The Malta Independent

3 February 2023, Friday

PN says institutions ‘silent’ after court testimony links former minister to Daphne’s murder

The Nationalist Party said Thursday that the country’s institutions had remained silent after testimony in court implicated former Minister Chris Cardona in the assassination of journalist...

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latest comment from Mark Debono, 02/02/2023 15:22: Looking after the flock

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Developer drops plans that could have led to nine-storey development on edge of valley

A Planning Control application that could have led to the construction on the edge of Wied Ghomor in St Julian's has been withdrawn by the applicant. The application proposed to change the zoning...

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75% of businesses were as profitable, or more profitable in 2022 than in 2021 – survey

75% of businesses said they were as profitable, or more profitable, than they were last year, according to a survey carried out by The Malta Chamber of SMEs. The Business Performance Survey 2022...

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50,000 elderly people to receive €19.2 million in social benefits

At the end of this week, roughly 50,000 elderly people will benefit from a total of €19.2 million as they receive another two social benefits. These benefits are bonuses to those, aged 75 and...

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Government announces first ever National Strategy for Palliative Care

Government has announced its first ever National Strategy for Palliative Care, which offers increased and specialized care for patients with incurable conditions. Health Minister Chris Fearne...

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European Central Bank outpaces US Fed with half-point hike

The European Central Bank has chugged ahead with another outsized interest rate increase, underlining its drive to subdue high inflation even as the European economy slows and the U.S. Federal...

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Sex abuse victim slams Teatru Manoel for hosting Suda-adapted play

The woman who was the victim of sexual assault at the hands of actor John Suda has slammed Teatru Manoel’s decision to produce a play that he translated 30 years ago. In reply, Teatru...

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latest comment from RF, 02/02/2023 05:55: Teatru Manoel seems to be run by persons without any sense of decency.

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Autopsy shows that Gozitan man died after a fall

An autopsy has shown that a Gozitan man whose body was found in a country road on Monday died after a fall. State broadcaster TVM quoted sources on Thursday saying that 60-year-old Michael Meilak...

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Saqqajja Hill development permit revoked by Court of Appeal

The Court of Appeal has revoked the permit for a 5-star hotel to be built instead of the Tattingers discotheque in Rabat on the outskirts of Mdina, saying that it was not in line with the Local Plan...

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latest comment from onDmove, 02/02/2023 11:36: They should dismantle the Planning Authority and pass on the job to the Courts. At least these know hat they are doing!

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Updated: No public inquiry into Sofia death: Who is the PM trying to defend? – PN asks

Nationalist Party leader Bernard Grech asked who is Prime Minister Robert Abela defending given that there will be no public inquiry into the death of a young man following to collapse of a building...

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latest comment from Mark Debono, 02/02/2023 15:26: They are protecting the architect and the developer who are both culbable but are connected apparently?

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Updated: Bank of England hikes rates by half-point to tame inflation

The Bank of England is expected to raise interest rates by as much as half a percentage point Thursday as it seeks to tame the double-digit inflation fueling a cost-of-living...

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recent poll

After the furore

The new green logic

Trauma in children, the mother of all evil

Alfred Sant MEP

When government gets no credit

Kevin Aquilina

Government’s attack on the judiciary’s impartiality

Mary Muscat

Flooding the town Red

Alicia Bugeja Said

Safeguarding land and livelihoods

Carmel Cacopardo

Open spaces and the 15-minute city

Kevin Cassar

The cult of the strongman

Mark A. Sammut Sassi

Oh! Comino!

Australia is removing British monarchy from its bank notes

Australia is removing the British monarchy from its bank notes. The nation's central bank said Thursday its new $5 bill would feature an Indigenous design rather than an image of King Charles...

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European Parliament lifts immunity of MEPs Cozzolino and Tarabella

MEPs on Thursday backed the decision to waive the immunities of Andrea Cozzolino and Marc Tarabella, following requests by the Belgian authorities...

