Author Archives: admin.01

TEN PEOPLE ARRESTED FOR THE MURDER OF CARUANA

Ten people were arrested today for the murder of Maltese journalist Daphne Caruana Galicia, who was killed on October 16 in the explosion of her car. This was announced by Prime Minister Joseph Muscat, who during a press conference explained that the arrests were taken during an operation that took place in Marsa, Zebbug, Bugibba and other areas of the island. Some of those arrested had already appeared in court in relation to other cases and are well known to the police, while the other suspects have no criminal record.

The Maltese Prime Minister thanked for the work done by the Maltese investigators. The joint operation was conducted by the police, armed forces, secret services, as well as by the FBI, Europol and Finnish officials.

The investigators have 48 hours to interrogate the people arrested and indict them.

(ITALPRESS/MNA).


Source: medNews

ALBANIA, 297 MLN THE MOBILE TELEPHONE BUSINESS

Mobile telephony accounts for around € 297 million a year. In 2016, Vodafone Albania Sh.a, a part of the Newbury-based multinational Vodafone Group Plc, was the first operator with 50.8% market share on active users, followed by Telekom Albania (part of the Deutsche Telekom group) with 30.7%, ALBtelecom with 13.1% (Turkish majority shareholding) and the Albanian company Plus Communication with 5.4%. The Competition Authority recently approved the request for Plus Communication for the transfer of frequencies to the two largest operators, Vodafone Albania and Telecom Albania, and announced that for reasons of financial difficulty, Plus Communication can not continue its investments which would allow their customers qualitative services on competitive terms. The magazine Monitor writes. In order to ensure the continuity of contract performance, the Competition Authority will cooperate with the Electronic Postal and Postal Communications Authority (AKEP) to monitor all steps to be taken to protect Plus Communication customers and their passage to other mobile networks.

 


Source: medNews

TURKEY, TOWARDS ENLARGED AGREEMENT WITH EFTA

Turkey aims to sign an expanded agreement with the European Free Trade Association (EFTA) in January 2018, Economy Minister Nihat Zeybekçi has said, after participating in the EFTA ministerial meeting in Geneva on Nov. 24. Turkey has had a free trade agreement with EFTA since 1991 and is now in the process of expanding the agreement.

The EFTA consists of four European states: Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland. The joint statement underlined “the already close economic ties between the EFTA States and Turkey, and the significant potential to advance economic cooperation and exchange by further enhancing the framework conditions for trade and investment between them.” The World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland will take place between Jan. 23-26, 2018. Despite not being a member of EU, Turkey has had a Customs Union agreement with the bloc since 1995. Source: Hurriyet Daily News.


Source: medNews

PALERMO, MAYOR MEETS MALTESE DELEGATION

The Mayor of Palermo Leoluca Orlando received a delegation of the Republic of Malta in the Villa Niscemi, representation office of the City. Orlando met Vanessa Frazier, Ambassador to Italy of the Republic of Malta, Deo Debattista, Parliamentary Secretary of the Republic of Malta with Delegation to Health and Public Hygiene, Olaf McKay, Head of Cabinet, Leanne Burnell, Official in the Cabinet of SS on Culture and Valletta 2018, Kelly Peplow, spokesman. The delegation is visiting Palermo to define a cultural twinning for 2018, when Palermo will be Italian Capital of Culture and Valletta European Capital of Culture. The meeting was also attended by the municipal council member Giulio Cusumano.

“The meeting with the representative of the Maltese Government for Culture, together with the Ambassador in Malta, Malta and with some of the economic operators of our city and Maltese, was an occasion to confirm an already started path of exchange of artistic experiences, tourism and entrepreneurship that will find their realization in Palermo, with Casa Malta, a week of initiatives that will see the continuous presence of operators, entrepreneurs and artists from Palermo, invited by the Maltese Government, to let them know the program of La Valletta 2018. Among the activities today – Orlando continued – there is also the exchange of young Maltese and Sicilian artists, thanks to the commitment of the director of the Academy of Arts, Mario Zito, according to a model already operating among artists of Palermo and many other cities in the world”.

The Mayor, in welcoming Maltese representatives, finally reiterated “Palermo’s commitment to becoming more and more a city of welcome”, by agreeing with the delegation on the vision of the Mediterranean as a “liquid continent that has its plural identity which makes dialogue, peace and respect for human rights its own distinctive feature”.

(ITALPRESS/MNA).


