LA VALLETTA (MALTA) (ITALPRESS/MNA) – Four flights scheduled to arrive at Maltàs International Airport were diverted to Sicily; three to Catania and another to Palermo after a military drone developed an engine problem on the airport’s only operational runway.
The drone is operated by the European agency Frontex for surveillance flights over the Mediterranean. The incident happened at 11.30am.
The flights had been heading to Malta from London Gatwick, Newcastle, London Stanstead, and London Luton.
The runway was reopened once the drone was removed from the runway. The airport’s secondary runway is closed for maintenance.
– Photo: Agenzia Fotogramma –
(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

MARRAKECH (MOROCCO) (ITALPRESS/MNA) – “The macroeconomic prospects of the global markets are weak and highly uncertain. Global growth will slow down significantly in 2023 and 2024 and the risks are clearly oriented downwards, reflecting not only the loss of momentum in some sectors, but also the possibility that climate and geopolitical tensions could trigger further increase in food and energy prices”. The Governor of the Bank of Italy, Ignazio Visco Made this observation while addressing the 108th meeting of the Development Committee of the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund in Marrakech.
“While savings are still high, albeit slightly in decline,” he added, “most of the emerging countries and in the developing world remains highly vulnerable to global risks. In this context it is fundamental the action from multilateral and international financial institutions to provide rapid support to the most vulnerable countries, build inclusive and resilient economies and generate sustainable growth”.
For Visco the earthquake in Morocco and the floods in Libya “renew attention to the need to strengthen the resilience to extreme natural events”. “Our most sincere condolences go to the many thousands of people injured and displaced,”
he added.
Visco declared, “we remain inspired by the Ukrainian people, who continues to face Russian aggression with courage and determination”, while expressed strong support for Israel and unequivocal condemnation of the appalling and vile terrorism acts by Hamas”.

– Photo: Agenzia Fotogramma –

(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

TEL AVIV (ITALPRESS/MNA) – An Israeli army spokesman, Jonathan Conricus, announced that the Israeli death toll from the attack launched by Hamas against settlements around Gaza has risen to 1,200 people. However, 2,700 people were injured. This as the military escalation between the Israeli army and Hamas enters its fifth day. Conricus said in a live broadcast on the Israeli army’s page on platform “X” (formerly Twitter) that this assessment is not final. He added that Hamas is holding dozens of prisoners, “including many with dual citizenship from countries including the United States, Britain, Italy and Argentina.” On the other hand, Gaza’s Health Ministry said that at least 900 Palestinians have been killed and around 4,600 others have been injured in Israeli airstrikes on the Strip since Saturday. Conricus explained that the Israeli army struck targets of the Palestinian Hamas movement with great force yesterday. Its forces are fighting on three fronts, which has led to suffering “very heavy losses”, noting that Hezbollah has fired missiles and anti-tank shells at Israeli army positions on the northern front. He added: “The missiles were launched at us from Syria and we don’t know who launched them.” Meanwhile, the White House has announced that the President of the United States, Joe Biden, expressed US support “which is on its way to Israel” in a phone call to the Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu.The White House said Biden explained to Netanyahu that US support consisted, in addition to sending the world’s largest aircraft carrier to the eastern Mediterranean, in ammunition, Iron Dome missiles and other defensive equipment. Avichay Adraee, spokesperson for the Israeli army, said earlier through his account on the “X” platform (formerly Twitter) that the first plane loaded with advanced US ammunition landed on Tuesday night at the Nevatim air base, saying that this ammunition allows the army to “conduct concrete attacks and prepare” for other scenarios. Furthermore, yesterday the American aircraft carrier USS Gerald Ford arrived in the Mediterranean waters off the coast of Israel. This comes after the Israeli Air Force said this morning that dozens of planes bombed more than 200 targets around the Al-Furqan neighborhood in the Gaza Strip. “This is the third wave of raids in Al-Furqan neighborhood, as we attacked more than 450 targets in the neighborhood in one day.” On the other hand, the Palestine Information Center reported that a violent bombing by Israeli warplanes targeted the western area of ??Gaza, near the port. At the same time, reports from Gaza reported that Israeli gunboats had fired heavy shells on Al-Rashid Street and the coastal strip west of Gaza City. The bombings targeting Al-Rashid Street, opposite the Gaza port, continue to this day. The Israeli army announced that its forces attacked naval targets belonging to Hamas.
-photo Agenzia Fotogramma-
(ITALPRESS)