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‘Sham sheep farm in Bidnija’ – Six NGOs, 100 persons file application for revocation of permit

Six organisations and over a hundred individuals have filed a collective action for the revocation of the permit for the infamous "sheep farm" in the previously pristine Ħżejjen valley in...

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latest comment from madmax, 02/02/2023 14:46: why care who they are? Just demolish the structure

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Sunak marks 100 days as UK prime minister as problems mount

U.K. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has angry unions to the left of him, anxious Conservative Party lawmakers to the right and, in the middle, millions of voters he must win over to...

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Updated: ‘Shameful’ that PBS did not report Malta’s fall in transparency index – PN

The Nationalist Party said it is shameful that the national station, PBS, did not report the publication of a Corruption Perception Index by Transparency International which found that Malta has...

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latest comment from Mark Debono, 02/02/2023 11:44: Well what do u expect? They can't tell the sheep that can they?

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PA funds new educational centre on footprint of former Attard railway station

The community of Attard will soon benefit from a new cultural and educational centre which is being built on the original footprint and recalling past proportions of the former railway station at...

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latest comment from Edward Grima Baldacchino, 02/02/2023 11:26: what a truly great project, nice to see the destroyed station house rebuilt and revived in this way, credit where credit's due, kudos

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TMID Editorial: The responsibility of 16-year-olds

A comment made by a magistrate during a recent court sitting has created some debate, which later also involved the Prime Minister. The magistrate, Donatella Frendo Dimech, during a sitting in...

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latest comment from Mark Said., 02/02/2023 12:33: Indeed, as regards children and the criminal law, Article 17 of the Charter requires that the age of criminal responsibility must not be too low. Furthermore, the criminal procedure relating to children and young persons must be adapted to their age. Minors should only exceptionally be remanded in custody and only for serious offences and should in such cases be separated from adults. Prison sentences should only exceptionally be imposed on young offenders. They should only be for a short duration and the length of sentence must be laid down by a court. Likewise, pretrial detention should not be of an excessive duration. Young offenders should not serve their sentence together with adult prisoners. But, above all, as Prime Minister Abela correctly pointed out, the reason our law grants minors an attenuation to minors is due to considerations tied with the charter of the Council of Europe. This is the only consideration. The European Committee of Social Rights had found the situation in Malta, Turkey and the United Kingdom to be in violation of Article17 as the age of criminal responsibility is manifestly too low. Of course, what can be considered as too low, I contend, should never be dictated to us by a foreign body, more so if there are particular circumstances in a particular State that would justify lowering the age of criminal responsibility from the current one of 16 years. A draft amendment can be proposed in order to curb juveniles' impulse to commit crimes by lowering the age to 12, but, still, it is highly dubious whether this adjustment will be effective. Neither incarcerating them like ordinary criminals nor directly setting them free without consequence is the best choice. We now urgently need an effective correctional education system for delinquents, plus more friendly social and family environments for them to grow up in. Preventive measures are more important in deterring crime when it comes to minors, as they are still at the starting line of l

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Paulina Dembska murder: Abner Aquilna grins as his Balluta church antics are described in court

The man accused of murdering a young Polish student on 2 January, 2022, had insisted with medical staff who examined him that he was in perfect health, the court heard on Wednesday. Medical staff...

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latest comment from J.Degabriele, 02/02/2023 07:16: Harrowing reading.

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news in pictures

events

Sports

Premier League: Sirens bounce back in six goal thriller against Valletta

Premier League: No derby delight as Valletta and Floriana draw blanks

Milan winless streak reaches 6 games after loss to Sassuolo

Liverpool's FA Cup defence over; Reynolds sees Wrexham draw

Djokovic beats Tsitsipas for 10th Australian Open, 22nd Slam

Martínez nets 2 as Inter fight back to beat Cremonese 2-1

Casemiro scores twice, Man United beat Reading in FA Cup

Premier League: Maroons consolidate second place with Jefferson brace

Aryna Sabalenka wins 1st Grand Slam title at Australian Open

Salernitana beat Lecce 2-1 for first win in nearly 3 months

Prime Minister indicates there will be no public inquiry into Jean Paul Sofia’s death for now

Prime Minister Robert Abela has indicated that no public inquiry will be called to look into the death of Jean Paul Sofia. Abela was responding to a parliamentary question filed by PN MP...