Source: medNews

MOROCCO, GERMANY FINANCES RENEWABLE ENERGY

At the COP23, the international conference on Global Warming Prevention, held in Bonn between 6 and 17 November, the Director-General for the MENA region of the German Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development, Christiane Bogemann Hagedorn, announced a support program for Morocco. Specifically, German Cooperation will allocate a € 357 million grant to the North African country, of which 90% will be aimed at supporting environmental protection and renewable energy production. Christiane Bogemann Hagedorn said Morocco is an example of energy transition, as witnessed by the Ouarzazate solar power station, confirming that Germany will support the Kingdom in the pursuit of its renewable targets. In this regard, the Director-General for Enlargement recalled the partnership launched in 2016 in Marrakech in support of the implementation of the NDC (Nationally Determined Contributions), objectives climate that the nations have given themselves autonomously and voluntarily, to help maintain global temperature growth within 2 degrees Celsius.

(ITALPRESS/MNA).


Source: medNews

ENI’S CEO MEETS THE PRESIDENT OF CYPRUS

Eni’s Chief Executive Officer, Claudio Descalzi, met in Nicosia with the President of the Republic of Cyprus, Nikos Anastasiadis.

The meeting was the opportunity to update Cyprus President on Eni’s activities in the Republic of Cyprus and jointly discuss about future opportunities. Claudio Descalzi re-confirmed the commitment of Eni to Cyprus hydrocarbon exploration and the Eastern Mediterranean in general and illustrated to the President the forthcoming exploration campaign in the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) of Cyprus.

Eni and its partner Total are planning to start exploration drilling by the end of this year in Block 6 Cyprus EEZ, just 9 months after the signature of the Block Exploration and Production Sharing Contract (EPSC); then Eni and its partner Kogas will start the drilling of the first exploration well in Block 3.

The meeting was also an opportunity to discuss the exploitation of the country’s hydrocarbon resources potentially utilizing existing infrastructures in Egypt where Eni is present as Shareholder.

Finally, Eni’s CEO also made a review about possible synergies related to energy projects in the East Mediterranean, an area that could represent an important diversification source and route for the future energy supply of Europe.

(ITALPRESS/MNA).


Source: medNews

FOR YOUNG MALTESIS DIFFICULT TO HAVE INDIPENDENT LIFE

Although the unemployment rate in Malta is one of the lowest in the European Union, young Maltese people still face major difficulties when renting accommodation due to very high prices. This resulted from a recent report published by Caritas on the main challenges related to poverty and social inclusion of young Maltese people. The report includes a recommendation to the Government of Malta to address these challenges. All proposals are based on analysis and experiences collected by Caritas Malta.

“Living in Malta seems like paradise. This may be true for tourists visiting the island but, unfortunately, for those with low income this presents a major obstacle because one cannot make plans for the future”, said a young man who benefits from the services offered by Caritas Malta. The young man shared his experience and struggle to live. “Personally, I cannot save anything from the monthly pay. My salary is very low and it is quite difficult to live decently. Three quarters of my salary is used to pay rent and electricity bills”.

According to Caritas Malta, this story is not isolated or one of the few. The official report of the non-governmental organization lists Malta’s major challenges in relation to poverty and social exclusion of young Maltese mainly: the minimum wage does not guarantee a decent life; a rigid school system that does not ease the transition from the education system to the working world; young Maltese have difficulty starting an independent life away from their parents’ home and there is little opportunity for marginalized young people.

Caritas Malta’s recommendation to the Government of Malta is to increase the opportunity of social housing, subsidize rental fees and ensure an adequate minimum wage. The non-governmental organization proposes a reform of the academic and vocational educational system, so that young Maltese people can easily enter the labor market. Despite Malta’s record-breaking economic outcomes, the country has the lowest proportion of adults in tertiary education and is in the penultimate position of the EU countries with the highest percentage of early school leavers.
Each year Caritas Malta treats about 700 drug victims with an average age of 27 years. The Maltese Government is being asked to set up rehabilitation facilities for children under the age of 18 and to strengthen the services for the integration of young criminals.
(ITALPRESS).


Source: medNews

TUNISIA, AICS SIGNS 4 AGREEMENTS WITH UN AGENCIES

The headquarters of the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (AICS) in Tunis closed the month of October by signing four major partnership agreements for its co-operation in Tunisia. In particular – says Italian Cooperation – during a ceremony chaired by the Education Minister, Hatem Ben Salem, two funding agreements were signed to reaffirm Italy’s commitment together with the European Union for education and food quality for children in Tunisia.

