Spain kept Scotland from becoming the first team to secure a place at the 2024 European Championship by beating the visitors 2-0 Thursday for its 25th consecutive home win in qualifiers.

Scotland only needed a draw to clinch a spot at its second straight Euros and was still level at 0-0 after more than 70 minutes. But two late goals for Spain in Seville ended Scotland's perfect qualifying record and kept first place in Group A up for grabs.

Scotland still leads the group with 15 points, three more than Spain — which has a game in hand — and five more than Norway, which won 4-0 at Cyprus with two goals by Erling Haaland. The top two from each group will qualify automatically for Euro 2024 in Germany.

Scotland would still qualify if Norway fails to beat Spain at home on Sunday. Spain can move to the top of the group if it wins in Oslo.

“One of the challenges here was to come and compete with a top European side, which Spain are. We did that,” Scotland coach Steve Clarke said. "If the result doesn’t go our way when Norway host Spain then we’re well equipped to take the point or points we need in the remaining two games next month. We are in that position because of the enormous work we’ve done in the group so far.”

Israel was supposed to host Switzerland in Group I on Thursday, but its match was postponed until November because of the war with Hamas. Israel’s game at Kosovo scheduled for Sunday was also postponed. Israel is now due to play three qualifiers in the one-week international break next month designed for just two games.

Álvaro Morata and Oihan Sancet scored for Spain, which extended its home winning streak in European qualifiers in a run that started after a 1-0 loss against Greece in 2003.

Morata broke the deadlock with a header from a cross by Jesús Navas in the 73rd minute and Sancet sealed the win from close range in the 86th at La Cartuja Stadium.

“We undestood exactly how Scotland play," Morata said. "They have tough, good footballers and we needed to ‘slow-cook’ the match. Eventually that worked and we got the three points.”

Scotland, which had no attempts in the first half, thought it had taken a 1-0 lead in the 60th when midfielder Scott McTominay scored with a superb free kick from a tight angle, but the goal was disallowed for an apparent offside by Jack Hendry.

Scotland played at Euro 2020 in what was its first appearance at the tournament since 1996.

There were nearly 4,000 very loud Scotland fans on hand among the crowd of more than 40,000 at La Cartuja. The Scots had complained after Spain midfielder Rodri called Scotland’s style of play “a bit rubbish” for wasting time and provoking opponents. His comments came after Scotland beat Spain 2-0 at home in March. Rodri said Thursday he didn't mean any disrespect toward Scotland's national team.

Spain's Bryan Zaragoza and Fran García made their national team debut by entering the match after halftime. Sancet also made his debut in the second half.

Spain was without Nico Williams because of a back issue. Lamine Yamal and Yeremi Pino had already been dropped from the squad because of injuries earlier in the week.

NORWAY STAYS IN CONTENTION

Haaland scored a pair of second half goals to end a three-game scoreless streak and lead Norway to victory at last-place Cyprus.

Alexander Sorloth had put the visitors ahead in the first half, and Fredrik Aursnes closed the scoring with a late goal.

OTHER GROUPS

Romania missed a chance to take the Group I lead after a 0-0 draw at Belarus, while Kosovo kept alive its chances with a 3-0 win at Andorra.

Albania stayed in front in Group E by beating the Czech Republic 3-0, while Poland moved to second place with a 2-0 win at the Faeroe Islands.

Turkey moved ahead of Croatia in Group D with a 1-0 win in Croatia. Latvia won 2-0 against third-place Armenia at home in the other group match.

RUSSIA IN ACTION

Russia defeated Cameroon 1-0 in its first men’s senior international game since the invasion of Ukraine against an opponent from outside Asia.

Russia had previously played three Central Asian nations, plus Iran, Iraq and Qatar. It has been banned from Euro 2024 qualifying because of the war in Ukraine.

Cameroon's soccer federation president Samuel Eto’o is under pressure while facing an investigating by the Confederation of African Football for alleged “improper conduct.”

Sweden defeated Moldova 3-1 in another friendly on Thursday.

The Israeli military prepared for a possible ground invasion in Gaza on Thursday as it pounded the tiny coastal strip in retaliation for the unprecedented weekend attack on Israel by the militant group Hamas.

