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Malta Independent

Fri, 26 Feb 2021 08:31:00 +0000
Koħħu implicates Chris Cardona in aborted plan to kill Caruana Galizia in 2015
Former Labour Minister Chris Cardona has been named by Vince Muscat known as il-Kohhu as being implicated in an aborted attempt to kill Daphne Caruana Galizia in 2015.The plot, according to Times of Malta, had fallen through. Cardona has described th...

Fri, 26 Feb 2021 07:18:00 +0000
EU vows to speed vaccine roll out, presses drug makers
European Union leaders vowed Thursday to accelerate the rollout of COVID-19 vaccines and pressed pharmaceutical companies to respect their delivery commitments, as concern mounts about the spread of new variants of the virus.However, the leaders coul...

Fri, 26 Feb 2021 10:20:00 +0000
Former GRTU director Vince Farrugia dies, aged 77
Vince Farrugia, the former director-general of the Chamber for Small and Medium-Sized Enterprises, died today aged 77. Farrugia was for long the director of the GRTU.Tributes poured in as new of his death spread. Mario Debono, who heads the...

Fri, 26 Feb 2021 09:31:00 +0000
TMID Editorial: General election – Pressure on the two leaders
It will be the first time in Maltese political history that the two main political parties will be facing the next election with a new leader.Robert Abela took over the reins of the Labour Party, and of the government, in January last year, with Bern...

Fri, 26 Feb 2021 10:31:00 +0000
‘People with dementia should not be locked between the walls in homes’ – Minister Farrugia
People who suffer from dementia should not be locked indoors but should be integrated within the community, Minister for Senior Citizens and Active Ageing Michael Farrugia said as a memorandum of understanding for a day-night dementia care centr...

Fri, 26 Feb 2021 07:21:00 +0000
Italy's Lombardy again in virus crisis as Brescia sees surge
Italy’s northern Lombardy region, where Europe's coronavirus outbreak erupted last year, asked the national government Thursday for more vaccines to help stem a surge of new COVID-19 cases that are taxing the health system in the province of Br...

Thu, 25 Feb 2021 14:55:00 +0000
Updated: Rosianne Cutajar resigns pending Standards Commissioner investigation
Rosianne Cutajar has resigned from the post of Parliamentary Secretary pending the conclusion of an investigation by the Standards Commissioner.In a statement, the government said that Prime Minister Robert Abela had accepted the resignation, pending...

Thu, 25 Feb 2021 18:34:00 +0000
Contractor in collapse which killed Miriam Pace had track record of construction site accidents
The construction company involved in the death of Hamrun house collapse victim Miriam Pace had been involved in a number of other alarming incidents, a court has heard. This emerged in court as Magistrate Joe Mifsud presided over the compilation of e...

Thu, 25 Feb 2021 12:48:00 +0000
192 new Covid-19 cases found, 30-year-old becomes Malta’s youngest victim
192 new cases of Covid-19 were reported by authorities on Thursday as a 30-year-old woman became Malta’s youngest person to succumb to the virus.Three people died while positive for the virus in the last 24 hours: an 83-year-old woman who passe...

Thu, 25 Feb 2021 13:17:00 +0000
Dar tal-Providenza resident Christine Said becomes Malta’s youngest Covid-19 victim
Dar tal-Providenza resident Christine Said has sadly become Malta’s youngest Covid-19 victim after passing away yesterday at the age of 30.In a Facebook post, Dar tal-Providenza – which is pictured above – said: “It is with de...

Thu, 25 Feb 2021 13:00:00 +0000
Mater Dei ITU, medical wards will soon be unable to cope with caseloads, MAM warns
Mater Dei Hospital’s intensive care and medical wards will soon be unable to cope with caseloads, the Medical Association of Malta (MAM) said on Thursday, warning that the last additional ITU unit may need to be opened today.  The associat...

Thu, 25 Feb 2021 16:30:00 +0000
‘We are where we are today because of pressure by PN, civil society' - Bernard Grech
The country is where it is today in terms of the Daphne Caruana Galizia case as a result of the pressure placed by the Nationalist Party and civil society groups, PN leader Bernard Grech said on Thursday. Grech was addressing a press conference ...

