil...

Fri, 22 Jan 2021 09:52:00 +0000
Malta Development Bank supports investment of €29.3 million in 96 local SME projects
SMEs across a number of different economic sectors have undertaken new investment in 96 projects worth more than €29 million, with the support of the Malta Development Bank's (MDB) Loan Guarantee Scheme for SMEs. This investment is intermediated...

Thu, 21 Jan 2021 14:02:00 +0000
Committee notes excavation practice that is ‘nothing short of playing Russian roulette with lives'
A committee that was entrusted with the evaluation of the construction sector has found that a particular practice used within the industry is 'nothing short of playing Russian roulette with the lives of third parties'.The committee was appointed by ...

Fri, 22 Jan 2021 10:27:00 +0000
German virus death toll tops 50,000 even as infections sink
The death toll from the coronavirus in Germany has passed 50,000, a number that has risen swiftly over recent weeks even as infection figures are finally declining.The country's disease control center, the Robert Koch Institute, said Friday that anot...

Thu, 21 Jan 2021 12:31:00 +0000
151 new Covid-19 patients as active cases remain above 2,800
The number of new Covid-19 patients is 151 as the total active cases remain above 2,800, statistics published by the health authorities show.One patient died, an 82-year-old woman, bringing the total of victims to 245.The number of cases registered s...

Thu, 21 Jan 2021 15:34:00 +0000
Ten new vaccination hubs to open in February as vaccine effort intensifies
Ten new vaccination hubs will open in February as the vaccination effort intensifies, Health Minister Chris Fearne said on Thursday.Speaking at a press conference, Fearne said that by today the first dose of the vaccine will have been administered to...

Thu, 21 Jan 2021 14:20:00 +0000
Melvin Theuma cleared to continue testifying in case against 3 accused of murdering Daphne
The compilation of evidence against the three men accused of planting and triggering the bomb which killed journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia continues on Thursday.George Degiorgio 55, known as Ic-Ciniz, Alfred Degiorgio, 53, known as il-Fulu and Vinc...

Thu, 21 Jan 2021 17:33:00 +0000
70% of MEPs approve MEP Agius Saliba’s report on Right to Disconnect
Labour MEP Alex Agius Saliba's report on the Right to Disconnect has been approved by the great majority of the Members of the European Parliament.The Right to Disconnect is a worker's right to be able to disconnect from work and refrain from engagin...

Thu, 21 Jan 2021 08:41:00 +0000
ALS in Maltese people affects different genes than those in European counterparts –UoM study
A study conducted by the University of Malta on patients who are diagnosed with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) revealed that ALS in Maltese patients affects genes which are rarely damaged in other Europeans with ALS. ALS is “a progressive ...

Fri, 22 Jan 2021 06:28:00 +0000
Liverpool's 68-match unbeaten EPL home run ended by Burnley
Liverpool's 68-match unbeaten streak at Anfield in the Premier League ended with a 1-0 loss to Burnley on Thursday in the latest setback of a fading title defense.Ashley Barnes scored from the penalty spot in the 83rd minute after the forward was bro...

Fri, 22 Jan 2021 06:31:00 +0000
Late Parma own goal sees Lazio reach Italian Cup quarters
A late own goal by Parma goalkeeper Simone Colombi sent Lazio to the Italian Cup quarterfinals with a 2-1 win on Thursday.Lazio will next play Atalanta in Bergamo on Jan. 27.The match appeared to be heading for extra time when, in the final minute, V...

Tue, 19 Jan 2021 08:00:00 +0000
Rootz LTD Celebrates Launch of Third Online Casino, Wheelz Casino
Innovative online casino operator Rootz LTD is celebrating the launch of its third online casino. Wheelz Casino follows hot on the heels of breakout brand, Wildz and last year’s eagerly awaited release, Caxino, building on the roaring succ...

Thu, 21 Jan 2021 15:41:00 +0000
Charles Polidano fined €20,000 over breach of animal welfare laws
Construction magnate Charles Polidano has been fined €20,000 by a court for breaches of animal welfare laws at his Montekristo Estate.He had been charged, in 2015, of having kept animals in inadequate quarters, causing them to suffer needlessly,...