In a deliberate show of support for Israel, a U.S. official confirmed that Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin plans to visit on Friday, a day after Secretary of State Antony Blinken was in Israel to meet with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Suffering in Gaza, meanwhile, rose dramatically with Palestinians desperate for food, fuel and medicine and the territory’s only power plant shut down for lack of fuel. The morgue at Gaza’s biggest hospital overflowed Thursday as bodies came in faster than relatives could claim them.

Israel said Thursday that a complete siege would remain in place until Hamas freed 150 hostages taken during its incursion. Egypt has engaged in intensive talks with Israel and the United States to allow the delivery of aid and fuel through its Rafah crossing point, which remained closed on both sides Thursday.

The war has claimed at least 2,800 lives on both sides, and displaced 423,000 people in Gaza.

Here's what's happening on Day 6 of the latest Israel-Hamas war:

JERUSALEM — Israel’s military on Friday ordered the evacuation of northern Gaza, a region that is home to 1.1 million people, within 24 hours, a United Nations spokesperson said.

The order, delivered to the U.N., comes as Israel presses an offensive against Hamas militants. U.N. spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric said the evacuation would be “impossible” without “devastating humanitarian consequences.”

This could signal an impending ground offensive, though the Israeli military has not yet confirmed such an appeal. On Thursday, it said that while it was preparing, a decision had not yet been made.

Israel’s military directed the evacuation on Friday of all of the hundreds of thousands of civilians living in Gaza City ahead of a feared Israel ground offensive. The directive came on the heels of what the United Nations said was a warning they received from Israel to evacuate 1.1 million people living in the north of Gaza within 24 hours.

The Israeli military order, which comes on the seventh day of a war declared by Israel following an unprecedented Hamas incursion and deadly attack, directs residents of Gaza City to flee deeper south into the Gaza Strip, a narrow coastal territory. Israel’s directive charged that Hamas militants were hiding in tunnels under the city.

“This is chaos, no one understands what to do,” said Inas Hamdan, an officer at the U.N. Palestinian refugee agency in Gaza City while she grabbed whatever she could throw into her bags as the panicked shouts of her relatives could be heard around her. She said all the U.N. staff in Gaza City and northern Gaza had been told to evacuate south to Rafah.

“This evacuation is for your own safety,” the Israeli military said, in a warning it said was sent to Gaza City civilians.

The flurry of directives could signal an impending ground offensive, though the Israeli military has not yet confirmed such an appeal. On Thursday it said that while it was preparing, no decision has been made.

Israel delivered an even broader evacuation order — giving almost half of tiny Gaza’s population 24 hours to flee to the territory’s south — to the U.N., spokesman Stephane Dujarric said. The Israeli military did not immediately confirm the broader evacuation order.

The broad order for all of Gaza's north also applies to all U.N. staff and to the hundreds of thousands who have taken shelter in U.N. schools and other facilities since Israel launched round-the-clock airstrikes Saturday.

“The United Nations considers it impossible for such a movement to take place without devastating humanitarian consequences,” Dujarric said.

“The United Nations strongly appeals for any such order, if confirmed, to be rescinded avoiding what could transform what is already a tragedy into a calamitous situation,” the spokesman said.

Another U.N. official said that the United Nation is trying to get clarity from Israeli officials at the senior most political level.

“It’s completely unprecedent,” the official said, speaking on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to speak publicly.

Panicked rumors of an evacuation had begun to spread in north Gaza in the early morning Friday.

A ground offensive in Gaza, which is ruled by Hamas and where the population is densely packed into a sliver of land only 40 kilometers (25 miles) long, would likely bring even higher casualties on both sides in brutal house-to-house fighting.

Hamas’ assault Saturday and smaller attacks since have killed more than 1,300 people in Israel, including 247 soldiers — a toll unseen in Israel for decades — and the ensuing Israeli bombardment has killed more than 1,530 people in Gaza, according to authorities on both sides. Israel says roughly 1,500 Hamas militants were killed inside Israel, and that hundreds of the dead in Gaza are Hamas members. Thousands have been wounded on both sides.

As Israel pounds Gaza from the air, Hamas militants have fired thousands of rockets into Israel. Amid concerns that the fighting could spread in the region, Syrian state media reported that Israeli airstrikes on Thursday put two Syrian international airports out of service.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed to “crush” Hamas after the militants stormed into the country’s south on Saturday and massacred hundreds of people, including killings of children in their homes and young people at a music festival.

Amid grief and demands for vengeance among the Israeli public, the government is under intense pressure to topple Hamas rather than continuing to try to bottle it up in Gaza.

