Malta Independent
Sun, 06 Feb 2022 09:00:00 +0000Malta’s new proposed femicide law is discriminatory, former human rights judge and top lawyers say
Government’s newly proposed law, which introduces the concept of femicide to Malta’s Criminal Code, is, owing to a particular stipulation within it, discriminatory, some of the country’s top legal minds have said.Former European Cou...
Sun, 06 Feb 2022 08:30:00 +0000Joseph Muscat has ‘no further comments to make’ on speculation on return to politics
Former Prime Minister Joseph Muscat would not comment on speculation about a possible political return.Speculation has been rife as to whether Muscat will be making a political return following a Facebook video he posted soon after his house was sear...
Sun, 06 Feb 2022 08:00:00 +0000Maltese blood specialist speaks of ‘landmark’ therapy to battle cancer
A Maltese blood specialist has spoken about a “landmark” achievement after two of the first human patients to be treated with a revolutionary therapy that engineers immune cells to target specific types of cancer still possess cancer-kill...
Sun, 06 Feb 2022 09:30:00 +0000Of sweets, impunity and rewards
Most of us were told this story when we were young.A young boy entered a sweet shop with his mother, and while the shop assistant was looking elsewhere, picked a sweet and put it in his pocket. His mother saw him, and all she did was smile. No reprim...
Sun, 06 Feb 2022 07:30:00 +0000Impacts of inflation have not severely impacted the elderly due to financial aid – Commissioner
The increase in pensions and other measures introduced by government have cushioned the impact of rising inflation among elderly people, the Commissioner for Older Persons, Mary Vella, has told The Malta Independent on Sunday. Over the past weeks and...
Sun, 06 Feb 2022 10:00:00 +0000Planning applications cannot continue to be considered in isolation – St Julian’s mayor
Planning applications cannot continue to be considered in isolation, St Julian’s mayor Albert Buttigieg told The Malta Independent on Sunday.The St Julian’s-Pembroke area has become a hotspot for high-rise proposals, with a number of proj...
Sun, 06 Feb 2022 10:30:00 +0000Getting to know Kenneth Vella... and his passion for horses
Many know Kenneth Vella as an expert journalist on horse-racing. But he is also the head master at the Mater Boni Consilii St Joseph School Paola and non-resident Ambassador of Malta to Estonia and Finland.Here he tells us about his passion for horse...
Sun, 06 Feb 2022 11:00:00 +000050 Shades of Greats: ‘Commitment and determination are a must’ - Ray Vella
Ray Vella was born on 11 January, 1959. He is the son of Nazzareno Vella and Karmena nee Camilleri. Ray is married to Mariella Vella.Vella started recalling his early days on this planet. ‘In those years it was football all around. But I rememb...
Sun, 06 Feb 2022 07:10:00 +0000Russian bombers fly over Belarus amid Ukraine tensions
Russia on Saturday sent a pair of long-range nuclear-capable bombers on patrol over its ally Belarus amid spiraling tensions over Ukraine.The Russian Defense Ministry said the two Tu-22M3 bombers practiced interacting with the Belarusian air force an...
Sat, 05 Feb 2022 12:33:00 +0000Five more patients with Covid-19 die as 195 new cases recorded
Five more patients with Covid-19 have died as the number of cases reported on Saturday was 195, health authorities said.The five latest victims, which take the tally to 565, are two women aged 84 and 87, and three men aged 80, 83 and 86.The health au...
Sat, 05 Feb 2022 08:31:00 +0000Siblings fined by court over fight on who was to read at mother’s funeral
Two siblings were each fined €50 by a court after being found guilty of breaching the peace when they fought on a church parvis on who was to read during their mother’s funeral mass.The case took place four years ago when three siblings ca...
Sat, 05 Feb 2022 12:26:00 +0000PN files lawsuit against PBS as 'station has become the Labour Party’s parrot'
The Nationalist Party has filed a constitutional case against the Public Broadcasting Services, arguing that the station has become the “Labour Party’s parrot.”The PN has long been accusing the national broadcaster of being under th...