Thu, 25 Feb 2021 10:15:00 +0000
Watch: Prime Minister says legal developments confirm 'institutions are functioning'
The latest developments in the Daphne Caruana Galizia murder case show that the rule of law in Malta is working as it should be, Prime Minister Robert Abela said on Thursday.Abela was addressing a press conference hours after the arraignment of four ...

Fri, 26 Feb 2021 07:23:00 +0000
Arsenal, Milan through in Europa League; Napoli, Germans out
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang scored late to steer Arsenal into the last 16 of the Europa League with a 3-2 win over Benfica on Thursday, while Napoli and both German teams were knocked out.Arsenal had to come from behind to advance 4-3 on aggregate, whi...

Thu, 25 Feb 2021 10:43:00 +0000
John Dalli loses European Court appeal over compensation
The European Courts of Justice has dismissed an appeal filed by former European Commissioner John Dalli, relating to, among other things, the conduct of the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF).John Dalli had been made to resign from his European Commis...

Fri, 26 Feb 2021 09:27:00 +0000
OCVO publishes simplification guidelines for Charity Shops
Towards the end of 2020, two Subsidiary Legislations governing the operation of Charity Shops and Public Collection activities were introduced. In view of this, the Office of the Commissioner for Voluntary Organisations (OCVO) continued to offer its ...

Thu, 25 Feb 2021 11:39:00 +0000
TVM found guilty of lack of impartiality in not reporting hospitals court case
The Broadcasting Authority has found state broadcaster TVM guilty of a lack of impartiality over its failure to carry a report about the testimony of former Prime Minister Joseph Muscat in the court case against the sale of three public hospitals.In ...

Thu, 25 Feb 2021 13:12:00 +0000
Popular journalist Keith Demicoli resigns from PBS
PBS presenter and journalist Keith Demicoli has resigned from his post. Demicoli, 39, presented his resignation letter to the Board of Directors, yesterday.The broadcasting veteran had been part of the National Broadcasting Services since 2008 and wa...

Thu, 25 Feb 2021 19:01:00 +0000
Maltese company working in research, innovation puts new products on the market after public funding
A Maltese company which forms part of the Abertax Group of companies has introduced new products on the market following research which has been sustained by funding from the Malta Council for Science and Technology. Altern Ltd has created a new...

Thu, 25 Feb 2021 15:33:00 +0000
New PV panel support schemes launched
Five new photovoltaic (PV) schemes deemed the “most ambitious investment” in renewable technology to date were launched by Energy Minister Miriam Dalli during a press conference held this morning.The schemes support Maltese and Gozitan ho...

Wed, 24 Feb 2021 22:46:00 +0000
Four charged in connection with Caruana Galizia, Chircop murders; plead not guilty
Four persons were this evening charged with a string of offences related to the murder of Daphne Caruana Galizia and that of lawyer Carmel Chircop in 2015.The accused are brothers Robert and Adrian Agius, known as tal-Maksar, their accomplice Jamie V...

Wed, 24 Feb 2021 19:07:00 +0000
Police chief: All persons linked to Daphne murder now in custody; four to be arraigned tonight
The police believe that all people who were involved in the murder of Daphne Caruana Galizia are either in custody or have already been charged, Police Commissioner Angelo Gafa said on Wednesday.He also announced that four suspects arrested on Tuesda...

Thu, 25 Feb 2021 08:59:00 +0000
Migrants evade Libyan coast guard to reach Europe
The February storm is unforgiving, violently shaking the humanitarian rescuers’ vessel as they try to revive a faulty engine and save African migrants drifting in the Mediterranean Sea after fleeing Libya on unseaworthy boats.Not only must they...

Thu, 25 Feb 2021 08:33:00 +0000
'Country can’t wait any longer for construction reform’ - Minister Aaron Farrugia
Amendments which are needed regarding the construction reform will be addressed in due time, but the country cannot wait any longer until this reform is implemented, Minister for the Environment, Climate Change and Planning Aaron Farrugia told The Ma...

Thu, 25 Feb 2021 08:35:00 +0000
TMID Editorial: Cheese grater tower - Where is the Paceville masterplan?
Another application for the construction of a high-rise building in Paceville has been submitted to the Planning Authority. Construction of tall buildings in the area will continue unabated, it seems, despite the fact that a much-hyped masterplan for...