Thu, 21 Jan 2021 18:12:00 +0000
Works on Paola Healthcare Centre dedicated to Vincent Moran to conclude by October
Works are underway on the Primary Healthcare Centre in Poala, which will be dedicated to former Health Minister Vincant Moran, and it should open by April 2022On Thursday, Health Minister Chris Fearne, alongside Parliamentary Secretary for EU Funds S...

Thu, 21 Jan 2021 15:54:00 +0000
Church schools association blasts union’s 'irresponsible' reporting of Covid-19 cases
The Church shools associated has condemned what it said was “irresponsible” behaviour by a teacher’s union over its reporting of Covid-19 cases.It is understood that the association was referring to a Facebook post by UPE – Vo...

Thu, 21 Jan 2021 16:10:00 +0000
PA requests revised plans for five-storey Naxxar apartment block
An application for a block of 72 apartments has been sent back to the drawing board after the Planning Authority's (PA) board members were concerned that it could have a negative impact on the Urban Conservation Area (UCA) of Naxxar.The block of apar...

Thu, 21 Jan 2021 14:08:00 +0000
Infrastructure Malta launches €18 million Airport roundabout upgrade
Infrastructure Malta is launching the first works of the Kirkop Tunnels and Airport Intersection Project (KTAIP), an €18 million investment to upgrade the Gudja roundabout with a new underpass to Birzebbuga and a flyover to the Kirkop tunnels.IM...

Thu, 21 Jan 2021 10:15:00 +0000
Alfred Sant questions transparency of EU strategy for Covid-19 vaccinations
Labour MEP Alfred Sant has questioned the implementation of the EU global strategy on Covid-19 vaccinations and said that many questions remain over the transparency of the whole deployment process of vaccines.Under the EU Vaccines Strategy launched ...

Thu, 21 Jan 2021 11:04:00 +0000
Vaccine passport not a quick fix to normality – Tony Zahra
While a vaccine certificate will help resume confidence in people to travel, it’s only one aspect of a highly multifaced issue in regaining the steps to normality and opening borders. Tony Zahra, President of the Malta Hotels and Restaurants As...

Thu, 21 Jan 2021 07:46:00 +0000
Health Ministry responds to criticism over location of vaccination centres
When the government first announced that Covid-19 vaccinations were going to start being administered, concerns were raised that elderly residents from Mellieħa, St. Paul’s Bay and Naxxar were being given appointments to go to the Mosta He...

Thu, 21 Jan 2021 11:13:00 +0000
92% drop in number of cruise passenger arrivals in 2020 – NSO
Total cruise passenger traffic during the fourth quarter of 2020 amounted to 11,825, a decrease of 92.9 per cent over the corresponding period in 2019, the NSO said. There were 16 cruise liner calls during the fourth quarter of 2020, 70 less than the...

Wed, 20 Jan 2021 16:37:00 +0000
‘Let us know where you are’ – Marcel Pisani’s parents’ call after 20 days with no leads
On 28 December of last year, 50-year-old Marcel Pisani was reported missing by the police after failing to respond to numerous calls from his family and friends. Almost a month later, the police have not seen any developments in them across the ...

Thu, 21 Jan 2021 10:36:00 +0000
GWU declares industrial action in favor of members within the Public Service Works Division
The Government and Public Entities Section within the GWU registered an industrial dispute in favor of its members within the Public Service Works Division.The GWU had met with management to ensure that workers performing high-risk work were paid in ...

Wed, 20 Jan 2021 12:19:00 +0000
PN reveals new shadow cabinet: Arrigo, Spiteri retained; Azzopardi loses justice; Delia refuses role
The Nationalist Party have announced its new shadow cabinet, with a number of MPs retaining their previous portfolios and, notably, with former PN leader Adrian Delia refusing to take on a shadow role.Robert Arrigo and Stephen Spiteri amongst others ...

