During a heated debate on TVM's Xtra, Labour Party representatives found themselves on the defensive as questions surrounding the ethical conduct of tourism minister Clayton Bartolo dominated the discussion. While PL speakers aimed to shift the focus towards the government’s achievements and broader priorities, the uncomfortable tone in defending Bartolo’s position was evident. PL whip Naomi Cachia emphasised the government’s commitment to progress, highlighting recent milestones such as the 2050 Vision and the latest budget. While never defending Bartolo nor Camilleri, Cachia defended the scrutiny process introduced by the Labour government, noting it represents a significant shift from previous administrations. Twenty days have passed since tourism minister Clayton Bartolo and Gozo minister Clint Camilleri were found to have violated ministerial ethics and abused their positions of power.

In just 16 days, the government’s urban greening agency, Project Green, launched three tenders valued at over €5 million. Għaxaq picnic siteA Project Green spokesperson told MaltaToday that the Għaxaq Picnic Site project aims to rehabilitate and restore the natural area at Taż-Żebbuġ, located on Triq L-Andar. The project, with a budget of €1.4 million, will cover 24,950sq.m and is designed to improve the quality of this green space while preserving its ecological and scientific significance. The government has issued a tender for development works, with a submission deadline of 17 December 2024. The €1.6 million project will include a picnic area, walking track, children’s play area, and an open-air theatre.

Prime Minister Robert Abela completely ignored the controversy surrounding two of his ministers when speaking in parliament on the budget estimates on Monday. Abela rebutted the accusations of fraud levelled towards his government earlier by Opposition leader Bernard Grech, calling him “the prime tax evader”. It was the only instance in his speech on the estimates concerning the Office of the Prime Minister that Abela tackled the accusation of fraud. Earlier, Grech kept up the pressure on the Prime Minister over the ethics breach involving ministers Clayton Bartolo and Clint Camilleri, insisting the pair should have been removed from office. He said the size of the tax cut was more than double what the government had promised in its electoral manifesto.

Nonetheless, the figures also show that since 2021, the government has stepped up its efforts to curb arrivals and drastically increase the number of irregular migrants returned to their country of origin. The highest number of irregular migrants was recorded in 2019 when 3,405 people arrived in Malta, followed by 2020 when 2,281 migrant arrivals were recorded. Human rights activists have criticised the deal because intercepted migrants are returned to Libya, which is deemed unsafe. The figures show that 1,130 irregular migrants were deported since 2011. The number of irregular arrivals pales into insignificance when one considers that since 2013, Malta’s population increased rapidly with the importation of more than 100,000 foreign workers and dependents.

CAIRO - 25 November 2024: The National Committee for the Presidential Initiative for Women's Health has reached every village and every woman in the governorate where she lives instead as part of the presidential initiative for women's health in combating breast cancer. He further explained that there are presidential directives to localize medicines, especially cancer medicines, adding that the women's health initiative is a completely free initiative for all women, explaining that the experience of eliminating the hepatitis C virus helped us reach all women and we followed the same method, explaining that there are 3,500 health units covering all governorates across the republic. He explained that we reached all women and were able to reach a very large number of women thanks to the great cooperation between the private sector and the government. The conferencee was attended by the Swiss Ambassador to Cairo, Andreas Baum. The experiences of other countries were reviewed in the presence of a number of Arab and foreign journalists from Morocco, Libya, Algeria and Tunisia.

The group in a post on Facebook condemned smuggling and human trafficking and said its patrols would continue efforts to block smuggling routes. It posted satellite images of the desert and pictures of what appeared to be migrants sitting in rows in front of armed and masked militants. Many are escaping war or poverty and many employ smugglers to help them negotiate treacherous deserts and sea routes. Migrant apprehensions are rarely reported in Libya, though the country’s state news service LANA reported more than 2,000 arrests in July. United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk in July said migrants in the country had been subjected to torture, forced labor and starvation while being detained.

The group in a post on Facebook condemned smuggling and human trafficking and said its patrols would continue efforts to block smuggling routes. It posted satellite images of the desert and pictures of what appeared to be migrants sitting in rows in front of armed and masked militants. Many are escaping war or poverty and many employ smugglers to help them negotiate treacherous deserts and sea routes. Migrant apprehensions are rarely reported in Libya, though the country's state news service LANA reported more than 2,000 arrests in July. United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk in July said migrants in the country had been subjected to torture, forced labor and starvation while being detained.