The number of people forced from their homes by Israel’s airstrikes soared 25% in a day, reaching 423,000 out of a population of 2.3 million, the U.N. said Thursday.

On Thursday, the Israeli military pulverized the Gaza Strip with airstrikes, prepared for a possible ground invasion and said its complete siege of the territory — which has left Palestinians desperate for food, fuel and medicine — would remain in place until Hamas militants free some 150 hostages taken during their grisly weekend incursion.

A visit by Secretary of State Antony Blinken, along with shipments of U.S. weapons, offered a powerful green light to Israel to drive ahead with its retaliation in Gaza after Hamas’ deadly attack on civilians and soldiers, even as international aid groups warned of a worsening humanitarian crisis. Israel has halted deliveries of basic necessities and electricity to Gaza’s 2.3 million people and prevented entry of supplies from Egypt.

“Not a single electricity switch will be flipped on, not a single faucet will be turned on and not a single fuel truck will enter until the Israeli hostages are returned home,” Israeli Energy Minister Israel Katz said on social media.

Lt. Col. Richard Hecht, an Israeli military spokesman, told reporters Thursday that forces “are preparing for a ground maneuver” should political leaders order one.

Law enforcement authorities continued conducting traffic inspections on Maltese and Gozitan roads, the police said.

On Wednesday night, traffic inspections were conducted on the Marsa/Ħamrun by-pass, coordinated by the Police Force along with Transport Malta, Jobs Plus, and Detention Services, it said.

"On several occasions, a significant number of inspected vehicles were found to be in compliance with traffic regulations and met the appropriate standards. However, on Wednesday evening, around 90 vehicles were stopped, with some of them found in violation of regulations related to unregistered and unlicensed vehicles, as well as some with dangerous defects that posed a risk, of which seven vehicles were impounded." Alcohol breath tests were conducted on drivers suspected of driving under the influence, it said.

Three individuals were arrested in connection with irregular residence status in Malta. Another driver was arrested for attempting to flee from the inspections, lacking a driver's license and insurance coverage, while the vehicle's license was also unpaid, the police said.

The Standing Committee on Foreign and European Affairs in the Maltese Parliament has "expressed its grave concern about the escalation of tensions in Israel and Gaza following the terroristic attacks committed by Hamas."

The Committee "unequivocally and categorically condemns the coordinated terror attacks by Hamas which have led to the loss of innocent civilian life of so many, including children"

Such terroristic attacks are a blatant violation of international law, it said. "These acts of terror, together with the indiscriminate barrage of rockets into Israel are deplorable and completely unjustifiable."

"They must cease immediately."

The Committee said that it is "equally concerned about the well-being of civilians, including women and children, particularly Israeli civilians who were abducted by Hamas and taken into Gaza. We call on the immediate and unconditional safe release of all hostages."

"This Committee reiterates Israel's right to defend its territory and its people. This right should however be exercised within the remit of international law."

"We express our grave concern on the present situation on Gaza where indiscriminate attacks and actions are creating innocent victims caught in this conflict. We ask that Israel abide to the rules of International Law and demand the international community and all those with an influence in the conflict to mobilize all efforts towards the finding of a peaceful solution to this grave situation developing around us," it said.

During a committee meeting held on Thursday, Foreign Affairs Minister Ian Borg said of the situation that "the levels of violence are not the solution. We (the government) believe a political solution is needed."

He said that over the years, Malta always worked for there to be a political resolution for this conflict, a two state solution, based on frontiers of 1967.

The Maltese government, he said, remains of the understanding that this conflict can only be solved by having two states that can live together in peace.

Malta has an Ambassador in Tel Aviv and a representative in Ramallah, he had said. "The government was in contact with Maltese who were present." He mentioned that seven flew back to Malta. "The flights and airlines flying there have drastically reduced and there are few connections left due to what happened, and it seems that right now, there are no more Maltese who are ready to leave," he said, in reference to "Maltese who possibly could be there."

Minister for Education Clifton Grima has denied allegations by the PN that he misled Parliament in answers to parliamentary questions regarding the publication of an auditing report that should have taken place, and on which a decision on a five-year extension of the licence for the American University of Malta was determined in August 2022.

In a statement on Thursday, Grima "categorically condemned" what PN MPs Rebekah Borg, and Justin Schembri alleged, as well as their request for the Speaker to investigate Grima after the Standards Commissioner refused to do so.