Thu, 21 Jan 2021 09:49:00 +0000
28-year-old grievously injured in traffic accident
A 28-year-old man was grievously injured this morning in a traffic accident in St. Paul’s Bay, police said.Police said that the man, who is Italian, was riding a Honda motorcycle was in a traffic crash with a Hyundai i20 being driven by a 53-ye...

Thu, 21 Jan 2021 08:37:00 +0000
TMID Editorial: Youths and finances - Real concerns vs political rhetoric
A recent survey by the European Investment Bank has revealed some very interesting and at the same time worrying results, particularly with regard to youths and their thoughts on the ecomomy and their finances.In fact, youths aged between 20 and 29 a...

Thu, 21 Jan 2021 08:45:00 +0000
Transport Foundation board meets for the first time
Minister for Transport, Infrastructure and Capital Projects Ian Borg addressed the first Transport Foundation board meeting during which prospective plans for the transport sector were discussed.Minister Ian Borg congratulated each one of the members...

Wed, 20 Jan 2021 17:54:00 +0000
Updated: Biden takes the helm as president: 'Democracy has prevailed'
Joe Biden became the 46th President of the United States on Wednesday, declaring that "democracy has prevailed." He swore the oath of office to take the helm of a deeply divided nation and inheriting a confluence of crises arguably greater than any f...

Thu, 21 Jan 2021 07:08:00 +0000
Biker seriously injured in Cospicua collision
A biker was seriously injured on Wednesday afternoon when he was involved in a collision with a car in Cospicua, the police said.The accident took place at 6pm in St Paul’s Street.The biker, aged 62 of Senglea, was involved in a collision with ...

Wed, 20 Jan 2021 19:03:00 +0000
Investigation into Miriam Pace death moving at a satisfactory pace – Abela
Prime Minister Robert Abela said Wednesday that the investigations into Miriam Pace’s death are currently underway and moving at a satisfactory pace.Abela was speaking in Parliament after the government presented a draft bill on the new constru...

Wed, 20 Jan 2021 15:37:00 +0000
Borg’s slip of the tongue doesn't merit investigation, but Hyzler disagrees with minister's version
In reply to a letter sent by Arnold Cassola regarding Ian Borg swearing on live TV, Standards Commissioner George Hyzler said that although he does not agree with Borg’s version of the events, he does not believe an investigation into the case ...

Wed, 20 Jan 2021 10:51:00 +0000
Malta's challenges: Youths more worried about financial crisis, adults more worried about migration
Youths are more concerned about potential financial crises than they are about migration – which is the direct opposite of what adults said they are more concerned about between the two subjects, a new survey shows.The survey commissioned by th...

Wed, 20 Jan 2021 12:38:00 +0000
187 new cases of Covid-19 found, 1,274 more people vaccinated
187 new cases of Covid-19 were reported by health authorities on Wednesday as another 1,274 people were vaccinated.189 people meanwhile have recovered from the virus, while two more patients passed away in the last 24 hours.It means that the number o...

Wed, 20 Jan 2021 14:49:00 +0000
Chamber of Commerce calls for stricter enforcement in public procurement
The Malta Chamber of Commerce is calling for the government and financial entities to implement stricter enforcement with regards to public procurement in order to better regulate its processes, make them more transparent, and ensure that the law is ...

Thu, 21 Jan 2021 06:57:00 +0000
In-form Pogba keeping Man United in front in EPL title race
It wasn't long after Paul Pogba chased back 40 meters to regain possession and thwart a dangerous-looking counterattack that the Manchester United midfielder collected the ball just outside the penalty area, with three Fulham players near him.Pogba t...

Thu, 21 Jan 2021 06:54:00 +0000
Ronaldo helps Juventus beat Napoli to win Italian Super Cup
Cristiano Ronaldo scored to help Juventus win a record-extending ninth Italian Super Cup by beating Napoli 2-0 on Wednesday.Napoli missed the chance to take the match to extra time when captain Lorenzo Insigne missed a late penalty and Álvaro ...