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latest comment from Mick Jackson, 02/02/2023 08:49: Of course there will be no inquiry, that would mean apportioning blame, nay responsibility for a murder committed by some "habib" who contributes to the party.

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Strong recovery in 2022, but Zahra warns that Air Malta’s survival is crucial for the hotel industry

Air Malta remains crucial for this country’s connectivity, with the President of Malta’s hotel lobby warning that despite the industry seeing a strong recovery in 2022; it could be in...

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latest comment from PeterWolf, 02/02/2023 06:00: Bullshit. Energy costs to compare with the united kingdom.

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APS Bank fined €228,706 by FIAU, bank will not appeal and says ‘remediation' done in past years

APS Bank has been fined €228,706 by the Financial Intelligence Analysis Unit over an inspection which took place in 2020. The FIAU found in its inspection that there were breaches in the...

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latest comment from RF, 02/02/2023 05:59: FiAU always ready to charge hefty fines to serious organisations for undocumented transactions but hasn't yet fined notorious moneylaunderers close to our scoundrel government.

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Premier League: Sirens bounce back in six goal thriller against Valletta

Valletta failed to maintain a two‐goal cushion against Sirens in an entertaining match which finished 3‐3. The Citizens were always in command but Sirens never gave up and managed to...

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Updated (2): PN says Abela should withdraw comments on courts and apologise, PL replies

The Nationalist Party is calling on the Prime Minister to withdraw the comments he made about the judiciary last Sunday, and apologise publicly for the “irresponsible and dangerous”...

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latest comment from Charles Zahra, 01/02/2023 15:32: Why should Abela apologize to the crooked Judiciary Members. What Abela said is the truth. The majority of the Maltese people are fed up seeing criminals walk free, handed suspended sentences or being handed bail for serious crimes. The judiciary members and the crooked lawyers are responsible for the alarming crime rate in Malta as they don't believe in Justice but the money especially the lawyers who are defending murderers, rapists, bullies and the uncivilized scum they protect. Lawyers should not be allowed to participate in elections or hold public office as they can't be trusted.

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Vince Muscat says he drove hitman to meet Chris Cardona to 'plan Caruana Galizia murder' in 2014

A man serving time following an admission to his involvement in the murder of Daphne Caruana Galizia in 2017 told a court on Wednesday that, three years earlier, he had driven George Degiorgio to...

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latest comment from Mark Debono, 02/02/2023 12:06: Like Dubai you mean? Don't worry as he will have complete impunity when he ever comes back.,joey and robber and the AG have his back same as JD has?

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Speaker rules that Karl Cini is not obliged to answer Public Accounts Committee questions

The Speaker of the House Anglu Farrugia has ruled that former Nexia BT director Karl Cini is not obliged to answer questions which could incriminate himself before the Public Accounts...

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latest comment from Mark Debono, 02/02/2023 08:31: The puppet has spoken

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Updated: MUT says educator assaulted by student in Gozo school

The Malta Union of Teachers said that an educator was assaulted in a school in Gozo on Tuesday. In a statement, the MUT said the educator was attacked by a student and ended up with a broken arm...

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latest comment from C Xerri, 01/02/2023 12:38: The incident happened in a school attended by students with special abilities and it seems that it involves a 16 year old student with special needs and an assistant head of school.

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Motorcyclist grievously injured in Gozo accident

A motorcyclist suffered grievous injuries in a traffic accident in Gozo on Wednesday afternoon. Police said that they were informed of a traffic accident in Triq Fortunato Mizzi in Rabat, Gozo,...