Sat, 05 Feb 2022 09:18:00 +0000MIA celebrates 30 years since terminal inauguration
On 9 February 1992, 140 passengers arrived at Malta International Airport on board a direct flight from Moscow. These passengers were the first to be welcomed at Malta’s new air terminal building, which had been inaugurated the previous day.Nex...
Sun, 06 Feb 2022 07:30:00 +0000Pharmacies opening today from 9am to 12pm, and 4pm to 7pm
Floriana: Vilhena Pharmacy, 3, St Anne Street; Marsa: Trinity Pharmacy, 32, Marsa Road; Qormi: St George's Pharmacy, 21, Main Street; Birkirkara (Fleur-de-Lys): Marrit Pharmacy, 1st of May Street; Msida: Regal Pharmacy, 39B, Antonio Bosio Street; St ...
Sat, 05 Feb 2022 12:58:00 +0000MEP Josianne Cutajar pushes for stronger recognition of digital rights
MEP Josianne Cutajar, together with a number of other MEPs from the Socialist Group, signed a letter calling for a European Charter for Digital Rights, a Labour Party statement said.In the letter to the President of the European Commission, the Counc...
Sat, 05 Feb 2022 13:35:00 +0000Repubblika want Auditor General, Standards czar to probe government spending on PL media
NGO Repubblika has written separately to the Auditor General and the Standards Commissioner to investigate government spending on the Labour Party media.The letters were sent following the publication of a supplement on the PL newspaper Kulhadd on 16...
Sun, 06 Feb 2022 07:18:00 +0000Serie A: Giroud scores 2 late goals as AC Milan beat rival Inter 2-1
Olivier Giroud again showed why he can never be written off, scoring two late goals as AC Milan rallied to beat city rival Inter Milan 2-1 on Saturday and re-ignite the Serie A title race.Milan moved one point behind defending champion and leader Int...
Sun, 06 Feb 2022 07:15:00 +0000FA Cup: West Ham, Chelsea come from behind to oust lowly opponents
When the FA Cup fourth-round game entered stoppage time, West Ham was facing a humiliating loss to sixth-tier side Kidderminster.Alex Penny had scored in the 19th minute for the National North division’s third-place team which was outplaying th...
Sun, 06 Feb 2022 07:28:00 +0000Jefferson De Assis scores a hat-trick in seven minutes to send Spartans to crushing defeat
Jefferson De Assis scored three goals inside the space of seven minutes to lead Gzira to a stunning and crushing victory over champions Hamrun Spartans. The match sparked off in the second half after a rather dull first fourty five minutes. On the re...
Sat, 05 Feb 2022 12:07:00 +0000Platinum Jubilee: Queen's reign marks 70 years of change
When 25-year-old Princess Elizabeth was proclaimed queen on Feb. 6, 1952, the British Empire stretched across the world, royalty was widely revered and televisions were still a novelty item.The world has undergone profound changes since then and so h...
Sat, 05 Feb 2022 11:05:00 +0000TMID Editorial: Gift showers
You know that a general election is around the corner when the government starts showering us with gifts. On Thursday, a jubilant Prime Minister announced that all workers will be receiving a €100 cheque in the mail, with elderly people getting ...
Sat, 05 Feb 2022 12:53:00 +0000€1 million project to reinforce electricity supply in Baħrija and surroundings
Around 670 families and businesses in Baħrija and its surrounding areas will be benefitting from a new distribution system to reinforce the electricity infrastructure and improve the service Enemalta provides to its clients, energy minister Miri...
Sat, 05 Feb 2022 12:25:00 +0000Biker grievously injured in Gozo accident
A biker was grievously injured in a crash with a car in Gozo this morning, the police said.The accident took place in Frangisk Portelli Street, Gharb, at 7am.It involved a Yamaha bike and a Toyota Dyna, driven by a 64-year-old man of Gharb.The biker,...
Sat, 05 Feb 2022 13:29:00 +0000AD wants social solidarity, not a policy of Father Christmas
At these critical times what is needed is focused assistance and not haphazard gift-giving, ADPD – The Green Party Chairperson Carmel Cacopardo said“We do not need a ‘Father Christmas’ policy but real social solidarity ai...
Sat, 05 Feb 2022 07:18:00 +0000Austria vaccine mandate to take effect, but few emulating it
Austria is about to become the first country in Europe to require most adults to get vaccinated against COVID-19, but few other nations appear likely to join it as many turn their attention to loosening restrictions.The mandate for people 18 and over...