A first funding of Unicef amounting to around 10 million euros – of which 4.6 from the Italian Cooperation and 5.5 from the EU – will allow a large program to improve the quality of primary education to ensure greater success opportunities for children from Tunisia.

Another 2.5 million euro agreement was signed between the Italian Cooperation and the WFP to fund a new initiative to promote school food system under the National Strategy for Sustainable School Food Supply.

The actions that will be implemented through these programs are aimed at strengthening the capacity of the education system, including pre-school education, school environments and pupils’ nutrition, and combating factors leading to failure and school dropout. So every student can learn and grow in an inclusive, safe and healthy environment.

For Italy the agreements were signed by Ambassador Raimondo De Cardona and the head of the AICS headquarters in Tunis Flavio Lovisolo.

In previous days, both attended a similar ceremony with the United Nations Migration Agency (IOM), with whom they had signed an agreement to implement the project “Migration as a resource: mobilizing the Tunisian diaspora and stabilizing the disadvantaged communities in Tunisia”.

The event was chaired by the Secretary of State for Migration and Tunisians Abroad, Adel Jarboui. This project aims to involve Tunisians living abroad, especially in Italy, in the development priorities identified in their regions of origin, as sponsors and investors in microprojects supported by local entrepreneurs. These are projects that mainly concern the disadvantaged and border areas of Tunisia. The project offers a new alternative to traditional sources of finance and promotes the search for business opportunities in the Italian market. With a total budget of € 2.9 million, the initiative aims to support the creation of 70 high-potential development microprojects and create 210 formal jobs in the Jendouba, Kef, Medenine and Tataouine regions.

Another agreement was signed between Italy and the UN Development Agency (UNDP) to support the electoral process, in particular for the upcoming municipal elections that will allow local administrators to be elected for the first time, as envisaged by the new constitution of the country. Through this agreement, Italy has given substance to its commitment to support Tunisia in the implementation of the decentralization process established by the new Constitution.

(ITALPRESS/MNA).


Source: medNews

IMF AND EGYPT REACH AGREEMENT ON LOAN INSTALMENT

Egypt has reached a staff level agreement with the International Monetary Fund for an instalment of around $2 billion in its three-year, $12 billion loan programme.

The agreement is pending approval by the IMF executive board..

An IMF delegation visited Egypt from 25 October to 9 November to assess the progress of the loan programme, which was finalised in November 2016.

The IMF loan comes in support of Egypt’s financial reform programme, which aims to curb the growing state budget deficit and has included floating the Egyptian pound.

The IMF praised the commitment of the Egyptian government to the reform programme, referring to the rise in Egypt’s GDP to 4.2 percent in fiscal year 2016/17, compared to a projected 3.5 percent.

The IMF also praised the increasing confidence of investors, adding that the portfolio investments into Egypt reached $16 billion this year and foreign direct investment rose by 13 percent.

In July, Egypt received the final instalment of the first $4 billion tranche of the IMF loan. (Amwal Al Ghad).

(ITALPRESS/MNA).


Source: medNews

SICILY, FROM 17 DECEMBER NEW FLIGHT FROM AND TO MALTA

From next 17 December a Comiso-Malta flight will be operational. The announcement came in the course of a joint press conference held by Soaco and Air Malta managers at Comiso airport. The flight connecting Comiso airport and the island of the Knights will be operational two days per week, Friday and Sunday. From last summer the Maltese airline operated three weekly flights from Palermo and 14 weekly flights from Catania.

“The launch of this new route – commented Joseph Galea, Ceo of Air Malta – is a new opportunity for both islands. As an airline, we know how strong the link between Sicily and Malta is. Last year we transported 150,000 passengers from Catania (6% more) and nearly 20 thousand passengers in the new route from/to Palermo”.

“For us Sicily – Claude Zammitt Trevisan, Italy Director of Malta Tourism Authority added – represents a very important slice of the market. We have flights from Catania and also from Palermo. Comiso is the step we had to do to consolidate our presence”.

“Malta – Silvio Meli and Giorgio Cappello, respectively President and CEO of Soaco, that manages the Pio La Torre airport of Comiso stressed – is the ideal destination both for incoming and outgoing: Malta is indeed an important international hub, one strategic link to continue to other European routes”.

The two managers of Soaco have also stated that since the beginning of the opening of Comiso airport, “creating a connection with the island of Malta has always been a priority objective, which is framed in a policy to increase the direct links by differentiating the offer. Even on the route that we link Malta to Comiso the Air Malta fare Go Light will be available, offering the possibility to fly for 39 euros one way”.

(ITALPRESS/MNA).


Source: medNews

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