Wed, 20 Jan 2021 11:49:00 +0000
PN MPs angered about reshuffle absent for parliamentary group meeting
Several Nationalist Party MPs who are angered about a reshuffle of portfolios by leader Bernard Grech were absent for a three-hour parliamentary group meeting held on Tuesday, The Malta Independent is informed.Grech has been holding one-to-one meetin...

Wed, 20 Jan 2021 17:49:00 +0000
MIA closes 2020 with 76% drop in passenger traffic
Malta International Airport ended what was initially set to be another year of traffic growth with 1,748,050 passenger movements, translating in a drop of 76.1 per cent over 2019.This is the lowest traffic result to be reported by Malta Internat...

Wed, 20 Jan 2021 18:38:00 +0000
Birdlife Malta disappointed by Bernard Grech’s environmental portfolio reshuffle
Birdlife Malta said on Wednesday it was disappointed by how the environment has fared in Bernard Grech’s shadow cabinet reshuffle.It said that the only two major changes were related to the removal of portfolios from two people who were vocifer...

Wed, 20 Jan 2021 13:56:00 +0000
Joe Cassar named new president of Cana Movement
Former minister Joe Cassar has been named new president of the Cana Movement, a non-governmental organisation run within the structures of the Church.The Curia said in a statement that Cassar will replace Arthur Galea Salomone, who held the post for ...

Wed, 20 Jan 2021 14:15:00 +0000
Infrastructure Malta invests €15 million in 102 rural roads in 2020
Infrastructure Malta invested over €15 million in the reconstruction and upgrading of 102 countryside roads in 2020, a statement by the agency revealed.The Government of Malta financed €12 million of this infrastructural investment, whilst ...

Wed, 20 Jan 2021 16:21:00 +0000
Reliant on traffic fines, officers lacking soft skills – NAO report highlights LESA shortcomings
A number of shortcomings by LESA – the Local Enforcement System Agency – have been highlighted in a report drafted by the National Audit Office.These range from the authority’s reliance on traffic fines to generate revenue, to a lac...

Wed, 20 Jan 2021 14:50:00 +0000
Samantha Pace Gasan appointed Commissioner for Persons with Disability
Samantha Pace Gasan has been appointed Commissioner for Persons with Disability, replacing Oliver Scicluna who was co-opted to Parliament as an MP last Monday.Pace Gasan, 27, graduated in political science in 2017 and obtained a Masters in creativity...

Wed, 20 Jan 2021 10:01:00 +0000
Claudio Grech to be in charge of PN policy, Jason Azzopardi to lose justice portfolio
Claudio Grech will likely be in charge of the Nationalist Party’s policy transformation, innovation, and the electoral programme as PN leader Bernard Grech continues managing his reshuffle of his party’s parliament bench.The reshuffle pro...

Wed, 20 Jan 2021 17:32:00 +0000
62 tickets handed out in 2020 for excessive noise from private cars – lowest in 7 years
Sixty-two tickets were handed out to drivers due to excessive noise from their cars in 2020, Home Affairs Minister said.He was answering a Parliamentary Question by PN MP Ryan Callus.The 2020 figure is the lowest in 8 years; less than one third of th...

Wed, 20 Jan 2021 09:24:00 +0000
Maltese biggest supporters for stricter measures to tackle climate change in EU, new survey shows
The Maltese are the people most in favour of stricter government measures which would force citizens to change their behaviour to tackle climate change in the European Union, a new bloc-wide survey has shown.Results from a survey on climate change ca...

Wed, 20 Jan 2021 15:48:00 +0000
Updated (2): Madrid blast kills 2; apparently linked to gas leak
A loud explosion apparently caused by a gas leak has partially destroyed a residential building in the center of Spain's capital on Wednesday, killing two people and injuring at least two more, according to officials.The first images and footage shar...

Wed, 20 Jan 2021 15:08:00 +0000
Trump leaves White House, says 'It's been a great honour'
Donald Trump pumped his fist and waved as he departed the White House on Marine One Wednesday for the last time as president, leaving behind a legacy of chaos and tumult and a nation bitterly divided.Four years after standing on stage at his own inau...