Sat, 05 Feb 2022 07:31:00 +0000Live Covid updates: US death toll hits 900,000, sped by omicron
NEW YORK (AP) - Propelled in part by the wildly contagious omicron variant, the U.S. death toll from COVID-19 hit 900,000 on Friday, less than two months after eclipsing 800,000.The two-year total, as compiled by Johns Hopkins University, is greater ...
Fri, 04 Feb 2022 15:24:00 +0000Covid-19: Household limits to be removed from Monday, standing wedding capacity to increase in April
Covid-19 measures are to be eased as from Monday as the government continues with its exit plan to bring the country back to normality.Deputy Prime Minister and Health Minister Chris Fearne said that the four-household limit imposed for indoor home a...
Fri, 04 Feb 2022 17:00:00 +0000Victim of Rabat abduction was threatened with having his fingers cut off and his sister raped
Carlos Schembri, the alleged victim of a Rabat abduction earlier in January was threatened with having his fingers cut off, and his sister raped, a court heard on Friday.Testifying in court, Schembri explained how on the day of the incident, he was a...
Fri, 04 Feb 2022 10:27:00 +0000Abner Aquilina 'graphically described' what he did to Paulina Dembska, psychiatrist testifies
Murder suspect Abner Aquilina refused medication and threatened doctors he would use his ‘demonic powers’ on them, a psychiatrist has testified in court.Aquilina told doctors there was a demon inside him, in a relapse incident he had two ...
Fri, 04 Feb 2022 17:01:00 +0000Pharmacies will be open on Sunday afternoons as from this weekend – Chris Fearne
Pharmacies will be opening on Sunday afternoons as from this weekend as part of a deal reached by the government and the Malta Chamber of Pharmacists, which will also include the expansion of other services linked to the Pharmacy of Your Choice (POYC...
Sat, 05 Feb 2022 08:58:00 +0000Malta and Spain discuss common challenges
Malta and Spain held talks on common challenges facing the two Mediterranean EU members states when Minister of Foreign Affairs Evarist Bartolo and the Minister of Foreign Affairs, European Union and Cooperation of Spain, José Manuel Albares m...
Fri, 04 Feb 2022 19:15:00 +0000Watch: Construction vehicle topples over, blocks road and hits parked car in Gozo
A video showing a large construction vehicle that toppled over in Victoria Gozo is making the rounds on social media.The vehicle seems to have toppled over, blocked a road and hit a parked car in the process. The exact location is not yet known. ...
Fri, 04 Feb 2022 18:20:00 +0000PN issues proposals to help cancer patients
The Nationalist party came out with several proposals to further invest in the fight against cancer.The party spoke of the need to improve care for cancer patients, by making better use of European research and tools that allow access to specialist h...
Fri, 04 Feb 2022 13:00:00 +0000Rota proposes putting cyclists at par with pedestrians in cases of car accidents
Environmental NGO Rota has put forward a set of proposals ahead of the upcoming general election which all aim to be in line with a vision for sustainable mobility. “The bicycle should not just be an afterthought in the planning and infras...
Fri, 04 Feb 2022 16:29:00 +0000President laments about excessive prices of cancer medicines
Cancer medicines are being sold at exorbitant prices, President George Vella said on Friday.Taking part in a digital conference organised by the National Cancer Platform, President Vella said that due to high prices, such medicines could not be procu...
Sat, 05 Feb 2022 07:12:00 +0000Man U knocked out of FA Cup by Boro after penalty shootout
Manchester United made an embarrassing early exit from the FA Cup after losing to second-tier side Middlesbrough in a penalty shootout at Old Trafford on Friday.The fourth round got off to a stunning start when the English Premier League giant arguab...
Sat, 05 Feb 2022 07:15:00 +0000Emboldened China opens Olympics, with lockdown and boycotts
Chinese President Xi Jinping declared the Winter Olympics open Friday night, inviting the world back — sort of — for the pandemic era’s second Games, this time as an emboldened and more powerful nation whose government’s autho...
