NEW DELHI (ITALPRESS/MNA) – According to international reports, the meeting of foreign ministers in India of the G20; the group of 20 industrialized and developing countries ended in New Delhi without a joint statement about the war in Ukraine.
In the meeting “most of the members” of the G20 “condemned firmly the war in Ukraine” and stressed that “it is causing immense human suffering and aggravating the existing fragility of the global economy: limiting growth,
rising inflation, rising energy and food insecurity and increasing the risks to financial stability”.
China has joined Russia in refusing to sign the
statement by the Foreign Ministers, meeting at the G20, that also called on Moscow to cease hostilities in Ukraine.
-photo agenziafotogramma.it-
(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

LA VALLETTA (MALTA) (ITALPRESS/MNA) – Migration, the situation in Africa and food security were high on the agenda during an official meeting between the President of Malta, George Vella and the President of Ireland Michael D. Higgins.
Both head of States held talks at A’ras an Uachtaràin, the official residence and office of the President of Ireland, at the beginning of a three-day State visit to Ireland.
During the bilateral meeting, President Vella and President Higgins highlighted Maltàs priorities in the United Nations Security Council, neutrality, climate change, and the latest developments in the war in Ukraine, the Mediterranean, Africa, migration, as well as food security.
The President of Malta said that the Irish President is very interested in the developments in Africa, how the war in Ukraine can affect hunger in Africa.
President Vella and President Higgins discussed deeply the war in Ukraine. In this context, the two Presidents spoke about neutrality because, like Malta, Ireland is a neutral country.
They also discussed the excellent bilateral relations between the two countries and areas for future cooperation.
In Dublin, President Vella had a separate meeting with Prime Minister Leo Varadkar. The discussion between President Vella and Prime Minister Varadkar also focused on similarities between the two countries, climate change, Africa, and war and peace in Ukraine.

– foto Department of Information Malta –

(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

HELSINKI (FINLAND) (ITALPRESS/MNA) – The Finnish Parliament gave its final approval for NATO membership. 184 voted in favour, 7 voted against.
The decision needs to be signed and endorsed into law by the Finnish President Sauli Niinisto.
Turkey and Hungary, are the only two NATO members among the 30 member countries of the Atlantic Alliance that have not yet voted to rectify the membership.
Finland, together with Sweden, has initiated the process to join NATO after the start of the Russian invasion of Ukraine described as “a genocidal war” by the Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

– photo Agenziafotogramma.it –

(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

VALLETTA (MALTA) (ITALPRESS/MNA) – Former Maltese Prime Minister Joseph Muscat was the latest target as more protests continued in Malta against the Labour administration following the historic court judgment that annulled the privatisation agreement of three state hospitals which was described as “fraudulent”.
Thursday’s protest was organised by the NGO Repubblika in front of the offices of former Prime Minister Joseph Muscat. This protest followed another one organised on Wednesday by the Nationalist Opposition when the Nationalist leader Bernard Grech addressed the media in front of one of the state hospitals and entered the building with the media to show how the private company Steward Healthcare failed to invest in the hospital, despite receiving millions from the Maltese government.
In today’s protest, the President of Republika Robert Aquilina declared that the politicians responsible from the deal must face justice and be held criminally and politically responsible. Aquilina remarked that it was unacceptable that no one took responsability for this abuse. “People have a right to know where €400 millions has gone and they have a right to see corrupt politicians go to jail,” he said.
He appealed to the Police Commissioner to take action and warned about the possibility of those involved fleeing from Malta. “The place for all corrupt politicians in prison. Joseph Muscat belongs in prison” said Aquilina while referring to evidence that shows the role played by former Labour ministers Konrad Mizzi, Chris Cardona and, Edward Scicluna, as well as Keith Schembri, the former Chief of Staff at the Office of the Prime Minister.
-photo Repubblika –
(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