The statement read that Grima emphasized that he has never misguided Parliament, contrary to what PN MPs are claiming.

"Minister Grima was correct and clear in his responses to parliamentary questions and provided the requested information," it read.

It read that the "baseless allegations" of PN MPs will continue to be exposed because they are intended solely to hinder the work being carried out in the Higher and Further Education sector.

"Among their allegations, the PN is trying to cast doubt on the audit report, not only when it was conducted but also its public availability. The false and defamatory allegations of the PN MPs are intentionally aimed against what is known to be right, as well as publicly known facts," the statement read.

It also said that the Minister "will not allow anyone to politicize and use false and partisan allegations for purely partisan purposes, the significant work that the Malta Further and Higher Education Authority (MFHEA) is doing."

The statement read that Grima maintains absolute confidence in the MFHEA and all the information provided by them.

Booking policies and procedures are critical for the successful transition to the new Malta airline, the Malta Hotels and Restaurants Association has said.

The Malta Hotels and Restaurants Association (MHRA) referred to the transition to the new airline replacing Air Malta, set to fly on 31^st March 2024, exactly 50 years less 1 day from the first flight of Air Malta on the 1^st April 1974.

MHRA reiterates that a national Airline is a clear must for Malta and this not only for the tourism industry, but also for manufacturing industry that exports by air, for the stretcher cases that need treatment abroad, and a myriad other sectors that are not catered for by the low cost airlines.  MHRA said it will continue to lobby government and other authorities for a successful launch of the new airline and to ensure as much of a seamless transition as possible.  

"In this regard, everyone without exception, is expected to contribute towards this success. It is therefore essential that with immediate effect, flights on the new airline are open as from the 31^st March and a booking system and policy is in place to cater for bookings. If there are any regulatory matters to be dealt with, MHRA expects those in charge to play their part efficiently and effectively in the shortest possible time. Managing this part of the transition will require not only the joint support and involvement of all stakeholders but equally important a proper communication channel with passengers and corporate clients. Malta and the new airline must avoid any possible misunderstandings or unnecessarily doubts."

MHRA emphasised that the success of the airline rests entirely on keeping costs down, particularly those associated with aircraft leasing, fuel, and human resources. "There is no room for any leeway on costs - every single cost item must be challenged for the new airline to stand a chance of surviving. Nothing must stand in the way of ensuring the viability of the new airline."

MHRA President Tony Zahra stated: "The emergence of the new national airline fosters optimism for an enhanced future within Malta's travel and tourism industry and ensures that Malta retains its ability to decide its own destiny. It is imperative for all stakeholders, government entities, regulators, and other partners to exert their utmost efforts in safeguarding this once only opportunity to instigate innovative and operate a new airline. Malta needs everyone to contribute positively towards this success."

The ŻiguŻajg - Arts for Children and Young People Festival 2023 is back for its 13th edition and will be held between the 10th and 19^th November 2023.

During a press conference, the Minister for the National Heritage, the Arts, and Local Government Owen Bonnici explained the festival's role in the cultural and artistic development of children.

“The power of the arts in allowing children and young people to communicate in a number of special ways through the art of dance, drama, and music is immeasurable. This underscores the transformative power of the arts in nurturing creativity and offering a space for young individuals to explore and develop their artistic talents,” stated Minister Bonnici.

Rupert Cefai, Chairman of Fondazzjoni Kreattività, stated “This festival has proven to be a remarkable source of entertainment, but more importantly, it is a source of inspiration for our future generations. ŻiguŻajg's significance lies in enriching the cultural and artistic experiences of its audience, particularly young individuals.”

Festival Director Marta Vella reaffirmed the festival's dedication to providing unforgettable experiences for young audiences and nurturing their passion for the arts. “Since its inception in 2011, we have witnessed the incredible impact of this festival on the lives of children, fostering their creativity and nurturing their love for the arts," concluded Ms Vella.

For more information, tickets, and updates, visit www.ziguzajg.org

From Sunday 15^th October, individuals and businesses caught depositing waste in the wrong waste bags will be liable to fines of up to €150, as the six-month educational period on the new mandatory waste separation regulations ends this week.

In the coming weeks, ERA officials and other enforcement officers will be continuing inspections across Malta and Gozo, to ensure that households and businesses are separating waste properly in the three waste bags specified by law – the white bag for organic waste, the grey or green bag for recyclable waste and the black bag strictly for other waste.