Fri, 04 Feb 2022 16:54:00 +0000Diplomats resort to industrial action after government snubs call for urgent meeting
Members of the diplomatic service have been instructed by UHM Voice of the Workers not to use electronic means of communication following an industrial dispute with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.The Malta Independent reported on Wednesday that dipl...
Fri, 04 Feb 2022 08:17:00 +0000‘Sorry to bother you again’ – Cassola seeks another investigation from Standards czar
Independent candidate Arnold Cassola is asking for another investigation from the Standards Commissioner, this time about the office leased to former Prime Minister Joseph Muscat as part of his severance package.“Sorry to bother you again&rdquo...
Fri, 04 Feb 2022 18:25:00 +0000Marsovin makes €4 million investment to modernise machinery
A local wine producing company, Marsovin Winery Ltd, is investing €4 million to modernize their machinery and move towards a more sustainable and efficient way of operating.This was announced by the Minister for Energy, Enterprise and Sustainabl...
Fri, 04 Feb 2022 18:45:00 +0000VCA launches cultural programme for first half of 2022
The Valletta Cultural Agency has announced its cultural programme for January - June 2022.The programme includes new productions and collaborations, with the involvement of several artists, that mark the essence of Valletta's cultural, artistic and s...
Fri, 04 Feb 2022 12:36:00 +0000Elderly man dies while Covid-19 positive as 214 cases are found
An elderly man has died while positive for Covid-19, while 214 cases of the virus were reported by health authorities on Friday.The man who died was 78 years old, authorities said, and he is the 560th victim of the pandemic in Malta.280 people meanwh...
Fri, 04 Feb 2022 17:27:00 +0000Free internet vouchers for post-secondary students
With an investment of €1 million, students will be provided with free internet for another consecutive year for students in their first year of post-secondary studies.Through this scheme, more than 3,300 students will enjoy free internet for a y...
Fri, 04 Feb 2022 13:39:00 +0000Repubblika writes to civil service head, Lands Authority, Standards Czar over Muscat payments
Civil society NGO Repubblika has written to the head of the civil service, the Standards Commissioner and the Lands Authority over the severance package payments that were given to former PM Joseph Muscat, including an office at Sa Maison.Prime Minis...
Fri, 04 Feb 2022 16:12:00 +0000Elderly man seriously injured after being hit by car in Ghaxaq
A 75-year-old man was seriously injured on Friday after he was hit by a car in Ghaxaq.The accident took place in Dawret Ħal Għaxaq at around 10:30am, the police said.The victim, an Englishman who lives in Ghaxaq, was hit by a Toyota Corolla...
Fri, 04 Feb 2022 16:58:00 +0000Buskett to have new visitor information centre, other interventions being carried out
Minister Aaron Farrugia announced a new visitors’ centre for families and all those who visit Buskett gardens. Ambjent Malta will be starting the demolition, construction and finishing works of the visitors’ centre. Once complet...
Fri, 04 Feb 2022 11:32:00 +0000Illegal killing of birds remains on the rise; figures triple in past four years - BirdLife Malta
The illegal killing of birds remains rampant during the year 2021 as illegally shot birds triple in the past four years compared to the previous four, BirdLife Malta said. During 2021, the number of protected birds known to BirdLife Malta that h...
Fri, 04 Feb 2022 07:46:00 +0000EU proposes to extend Covid certificates by 1 year
The European Commission proposed Thursday to extend by a year the use of COVID certificates aimed at facilitating travel across the 27-nation bloc during the pandemic, until the end of June 2023.Despite the announcement by the director of the World H...
Thu, 03 Feb 2022 15:46:00 +000071-year-old man dies after being hit by truck in Birzebbugia
A 71-year-old man died on Thursday afternoon after he was hit by a truck in Birzebbugia. The accident took place in Triq Wied il-Qoton at around 1pm, the police said. The man, who is from Mgarr, was helping a colleague manoeuvre the truck in a narrow...
Fri, 04 Feb 2022 08:04:00 +0000TMID Editorial: The farcical Film Awards
After so much pomp, the first edition of the Malta Film Awards has come and gone, and more than a renewed sense of appreciation for the local film industry, it has left a bitter taste in the mouths of many.The first aspect which has riled up much of ...