Wed, 20 Jan 2021 11:22:00 +0000
Malta had over double number of non-EU citizens with a residence permit at end 2019 than end 2016
At the end of 2019, there was more than double the number of valid residence permits permitting non-EU citizens to reside in Malta than at the end of 2016, Eurostat figures show.Statistics showing all valid permits on 31 December of each year reveal ...

Wed, 20 Jan 2021 14:36:00 +0000
Man still missing 20 days after his disappearance; police renew appeal for information
Marcel Pisani remains missing, 20 days after his disappearance was first reported by the police.The police on Wednesday renewed their appeal for information that can lead them to locate the 50-year-old man, who is wheelchair-bound.Pisani was last see...

Wed, 20 Jan 2021 07:13:00 +0000
Facing crush of crises, Biden will take helm as president
 Joe Biden swears the oath of office at noon Wednesday to become the 46th president of the United States, taking the helm of a deeply divided nation and inheriting a confluence of crises arguably greater than any faced by his predecessors.The ve...

Wed, 20 Jan 2021 14:42:00 +0000
Urban embellishment: Green wall installed at Kordin industrial estate
The government is investing in a living green wall at Kordin Industrial Estate to further enhance the area of Kordin and its surroundings through the creation of a better atmosphere for the community, improved air quality and to serve as a noise barr...

Wed, 20 Jan 2021 07:11:00 +0000
Trump's exit: President leaves office with legacy of chaos
Donald Trump will walk out of the White House and board Marine One for the last time as president Wednesday morning, leaving behind a legacy of chaos and tumult and a nation bitterly divided.Four years after standing on stage at his own inauguration ...

Wed, 20 Jan 2021 07:15:00 +0000
Washington DC on lockdown and on edge before Biden's inauguration
The inauguration of President-elect Joe Biden will take place in a Washington on edge, after the deadly riot at the U.S. Capitol unleashed a wave of fear and unmatched security concerns. And law enforcement officials are contending not only with the ...

Wed, 20 Jan 2021 07:18:00 +0000
TMID Editorial: Joe Biden - A new chapter for the US, world
Joe Biden will be sworn in as the United States’ 46th President today, ending a four-year leadership by Donald Trump.November’s election saw Biden triumph over Trump who has since refused to accept defeat and is now facing impeachment pro...

Tue, 19 Jan 2021 12:31:00 +0000
200 new Covid-19 patients, as active cases surpass 2,800
The number of new Covid-19 cases on Tuesday reached 200, while another death was registered.The latest victim is an 84-year-old woman, who died at Mater Dei Hospital. The total number of victims is now 242, health authorities said.Active cases have a...

Tue, 19 Jan 2021 11:14:00 +0000
Court prohibits reporting of Melvin Theuma’s psychiatric analysis
While three psychiatrists who analysed Melvin Theuma’s mental state presented their findings in Court, the publication of said findings has been banned.The three testified during the compilation of evidence against Yorgen Fenech, the man charge...

Tue, 19 Jan 2021 12:42:00 +0000
Gavin Gulia to face Public Appointments Committee before being reinstated as MTA chairman
Gavin Gulia will not be automatically reinstated as Chairman for Malta Tourism Authority (MTA), The Malta Independent is informed.Before he regains the post he held only a week ago before all that came about following his casual election win, he ...

Tue, 19 Jan 2021 15:39:00 +0000
Shadow Cabinet reshuffle: PN Leader to continue meeting with MPs tonight
PN Leader Bernard Grech will this evening continue to meet MPs as he works on a shadow Cabinet reshuffle.One-to-one meetings with MPs have been ongoing for the past week or so, sources said, adding that the PN leader was finding some resistance by a ...

Tue, 19 Jan 2021 08:50:00 +0000
A new COVID-19 challenge: Mutations rise along with cases
The race against the virus that causes COVID-19 has taken a new turn: Mutations are rapidly popping up, and the longer it takes to vaccinate people, the more likely it is that a variant that can elude current tests, treatments and vaccines could emer...