Wed, 24 Feb 2021 15:23:00 +0000
Bars to remain closed, measures at old people’s homes to be eased, Fearne announces
Bars and clubs will remain closed for the month of March, while measures at old people’s homes will soon start to be eased, Health Minister Chris Fearne announced on Wednesday.Restaurants meanwhile will be allowed to stay open till midnight, ra...

Wed, 24 Feb 2021 17:53:00 +0000
Government publishes Vince Muscat pardon document
The government has published the pardon that was granted to Vince Muscat, who admitted on Tuesday his involvement in the murder of Daphne Caruana Galizia.Muscat was jailed 15 years but received immunity over the 2015 murder of a lawyer in Birkirkara....

Wed, 24 Feb 2021 13:58:00 +0000
Journalist lock-up: Parliament’s ethics committee to discuss Hyzler report on Monday
Parliament’s ethics committee will on Monday discuss the Standard Commissioner’s report into the November 2019 journalist lock-up at Castille. The report is one of the items on the agenda of the Permanent Committee on Standards in Public ...

Wed, 24 Feb 2021 18:03:00 +0000
More than 1,700 energy sector workers being given Covid-19 vaccine
The process for more than 1,700 workers from Enemalta, the Water Services Corporation and ARMS Ltd to receive the first dose of the Covid-19 vaccine, the government announced on Wednesday.The vaccination process for these workers started last Monday ...

Wed, 24 Feb 2021 12:37:00 +0000
226 new cases of Covid-19 found, two more patients die
226 new cases of Covid-19 were reported on Wednesday as two more patients passed away while positive for the virus.It is the second day in a row that over 200 new cases of the virus were reported by health authorities.In the last 24 hours, an 84-year...

Wed, 24 Feb 2021 15:01:00 +0000
WATCH: Repubblika protest against Rosianne Cutajar, call for her resignation
Civil Society NGO Repubblika has reiterated its call for Parliamentary Secretary Rosianne Cutajar to resign in a protest held outside her offices in Valletta.“Rosianne Cutajar is obliged to explain to us why in four years the only time she spok...

Wed, 24 Feb 2021 17:29:00 +0000
Covid effect? GU Clinic visits down by almost 3,000 in 2020
The number of visits to the GU clinic decreased by over a third last year, in what could be an effect of Covid-19 on dating and relationships.Information tabled in Parliament on Wednesday shows that the number of visits to the Genitourinary Clinic in...

Thu, 25 Feb 2021 11:17:00 +0000
Technical supervisor at the Commonwealth War Graves Commission - Malta, awarded MBE
Technical supervisor at the Commonwealth War Graves Commission - Malta, awarded MBEThe Commonwealth War Graves Commission Technical Supervisor for Malta has recently been awarded the MBE for services to the CWGC.This is the second time a Fitzgerald h...

Thu, 25 Feb 2021 07:03:00 +0000
One-of-a-kind Cancelo sparks City's 2-0 win v Gladbach in Champions League
Versatile, tactically astute and boasting the creativity of a midfield playmaker, Joao Cancelo is a one-of-a-kind defender who is proving to be Manchester’s City unlikely secret weapon this season.Borussia Monchengladbach certainly couldn&rsquo...

Thu, 25 Feb 2021 07:05:00 +0000
Mendy's late goal gives Madrid 1-0 win over 10-man Atalanta in Champions League
Real Madrid struggled to break down 10-man Atalanta before Ferland Mendy netted an 86th-minute winner to give the Spanish giant a 1-0 win in the first leg of the round of 16 on Wednesday.Madrid entered the game as the big favorite despite a slew of i...

Wed, 24 Feb 2021 17:58:00 +0000
MIA reports a close to €70 million drop in total revenue for 2020
Malta International Airport today published the financial results for 2020, reporting a drop of €68 million (-67.9%) in the total revenue generated by the Group when compared to 2019.In addition, MIA said that passenger traffic for 2020 suffered...

Wed, 24 Feb 2021 14:15:00 +0000
Times bribery case: ‘Absolutely no evidence’ against Charles Mercieca, defence argues
Lawyer Charles Mercieca’s defence counsel has argued that there is “absolutely no evidence” against his client in a case of attempted bribery of a journalist.Mercieca and Gianluca Caruana Curran, who form part of the legal team repr...

