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Malta Independent

Sat, 17 Apr 2021 09:08:00 +0100
NGOs demand removal of ERA chairman Victor Axiaq
Nine NGOs have written to Environment and Planning Minister Dr Aaron Farrugia requesting the removal of Professor Victor Axiak from his role as chair of the Environmental Resources Authority following a spate of abysmal decisions.In their open letter...

Sat, 17 Apr 2021 11:02:00 +0100
Worldwide COVID-19 death toll tops a staggering 3 million
The global death toll from the coronavirus topped a staggering 3 million people Saturday amid repeated setbacks in the worldwide vaccination campaign and a deepening crisis in places such as Brazil, India and France.The number of lives lost, as compi...

Sat, 17 Apr 2021 07:14:00 +0100
Covid-19: Italy moves toward slow reopening with outdoor dining
Italy plans to start emerging from rolling partial lockdowns that were imposed during a fall virus surge, announcing Friday the reopening of outdoor dining and schools at all grade levels in lower-risk regions starting April 26.The government’s...

Sat, 17 Apr 2021 07:16:00 +0100
Portugal reaps benefits of a prolonged COVID-19 lockdown
While most of the Europe Union grapples with new surges of COVID-19 cases and brings back curbs on what people can do, Portugal is going in the other direction.Starting Monday, the Portuguese will be able to go to restaurants, shopping malls and cine...

Fri, 16 Apr 2021 18:09:00 +0100
Abela to wait for committee’s conclusions before making declarations on breach of ethics
Minister within the Office of the Prime Minister Carmelo Abela will wait for the Parliamentary Standards' Committee's conclusions before making any declarations on a report which found him in breach of ethics, he said in a Facebook post.The Standards...

Sat, 17 Apr 2021 09:02:00 +0100
TMID Editorial: Malta-Gozo Fast Ferry - Why couldn’t we have arrived here years ago?
The past week or so has seen the announcement of not one, but two new fast ferry services which will run between Malta and Gozo.Virtu Ferries announced last week that they will be running a fast-ferry service from Valletta to Mgarr, Gozo, while a sec...

Fri, 16 Apr 2021 18:49:00 +0100
Man dies after 5-storey fall
A 59-year-old man from Zejtun died on Friday, after falling from a height of five storeys while doing some works.The man was in Zabbar, on Triq John Delia and the accident occurred at 4.30pm. A medical team went on site and the man was certified as h...

Sat, 17 Apr 2021 07:34:00 +0100
Migrant boat sinks off Tunisia, 21 dead, 3 survivors found
Tunisian authorities said they recovered the bodies of 21 migrants from sub-Saharan Africa, including nine women and a baby, whose boat sank Friday off the central port city of Sfax. The cause of the sinking was unclear.Commander Housemeddine Jebabli...

Sat, 17 Apr 2021 10:50:00 +0100
Nearly 1,100 parents receive €580,000 in temporary Covid-19 benefit
Some 1,100 parents of minors with a disability between them have received €580,000 in Covid-19 temporary benefits the government handed out, the government said.There were 1,422 applications for such a benefit, meaning that 78% of the applicants...

Fri, 16 Apr 2021 16:27:00 +0100
Accommodation and MICE sector to benefit from new Covid-19 tourism schemes – Clayton Bartolo
Tourism Minister Clayton Bartolo further announced two new schemes aimed at supporting the accommodation sector as well as the meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions (MICE) sector.Addressing a press conference on Friday, Bartolo said the f...

Fri, 16 Apr 2021 10:26:00 +0100
Alleged Daphne hitmen sought Chris Cardona’s help on murder, court hears
Former minister Chris Cardona would be called upon to help the hitmen planning Daphne Caruana Galizia's murder, Vince Muscat has testified under cross-examination.Muscat, known as il-Koħħu, said that Alfred Degiorgio was a close friend of C...

Sat, 17 Apr 2021 07:36:00 +0100
Prince Philip's 'fortitude and faith' to be remembered at funeral
Prince Philip will be remembered as a man of “courage, fortitude and faith” at a martial but also personal funeral that will mark the death of a royal patriarch who was a beloved husband and father, and one of a dwindling number of World ...