Enforcement officers are authorized by law to check bags taken out for collection by households and businesses, and to issue warnings and fines when waste items are found in the wrong bag:

From July 2024 transparent black bags will become mandatory instead of the current black bags for municipal waste collection, making it easier for enforcement officials to check the content of bags without opening them.

Meanwhile, separate fines of €150 continue to apply for persons taking out waste bags on the wrong day. In January, regional councils launched a new municipal waste collection schedule for all localities. Organic waste bags are collected on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, while black bags are collected on Tuesdays and Saturdays. Grey or green bags for recyclable materials are collected every Thursday. Glass is collected on the first and third Friday of the month.      

Mandatory waste separation regulations were introduced in Malta last April, as ERA launched a six-month educational campaign to help the public gradually adapt to this new waste management system.  During the last six months, ERA enforcement officers conducted more than 2600 inspections in different localities to ascertain compliance with national waste schedule and educate on waste separation. 

ERA encourages everyone to properly separate waste, to contribute to a more sustainable future and avoid the consequences of non-compliance. By properly separating waste, households, businesses, government entities and other organisations can help increase the sustainable management of waste, to be recycled or processed to generate clean energy, while reducing the negative impacts of landfilling on the environment. 

Through the Long-Term Waste Management Plan 2021-2030, Malta is working to reduce landfilling to 10% of total municipal waste by 2035.

For more information, visit wastecollection.mt, the online waste separation and collection guide available in ten different languages.

MEP David Casa has secured a European Parliamentary debate on the state of the rule of law in Malta, six years after the assassination of Daphne Caruana Galizia, a European People's Party statement said Thursday.

The legislature will debate the state of impunity on government corruption which continues to deepen the culture of impunity, identified by the independent public inquiry, as a direct cause of Daphne’s brutal assassination. After the debate, the European Parliament will also adopt a resolution and make specific recommendations in reaction to the scandals exposed by Maltese journalists in past weeks, the statement said.

“We have a Prime Minister who has failed to act to root out corruption and now openly admitted his failure when he said that corruption is the way things work in Malta,” Casa charged. “But this is not the way things should work in Malta. Certainly, not in my name,” he continued.

Casa recalled the recent revelations that were deliberately kept hidden by Prime Minister Robert Abela for two years until journalists finally exposed the story. It involved a concerted effort of fraud, forgery and corruption to award monthly disability benefits to people with no disabilities simply to buy their vote.

The same happened with the driving tests scandal, whereby licenses were given to those who would have otherwise failed their driving tests if they and their families were found to be sufficiently ardent Labour supporters.

The Msida Creek project plans proposed by Infrastructure Malta have been approved by the Planning Authority, Infrastructure Malta said in a statement Thursday.

The initial plans, first filed in 2019, had been changed following backlash and calls to rethink the project, and although changes were made some criticism of the project still remains.

The project, which had undergone a redesign, will involve the construction of a new flyover intended to replace the existing traffic light junction and will incorporate facilities for alternative modes of travel, including cycling and walking, the agency said.

"The project will also provide for a major upgrade and embellishment of the surrounding areas with new recreational zones."

Infrastructure Malta said it proposed that 60% of the Msida Creek Project be dedicated to open public spaces. "The new open spaces and recreational zones being created by this project will include a new 2,200 metres squared piazza in front of the Parish Church and a seawater channel, the latter also forming part of a plan to prevent flooding."

This 300-metre water channel will be surrounded with pathways in a landscaped area designated for relaxation in a serene environment, it said.

This project includes the redesign and reconstruction of the traffic lights junction connecting Triq il-Marina (to and from Sa Maison and Valletta), Triq il-Wied tal-Imsida and Triq Mikiel Anton Vassalli (to and from the Tal-Qroqq Skatepark roundabout) and the upgrading of a number of nearby junctions with other roads leading to and from Gżira, Sliema and Ta' Xbiex, it added.

"The plans of the road design will eliminate traffic light waiting times and reduce travel times and accident risks along this arterial route, whilst improving air quality in this part of Msida and other nearby residential and recreational areas."

The road corridor extending from the Sa Maison area of Msida to the Tal-Qroqq Skatepark roundabout is one of the country's principle network nodes, connecting Valletta and the Grand Harbour region with the northern and southern regions of the island. Infrastructure Malta said.