Wed, 24 Feb 2021 11:16:00 +0000
No update yet on bar closures, voucher distribution – Schembri
The Economy Minister could not provide any updates on whether the legal notice mandating the closure of bars and clubs will be extended and on the date of distribution of the government’s stimulus vouchers.The Malta Independent asked Minister f...

Wed, 24 Feb 2021 10:27:00 +0000
Plans for another Paceville tower submitted to Planning Authority
Plans for another tower in Paceville have been submitted to the Planning Authority, the company PX Lettings announced on Wednesday. The tower, which will rise 33-storeys, will be situated at the entrance to Paceville, occupying 1,100 square metr...

Wed, 24 Feb 2021 16:35:00 +0000
‘Thanks for watching, now resign’, NGO tells Rosianne Cutajar as she watches protest against herself
Protests are all about getting a message across – and in the case of Repubblika’s Wednesday afternoon protest, the message seems to have arrived at its intended destination.This is after Parliamentary Secretary Rosianne Cutajar was caught...

Wed, 24 Feb 2021 17:05:00 +0000
Three new echocardiograms introduced at Mater Dei
Three new and modern echocardiograms have been introduced in Mater Dei hospital, Deputy Prime Minister and Health Minister Chris Ferne announced.An echocardiogram produces a graphic outline of the heart's movement, helping to identify how o...

Tue, 23 Feb 2021 13:42:00 +0000
Vincent Muscat pleads guilty to Caruana Galizia murder, sentenced to 15 years in prison
Vincent Muscat, known as il-Koħħu has admitted to his part in the murder of journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia.Muscat, George Degiorgio and his brother Alfred Degiorgio, are accused of procuring, planting and detonating the bomb that killed ...

Tue, 23 Feb 2021 19:40:00 +0000
Watch: No politicians found to be involved in journalist's murder thus far - Abela
No past or present politicians have been found to have been involved in the assassination of journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia thus far, Prime Minister Robert Abela said on Tuesday.Abela was addressing a press conference at Castille, hours after Vinc...

Wed, 24 Feb 2021 13:30:00 +0000
Registered unemployment down in January compared to previous month
The number of people who are registered with Jobsplus as being unemployed has decreased slightly in January when compared to the previous month, statistics published by the National Statistics Office state.In January, the number of persons registerin...

Tue, 23 Feb 2021 15:36:00 +0000
Vince Muscat granted pardon over unsolved 2015 Birkirkara murder
Vincent Muscat has reportedly been granted a presidential pardon to help investigations into the unsolved 2015 murder of lawyer Carmel Chircop, according to the Times of Malta.The news emerged after Muscat pleaded guilty to his role in the murder of ...

Tue, 23 Feb 2021 14:59:00 +0000
Updated: Police arrest suspected Caruana Galizia bomb suppliers
The police have arrested three men on suspicion of being involved in the supply of the bomb which was used to assassinate journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia, multiple reports are stating.Adrian and Robert Agius and their associate Jamie Vella were arr...

Tue, 23 Feb 2021 15:33:00 +0000
Caruana Galizia family expresses hope that Vince Muscat’s admission will lead to justice
The family of slain journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia has issued a statement expressing hope that Vince Muscat's admission will begin leading to complete justice for Daphne Caruana Galizia.Vince Muscat, known as Il-Kohhu, on Tuesday admitted to the m...

Wed, 24 Feb 2021 10:47:00 +0000
Research on the future of Malta’s sandy beaches
With the spectre of devastating climate change and sea-level rise approaching, the first casualties will be the sandy beaches which mark the soft boundary between the land and sea, Peter Gatt, a geologist, told The Malta Independent.Gatt has studied ...

Wed, 24 Feb 2021 08:45:00 +0000
TMID Editorial: PN energy proposals – Good, but not good enough
Last week, the Nationalist Party announced, with a little bit of pomp, what it described as its energy policy, which it said is based on six pillars and aims to always seek the cheapest source for the benefit of consumers, while at the same time offe...

Wed, 24 Feb 2021 07:37:00 +0000
Britons rush to book holidays amid plans to end lockdown
Stir-crazy Britons rushed to book overseas vacations after Prime Minister Boris Johnson unveiled plans to slowly ease a national lockdown, boosting optimism that travel restrictions will be removed in time for the summer holiday season.TUI, the U.K.&...