Fri, 16 Apr 2021 12:37:00 +0100
WATCH: 27 Covid-19 cases found in lowest case count since September; vaccine uptake remains high
27 new cases of Covid-19 were reported on Friday in what is the lowest case count registered since 30 September.Public Health chief Charmaine Gauci will be addressing her weekly briefing to give a breakdown about the Covid-19 situation shortly.Two pe...

Fri, 16 Apr 2021 13:24:00 +0100
Malta’s contact tracing app will now work in 16 European countries
Malta’s contact tracing app will now work abroad as well as locally after an agreement between 16 European Union countries, Health Superintendent Charmaine Gauci said on Friday.Gauci announced the news in her weekly Covid-19 briefing.The contac...

Sat, 17 Apr 2021 07:21:00 +0100
Raul Castro resigns as Communist chief, ending era in Cuba
Raul Castro said Friday he is stepping down as head of Cuba’s Communist Party, ending an era of formal leadership that began with his brother Fidel and country’s 1959 revolution.The 89-year-old Castro made the announcement in a speech at ...

Fri, 16 Apr 2021 08:41:00 +0100
Corradino Correctional Facility ‘diabolical’, prison system needs to be revised – Andrew Azzopardi
The Corradino Correctional Facility is “diabolical” and the prison system should be completely revised, Dean of the Faculty of Social Wellbeing Andrew Azzopardi told The Malta Independent.Azzopardi said that it is “bursting at the s...

Fri, 16 Apr 2021 17:51:00 +0100
Government announces Building and Construction Authority Board and CEO
The Building and Construction Authority's (BCA) board has been formed. This was announced by Minister for the Environment, Climate Change and Planning Aaron Farrugia and Parliamentary Secretary for Construction Chris Agius. Minister Farrugi...

Fri, 16 Apr 2021 14:59:00 +0100
19% of catering establishments have closed down since March 2020 - ACE
In a study conducted by the Association of Catering Establishments (ACE) in collaboration with a number of suppliers, it transpires that between March 2020 and March 2021 approximately 19% of establishments closed down. “This staggering figure ...

Fri, 16 Apr 2021 15:22:00 +0100
BirdLife highlights episodes of illegal hunting
With the first signs of turtle-dove migration over Malta this spring, reports by the public started coming in regarding illegal hunting of this protected bird all over the Maltese Islands, BirdLife Malta has said. “Less than a week from the sta...

Sat, 17 Apr 2021 08:29:00 +0100
Kane injured after scoring 2 in Spurs' 2-2 draw at Everton
Harry Kane scored twice, including a second-half equalizer, before limping off with an ankle injury in Tottenham's 2-2 draw at Everton in the Premier League on Friday as both teams stayed on the fringe of the race for Champions League qualification.T...

Fri, 16 Apr 2021 14:49:00 +0100
Heavy traffic after accident in St. Julians
There has been a heavy build-up of traffic after two vehicles have crashed in Triq San Andrija in St Julians, close to Luxol Sports Club.One driver was a 54 year old man from Hal Qormi and the other driver was a 36 year old man from Santa Lucija, who...

Fri, 16 Apr 2021 07:48:00 +0100
68% of vaccine doses administered in Malta are Pfizer jabs
68% of the vaccine doses administered up until last Sunday in Malta were doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine, The Malta Independent has learnt.Figures provided to this newsroom by the Health Ministry show that up till last Sunday, 68% of the doses a...

Fri, 16 Apr 2021 16:11:00 +0100
Air Malta issues operating schedule for May
As Air Malta prepares to shortly announce its increased Summer flying program, the airline has confirmed its May schedule.The Parisian airport of Orly is the latest addition to the airline's flight schedule which will now increase to 26 weekly flight...

Thu, 15 Apr 2021 20:59:00 +0100
€70 million Marsa Junction Project officially inaugurated
The Marsa Junction Project, Infrastructure Malta’s biggest project to date, was officially inaugurated on Thursday evening.The project, which cost 70 million euros to complete, was inaugurated by Prime Minister Robert Abela and Minister for Tra...

Fri, 16 Apr 2021 07:33:00 +0100
Prolonged brain dysfunction in COVID-19 survivors: A pandemic in its own right?
One in three survivors of COVID-19, those more commonly referred to as COVID-19 long-haulers, suffered from neurologic or psychiatric disability six months after infection, a recent landmark study of more than 200,000 post-COVID-19 patients...