Precovery in Action: Proactive Strategies to Promote School Safety and Mass Violence PreventionDate: Tuesday January 14, 2025 at 2:00pm ET - 1:00pm CT - 11:00am PTAccording to a report from NCES, 67% of public schools reported having at least one violent incident during the 2021-22 school year. As we start 2025, it's critical to have a robust and intentional school safety and threat assessment plan in place. Join us for an important discussion drawing on lessons learned from districts that have faced on-campus mass violence. A faculty member at USC since 2011, Wobbe-Veit played a key role in establishing course materials and practicum procedures, including co-developing a 12-week trauma-responsive School Social Work Training Program. As a Parkland resident, she serves as the Broward County Public Schools Recovery Consultant, offering ongoing support to the school community and families profoundly affected by the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School tragedy.

Carmelo Abela (PL) and Beppe Fenech Adami (PN) represented for the first time the Maltese parliament in NATO’s Parliamentary Assembly held in Montreal, Canada. The 70th summit of the NATO Parliamentary Assembly was held between 22 and 25 November and this was the first time that a Maltese delegation attended. The Maltese parliament voted unanimously last year to become an associate member of the NATO assembly with Malta's request being accepted during a summit held last May in Bulgaria. The NATO PA is made up of 281 delegates from 32 NATO member countries. The summit ended with a plenary meeting on Monday, addressed by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte, and Raymonde Gagné, Speaker of the Senate of Canada.

In a joint statement released today, the embassies of France, Germany, Italy, the UK and US welcomed the High National Elections Commission’s (HNEC) announcement of municipal elections results in 58 municipalities across Libya. We also pay tribute to the United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) and the United Nations Development Programme for their support throughout. We call on the relevant authorities to support the delivery of their work to serve the best interests of the Libyan people. The P3+2 reiterate the need to seize this positive momentum and progress to the second round of elections, which the High National Elections Commission plan to Initiate in January. We hope that the Libyan people and leaders will build on this important step to develop a credible roadmap to successful national elections as part of a UN- facilitated process’’.

Military ruleFirstly, he said that there are those in Libya who want to use force or the gun to rule Libya. Religious ruleSecondly, there are those in Libya who want to use religion or a religious ideology to rule Libya. Aldabaiba concluded that it’s the constitution and not the previous four that will rule Libya. Youth must decide political futureHe said his generation’s time has passed and it is you, the youth, who will decide and rule. Aldabaiba said you cannot have election laws that favour or push forward a military man.

CAIRO – 25 November 2024: The Ministry of Transport has announced the construction of seven integrated logistic corridors across Egypt to connect production areas, such as industrial, agricultural, and mining zones, to maritime ports and urban hubs. Cairo-Alexandria Logistic CorridorThis corridor links Cairo’s Beshteel railway station to Greater Alexandria Port. It connects these regions to Damietta Port via the Tanta-Mansoura-Damietta railway, which includes the Damietta New City Dry Port. Gargoub-Salloum Logistic CorridorThis route begins at Gargoub Port on the Mediterranean and extends to the Salloum land port, Egypt's largest terrestrial port. These corridors are designed to streamline Egypt’s logistic network by integrating railways, dry ports, and modern transport systems.

Oberoi Hotels and Resorts is set to launch nearly 20 new properties, luxury boats, and cruisers over the next five years, contributing to a total of 1,350 new keys, amidst the rising demand for upscale vacations. Of these, 288 will be located outside India, starting in 2026. Of the planned additions, nine will be owned by EIH, the listed arm of the Oberoi Group, while 11 will operate under management agreements. The robust demand is expected to get a boost by the marriage season in India, driving both occupancy rates and revenue. This strategic growth underscores Oberoi’s focus on capturing a larger share of the luxury hospitality market while broadening its international footprint.

The U.S. military will set up temporary bases along Japan's southwestern Nansei island chain and the Philippines to deploy missile units in the event of a Taiwan contingency, sources familiar with Japan-U.S. relations said Sunday. The deployment of the missile units will be incorporated in the first joint operation plan for the United States and Japan to cope with a contingency involving Taiwan and China, which regards the self-ruled island as its own, to be formulated in December. The Japan Self-Defense Forces is expected to mainly engage in logistical support for the marine unit, including supplying fuel and ammunition. The U.S. Army will deploy the Multi-Domain Task Force's long-range fire units in the Philippines. In July, Japan and the Philippines signed a bilateral defense agreement to facilitate joint exercises for closer security cooperation.

NBC's Today Show Faces Dramatic Changes Al Roker and Savannah Guthrie's absence raises questions about the future of morning televisionRecent changes at NBC's Today show have stirred significant conversation among fans, media commentators, and the show’s staff. Meanwhile, there has been fresh chatter about potential shifts within the Today show's lineup. Despite the underlying tension surrounding the recent changes, many fans have chosen to remain optimistic, stating faith in the Today team's ability to bounce back. For years, morning shows have functioned as the definitive starting point for millions, shaping views through daily conversations and engaging interactions. How will Today navigate such contentious changes, and what will the future for the iconic show hold?