Tue, 23 Feb 2021 12:37:00 +0000
221 new Covid-19 cases found as one more patient passes away
221 new cases of Covid-19 were reported on Tuesday as one more person passed away while positive for the virus.It is the first time since 9 February that the number of cases found in a single day has exceeded 200, and also the fourth highest number o...

Tue, 23 Feb 2021 08:11:00 +0000
Journalist lock-up: Government MPs ‘trying to delay’ committee debate on Hyzler report – Aquilina
The government members on Parliament’s Ethics Committee are “trying to delay” a debate on a report by Standards Czar George Hyzler on the ‘lock-up’ of journalists at Castille in November 2019, PN MP Karol Aquilina has cl...

Wed, 24 Feb 2021 06:25:00 +0000
Musiala Bayern's youngest-ever Champions League scorer in 4-1 win at Lazio
Teenager Jamal Musiala became Bayern Munich’s youngest-ever goalscorer in the Champions League as he helped his team rout Lazio 4-1 in the first leg of the round of 16 on Tuesday.Musiala also became the second-youngest player to score in the kn...

Wed, 24 Feb 2021 06:32:00 +0000
Chelsea tops Atlético in Champions League with Giroud's bicycle-kick goal
After his great overhead kick found the net to break the deadlock in a difficult match, all Olivier Giroud could do was wait.And wait and wait.Giroud’s 68th-minute bicycle-kick goal against Atlético Madrid was initially disallowed for of...

Wed, 24 Feb 2021 08:32:00 +0000
Greater efforts needed to equip all Europeans with basic digital skills - ECA
Within the EU, little progress has been made in recent years in improving basic digital competence among adult Europeans, the European Court of Auditors said in a statement.The Commission has issued guidance and supported Member States, but there hav...

Wed, 24 Feb 2021 06:40:00 +0000
Tiger Woods seriously injured in crash on steep LA-area road
 Tiger Woods was in the driver’s seat of a mangled SUV that rolled and ended up on its side down a steep roadway in the Los Angeles suburbs Tuesday morning, seatbelt still fastened, both legs seriously injured.He was lucid enough to g...

Tue, 23 Feb 2021 18:48:00 +0000
Watch: Emergency response team puts out fire at Wasteserv facility in seconds
Wasteserv has published a video on Facebook showing how quick action from the emergency response team at one of its sites saw a fire extinguished within seconds.Wasteserv urged people to separate waste properly in order to keep those working in the s...

Tue, 23 Feb 2021 09:40:00 +0000
‘New road in Santa Venera should be named after Miriam Pace’ – Santa Venera minority leader
A new road which was built in Santa Venera should be named after the late Miriam Pace, the PN minority leader of the Santa Venera local council Darren Carabott said in a Facebook post. “I have just put forward a proposal to name the newly ...

Tue, 23 Feb 2021 18:36:00 +0000
Hunting lobby claims some are ‘inciting people to trespass on public property’ in countryside
The Saint Hubert Hunters has asked Home Affairs Minister Byron Camilleri and Economy Minister Silvio Schembri to take action against a section of the public who they claim are "running a campaign to incite the public to trespass onto private property...

Tue, 23 Feb 2021 10:10:00 +0000
Fundamentals remain strong despite Covid-19 challenges for HSBC Malta; pre-tax profit down to €10.4m
Reported profit before tax for HSBC Malta for the year ended 31 December 2020 was €10.4m. This represents a decrease of €20.3m or 66% compared to prior year, HSBC said in a statement announcing their end of year results.While there were no ...

Tue, 23 Feb 2021 11:51:00 +0000
58 new vehicles registered every day on Malta’s roads in last three months of 2020
An average of 58 newly licensed motor vehicles took to Malta’s roads every day during the last three months of 2020, statistics published by the National Statistics Office show.By the end of December 2020, the stock of licensed motor vehicles s...

Tue, 23 Feb 2021 14:52:00 +0000
Assistance being provided to complete renovations at Ta’ Qali Crafts Village– Schembri
INDIS Malta will assist in the completion of the renovation works at the Ta' Qali Artisan Village, Minister for the Economy and Industry Silvio Schembri announced.INDIS Malta is responsible for the administration of government-owned industrial parks ...