ATHENS (GREECE) (ITALPRESS/MNA) – At least 40 people died and 130 more are injured, six in intensive care, as two trains collided head on late on Tuesday evening in northern Greece. Around 25 people are still missing but some may be people who left the scene.
Rescue workers spent the night trying to rescue passengers who were on the passenger train when it crashed into a merchant train near the city of Larissa. The passenger train was heading to Thessaloniki, departed from Athens whille the freight train with which it collided was heading from Thessaloniki to Larissa.
The station master of Larissa has been arrested and has been charged with manslaughter by negligence. The 59-year-old has also been charged with grievous bodily harm by negligence. The station master, who is in charge of signalling, denies any wrongdoing and has blamed the accident on a possible technical failure.
Around 150 firefighters and 40 ambulances were on the scene and according to people on the site, the collision was so severe that the two first carriages just disappeared.
There were more than 350 people on the passenger train. One of the passengers said there was chaos, an incredibly shocking experience. People who were evacuated described the scene with carriages on fire and passengers unable to escape.
The President of Greece, Katerina Sakellaropoulou, has cut short an official visit to Moldova to visit the site of the crash. The Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said that Greece will enter a three day period of mourning. “We are facing an unimaginable tragedy, we mourn mainly young people.” All public celebrations have been cancelled and flags on public buildings are flying at half mast until Friday.
This is the worst train accident that has ever occurred in Greece.

– photo Freepik –

(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

LA VALLETTA (MALTA) (ITALPRESS/MNA) – According to the National Statistics Office, the estimates for 2022 show that the Gross Domestic Product amounted to 16.9 billion euros, registering an increase of 1.9 billion euros, or 12.5%, when compared to 2021.
Matese Prime Minister Robert Abela declared in a tweet that in 2022 the economic growth was double that in the euro area. “Despite the pandemic and the effects of the Ukraine war our economy is nearly a tenth larger than what it was in 2019”.
An increase in the service activities, industry and agriculture and fishing contributed to this increase by 9%, 7.6% and 8.5% respectively. However, the construction industry declined in its activity by 7%.
The increase in service activities was mainly driven in the accommodation and food service activities (81.4%), transportation and storage (23.3%), administrative and support services activities (15.8%), information and communication (7.9%), and wholesale and retail trade; repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles (7.7%).
In 2022, an increase of 7.6% was registered in the consumption expenditure as a result of an increase in household expenditure and government’s expenditure.
Exports and imports of goods and services in volume increased by 6.4% and 9.7%, respectively.
Last year’s 1,868 million euros economic growth was distributed in 644 million for the increase in workers’ salaries; 1,172 million in profits of businesses; and another 52 million in production and importation taxes.

– photo Agenziafotogramma.it –

(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

LA VALLETTA (MALTA) (ITALPRESS/MNA) – A 56-year-old Italian man was sentenced to 14 years in prison and fined €28,000 after he admitted to importing 10 kilograms of cannabis into Malta four years ago. A 56-year-old from Syracuse, was arrested in November 2018 after he came to Malta from Sicily by Catamaran. The Customs Officers carried out an intensive search after a customs dog smelled something suspicious.
The Police took the car into the garage and following a search, the drug with a market value of €20,000, hidden in the doors was found. The Sicilian had admitted to the charges before the trial began and the sentence of 14 years imprisonment was given after an agreement between the Prosecution and the Defense representing the Sicilian.
(ITALPRESS).