Source: medNews

LA VALLETTA (ITALPRESS/MNA) – Customs officials in Malta intercepted 30 blocks of cocaine in a 40-foot-long container en-route to Valencia. The cocaine was found during a day-to-day operational risk analysis at the Malta Freeport.
“Customs officials intercepted around 30kg of cocaine hidden in a container carrying a shipment of peanuts jumbo packs”, the Department of Customs said.
The container, which was en-route from Nicaragua to Valencia, was found to be carrying 30 blocks of the illicit substance amounting to around 30kg. The case was handed over to the Malta Police Drug Force for further investigation.
– photo Agenzia Fotogramma –
(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

LAMPEDUSA (AGRIGENTO) (ITALPRESS/MNA) – The international NGO Alarm Phone stated no authority has taken responsibility to rescue a group of migrants in distress south-east area of Lampedusa. Alarm Phone confirmed that it is in contact with this boat since Monday morning. Even though various merchant vessels have passed by the migrants, no assistance was given. The NGO is asking the relevant authorities to rescue the migrants immediately.

– Photo: Agenzia Fotogramma –
(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

LA VALLETTA (MALTA) (ITALPRESS/MNA) – The Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Malta has advised against unnecessary travel to Israel and the Palestinian territories. In a statement it said the embassy of Malta in Israel and the Representative Office to Palestine are following the situation in order to assist Maltese who are currently in the region. Seven Maltese nationals have contacted the Embassy of Malta in Israel and requested assistance as they find themselves stranded in Israel’s territory after attacks from Palestinian terrorist group Hamas. The Ministry for Foreign and European Affairs and Trade said the Embassy of Malta in Israel and the Representative Office to Palestine are following the situation in coordination with the Ministry to assist in the evacuation of those Maltese who are currently in these territories”. Ben Gurion airport in Tel Aviv is currently closed for civilian flights. Maltà national airline , Air Malta has cancelled its flights to and from Tel-Aviv, Israel on Monday and Wednesday because of the ongoing military situation. It said passengers may either change their tickets to other dates, change their destination or apply for a refund.

– Photo: Agenzia Fotogramma –
(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

LA VALLETTA (MALTA) (ITALPRESS/MNA) – The Court of Appeal, presided by three judges, confirmed an 18-year imprisonment sentence and a fine of 38,000 for a man from Catania after he was found guilty of aggravated possession of drugs and association with third parties.
The Sicilian was found guilty of the charges at the end of a trial last April with six votes in favor and three against, however with six votes against and three in favour, the jurors did not find him guilty of importing in Malta in 2018, 25 kg of cannabis, with an estimated value of around €700,000.
When the drug consignment arrived in Malta,5′ the Sicilian indicated that it must be put into a garage. Helping him were two Italians who were working on the site.
In the appeal, the man requested the cancellation of the sentence, arguing that there was no proof that he formed part of any criminal association to import drugs in Malta from Sicily. He stated that when the merchanise arrived in Malta he refused to pay for it, although he signed for it and that he received it innocently.
The Attorney General Office noted that the man did not contest that he received the merchandise, unloaded it from a van and placed it in a garage.
The Court of Appeal said that there was enough evidence for the jurors to conclude that there was a prior agreement between him and others so that the drugs arrive in their final destination, adding that Bonannòs testimony is inconsistent. The Court therefore confirmed the first sentence.

– foto: Agenzia Fotogramma –

(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

ROME (ITALPRESS/MNA) – The number of dead people of what is now a real war is worsening following the attack launched on 7 October morning by Hamas on Israel, with the launch of rockets and missiles and raids by armed groups in various kibbutzim and cities, while Israel resorted to the army to respond to the attacks by Hamas.