Tue, 23 Feb 2021 07:20:00 +0000
Market experts say Malta second only to Cyprus in bid to become Europe's trading capital post-Brexit
Financial experts believe that Malta is second only to Cyprus in bid to become the trading capital in Europe post-Brexit, the world's foremost provider of in-depth knowledge in the field of multi-asset trading reports.In the latest edition of the Qua...

Tue, 23 Feb 2021 10:10:00 +0000
Roberta Metsola to head investigative committee into Frontex
European Parliament Vice-President Roberta Metsola has been elected as the Chair of the new investigative committee tasked with looking into the allegations about the European Union’s management of its external borders and the European Border a...

Tue, 23 Feb 2021 11:12:00 +0000
Cyrus Engerer appointed Socialists' lead negotiator on historic LGBTIQ resolution
Maltese Member of the European Parliament Cyrus Engerer has been appointed as the Socialists and Democrats’ lead negotiator on an upcoming historic resolution which will declare all of the European Union an LGBTIQ Freedom zone. The resolution ...

Tue, 23 Feb 2021 09:28:00 +0000
Robert Abela talks transport, climate change with Pete Buttigieg
Prime Minister Robert Abela discussed transport and climate change with the Secretary for Transport of the United States Pete Buttigieg on Monday.Abela said that during the phonecall he congratulated Buttigieg for his appointment and they discussed M...

Tue, 23 Feb 2021 09:20:00 +0000
Not to be sniffed at: Agony of post-COVID-19 loss of smell
The doctor slid a miniature camera into the patient’s right nostril, making her whole nose glow red with its bright miniature light.“Tickles a bit, eh?” he asked as he rummaged around her nasal passages, the discomfort causing tears...

Tue, 23 Feb 2021 12:00:00 +0000
The Muppet Show reruns now come with a warning of 'offensive material'
Disney Plus has added a content warning to the beginning of 18 episodes of The Muppet Show, the BBC reports."This programme includes negative depictions and/or mistreatment of people or cultures," it reads."These stereotypes were wrong then and are w...

Tue, 23 Feb 2021 10:24:00 +0000
TMID Editorial: Upgrading Ta’ Qali - Multiple projects underway
Ta’ Qali is currently seeing some major upgrades. Everyone knows about the crafts village project, which had been on the cards for many years. This part of Ta’ Qali was in dire need of a face lift, and those who work and sell their wares ...

Tue, 23 Feb 2021 06:35:00 +0000
Covid-19: US tops 500,000 virus deaths, matching the toll of 3 wars
The COVID-19 death toll in the U.S. topped 500,000 Monday, a staggering number that all but matches the number of Americans killed in World War II, Korea and Vietnam combined.President Joe Biden held a sunset moment of silence and a candle-lighting c...

Tue, 23 Feb 2021 06:42:00 +0000
Shops, haircuts return in April as UK lifts virus lockdown slowly
Children in England will return to class and people will be able to meet a friend outside for coffee in two weeks’ time, Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced Monday as he laid out a slow easing of one of Europe’s strictest pandemic lock...

Tue, 23 Feb 2021 06:32:00 +0000
Archbishop approves setting up of association for beatification, canonisation of couple
Archbishop Charles Jude Scicluna has approved the setting up of the Henry and Inez Casolani Association within the Archdiocese of Malta.The association was set up to promote the cause of the beatification and canonisation Henry and Inez Casolani, a l...

Tue, 23 Feb 2021 06:44:00 +0000
Motorcyclist grievously injured in Iklin accident
A biker was seriously injured on Monday evening in an accident in Iklin, the police said.The accident took place in Valley Road at 8.20pm.The biker, a 33-year-old man from St Paul’s Bay, lost control of the Piaggio he was riding and fell off th...

Mon, 22 Feb 2021 16:41:00 +0000
Watch: ‘I will say what I have to say to the Standards Commissioner’ – Rosianne Cutajar
Embattled Parliamentary Secretary Rosianne Cutajar refused to give comments to the media, saying instead that she will “say what I have to say to the Standards Commissioner.”Cutajar has been under fire ever since it emerged that she alleg...

Mon, 22 Feb 2021 12:36:00 +0000
193 new cases of Covid-19 reported as one more patient dies
193 new cases of Covid-19 were reported on Monday as one more person died while positive for the virus.Authorities said that in the last 24 hours, a 96-year-old man passed away at Mater Dei Hospital. It means that Malta has now had 305 deaths related...