Wed, 20 Jan 2021 07:49:00 +0000
Leicester pile more misery on Chelsea to go top of EPL
Five years after achieving the unthinkable, Leicester is back atop the Premier League and making another improbable run at the title.For big-spending Chelsea and its under-pressure manager, Frank Lampard, any ambitions of winning the league already a...

Wed, 20 Jan 2021 07:51:00 +0000
Spezia beat 9-man Roma 4-2 to reach Italian Cup quarters
Spezia advanced to the quarterfinals of the Italian Cup with a 4-2 win against nine-man Roma after extra time on Tuesday.Former Roma winger Daniele Verde and Riccardo Saponara scored in extra time for Spezia, which next plays Napoli.The match changed...

Wed, 20 Jan 2021 07:47:00 +0000
Italian PM wins crucial vote in Senate with very thin margin
Italian Premier Giuseppe Conte squeaked through a crucial Senate confidence vote Tuesday night, allowing him to keep his wobbly coalition afloat but failing to secure the reliable support needed from lawmakers to help him effectively govern the count...

Tue, 19 Jan 2021 08:06:00 +0000
‘Car is king - authorities don’t care about needs of other road users’ - ROTA president
The authorities look to make life easier for car drivers, but refuse to cater for the needs of other road users, the president of ROTA Michelle Attard Tonna told The Malta Independent. ROTA is an NGO that advocates for cyclists and pushes the governm...

Tue, 19 Jan 2021 16:16:00 +0000
€32.8 million investment to establish an international research hub at MCAST
Minister for Research, Innovation and the Co-ordination of Post Covid-19 Strategy Owen Bonnici and Minister for Education Justyne Caruana announced that the newly built MCAST Resource Centre will open its doors to staff and students by the new academ...

Tue, 19 Jan 2021 17:46:00 +0000
Discussions on enforcement in Gozo over Carnival season underway
Gozo Minister Clint Camilleri confirmed that discussions are underway with the relevant authorities regarding enforcement in Gozo during the Carnival season. PN MP Maria Deguara suggested that stricter regulations need to be put on youths "who think ...

Tue, 19 Jan 2021 10:24:00 +0000
Hundreds of drivers booked for traffic irregularities caught in police inspections
Hundreds of drivers were booked for traffic irregularities during inspections carried out by the police in the last three months of 2020, the police said in a statement.Some 7,000 vehicles were stopped by the police in inspections carried out between...

Tue, 19 Jan 2021 10:26:00 +0000
‘Not normal’ – National Book Council denied access to Mediterranean Conference Centre
The National Book Council (NBC) appealed to the government and to the Prime Minister to ensure “unencumbered and full access” to the Mediterranean Conference Centre in order to be able to hold the Malta Book Festival on the 10th to the 14...

Tue, 19 Jan 2021 14:49:00 +0000
Nature Trust appeals for more urgent action on marine debris as another dead turtle is found
Nature Trust - FEE Malta has renewed its appeal to the public to reduce marine litter after a dead juvenile loggerhead turtle was found entangled in plastics and abandoned fishing nets.This was not a one-off case, the NGO said, adding that several si...

Tue, 19 Jan 2021 12:22:00 +0000
PN files complaint against PBS for not reporting hospitals’ court case
The Nationalist Party has filed a complaint with the Broadcasting Authority against PBS after the national station failed to report on the testimony given by former Prime Minister Joseph Muscat in the case instituted by Adrian Delia on the privatisat...

Tue, 19 Jan 2021 11:00:00 +0000
Biker in hospital after Tal-Balal crash
A biker is in hospital following a collision that took place at 9.15am in Tal-Balal bypass, San Gwann.The accident involved a Kia Rio, driven by a 77-year-old man from San Gwann and a motorcycle Kawazaki z300, driven by a 28-year-old man from Birzebb...

Tue, 19 Jan 2021 07:02:00 +0000
Italy: Conte clears hurdle to retain power, bigger one ahead
Italian Premier Giuseppe Conte won a crucial vote in Parliament's lower house Monday night after a coalition defector's lawmakers abstained in the balloting, but he must clear a much tougher hurdle less than 24 hours later in the Senate to hold on to...