"Over 4,500 vehicles go through the Msida Creek traffic lights junction every hour to travel to and from Valletta and other nearby localities. The new 200-metre long bidirectional flyover will directly link Triq il-Marina with Triq Mikiel Anton Vassalli, to reduce the impact of this through traffic on the nearby recreational and residential areas and promenades of Msida. As part of this investment, Infrastructure Malta will also improve public transport connections along this route where the bus service is widely used," it said.

Wider pavements will also be built, along with a part of the new segregated cycling and walking track by the seafront, that eventually will connect Tal-Pietà with Ta' Xbiex and Triq il-Wied tal-Imsida, it said. "Pelican pedestrian crossings will be added for safe connections when travelling on foot or cyclists. A new solar-covered parking lot with 115 spaces will also be developed. The landscaped zone and public garden will cover a total area 5,500 metres squared."

The project plans include a comprehensive underground stormwater system to alleviate the area's flooding problem that has been dragging on for decades, Infrastructure Malta said. "Also, the Msida Creek Project tender is the first major road infrastructure project that includes a comprehensive 10-year operations and maintenance period on it."

"The upgrading of this important network node forms part of Infrastructure Malta's ongoing commitment to improve the quality, efficiency, safety and sustainability of Malta's land transport infrastructure, and to provide the necessary capacity to overcome existing challenges and meet future requirements."

In a seperate statement about the project, the Planning Authority said that a two-level public car park which can take up to 115 vehicles will be constructed adjacent to the bus interchange and connected with the public open spaces through footpaths and passageways away from main roads.  

A Maltese doctor who was reported missing in South Africa has been found safe and sound, a spokesperson for the Foreign Affairs Ministry confirmed with this newsroom.

Police in the Maitland precinct in the capital Cape Town had been seeking the assistance of the public to help them trace 29-year-old Stefano Corso who had last seen by his colleagues on 11 October 2023 at approximately 3.35pm, a note by the police on Facebook said.

“He is a visiting doctor from Malta who was attending a medical seminar in Paarden Island at the time of his disappearance,” the note said. Reports suggest that he stepped out of the conference to attend to a phone call, but had not returned. Video footage available to the South African Police Service shows him leaving the seminar.

But a spokesperson from the Foreign Affairs Ministry has now confirmed that he was found. No other details are as yet available.

Posting on Facebook, Stefano's brother, Roberto, expressed gratitude to the Maltese and South African institutions, "as well as the public in general for their assistance in my brother’s search and rescue mission. All the family is delighted to confirm that we have had visual confirmation that Stefano is indeed alive. We do not have more information about his disappearance at this stage. We look forward to having Stefano back home. Thank you again to each and every one of you."

The Office of the Commissioner for Animal Welfare has launched an extensive animal awareness campaign. The campaign comprises of a series of radio messages, in both the English and Maltese languages, broadcast across multiple radio stations. In addition, a digital display campaign further disseminates the same messages in a visual format across Google platforms and local websites.  

The selected communication channels have been strategically chosen to effectively reach a diverse audience - individuals of varying ages and backgrounds and extend beyond those who already possess a strong affinity for animals or champion their cause.

Collectively, the messages advocate for various aspects of responsible and compassionate treatment of animals, responsible pet ownership, the importance of reporting instances of cruelty and extending support to organisations dedicated to animal rescue. Furthermore, it highlights the importance of adhering to leash laws, adopting responsible clean-up practices, administering preventive care to pets, and ensuring the microchipping of dogs and cats.

Additionally, this campaign seeks to foster a culture of pet adoption from shelters, fostering a community where the greater good triumphs over personal preferences. " Such campaigns go beyond mere information; they play a vital role in our community. They serve as a poignant reminder of a fundamental truth: our shared responsibility is to coexist harmoniously with the creatures who share our world.

These initiatives are not just about educating; they're about instilling a sense of duty and compassion. They prompt us to recognise that we're not alone on this planet; we're part of a larger ecosystem, and it's our moral obligation to treat our fellow inhabitants with kindness and care." - Commissioner for Animal Welfare, Alison Bezzina.

A collision between a car and a motorbike left a rider grievously injured on Thursday morning, the police said.

The accident happened in Mosta Road, St Paul’s Bay, at 6.30am.

It involved a Toyota pick-up driven by a 48-year-old woman of St Paul’s Bay and a Kymco Agility bike.