Mon, 22 Feb 2021 17:47:00 +0000
90% of people aged 85-89 have taken first dose of Covid-19 vaccine
90% of people aged 85-89 have taken the first dose of the Covid-19 vaccine, according to statistics published in Parliament by Deputy Prime Minister and Health Minister Chris Fearne.Answering a Parliamentary Question posed by PN MP Maria Deguara, Fea...

Mon, 22 Feb 2021 15:25:00 +0000
Country’s institutions are being used to protect Joseph Muscat and those close to him – PN
Malta’s institutions are being used to protect former Prime Minister Joseph Muscat and those close to him, the Nationalist Party said on Monday.In a statement, the party said that the fight against money laundering in Malta has to be shown to b...

Mon, 22 Feb 2021 16:04:00 +0000
Construction industry reforms being drafted ‘without sincere consultation with experts’ – Architects
The country’s construction reforms are not taking into account experts’ research and knowledge, President of the Chamber of Architects and Civil Engineers Andre Pizzuto said on Monday.The government has been working on construction reform...

Mon, 22 Feb 2021 16:15:00 +0000
Marcel Pisani has been missing for almost two months; police renew appeal for information
Marcel Pisani remains missing, almost two months after his disappearance. The 50-year-old was reported missing on 28 December. He had told his family that he was going out to run some errands but was never seen or heard from again. His family had gon...

Mon, 22 Feb 2021 18:59:00 +0000
OPM customer care head, deputy communications chief resign
The OPM’s head of customer care and the deputy head of communications have both resigned, Times of Malta reports.Sandro Craus has served as the head of the customer care unit since the role was created in 2013.He told Times of Malta that he is ...

Tue, 23 Feb 2021 07:32:00 +0000
Ronaldo scores 2 as Juventus beat Crotone 3-0 in Serie A
Cristiano Ronaldo scored twice as Juventus got back to winning ways by beating bottom club Crotone 3-0 in Serie A on Monday.Ronaldo could even have had a hat trick in the first half.Weston Mckennie sealed the result after the break.Juventus moved up ...

Mon, 22 Feb 2021 18:23:00 +0000
Books donated by National Book Council to be distributed to all frontliners
Minister for Education Justyne Caruana, on behalf of the National Book Council, presented a donation of books to Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Health Chris Fearne which will be distributed to COVID-19 healthcare frontliners in Malta and Gozo...

Mon, 22 Feb 2021 13:32:00 +0000
Rosianne Cutajar should resign immediately – Repubblika
The NGO Repubblika has called for the immediate resignation of Parliamentary Secretary Rosianne Cutajar from government and from Parliament.In a statement, the NGO said that it is evident from reports in the past months that Cutajar had a relationshi...

Mon, 22 Feb 2021 17:11:00 +0000
Italian ambassador among three killed in attack in Congo
The Italian ambassador to Congo, an Italian carabineri police officer and their Congolese driver were killed Monday in an attack on a U.N. convoy in an area that is home to myriad rebel groups, the Foreign Ministry and local people said.The ambush oc...

Mon, 22 Feb 2021 07:46:00 +0000
UN report connects Malta with operation to supply Libyan rebel commander with military equipment
A United Nations report has connected Malta with an operation to supply Libya rebel commander Khalifa Hifter with military equipment in 2019.The report, obtained by The Associated Press, details “Project Opus” – an operation run in ...

Mon, 22 Feb 2021 13:59:00 +0000
Chamber of Advocates slams government’s Bill to regulate profession as ‘unfit for purpose’
The Chamber of Advocates has slammed the government’s recently introduced Bill to regulate the profession, arguing that it is, at best, “unfit for purpose”.In 2008 the Chamber of Advocates published a consultative paper expressing t...

Mon, 22 Feb 2021 17:34:00 +0000
Farrugia calls on PN to stop delaying establishment of BCA, nominate board representative
Planning Minister Aaron Farrugia has again called on the Opposition to nominate its member on the board of the Building and Construction Authority.In a Facebook post, Farrugia said he has been urging the Opposition to nominate its representative for ...