Fri, 04 Feb 2022 15:23:00 +0000Prime Minister inaugurates €8 million 3-star hotel in Mellieħa
Prime Minister Robert Abela has inaugurated a three-star hotel in Mellieħa with an investment of €8 million.The hotel, named Viu 57 Hotel, consists of 57 rooms and overlooks Għadira bay. During the visit, Abela explained how the govern...
Fri, 04 Feb 2022 08:54:00 +0000UK: Senior aides quit in new blow to embattled Boris Johnson
Four of Boris Johnson’s most senior staff quit on Thursday, triggering new turmoil for the embattled British prime minister.Johnson’s office said chief of staff Dan Rosenfield and principal private secretary Martin Reynolds had both tende...
Thu, 03 Feb 2022 17:29:00 +0000El Hiblu captain approached the accused, court told as controversial hijack case continues
It was the captain of the oil tanker El Hiblu who had approached the three men accused of hijacking it, calling them into his cabin after seeing them calming down the panicking migrants it had rescued, one of the rescued men has told a magistrate.The...
Thu, 03 Feb 2022 11:31:00 +0000Updated: Workers to receive €100, pensioners €200 as part of €70m cash injection - PM
Workers and students will be receiving cheques worth €100, with pensioners and people on social benefits getting up to €200 as part of a cash injection to the economy, Prime Minister Robert Abela said on Thursday. This is over and abov...
Thu, 03 Feb 2022 15:55:00 +0000‘This is buying votes with our own money’, former Finance Minister says on government cheques
Former Finance Minister Tonio Fenech has reacted to the government’s announcement of a new set of tax rebates by calling the measure a vote-buying exercise.“This is no tax refund,” Fenech – who served as Finance Minister when ...
Thu, 03 Feb 2022 17:34:00 +0000€15,000 to be invested in Malta Guide Dogs Foundation
The Ministry for Inclusion, Social Wellbeing and Voluntary Organisations has allocated €15,000 for the purchasing and training of guide dogs for the Malta Guide Dogs Foundation.Former doctor David Debattista, who now suffers from visual impairme...
Thu, 03 Feb 2022 14:43:00 +0000Judge rejects Melvin Theuma request to include State in case for damages
A court has rejected a request by Melvin Theuma’s lawyers to have the State made a defendant in a case for damages filed by the Caruana Galizia family.The brief decree, denying the request was issued this morning by Madam Justice Anna Felice. I...
Thu, 03 Feb 2022 14:51:00 +0000HSBC heist: Still no decision on whether Daren Debono will be allowed to testify or not
It remains unclear as to whether convicted bank robber Daren Debono ‘it-Topo’ will be allowed to testify against co-accused Vince Muscat, after a magistrate decreed that her court did not have the power to rule on a request for additional...
Thu, 03 Feb 2022 20:00:00 +0000Clayton Bartolo case is not closed - PN
The Nationalist Party has taken aim at Tourism Minister Clayton Bartolo over recent claims.Prime Minister Robert Abela has been reported as saying that no action would be taken against Clayton Bartolo after it was reported that Bartolo's girlfriend A...
Thu, 03 Feb 2022 12:36:00 +0000Three more Covid-19 patients die as 240 cases are reported
Three more Covid-19 patients have died, while 240 new cases of the virus have been reported by health authorities.Authorities said that two men – aged 63 and 93 respectively – and an 87-year-old woman had died while positive for the virus...
Thu, 03 Feb 2022 14:18:00 +0000Joseph Muscat’s Sa Maison office part of severance package after he quit as PM – Abela
An office in Sa Maison former Prime Minister’s Joseph Muscat’s is using made part of the severance package given to him following his resignation as prime minister in January 2020, Prime Minister Robert Abela confirmed on Thursday. Follow...
Fri, 04 Feb 2022 13:46:00 +0000Paulina Dembska’s body arrives in Poland after delayed flight
Paulina Dembska’s family found themselves in yet another devastating and shocking situation on Thursday night after her body did not arrive in Poland, sources told The Malta Independent. On Tuesday Dembska’s body was released for bur...