Tue, 19 Jan 2021 16:09:00 +0000
LifeCycle Malta Foundation donates €25,000 to university for kidney disease research
After having announced that it would dedicate its sponsorship to the cause, the LifeCycle Malta Foundation has donated the sum of €25,000 to the University of Malta’s Research, Innovation & Development Trust (RIDT) for its research int...

Tue, 19 Jan 2021 09:59:00 +0000
Faculty of Economics revises decision to fail 250 students
A disciplinary board has revised a decision to fail more than 250 first-year commerce students, a statement by the Faculty of Economic said.Students found to be directly involved in suspected cheating have been reprimanded and had marks deducted "acc...

Mon, 18 Jan 2021 11:58:00 +0000
You've turned this courtroom into 'Xarabank', judge says as Muscat, Delia clash
Former Prime Minister Joseph Muscat has arrived at the law courts where he is to testify in proceedings on the VGH case.The case was instituted by former Nationalist Party leader Adrian Delia.Muscat had missed the last sitting in December, saying tha...

Mon, 18 Jan 2021 14:34:00 +0000
Watch: Muscat says he has full confidence in PM, government on hospitals’ deal
Former Prime Minister Joseph Muscat said he has full confidence in the Prime Minister and the government on the way forward with regard to the privatisation of three public hospitals.He was speaking to journalists after testifying in the case brought...

Tue, 19 Jan 2021 08:37:00 +0000
TMID Editorial: Covid-19 - Solve the queues
Having the elderly queue for the Covid-19 vaccine is not only unacceptable, but also dangerous.On Friday afternoon, a video published on social media showed elderly people queuing outside the Gzira health centre in the rain, awaiting their Covid-19 v...

Tue, 19 Jan 2021 10:28:00 +0000
EU’s initial response to Covid-19 can provide lessons for future reform – ECA
While it is still too soon to audit ongoing actions or assess the impact of Covid-19 related public health EU initiatives, these experiences can provide lessons for any future reform of the EU’s competences in this field,” according to th...

Mon, 18 Jan 2021 15:42:00 +0000
Watch: Muscat's testimony differs from Scicluna's, Delia charges after court sitting
Former Opposition Leader Adrian Delia said today that former Prime Minister Joseph Muscat had confirmed in court that the Vitals group did not meet the obligations listed in the contract it signed with the Maltese government.Speaking to journalists a...

Mon, 18 Jan 2021 15:36:00 +0000
Bernard Grech reshuffling PN’s shadow cabinet - reports
PN Leader Bernard Grech has launched a shadow cabinet reshuffle exercise, as MPs were being called in for a meeting with the leader on Monday, the Times of Malta reports.The MPs were reportedly holding one-on-one meetings with Grech, and that these m...

Mon, 18 Jan 2021 16:38:00 +0000
Joseph and Michelle Muscat lose ‘parte civile’ status in Egrant perjury case
A court has revoked permission for former PM Joseph Muscat and his wife Michelle to participate in a perjury case against former FIAU official Jonathan Ferris, Times of Malta reports.They had previously been granted ‘parte civile’ status ...

Mon, 18 Jan 2021 15:53:00 +0000
Residency programme being revamped; beneficiary fees set to more than double
Malta’s residency programme is being revamped, and the fees that have to be paid by beneficiaries are being more than doubled, Parliamentary Secretary Alex Muscat said on Monday.The new programme will be called Malta Permanent Residence Program...

Mon, 18 Jan 2021 10:40:00 +0000
From a veto, to changing way planning boards appointed: eNGOs on how they would improve ERA
Environmental NGOs have a number of ideas as to how they would improve the Environment and Resources Authority (ERA), from granting it a veto on planning decisions, to changing how board members are appointed.The Environment and Resources Authority h...