Fri, 16 Apr 2021 07:36:00 +0100
France hits unwanted milestone: Over 100,000 virus deaths
France on Thursday became the third country in Europe after the U.K. and Italy to reach the unwanted milestone of 100,000 COVID-19-related deaths as new infections and deaths surged due to virus variants.The country of 67 million is the eighth nation...

Fri, 16 Apr 2021 08:35:00 +0100
Archbishop Emeritus discharged from hospital
Archbishop Emeritus Paul Cremona OP has been discharged from hospital.The Curia said in a statement that Cremona is continuing his recovery at the Dar tal-Kleru in Birkirkara.The statement added that Cremona expressed his gratitude to all those who p...

Fri, 16 Apr 2021 08:38:00 +0100
TMID Editorial: Covid and sports – Incomplete competitions
For the second year running, the football Premier League was not completed.Last year, it was Floriana FC who were declared champions, having been sitting at the top of the table at the time when all elite sport was stopped because of the Covid-19 pan...

Fri, 16 Apr 2021 12:06:00 +0100
Joanne Bondin is the new president of the Malta Employers’ Association
Following its Annual General Meeting, Joanne Bondin has been appointed as the President of the Malta Employers’ Association. Bondin has served on the Council of the MEA for a number of years, and has 15 years of experience in providing consulta...

Thu, 15 Apr 2021 12:54:00 +0100
55 new Covid-19 cases found, no new deaths
55 new cases of Covid-19 were reported by health authorities on Thursday.It was another day where no new deaths were reported – the fourth in five days this week.45 people meanwhile have recovered from the virus, meaning that the number of acti...

Thu, 15 Apr 2021 15:59:00 +0100
Arts education schools unable to operate until further notice, MEIA confirms
Arts education schools will remain closed until further notice, the Malta Entertainment Industry and Arts Association (MEIA) confirmed in a statement on Thursday afternoon.The statement was released on MEIA’s Facebook page, following the MEIA&r...

Thu, 15 Apr 2021 12:42:00 +0100
OPM will leave it up to Standards Committee to decide if Carmelo Abela should pay back funds
The Office of the Prime Minister told this newsroom that it is the Parliamentary Standards Committee that will take a decision on the report drafter by the Standards Commissioner, which found a breach of ethics on the part of Minister Carmelo Abela.O...

Fri, 16 Apr 2021 13:45:00 +0100
Research funding drives forward development of new product in construction sector
Funding provided by the Malta Council for Science and Technology was crucial for a Maltese company to develop machinery that manufactures ‘Glass Reinforced Polymer Composite Poles’, known in the industry as GRP poles that are longer than ...

Thu, 15 Apr 2021 16:35:00 +0100
PN calls for Carmelo Abela to resign, refund funds used for advertising
Candidates for the Nationalist Party have called for the resignation of Minister Carmelo Abela after the Standards Commissioner declared that he had breached parliamentary ethics.The report found that Abela had used just over €7,000 in public fu...

Thu, 15 Apr 2021 14:07:00 +0100
Europe has surpassed 1 million COVID-19 deaths
A top official from the World Health Organization says Europe has surpassed 1 million deaths from COVID-19 and the situation remains “serious,” with about 1.6 million new cases reported each week in the region.Overall, a tally by Johns Ho...

Thu, 15 Apr 2021 08:49:00 +0100
Enough evidence for Brian Tonna and associates to be indicted
There are sufficient grounds for Brian Tonna, Karl Cini, Manuel Castagna and Katrin Bondin Carter to face trial under a bill of indictment, a magistrate has ruled.The four face charges of money laundering and other financial crimes in relation to inq...

Thu, 15 Apr 2021 14:20:00 +0100
De La Salle sixth form opts for exams at home
De La Salle sixth form has opted to hold their examinations at home, rather than in-person as another sixth form has chosen to do.Email correspondence seen by The Malta Independent confirms that the sixth form has chosen to have students do their exa...

Fri, 16 Apr 2021 07:40:00 +0100
Arsenal, Man Utd, Roma, Villarreal into Europa League semis
With their season on the line, Arsenal’s players produced a devastating first-half performance Thursday to beat Slavia Prague and reach the Europa League semifinals.They’ll meet a familiar face there.Arsenal’s 4-0 win in the Czech c...