Thu, 03 Feb 2022 18:26:00 +0000MEP Josianne Cutajar appointed Vice Chair of the Islands’ Group SEArica
MEP Josianne Cutajar was appointed Vice Chair of the SEArica Intergroup at the European Parliament, focusing on islands, seas, rivers and coastal areas.In this role, Cutajar will be focusing her work, in particular, on Small and Medium-sized Enterpri...
Thu, 03 Feb 2022 12:02:00 +0000WHO: Europe entering 'plausible endgame' to Covid-19 pandemic
The director of the World Health Organization’s Europe office said Thursday the continent is now entering a “plausible endgame” to the pandemic and that the number of coronavirus deaths is starting to plateau.Dr. Hans Kluge said at ...
Thu, 03 Feb 2022 13:14:00 +0000PN says Abela is unable to feel the pressure from cost of living increase
The Prime Minister is unable to feel the pressure from the rise in the cost of living, being someone who was receiving €17,000 a month from public funds, PN spokesperson Peter Agius said Thursday.Addressing a press conference in response to the ...
Thu, 03 Feb 2022 10:54:00 +0000Watch: Hyzler nomination for European Court of Auditors post ‘not done’ to get rid of him – PM Abela
The nomination of George Hyzler to represent Malta at the European Court of Auditors is not being done to get rid of him as Standards Commissioner, but because he has the prerequisites for the post, Prime Minister Robert Abela said today.Replying to ...
Thu, 03 Feb 2022 11:25:00 +0000Watch: Talks with unions over Air Malta worker transfers concluded, agreement reached
Talks with the General Workers Union and other representatives of different workers within Air Malta have concluded and an agreement has been reached on the employment conditions for those workers who apply for a transfer out of the national airline,...
Thu, 03 Feb 2022 09:34:00 +0000Diplomats threaten strike over application process that ‘opens backdoor for unqualified individuals'
An expression of interest that could lead to “unqualified” individuals taking on diplomatic roles, together with other unresolved issues, has led the Maltese Diplomatic Service to declare an industrial dispute, with the possibility of str...
Thu, 03 Feb 2022 12:42:00 +0000Cake for him, crumbs for you, PN says on government hand-outs
The announcement by Robert Abela that workers are to get cheques over and above the tax refund is a desperate pre-election attempt by a panicked Prime Minister who was caught taking €17,000 per month in government contracts, the Nationalist Part...
Thu, 03 Feb 2022 11:42:00 +0000Man grievously injured in Balzan hit and run
A man was grievously injured in a hit and run in Balzan early on Thursday morning.Police said in a statement that the incident happened at around 6am on Thursday in Triq il-Wied in Balzan.District police investigations found that the man had been inj...
Thu, 03 Feb 2022 07:12:00 +0000EU to deliver more vessels to Libyan partners before summer
The European Union hopes to deliver more vessels to the Libyan coast guard before the summer when irregular sea crossings are expected to increase, an EU official whose work focuses on relations with Libya and migration said on Wednesday.Henrike Trau...
Thu, 03 Feb 2022 07:18:00 +0000Live Covid updates: France to start using Pfizer's drug, first in EU
PARIS (AP) — France says it will start administering Pfizer’s coronavirus antiviral drug this week, the first pill for treating COVID-19 approved in the 27-nation EU.The country is still reporting among the world's highest per-capita dail...
Thu, 03 Feb 2022 09:05:00 +0000TMID Editorial: Abela is kicking Hyzler out
Prime Minister Robert Abela can always claim that his decision to send George Hyzler to be Malta’s representative on the European Court of Auditors is meant to be a promotion. After all, the post is prestigious and carries a lucrative package w...
Wed, 02 Feb 2022 17:28:00 +0000Legal amendments aim to push courts to give maximum penalty for femicide - ministers
The court will give the maximum penalties for the crime of femicide, if circumstances are satisfied, Minister for Justice Edward Zammit Lewis said on Wednesday.He addressed a press conference, together with reforms minister Owen Bonnici, on legal ame...
Wed, 02 Feb 2022 12:34:00 +0000UPDATED: Motorbike rider who died in Gudja crash identified as Steven Sargent
The motorbike rider who died in a traffic accident this morning has been identified as Steven Sargent.The 42-year-old man, a father of one, was a senior manager with GO Telecommunications.The accident occurred at 10am, on Triq Ħal Tarxien , Gudj...
