The Malta Independent

23 February 2020, Sunday

Steward wants to purchase the three state hospitals, or get paid more for concession deal

Steward Healthcare is asking the government to purchase the three state hospitals - Karin Grech, St Luke’s and the Gozo General Hospital – which it currently runs, or to get paid more for...

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Chris Cardona’s number not in murder suspects’ burner phones, analysis still ongoing

Former Economy Minister Chris Cardona’s number was not found on the mobile phones seized by the police during a raid during which three men suspected of Daphne Caruana Galizia’s murder...

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Updated: Two cars overturn in Gozo in separate collisions

A car ended up on its roof following a collision with a pickup truck near Rabat, in Gozo, on Saturday evening. The accident took place on Triq Papa Granni Pawlu II, near the aqueduct. The...

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Three Serie A matches suspended due to virus deaths in Italy

Three Serie A soccer matches scheduled for Sunday in the northern regions of Lombardy and Veneto were suspended late Saturday after the deaths of two people infected with the virus from China. On...

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Biker seriously injured after crashing into parked car

A biker was seriously injured on Saturday evening when he lost control of the motorbike and crashed into a parked car, the police said. The accident took place in Turu Colombo Street, Gzira, at...

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Government should have the courage to terminate Steward hospitals deal – Delia

The government should have the courage to immediately terminate the deal with Steward Healthcare for the running of three hospitals, Opposition Leader Adrian Delia said today. Prime Minister...

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latest comment from C Xerri, 22/02/2020 12:45: "Delia also referred to the ongoing reform in the Nationalist Party, saying that the party will soon be in a position to finalise its plans." How soon? And how long will it take to actually put these plans into action? What about giving deadlines and keeping them?

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Updated: Ceiling collapses after heavy object falls from crane, resident injured

A woman was injured after a ceiling collapsed in Sliema, the police said....

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latest comment from M.Galea, 22/02/2020 20:24: Ejja sa hdejja! L istess magenbi qed itelghu zewg sulari fuq li hemm u l arroganza tal haddiema tal biza! Kullimkien farku! U tkellimhom qisu ma gara xejn! Iccempel lil bro tghaddik biz zmien! Pajjiz tal misthija!

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Two treated for smoke inhalation after clinic door set on fire

A man and a woman were treated for smoke inhalation on Saturday evening after the front door of a dentist’s clinic in Luqa was set on fire, the police said. The two, aged 53 and 46 and both...

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Finland to take in max 175 asylum-seekers, some from Malta

The Finnish government says it has agreed to take in up to 175 asylum-seekers from camps in Cyprus, Greece, Italy and Malta "to alleviate the humanitarian situation" experienced by refugees in the...

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Cases rise in South Korea, China, as Iran, Italy battle outbreak

South Korea and China both reported a rise in new virus cases on Sunday, as the South Korean prime minister warned that the fast-spreading outbreak linked to a local church and a hospital in the...

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Coronavirus: Third Maltese in quarantine on return from holiday

A third Maltese person has been placed in quarantine upon his arrival back in Malta after being on a cruise liner where a passenger was found to have contracted the illness known as COVID-19, or...

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Sliema parking attendant accused of asking for €3 or €5 in public car park

A parking attendant manning a Sliema public car park was accused of having requested €3, and sometimes even €5, a man reported, today, in a Sliema Residents Facebook group. The man...

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latest comment from C Farrugia, 23/02/2020 05:37: Remove parking attendants and introduce parking meters like all civilised countries in the world. The Sliema Local Council should ask to be given responsibility for the Alhambra car park and it should charge using parking meters. It can subsidise its funds this way.

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Man charged with sexually abusing minors and possessing child pornography

A Serbian national on Saturday was charged with sexually abusing minors and possessing pornographic footage of them. A 15-year-old was allegedly the first one out of a number of victims...

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Hands off: NGOs slam FKNK’s call for amendment to Referenda Act

Birdlife Malta and twelve other NGOs have slammed a call by the hunting lobby for the President to change the Referenda Act. The FKNK wants the law amended to prevent voters from being able to...

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latest comment from Holiday99, 22/02/2020 16:54: For our children’s sake, if another referendum on hunting and trapping is held, keep Saviour Balzan away from campaigning!

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Photo feature: Coronavirus (and more) makes it to Nadur Carnival

Whether you love it or hate it, the Nadur Carnival has become the most popular carnival in both tradition and macabre, but above all for its well-renowned spontaneity. A true feast of costumes and...