Thu, 15 Apr 2021 15:41:00 +0100
Customs pooches sniff out drugs packages arriving in Malta
Two customs officers – the dogs Ted and Zekkin – sniffed out a package of inbound drugs each, the customs department said in a statement.The two pooches were sniffing inbound packages at MaltaPost when they reacted positively to two packa...

Thu, 15 Apr 2021 09:09:00 +0100
Government plans for Covid-19 remembrance garden to be published shortly
The plans for the Covid-19 remembrance garden will be announced shortly, the Health Ministry told The Malta Independent.Last Thursday, Deputy Prime Minister Chris Fearne announced via a tweet that the government is planning to erect a grove to commem...

Thu, 15 Apr 2021 12:02:00 +0100
Two magistrates, two lawyers to be appointed Judges
Two magistrates and two lawyers have been appointed as Judges for Malta’s Superior Courts by the President George Vella.Magistrate Neville Camilleri, Magistrate Audrey Demicoli, Dr. Christian Falzon Scerri, and Dr. Ian Spiteri Bailey were deter...

Thu, 15 Apr 2021 06:57:00 +0100
Teenager on e-scooter injured after hit by car
A teenager who was riding an e-kick scooter was grievously injured after being hit by a car, the police said.The accident took place in San Anard Street, Tarxien, on Wednesday at 9pm.The 17-year-old boy, resident of Fgura, was hit by a Fiat Seicento ...

Thu, 15 Apr 2021 10:20:00 +0100
Man grievously injured while operating machinery
A man was grievously injured this morning while operating machinery in a field in Attard, the police said.The accident took place in Mdina Road at 8.15am.The man, an Italian 38-year-old who resides in Birkirkara, was taken to Mater Dei Hospital for t...

Thu, 15 Apr 2021 10:48:00 +0100
Man falls off ladder while doing maintenance work
A man was grievously injured after falling off a ladder while doing maintenance work in a private residence, the police said.The accident took place in Cinju Street, Mosta, at 8.15am.The 40-year-old resident of Mosta was taken to hospital with seriou...

Thu, 15 Apr 2021 09:12:00 +0100
Moviment Graffitti appeals ERA’s inaction over Msida Creek project
Moviment Graffitti has filed an appeal on the Msida creek project, saying that the Environment Resources Authority's inaction left it no other option."Despite the fact that the Msida Creek Project will turn the area into a car cemetery, result in the...

Thu, 15 Apr 2021 13:29:00 +0100
Registration of summer schools opens
The Ministry for Education said that those persons who intend to offer an Educational Programme in the form of a Summer School/Club for children aged between 3 and 16 years should apply online to register their Summer School/Club as an Educational Es...

Thu, 15 Apr 2021 08:35:00 +0100
‘PN’s document on energy is positive and constructive’ - MEA
The Malta Employers’ Association described the document – A New Energy Future for Malta presented by the Partit Nazzjonalista - as encouraging, and with a vision to transform the country to achieve renewable targets and goals that transla...

Thu, 15 Apr 2021 07:00:00 +0100
Europe scrambles as Johnson & Johnson vaccine delay deals another blow
European countries diverged Wednesday on whether they would push ahead with giving their residents Johnson & Johnson's COVID-19 vaccine after reports of very rare blood clots in a handful of recipients in the United States.While some European Uni...

Thu, 15 Apr 2021 07:03:00 +0100
EU throws weight behind Pfizer-BioNTech and new technology
In a stinging rebuke to pharma giant AstraZeneca Wednesday, the European Union announced plans to negotiate a massive contract extension for Pfizer-BioNTech's COVID-19 vaccine insisting the 27-nation bloc had to go with companies that had shown their...

Thu, 15 Apr 2021 09:08:00 +0100
TMID Editorial: Covid-19 - Summer music festivals
At least three music festivals are being planned for this summer, promising to bring large crowds of drunk revellers to Malta’s streets, and this at a time when the government is trying to pitch Malta as a Covid-safe destination. Tourism Minist...