Wed, 02 Feb 2022 12:37:00 +0000Five Covid-19 patients die as 227 cases are reported
Five Covid-19 patients have died, as the death toll in Malta shows no sign of ceasing, health authorities said in their latest update on the pandemic situation.Authorities said that five men aged 78, 79, 80, 83, and 86 respectively had died while pos...
Wed, 02 Feb 2022 11:25:00 +0000MEP wants guarantees that no EU money will go to criminals, while mentioning Malta pipeline project
Christian Ehler, the EPP Group Spokesman on the fifth list of the so-called Projects of Common Interest (PCI), has expressed concern over the Malta-Italy gas pipeline project due its possible ties to Yorgen Fenech and Electrogas.The projects on the l...
Wed, 02 Feb 2022 12:40:00 +0000Dalli, Azzopardi in Facebook spat over November party
Energy Minister Miriam Dalli and Nationalist MP Jason Azzopardi squabbled over a party that was organised by Dalli’s ministry in November, and which ended up being the subject of a parliamentary question submitted by the PN member.Azzopardi ask...
Wed, 02 Feb 2022 16:46:00 +0000Faculty for Social Wellbeing and Caritas to collaborate on project related to substance abuse
The Faculty for Social Wellbeing will be collaborating with Caritas Malta on a project related to substance abuse. Caritas is a Maltese organization which aims to alleviate poverty and promote human development and social justice. On February 2,...
Wed, 02 Feb 2022 15:10:00 +0000Protocols for seated events are clear, Charmaine Gauci says on Malta Film Awards
Protocols for seated events, such as the Malta Film Awards "are clear" the Superintendent of Public Health Charmaine Gauci has said, adding that deviances are investigated, the Times of Malta reports.It reports that Gauci refused to speak about the a...
Wed, 02 Feb 2022 13:41:00 +0000Archdiocese suspends planning application for rehabilitation of Rabat house
The Archdiocese of Malta has suspended an application to rehabilitate an abandoned property in Rabat in order to clarify issues highlighted by the Environment and Resources Authority (ERA) which were the subject of what the Curia described as “...
Wed, 02 Feb 2022 18:12:00 +0000C-Planet indicated Untours as source of leaked voter database - Data Protection Commissioner
C-Planet, the IT company being sued by hundreds of individuals over the online leak of a database containing the personal information of nearly every individual Maltese voter, has pointed at travel agency Untours as the source of their data, a court ...
Wed, 02 Feb 2022 15:01:00 +0000EU Court rejects Pilatus Bank's challenge to ECB licence withdrawal
The EU’s General Court has dismissed an action filed by Pilatus Bank plc which sought the annulment of the European Central Bank’s 2018 decision to withdraw the bank’s authorisation to act as a credit institution.Pilatus Bank plc an...
Wed, 02 Feb 2022 11:35:00 +0000MUT files police report over hate speech, incitement of violence against educators
The Malta Union of Teachers has a filed a police report over comments which they allege amount to hate speech and incitement of violence against particular educators.In a statement, the MUT referred to Facebook comments written under a news article.T...
Wed, 02 Feb 2022 11:50:00 +0000New turning point? More countries easing Covid restrictions
Late-night disco partying. Elbow-to-elbow seating in movie theaters. Mask-free bearing of faces in public, especially in Europe and North America: Bit by bit, many countries that have been hard-hit by the coronavirus are opening up and easing their t...
Wed, 02 Feb 2022 13:17:00 +0000Italian cinema icon Monica Vitti dies, aged 90
Italian cinema star Monica Vitti has died, Italian media report.She was 90 years old.She had last made a public appearance in 2011, when she received an award from the Italian government for her lifelong services to the cinema industry.The actress wa...
Wed, 02 Feb 2022 08:26:00 +0000Cassola asks Hyzler to investigate Minister’s girlfriend job
Independent candidate Arnold Cassola has asked the Standards Commissioner to investigate a report in which it said that a minister’s girlfriend is employed in another ministry but is not reporting for work.Cassola was referring to a report on L...