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latest comment from mohhmiftuh, 22/02/2020 11:35: Ironikament, barra cirkostanzi ohra, huma attivitajiet tal-massa bhall-karnival li jistghu jwasslu biex ifaqqa' l-koronavirus fostna.

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Pharmacies opening today between 9am and noon

Valletta: Collis Williams Pharmacy, 15, Republic Street; Marsa: San Raffael Pharmacy, 247, Qormi Road; Qormi: Anici Pharmacy, Anici Street; Birkirkara: Rational Pharmacy, 74/75, Valley Road; ...

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Updated: Italian towns on lockdown after two virus deaths, clusters

Two people have died of the Coronavirus in Italy in the space of 24 hours....

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latest comment from Rob Azzopardi, 22/02/2020 22:20: You argument does not hold water and does more damage than good. You have no proof that AIDS origins has a relationship with African countries. Patient zero was Canadian / American in the flight industry and even that is uncertain. AIDS was also a manifestation of some biological weapon gone wrong so once again has no relation with the above. This is “everybody’s” issue and not just the EU as diseases will NOT discriminate according to race or skin colour. Any virus can develop anywhere so again stop your ignorant concepts for the benefit of the majority and go read some research before blabbing out such non-sense.

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Animals deserve real animal rights - new activist group

Over the past few years, many animal rights activists have been vocal about the treatment of both domestic and wild animals in Malta. One such activist is Romina Frendo, who felt compelled to...

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latest comment from Gerry Cowie, 22/02/2020 12:14: ' “We speak up on behalf of those who have suffered and who are suffering at the hands of ignorance or indifference. We are pushing for change.” ' Rights for animals and rights for unborn human beings! It is right to protect animals, but if we protected the unborn with such vigour, that would be amazing! So why are the unborn missing from this. Surely "those who are suffering at the hands of ignorance or indifference" includes the unborn!

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Work to repair damaged interconnector progressing

Work to repair the damaged interconnector between Malta and Sicily are progressing, Enemalta said in a statement. Damage was caused to the infrastructure in December, and after tests were...

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Three men arrested by police during traffic inspections in Ghaxaq

Three men were arrested by the police on Friday night during traffic inspections in Ghaxaq, the police said. Two men, aged 21 and 25, were arrested after being found in possession of drugs and...

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Man hit by car in Hamrun

A man was seriously injured on Friday evening when he was hit by a car in Hamrun, the police said. The accident took place in Joe Sciberras Street at 6pm. The 33-year-old Syrian man, who...

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Chamber of Commerce cautions against EU law ‘threatening logistics industry'

The Malta Chamber of Commerce said that it is following ‘with concern’ the developments regarding the EU’s mobility package. “Of particular interest to Chamber members is...

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latest comment from Alex, 22/02/2020 10:34: Time to join Britain.

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Many Maltese enterprises find it hard to recruit ICT personnel

67% of Maltese enterprises that recruited or tried to recruit information and communication technologies (ICT) specialists in 2018 found it hard to do so, information issued by Eurostat...

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latest comment from John Bonson, 22/02/2020 08:42: The same companies who think paying people 1/4 salary of what other EU countries pay will get “professionals” no doubt.

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Updated (2): Italy reports first virus death, cases more than quadruple

Italian officials ordered schools, public buildings, restaurants and coffee shops closed in a tiny town in northern Italy Friday after six people tested positive for the new virus, including some who...

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Moviment Graffitti files application for preservation of Balluta Bay

Activist group Moviment Graffitti has filed an application with the Lands Authority to manage Balluta Bay, in a bid to ward off the commercialisation of this public space and keep it permanently...

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Updated: EU nations end summit without agreement on budget

European Union nations broke up a marathon summit without a deal Friday and will have to reconvene for another budget meeting in the coming weeks. After 28 hours of talks the leaders could not...

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latest comment from barran, 21/02/2020 20:06: Time to break that EU

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TMID Editorial: SLAPP lawsuits - Preventative action still needed

The issue of strategic lawsuits against public participation, better known though its acronym SLAPP, is still a matter of concern for the Maltese press, even though it hasn’t been the topic of...

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latest comment from Ozzy Biza, 22/02/2020 19:19: Is there such legislation in other EU countries, France, Italy, Germany ?? Or the UK?? How does it work??

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Giovanna Debono awarded €5,000 in libel damages from PL portal

Former Nationalist Minister Giovanna Debono today was awarded €5,000 in damages in a libel suit she had filed against Kurt Farrugia as former editor of the now-extinct news portal maltastar.com...