Thu, 15 Apr 2021 10:22:00 +0100
A free-of-charge cycling course launched
A bikeability course will be open to the public in the coming days and will involve a number of theory and practical sessions on cycling.This was announced by Minister for the Environment, Climate Change and Planning Aaron Farrugia who explained that...

Wed, 14 Apr 2021 14:14:00 +0100
Nexia BT's Brian Tonna refuses to answer parliament's questions on Electrogas deal
Nexia BT's Brian Tonna remained silent as he faced the parliament's Public Accounts Committee as it continued to investigate the Electrogas power station deal.The committee meeting focused on the Auditor General's report titled "An investigation of M...

Wed, 14 Apr 2021 09:42:00 +0100
Malta-Sicily-France: Court hears Yorgen Fenech's escape plan as bail request turned down again
Yorgen Fenech messaged a pilot with Falcon jets with an urgent request for a private flight on the eve of his arrest, a court has heard.It was also revealed that Fenech was trying to transfer cash from Dubai and other places through Wings Development...

Wed, 14 Apr 2021 18:21:00 +0100
Carmelo Abela breached ethics with advert ‘intended to boost minister’s image’ - Hyzler
OPM minister Carmelo Abela breached ethics with the publication of a newspaper advert that was intended to boost his image, rather than provide information of value to the public, Standards Commissioner George Hyzler has found.The report was publishe...

Wed, 14 Apr 2021 12:34:00 +0100
58 new Covid-19 cases reported, no new deaths
58 new cases of Covid-19 were reported by health authorities on Wednesday, as for the third time in four days no deaths were registered.41 people meanwhile have recovered from the virus, meaning that the number of active cases currently stands at 578...

Wed, 14 Apr 2021 11:19:00 +0100
Over €13,000 raised for footballer’s young son after cancer diagnosis
€13,470 was raised for the son of a Brazilian footballer plying his trade in Malta who was diagnosed with cancer just as his father’s job was cut short.Patrick Maia, 32, was told last week that his one-year and nine-month old son Luca has ...

Wed, 14 Apr 2021 17:59:00 +0100
Malta Air to operate five air routes this summer
Five new air routes will start operating in Malta in conjunction with Ryanair this summer, Minister for Tourism and Consumer Protection Clayton Bartolo announced on Wednesday afternoon.Four of the new routes will connect Malta to airports in Italy, a...

Wed, 14 Apr 2021 13:33:00 +0100
IN PICTURES: AFM Colonel Brian Gatt given final farewell
Armed Forces of Malta Colonel Brian Gatt was given a final farewell as his funeral took place at the Paola Parish Church on Wednesday morning.Gatt passed away at the age of 54 on Sunday 4 April.A valued and well-respected member of the AFM, Gatt at o...

Thu, 15 Apr 2021 07:13:00 +0100
Madrid eliminate Liverpool to return to Champions League semis
Zinedine Zidane has shown Jürgen Klopp just how to turn a season around.Zidane is leading Real Madrid into the semifinals of the Champions League. Klopp will finish the season without a trophy.A 0-0 draw at Anfield in the quarterfinals on Wednes...

Thu, 15 Apr 2021 07:10:00 +0100
Man City beat Dortmund for Champions League semifinal
Pep Guardiola shared an emotional moment with goal scorer Phil Foden as Manchester City ended its run of failure in the Champions League quarterfinals Wednesday, beating Borussia Dortmund 2-1 for a 4-2 aggregate win.Jude Bellingham scored to put Dort...

Wed, 14 Apr 2021 21:33:00 +0100
Parliament approves ‘corrective mechanism’ to increase female participation
A Bill that will lead to increased female participation in Parliament was approved on Wednesday with 63 votes in favour and two against.The ‘corrective mechanism’ will allow – in case only two parties are elected to Parliament &ndas...

Wed, 14 Apr 2021 17:14:00 +0100
BNF Bank says that former official charged with money laundering retired in 2018, has no ties to it
BNF Bank has said that a former official who was charged with money laundering on Tuesday retired from the bank in 2018, and has no ties or associations with it.Albert Buttigieg – not to be confused with the mayor for St. Julians – was ye...

Wed, 14 Apr 2021 17:37:00 +0100
Standards Committee agrees to publish report on Carmelo Abela’s ethics breach
The Committee of Standards in Public Life has decided to publish the report by the Standards Commissioner, which looked into a reported ethics breach by Minister Carmelo Abela over his alleged use of public funds to pay for newspaper adverts pro...