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MDA says promises of sale in January second highest in last seven years

The Malta Developers Association said that the 1,247 promises of sales (konvenji) of property in Malta and Gozo were registered during January 2023, which is the second highest in number for January...

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latest comment from Mark Debono, 01/02/2023 14:50: Keep the spin going Michael as the sheep and the gullible will certainly believe u

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Business

BOV and Housing Authority offer ‘New Hope’ to homeowners

London ice breaker

Fifth edition of Atlas Football Festival held at Melita FC Football Ground

Reuben M Buttigieg appointed Country Co-Ordinator for INSOL Europe

HandsOn Systems in the limelight at Agro Belgrade

Melita invests over €150 million in its infrastructure to satiate demand to be constantly connected

RSM Malta appoints new Partner to the firm

APS Bank supports the publication of the Gospel of Saint Matthew

APS Bank delivering FHRD talk on occupational pensions

Re-imagining BOV’s Naxxar Branch

PN says institutions ‘silent’ after court testimony links former minister to Daphne’s murder

Developer drops plans that could have led to nine-storey development on edge of valley

75% of businesses were as profitable, or more profitable in 2022 than in 2021 – survey

50,000 elderly people to receive €19.2 million in social benefits

Government announces first ever National Strategy for Palliative Care

European Central Bank outpaces US Fed with half-point hike

Sex abuse victim slams Teatru Manoel for hosting Suda-adapted play

Autopsy shows that Gozitan man died after a fall

Saqqajja Hill development permit revoked by Court of Appeal

Updated: No public inquiry into Sofia death: Who is the PM trying to defend? – PN asks

Updated: Bank of England hikes rates by half-point to tame inflation

Australia is removing British monarchy from its bank notes

European Parliament lifts immunity of MEPs Cozzolino and Tarabella

‘Sham sheep farm in Bidnija’ – Six NGOs, 100 persons file application for revocation of permit

Sunak marks 100 days as UK prime minister as problems mount

Updated: ‘Shameful’ that PBS did not report Malta’s fall in transparency index – PN

PA funds new educational centre on footprint of former Attard railway station

TMID Editorial: The responsibility of 16-year-olds

Paulina Dembska murder: Abner Aquilna grins as his Balluta church antics are described in court

MDA says promises of sale in January second highest in last seven years

22 to be deported after being found in Malta illegally

17% of family businesses do not have the most basic form of governance – Chamber of Commerce

EU lawmakers move to lift immunity of scandal suspects

BCRS recovers 1,000 tonnes of drinks containers in just 10 weeks

Alec Baldwin faces involuntary manslaughter charge in set death

MFA Executive Board turns down Joseph Portelli’s request to register as a player

Malta drops to 54th place on Corruption Perceptions Index, same rank as Saudi Arabia, Rwanda

Karl Cini refuses to answer all questions in PAC session

Prime Minister indicates there will be no public inquiry into Jean Paul Sofia’s death for now

Strong recovery in 2022, but Zahra warns that Air Malta’s survival is crucial for the hotel industry

APS Bank fined €228,706 by FIAU, bank will not appeal and says ‘remediation' done in past years

Premier League: Sirens bounce back in six goal thriller against Valletta

Updated (2): PN says Abela should withdraw comments on courts and apologise, PL replies

Vince Muscat says he drove hitman to meet Chris Cardona to 'plan Caruana Galizia murder' in 2014

Speaker rules that Karl Cini is not obliged to answer Public Accounts Committee questions

Updated: MUT says educator assaulted by student in Gozo school

Motorcyclist grievously injured in Gozo accident

MDA says promises of sale in January second highest in last seven years

TMID Editorial: A dangerous precedent

Juridical interest in the context of insurance claims

Children in armed conflict, climate change among Malta’s UN Security Council Presidency priorities

Foreign workers paid over €202 million in social security contributions in 2021

More than 500 domestic violence cases in 2022

Over 280,000 fines issued by LESA in 2022