Mon, 22 Feb 2021 08:33:00 +0000
Plans to expand law courts at pre-Planning Authority stage
Plans to expand the law courts by creating four new court halls and 25 offices in a separate building in Strait Street are still at the pre-Planning Authority stage, Frank Mercieca, the Court Services Agency CEO, told The Malta IndependentBack in Nov...

Mon, 22 Feb 2021 09:12:00 +0000
500-vehicle car park complete with cycling track planned for Ta’Qali site
The government has filed a planning application to construct a 506-vehicle car park and a bicycle track in Ta' Qali, on a site which currently houses six historic structures.The site was previously part of Ta’ Qali Airfield, but once this was d...

Mon, 22 Feb 2021 09:15:00 +0000
TMID Editorial: Economy - On business scepticism and the GDP
With almost a year having passed since the first case of Covid-19 landed in Malta and with the vaccination programme in full swing, many – not least those in the business community – have turned their eyes to the recovery from the pandemi...

Mon, 22 Feb 2021 07:03:00 +0000
UK speeds up vaccinations: All adults to get first jab by July 31
The British government declared Sunday that every adult in the country should get a first coronavirus vaccine shot by July 31, at least a month earlier than its previous target, as it prepared to set out a “cautious” plan to ease the U.K....

Mon, 22 Feb 2021 07:05:00 +0000
In Israel and beyond, virus vaccines bring political power
Forget about oil and arms. Coronavirus vaccines are emerging as the newest currency of choice in the Middle East.Israel’s reopening of its economy, combined with a murky prisoner swap with Syria and the arrival of a batch of vaccines in the Gaz...

Sun, 21 Feb 2021 09:00:00 +0000
Secretary General post could remain uncontested in March PN elections
The post of Nationalist Party Secretary General could remain uncontested when it goes up for grabs in a few weeks’ time, as no one has so far shown any interest in the role, The Malta Independent on Sunday has learnt. PN sources said that an in...

Sun, 21 Feb 2021 08:00:00 +0000
AUM slapped with €1.1 million garnishee over case filed against them by former lawyer
The American University of Malta (AUM) has been slapped with a garnishee order worth €1.1 million over a case filed against them by their former lawyer Louai Aziz Michael Al Twal, The Malta Independent on Sunday can reveal.The application for th...

Sun, 21 Feb 2021 12:35:00 +0000
130 new cases of Covid-19 found as one more patient passes away
130 new cases of Covid-19 were reported on Sunday as one more person passed away while positive for the virus.The death of a 72-year-old man at Mater Dei Hospital takes the total number of deaths so far up to 304.134 people meanwhile have recovered, ...

Sun, 21 Feb 2021 12:44:00 +0000
Cabinet to meet tomorrow to discuss reforms for pre-1995 rents – Abela
The Cabinet and Labour Parliamentary Group will meet on Monday to discuss a reform plan which will be centered on pre-1995 rents, Prime Minister Robert Abela announced on Sunday.Speaking at a political activity at Villa Bighi, Abela said that the ref...

Sun, 21 Feb 2021 13:26:00 +0000
Former Times journalist denies being paid €10,000 by Yorgen Fenech to run story
Former Times of Malta journalist Ivan Camilleri has denied being paid by alleged Daphne Caruana Galizia murder mastermind Yorgen Fenech to run a story for a Castille high-up in January 2019.Camilleri was reacting through his lawyer Peter Fenech to a ...

Sun, 21 Feb 2021 08:30:00 +0000
Watch: Police weapons simulator - Training for the last resort
My heart raced as the front door opened and an agitated woman rushed up to me, asking me to remove her drugged-up sister from her house.I saw the suspect sitting at the table in the dining room, slouching and visibly out of it. Dinnerware was spread ...

Sun, 21 Feb 2021 09:30:00 +0000
Too many MPs for our drive-in Parliament
The headline is a combination of two statements made in the past few days by politicians on different sides of the political spectrum.In one of his bi-weekly blogs on The Malta Independent, which he entitled “Too many MPs”, former Prime M...

Mon, 22 Feb 2021 07:17:00 +0000
Premier League: Doumbia late strike leaves Hamrun Spartans on top of the standings
Substitute Seydou Doumbia scored a late winner for the league leaders Hamrun Spartans who had to struggle hard to  grab the fifth successive win and again move two points clear over Hibernians.For Balzan it was yet another disappointment, a disa...



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