Wed, 14 Apr 2021 20:29:00 +0100
Elderly man seriously injured after being hit by car in Qormi
An elderly man was seriously after he was hit by a car in Qormi on Wednesday.The accident took place at around 4:15pm in Triq San Bastjan, the police said.The victim, a 79-year-old man from Qormi, was hit by a Kia Avella driven by a 31-year-old man w...

Wed, 14 Apr 2021 09:07:00 +0100
Gozo Fast Ferry Ltd to run high-speed service between Malta and Gozo from June
Gozo Fast Ferry Ltd announced today that will it start operating a fast-ferry service between Gozo and Valletta from June, using two state-of-the-art high-speed passenger craft.The company — backed by Bianchi Group and Merrill Investments, who ...

Wed, 14 Apr 2021 15:02:00 +0100
Head of National Book Council calls for re-election to stop government intervention
Mark Camilleri, Head of the National Book Council (NBC), has called for an election of the head of the council in a bid to stop government from selecting a candidate for the post.Camilleri called for the election himself in a statement issued on Wedn...

Wed, 14 Apr 2021 14:09:00 +0100
Nationalist Party calls for wide consultation on future of Air Malta
The Nationalist Party is calling on the government to launch a wide consultation process with the opposition as well as with all parties concerned on changes that will have a "fundamental impact on the future of Air Malta and the way it operates."Thi...

Wed, 14 Apr 2021 10:31:00 +0100
Man dies in seven-storey fall at construction site
An Albanian man has died after falling seven storeys at a construction site in Marsascala, police said on Wednesday morning.The incident happened at around 8am at a construction site in Triq il-Qrempuc in Marsascala.The Albanian was 38 years old and ...

Wed, 14 Apr 2021 13:17:00 +0100
Dizz Group filed judicial protest in January 2020, Jason Azzopardi never countered, company says
Dizz Group said that they had filed a judicial protest against PN MP Jason Azzopardi in January 2020 – a protest to which Azzopardi never replied.In a right of reply to an article published yesterday, where Jason Azzopardi questioned why Diane ...

Wed, 14 Apr 2021 13:46:00 +0100
Watch: Bird that was injured after being caught on a fishing line released back into the wild
BirdLife Malta has published a video showing a bird that was injured after accidentally being caught on a fishing line weeks ago being released back into the wild.On Easter Sunday, A group of Scopoli's Shearwater birds had been filmed as having been ...

Wed, 14 Apr 2021 14:19:00 +0100
Discovered skull in St Paul’s Catacombs brought to life using facial reconstruction
A skull discovered at St. Paul's Catacombs has been brought to life using facial reconstruction, and Heritage Malta will be streaming a masterclass on Facebook that follows the journey, from site to lab, of this creation.Heritage Malta wrote, in a st...

Wed, 14 Apr 2021 09:43:00 +0100
Yorgen Fenech’s lawyers request access to Caruana Galizia tax returns in €5 million damages case
One of Yorgen Fenech’s team of lawyers has requested access to murdered journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia’s tax returns, in a compensation case filed by Caruana Galizia’s heirs.Caruana Galizia was murdered in a 2017 car bombing. Tum...

Wed, 14 Apr 2021 08:09:00 +0100
TMID Editorial: Justice – Truth and legal proof are not the same thing
The arrest and arraignment of Keith Schembri and associates on 20 March was the culmination of years of investigations which included magisterial inquiries as well as delicate police work.The former OPM chief of staff and others were charged with a s...

Wed, 14 Apr 2021 16:36:00 +0100
Biden on Afghanistan: `Time to end America's longest war'
President Joe Biden says the Sept. 11 attacks “cannot explain” why U.S. forces should remain in Afghanistan 20 years later and that “it is time for American troops to come home” from the country's longest war.Bidensays the U.S...

Wed, 14 Apr 2021 07:10:00 +0100
Virus impact to cause global 'aftershocks' - report
The effects of the coronavirus pandemic are expected to contribute over the next year to “humanitarian and economic crises, political unrest, and geopolitical competition,” according to a new intelligence report that also warns ...