Photo credits: agenziafotogramma.it

(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

VALLETTA (MALTA) (ITALPRESS/MNA) – “Maltàs neutrality does not imply indifference to the illegal invasion of Ukraine by Russia”. The string declaration came from the President of Malta George Vella in a message to the people of Ukraine on the first anniversary of the war.
He emphasized that “Malta continues to stand by Ukraine,” clarifying once again that “Maltàs neutrality does not imply indifference to attacks on our shared principles, the deplorable loss of life and the suffering brought to innocent civilian people”.
In a message addressed to Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy and the people of Ukraine, George Vella described the Russian invasion as “unjustified” and that has “shaken us all to the core”.
He referred to Maltàs commitment to “continue assisting the people of Ukraine across the board within the limits, and to the best of our capabilities. We will continue to provide humanitarian assistance and give special medical treatment in our health facilities”.
The Maltese President added: “the scenes we have witnessed over this past year should have us all recoil in shame and reflect on human frailty in the face of the brutality of war”.
Referring to the senseless unrelenting violence, Vella insisted “our collective message has to be a clear, unanimous and resounding one. We definitely cannot accept that the cardinal principles of respect for sovereignty and self-determination be swept aside by aggression and military might. Our message remains unchanged – the fundamental principles which lie at the heart of a civilised international order are there to be respected by all. We rightfully expect all countries, big or small, to honour this basic tenet of global diplomacy”.
The invasion of Ukraine, Vella said, constitutes a direct threat to the multilateral system, with the United Nations at its core. “We have to remain united, and not leave any room or pretext for the convenient dilution of the norms and standards that have clearly guided the international community for decades. This is a heartfelt appeal that needs to reach all our international partners and global actors who could have a say in contributing to an end of this indiscriminate violence, and work towards a possible path to peace once the opportunity arises”.
While saluting the people of Ukraine for their inspiring bravery and courage, Vella praised “the bravery of those who stayed to defend what is rightly theirs”.
He referred to the courage of those, especially women, who left their homeland and travelled thousands of kilometres to save the lives of their loved ones. “Our admiration towards all of you is boundless as you continue to be a symbol of hope and the protection of our shared values as determined by the UN Charter”.
The President of Malta concluded his message by conveying, on behalf of the People of Malta, his strong solidarity and support to the President Zelenskyy and to the brave People of Ukraine.
Meanwhile the Ukrainian community in Malta put up billboards in various prominent parts of Malta marking the first anniversary of the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the killing of thousands of innocent civilians. The billboards show Russian President Vladimir Putin holding a knife, accusing him of killing innocent civilians for a whole year. The Ukrainian community in Malta will hold a rally in Valletta this evening emphasizing that “an Ukrainian victory is the whole world’s victory”.
– photo agenziafotogramma.it-
(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

NEW YORK (ITALPRESS/MNA) – Maltese Foreign Minister Ian Borg declared that the only way forward in the aggression against Ukraine is by “halting it”. He was addressing the United Nations General Assembly Emergency Special Session on Wednesday afternoon.
Malta has taken charge of the United Nations’ Security Council last month, the first time in 39 years.
Minister Borg is currently in New York attending the UN General Assembly Emergency Special Session – an unscheduled meeting of the United Nations General Assembly to approve urgent recommendations on a particular issue: in this case the representatives are making their case for and against a draft resolution presented by Ukraine entitled: “Principles of the Charter of the United Nations underlying a comprehensive, just and lasting peace in Ukraine”.
Minister Borg stated that while Russia needs to end the war, it has to pay for what it did, describing the situation as illegal invasion of a sovereign state.
Minister Borg reiterated Malta’s support for the Ukrainę. He said that since the conflict began, the situation has remained very serious. While referring to the mass graves found in Ukraine, he remarked that the international community is concerned about the news of innocent civilians being murdered, of homes, hospitals and schools being destroyed, of the violence against women and children, and of the torture which have all become the characteristics of the Ukraine war.
Minister Borg is among a number of Foreign Affairs Ministers of countries within the UN who have agreed with the resolution in favour of peace which was proposed during the same meeting by the Ukrainian Minister Dmytro Kuleba, who claimed his country never wanted a war and that Russia was committing genocide.
The document also refers to food security and nuclear energy should be guaranteed, it urges Russia to stop the fighting and suggests the setting up of a tribunal to investigate the cruelty being carried out by Russia.
– photo agenziafotogramma.it-
(ITALPRESS)

Source: medNews

VALLETTA (ITALPRESS/MNA) – The Maltese health authorities announced that as from next Monday, travellers arriving in Malta from China will no longer require a negative Covid-19 rapid antigen test to be allowed entry into Malta.
The requirements were issued by the Superintendent of Public Health in January against possible new coronavirus variants after China’s reopening prompted a surge in infections there.
Health experts from the 27 EU members agreed at a meeting last week that they would end the requirement for negative pre-departure Covid tests by the end of February.
In the last week, Malta registered 90 new cases of Covid, and one person died while Covid positive.
-photo agenziafotogramma.it-
(ITALPRESS)

Source: medNews