In fact, the number of people injured in Israel and transferred to hospital has risen to over 1,800 and at least 300 have died. Meanwhile, around 250 Palestinians were killed and 1,700 injured in Israeli air strikes on Gaza. The Israeli Defense Forces said they had struck targets of the terrorist group, including apparently the homes of senior Hamas officials in the Gaza Strip.

Lebanese terrorist group Hezbollah said it fired dozens of rockets at three Israeli positions in the disputed Mount Dov region in solidarity with the Hamas attack on Israel.

According to the Israeli army, there are still a significant number of Israeli civilians and soldiers held hostage by Hamas, including children, women, elderly and disabled people.

Meanwhile, Israeli troops have regained control of 29 locations that had been occupied yesterday by Hamas, but the fight against the militiamen continues with clashes especially in Sderot and Bèeri. The army freed numerous hostages, including from Kibbutz Rèim and Ofakim, and a police station in Sderot was also evacuated.

Israeli fighters also attacked the military compound in the house of the intelligence head of Hamas in the Gaza Strip, while there was an attempted attack by terrorists on Zikim Beach, in the Eshkol region of southern Israel.

Meanwhile, as Israel told the Egyptian mediators that the time to negotiate has not yet come, Hamas is preparing to exchange the numerous captured Israeli army soldiers with the release of its leaders present in Israeli prisons.

During a telephone interview on the “Al-Hekaya” programme hosted by journalist Amr Adeeb on the Egyptian broadcaster “MBC Misr”, Hamas spokesman Hazem Qassem explained “we expect support from Egypt with all its force. Cairo always acts at every opportunity to defend the Palestinian blood, and this is something that matters.” Regarding the objective of the ongoing operation, he added that “this battle comes in response to the attempt to divide the Al-Aqsa mosque, changing its identity from Arab to Jewish. It also comes in response to the aggression against our people in the West Bank and to put an end to the issue of Palestinian prisoners who have spent decades in Israeli prisons”.

– Photo: Agenzia Fotogramma –

(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

LA VALLETTA (MALTA) (ITALPRESS/MNA) – Maltese Prime Minister Robert Abela met Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on the fringes of informal meetings with EU leaders in Spain. Almost 50 European leaders used the summit of the European Political Community in the southern Spanish city of Granada to stress that they stand by Ukraine. Abela also called for further dialogue among the southern EU neighbourhood, looking towards a future where collaborations between the Mediterranean states can benefit all. Emphasising that the current situation is unsustainable, Abela said the EU needs to be more proactive. “As we also agreed during the MED9 meeting, there is a need to rebuild our relationship with the southern Mediterranean,” Abela said, insisting on an asylum system that addresses the needs of all member states. On energy, Abela emphasised the EU’s need for interconnectivity between state members and North African countries, specifically in terms of renewable energy projects.
He added the Maltese government will be keeping the energy and fuel prices stable, with a security guarantee for businesses, families, and the country’s economy, until Malta converts to renewable energy. Climate change and the switch to renewable energy were at the top of the agenda. The Maltese Premier explained the realities and challenges for Malta, including the fact that it is an island at the edge of the Mediterranean, without a direct gas supply. He said that Malta currently has an electricity connection with Sicily, and plans to have the second interconnector in place by 2026. On the switch to renewable energy, Abela listed Maltàs challenges, including the limited space on land on which to install more photovoltaic panels and wind turbines. “We moved forward with an innovative concept which is currently being studied at the tendering stage – that of having panels for renewable energy as well as wind turbines offshore, in an exclusive economic zone,” explained the Maltese Premier. He also made a reference to the Memorandum of Understanding agreed with Libya so that photovoltaic panels and wind turbines are installed in Libya, and then connected to Malta, and then Malta can also export renewable energy towards Europe. Other discussions held by European leaders in this summit centred around this summer’s natural disasters.

– foto: Doi

(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews

LA VALLETTA (MALTA) (ITALPRESS/MNA) – The International NGO Alarm Phone confirmed that a group of migrants are still in distress in the southern area off the coast of Sicily. The 22 migrants escaped from Libya and are at sea for several days. Alarm Phone alarmed the Italian authorities and urged them to rescue the migrants immediately.
– Photo: Angezia Fotogramma –
(ITALPRESS).

Source: medNews