Wed, 14 Apr 2021 16:32:00 +0100
AP source: Ponzi schemer Bernie Madoff dies in prison
Bernie Madoff, the financier who pleaded guilty to orchestrating a massive Ponzi scheme, died in a federal prison early Wednesday, a person familiar with the matter told The Associated Press. He was 82.Madoff died at the Federal Medical Center in But...

Wed, 14 Apr 2021 07:14:00 +0100
UK hits vaccine target; Johnson warns of more virus deaths
Britain began offering coronavirus vaccinations to anyone over 45 on Tuesday after hitting its target of giving at least one dose to everyone over 50 by the middle of April.Despite the good news, Prime Minister Boris Johnson warned that the U.K. woul...

Wed, 14 Apr 2021 11:06:00 +0100
EU must accelerate deployment of charging infrastructure to promote electro-mobility - ECA
The EU is still a long way from reaching its Green Deal target of 1 million charging points by 2025, and it lacks an overall strategic roadmap for electro-mobility, according to a new report by the European Court of Auditors (ECA). Despite successes ...

Tue, 13 Apr 2021 12:49:00 +0100
Darren Debono’s step-daughter, former BNF Bank official charged with money laundering
The step-daughter of Darren Debono, who faces charges of money laundering in Malta over an oil smuggling operation, has been charged with money laundering.Florinda (Floren Sultana), 29, and a former high-ranking BNF Bank official, Albert Buttigieg (w...

Tue, 13 Apr 2021 17:01:00 +0100
Tourism Minister on mass events: ‘Not illegal to advertise them, but illegal for them to take place’
Tourism Minister Clayton Bartolo has pronounced himself on the issue of planned mass party festivals, saying that it’s not illegal for these to be advertised, but it is illegal for them to take place.Mass events have been a public bone of conte...

Tue, 13 Apr 2021 12:38:00 +0100
59 new Covid-19 cases reported as one patient passes away
59 new cases of Covid-19 were reported by health authorities as another patient passed away on Tuesday.A 68-year-old woman passed away at Mater Dei Hospital in the last 24 hours while Covid-19 positive, taking Malta’s current death count up to ...

Tue, 13 Apr 2021 14:49:00 +0100
Another four-day party festival planned in Malta for the beginning of June
Another four-day party festival is being advertised as taking place in Malta between 3 and 7 June 2021, prompting raised eyebrows and some concern amidst the Covid-19 pandemic.The event, titled ‘Summer in Malta’ and promoted as ‘4 d...

Wed, 14 Apr 2021 07:51:00 +0100
Sexting: The dangers of online communication and the importance of education
Teenagers are increasingly spending more time on the internet, especially during the Covid-19 pandemic where social activities and gatherings are highly discouraged.Internet use and online communication can be healthy ways of keeping in contact with ...

Tue, 13 Apr 2021 19:48:00 +0100
Fashion retailer’s time period to file libel case over money laundering claims expired – PN MP
Fashion retailer Dian Izzo's time period within which she was able to file a libel case against PN MP Jason Azzopardi over money laundering claims has expired, the PN MP said on Facebook.Businesswoman Diane Izzo said in early 2020 that she would be f...

Tue, 13 Apr 2021 16:44:00 +0100
Malta ‘at the forefront’ of European preparations for digital vaccine certificate – Tourism Minister
Tourism Minister Clayton Bartolo said that Malta is at the forefront of Europe in digital green certificate preparations.He was responding to a number of Parliamentary Questions posed by MPs, including Claudio Grech and Jean Claude Micallef.He said t...

Tue, 13 Apr 2021 18:37:00 +0100
Government to cover costs to transport body of Lassane Cisse to the Ivory Coast
The government will finance the costs to transport the body of Lassane Cisse back to the Ivory Coast, Home Affairs Minister Byron Camilleri revealed while answering a Parliamentary Question.While responding to PN MP Mario Galia, Camilleri said t...

Tue, 13 Apr 2021 18:03:00 +0100
ERA’s decision to allow Comino works taken on grounds that mitigation measures will be implemented
The Environment and Resources Authority Board's decision to allow the controversial Comino works to continue were taken on the grounds that mitigation measures will be included, the authority said.The news broke today that the controversial works on...