Wed, 02 Feb 2022 08:35:00 +0000Konrad Mizzi to miss PAC meeting on medical grounds
Former Minister Konras Mizzi will not be attending the meeting of the Public Accounts Committee on Wednesday on medical grounds.Late last year Mizzi was admitted to hospital for treatment and it is understood that a follow-up appointment was schedule...
Wed, 02 Feb 2022 11:44:00 +0000No chance of settlement in Mark Camilleri libel in view of ‘continued insults’, Cutajar says
Rosianne Cutajar told a court on Wednesday that any chance of reaching a settlement in a libel case she filed against Mark Camilleri has been quashed by the latter’s “constant insults.”The former Parliamentary Secretary had sued Cam...
Wed, 02 Feb 2022 10:07:00 +0000Right of Reply: Principal Permanent Secretary criticises TMIS Editorial
The Principal Permanent Secretary has, through the Department of Information, issued yet another right of reply, this time in response to The Malta Independent on Sunday’s Editorial last weekend. The editorial, titled ‘Institutions, ...
Wed, 02 Feb 2022 08:43:00 +0000TMID Editorial: When Parliament is dissolved
The dissolution of Parliament brings with it the complete halt to all proceedings that are still ongoing in the House of Representatives.This includes laws that have been tabled but are not yet passed. Anything that is in progress will have to be re-...
Wed, 02 Feb 2022 09:00:00 +0000Questions about Porcelain Veneers cost in Turkey
People undergoing the procedure often ask general questions about porcelain veneers cost in Turkey. Some of these questions include: How much is it? If the procedure is cheaper than it is in other countries, should I expect a lesser quality product?&...
Wed, 02 Feb 2022 09:25:00 +0000Two grievously injured in separate traffic accidents
Two men were grievously injured in separate traffic accidents in the early hours of Wednesday morning, police said.In the first case, a Filipino, who is 47 years old and lives in Tarxien, suffered grievous injuries after being hit by a car.Police sai...
Wed, 02 Feb 2022 06:33:00 +000090 million omicron cases recorded since variant identified 10 weeks ago
The World Health Organization chief said Tuesday that 90 million cases of coronavirus have been reported since the omicron variant was first identified 10 weeks ago — amounting to more than in all of 2020, the first year of the COVID-19 pandemi...
Wed, 02 Feb 2022 07:52:00 +0000Live Covid updates: After election win, Portugal's PM tests positive for virus
LISBON, Portugal (AP) — Portugal's Socialist Party leader António Costa announced Tuesday he has tested positive for COVID-19, two days after his landslide election victory and just as he starts forming his new government.Costa said in a...
Wed, 02 Feb 2022 06:44:00 +0000Danes halt virus restrictions; rest of Europe a patchwork
Denmark took the European Union lead Tuesday by scrapping most pandemic restrictions as the Scandinavian country no longer considers COVID-19 “a socially critical disease.” European nations elsewhere had a patchwork of different approache...
Tue, 01 Feb 2022 16:53:00 +0000Tender for Maghtab incinerator to be re-issued, excavations to start in the coming weeks - Minister
Minister for Environment Aaron Farrugia said in Parliament on Tuesday that the tender for the Maghtab incinerator will be re-issued after no bids were submitted for the operation of the waste-to-energy facility. Farrugia was asked by PN Whip Robert C...
Tue, 01 Feb 2022 14:30:00 +0000Change of heart: Government now says femicide will be included in Criminal Code
The concept of femicide will be introduced in the criminal code, Prime Minister Robert Abela said on Tuesday, contradicting previous statements by the justice minister. In a Facebook post, Abela said he was satisfied that, after fruitful dialogue wit...
Tue, 01 Feb 2022 14:16:00 +0000Steward denies it will sell Barts, says it is trying to 'completely renegotiate' hospitals deal
Steward Health Care Malta’s parent company has strongly disputed an article which appeared in MaltaToday over the weekend, and has also admitted that it is trying to achieve a “complete renegotiation” of the terms of the hospitals c...
Tue, 01 Feb 2022 14:24:00 +0000200,000-strong petition for EU anti-SLAPP law delivered to European Commissioner
A petition with over 200,000 signatures that calls for an EU directive against SLAPP suits was delivered on Tuesday to the European Commissioner for values and transparency, Vera Jourová.The petition was presented by representatives of the Coa...