Mon, 18 Jan 2021 16:23:00 +0000
‘I want to work with both sides’ - Oliver Scicluna sworn in as MP
Oliver Scicluna has been sworn in as an MP after earlier in the day he announced that he has resigned from the role of Commissioner for Rights of Persons with Disability to take up the new role of a Labour MP.Scicluna had replaced Gavin Gulia who res...

Tue, 19 Jan 2021 07:04:00 +0000
Ibrahimovic scores two as Milan beat Cagliari 2-0 to go clear
Zlatan Ibrahimović scored twice to help 10-man AC Milan win 2-0 at Cagliari on Monday and reclaim first place outright in Serie A.Ibrahimović converted a first-half penalty and doubled his tally early in the second period. They were his fir...

Tue, 19 Jan 2021 07:06:00 +0000
Aubameyang ends drought in Arsenal's 3-0 win over Newcastle
Arsenal captain Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang finally ended his scoring drought in the Premier League with two second-half goals in a 3-0 win against Newcastle on Monday as the Gunners try to claw their way out of mid-table.Aubameyang, who hadn’t s...

Mon, 18 Jan 2021 12:47:00 +0000
154 new cases of Covid-19 and two more deaths; 11,705 doses of vaccine administered so far
154 new cases of Covid-19 were found overnight and two more patients have died, the health authorities said.There are currently 2,764 active cases out of a total of 15,742.The patients who died were two males, aged 73 and 84, who passed away at Mater...

Mon, 18 Jan 2021 17:07:00 +0000
Average basic pay difference of over €2,000 between Gozitan and Maltese in 2019
A 2019 Labour Force Survey shows that there was an average basic pay difference of over €2,000 between Maltese and Gozitans.The data was tabled in Parliament on Monday by Finance Minister Clyde Caruana, following a parliamentary question from PN...

Mon, 18 Jan 2021 17:19:00 +0000
Industrial action at AG’s Office after ‘refusal’ to start talks on collective agreement
Lawyers and legal procurators at the Attorney General’s Office have resorted to industrial action “in the wake of the management’s refusal to start talks on a collective agreement,” UHM Voice of the Workers said.UHM said it wo...

Mon, 18 Jan 2021 19:22:00 +0000
‘We need to be more efficient in the Courts of Justice’ – Minister Edward Zammit Lewis
In a discussion during a plenary session regarding a new set of proposed laws relating to the Courts of Justice, Minister for Justice, Equality, and Governance Edward Zammit Lewis said that the Courts of Justice need to be more efficient.Reducing the...

Mon, 18 Jan 2021 16:45:00 +0000
Composer and musician Sammy Galea passes away
Composer and musician Sammy Galea has passed away, PBS reports.Galea, aged 86, had toured the world  and through his long career achieved success both locally and abroad.Among other things, he had composed Singing This Song, which saw Renato rep...

Mon, 18 Jan 2021 12:57:00 +0000
Fear of Covid-19 linked with increased substance abuse by university students - study
There are significant associations existing among University of Malta (UoM) students between fear of COVID-19 and self-reported increase in alcohol drinking as well as increase of negative emotional conditions such as depression, exhaustion and lonel...

Mon, 18 Jan 2021 17:51:00 +0000
Equality: ‘This is not a government or Opposition reform, but one for Parliament’ – Cutajar
Parliament should find more common ground when dealing with issues that would benefit the whole country as they did with Bill for Equality in House, Parliamentary Secretary Rosianne Cutajar said. “Our politics are polarised, but we need to...

Mon, 18 Jan 2021 10:08:00 +0000
Word constantly coming to mind is ‘uncertainty’ – Maltese priest’s pandemic experience in Italy
Fr Fabio Attard, a Maltese priest who lives in Rome, describes the situation in Italy as ‘surreal’, saying that uncertainty looms across the nation, yet there are lessons to take from this experience, he believes.  Fr Attard is a Sal...

Mon, 18 Jan 2021 12:07:00 +0000
Application for 72 residential units near Trade Fair Grounds to be decided Thursday
A planning application that will see the construction of 72 residential units and an underlying parking area right next to the Trade Fair grounds in Naxxar is set to be decided by the Planning Authority this Thursday.The proposal will see residential...



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