Wed, 14 Apr 2021 07:28:00 +0100
Chelsea reach Champions League semis despite spectacular goal for Porto
The cross from the right was curling away from goal at shoulder height when Mehdi Taremi took off, connecting with a spectacular scissor kick that sent the ball into the top corner from 12 meters out.A beautiful goal — arguably the best in the ...

Wed, 14 Apr 2021 07:25:00 +0100
PSG lose 1-0 to Bayern but reach Champions League semis on away goals
After Neymar missed several chances to finish off defending champion Bayern Munich, Paris Saint-Germain was left clinging to a 1-0 home defeat that nevertheless sealed the French club’s second straight Champions League semifinal on Tuesday.Baye...

Tue, 13 Apr 2021 13:35:00 +0100
Updated (2): Johnson & Johnson delays vaccine rollout in Europe
Johnson & Johnson says it is delaying the rollout of its coronavirus vaccine in Europe amid a U.S. probe into rare blood clots.The company announced the decision Tuesday after regulators in the United States said they were recommending a "pause" ...

Tue, 13 Apr 2021 16:15:00 +0100
UK law lecturer: How Malta’s rule of law has been challenged by murder, corruption allegations
“The rule of law is the ultimate test of a functioning state. Key to this is the principle that there be one rule for both powerful and powerless.”This was written in a piece by John Stanton, a Senior Lecturer in Law at the City, Universi...

Tue, 13 Apr 2021 17:27:00 +0100
Central Bank of Malta says GDP contracts by 7%
In 2020, Malta's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) contracted by 7%, the Central Bank of Malta (CBM) revealed in its Annual Report.The Central Bank of Malta released its Annual Report for 2020, including its detailed financial statements, an opening state...

Tue, 13 Apr 2021 19:12:00 +0100
Man charged over street fight
A 40-year-old man was charged in court today over injuring another man.The incident dealt with a fight in Port Street in Żebbuġ, Gozo last Saturday, after two men allegedly fought using a broken bottle and a knife.The 40-year-old was charge...

Tue, 13 Apr 2021 16:51:00 +0100
‘Another step in the care of minors in Malta’ Michael Falzon
Amendments to the law pertaining to the care and protection of minors were put in place on Tuesday and Minister for Family and Children's Rights Michael Falzon proudly said that another important step has been taken for the care of minors.Together wi...

Tue, 13 Apr 2021 14:25:00 +0100
Government needs to devise a ‘solid plan’ for reintroducing arts education– MEIA
The government needs to devise a “solid plan” and provide more clarification for the reintroduction of arts education, the Malta Entertainment Industry and Arts Association (MEIA) has told The Malta Independent.This newsroom is informed t...

Tue, 13 Apr 2021 15:12:00 +0100
Increase in alcohol consumption, substance use seen in University of Malta students due to Covid-19
 More students attending the University of Malta (UoM) have turned to alcohol and substance to cope with Covid-19 fears, a study conducted by the Faculty of Social Wellbeing has found.The findings of the study were shared in a seminar organized ...

Tue, 13 Apr 2021 14:08:00 +0100
Technical issue led to double reporting of donations during fundraisers, GO says
A technical issue led to the double registration of pledged donations during several fundraising marathons last year, meaning that the real amount collected is €1.4 million less than originally thought.GO said on Monday that donors were not bill...

Tue, 13 Apr 2021 12:16:00 +0100
WATCH: 'Difficult decisions' within the PN need to be made, Bernard Grech says
Opposition and PN leader Bernard Grech has said that he will be making “difficult decisions” within the PN, after two survey results were published on Sunday.Grech acknowledged the “encouraging” results which are being shown i...

Tue, 13 Apr 2021 12:05:00 +0100
Investigations into illegal villa party ‘still ongoing’, police say
Investigations into an illegal party that was held last week, in full breach of Covid-19 rules, are still ongoing, a police spokesperson has told The Malta Independent. Video footage of the party, which took place inside an unidentified villa and was...

Tue, 13 Apr 2021 08:51:00 +0100
Losing out on a summer of tourism could be a ‘death knell’ for tourism agencies
Losing out on a summer of tourism this year could be a “death knell” for tourism agencies, the Federated Association of Travel and Tourism Agents (FATTA) told The Malta Independent.Last Sunday, Prime Minister Robert Abela said that Malta ...



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