The rider, a 50-year-old man from St Paul’s Bay, was taken to hospital with grievous injuries.

A full-time Parliament which assesses and scrutinizes government and an anti-corruption agency were among the 20 proposals put forth by NGO Repubblika, Occupy Justice Malta and Manuel Delia for "a clean Republic".

The groups addressed the media on Thursday.

Repubblika President Robert Aquilina and Delia spoke about the 20 proposals which manifest 20 reforms they said government must push on the national agenda, as the reality is that little discussions on a national level are being held to address current issues Malta is plagued with.

For the commemoration of the six years since journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia's murder, Aquilina said that the proposals focus on the system failures which facilitated her assassination, and which exist till today.

"The 20 proposals are ideas the country should consider as priorities to cure the country of the illness it currently suffers," Aquilina said.

He said that the organisations wish to dialogue with political parties on the proposals, to include them in their electoral programmes.

Manuel Delia, who is also a Repubblika executive official, explained the proposals which he described as "modelled on laws which exist, are normal in other countries, can be executed in a short amount of time, and are simple as we can model them from others."

The first proposal is to have a full-time Parliament which scrutinises government, and keeps government accountable, an issue which is a pending recommendation from GRECO and the Venice Commission reports, and which have not been touched upon in Malta, Delia said.

The proposal entails reforming Parliament in order to provide it with the tools and independence needed to be able to exercise vigilance over government and control its conduct.

The proposal also calls for a full-time Parliament so that even members of the party holding a majority in Parliament would not depend on government for their living, and truly represent their voters, not the government, a document containing the proposals read.

The second proposal calls for surveillance over members of Parliament - in the case of a breach of the code of ethics, to be conducted by someone outside of politics with competence and experience on ethical behaviour, "providing independence and transparent vigilance". The Westminster parliament model could be used, Delia suggested.

The third proposal calls for an agency to fight corruption, as the Permanent Commission against Corruption has been deemed ineffective, they said.

Delia said that in the 33 years this Commission has existed, not a single case led to a conviction, making it clear that this institution does not work.

"We need an agency with the power and initiatives to fight corruption, and also educate the community. There is a culture, which was brought in by bad example from the very top, that one can be part of the corruption or tolerate it because it suits them," Delia said.

The proposal calls for an agency with the resources to investigate and the power to start prosecutions, instead of the Commission. It calls for resources which are needed to educate the public about the rights and duties of every citizen to fight corruption.

The fourth proposal calls for true protection of whistleblowers, with Delia saying that there are large defects in the current whistleblower law, one of which is that the decision for protection of a whistleblower is in government's hands, despite instances where the whistleblower has the potential to uncover government misdeeds.

"The government should not have any control over whether a whistleblower should be protected from repercussions by Government itself," the organisations said.

The fifth proposal calls for full-time inquiring magistrates, to which Repubblika acknowledged that government took a step in the right direction in this regard, to have magistrates solely focusing on inquiries.

Delia said that what is important, however, is the resources, and the proposal also calls for a team of judicial police officers who have the power to gather proof, to help the magistrates.

The organisations insisted for a "truly serious quality of prosecution" in the country in their sixth proposal, with Delia saying that the Office of the Attorney General's success rate in prosecutions is "absurd," and "very low", and there is the need for investment towards resources, and training for the country to have the best lawyers in its prosecutor's office.

"The state should train and provide adequate pay to those who dedicate their lives to ensuring that justice is done with victims and society," it said.

The seventh proposal calls for a limit on the amounts contractors can provide to political parties for financing, and that financing of political parties should be better controlled by independent surveillance.

On this, Delia said that practically 99% of the financing of political parties is private financing, making the party a "slave of their interests." He said that the proposal does not call for banning of private financing, but for serious consequences for those who hide that they are breaking the law.

The proposal entails that most of the financing they receive should be paid for by the state according to objective criteria. Anyone trying to hide illicit donations should be imprisoned, it said.

The eighth proposal calls for public appointments to be made by fair competition, and those made by government for persons of trust should be limited and clearly defined. Any other appointments should be open to competition and choices should be made according to objective criteria of competence and experience, and not loyalty and closeness to a minister or a party, the organisations said.

The ninth proposal calls for a halt to the sale of Maltese citizenship.

"Citizenship is a right for the poor as much as it is for the rich and should not be a product that may be sold to millionaires," the organisations said.

The tenth proposal calls for an anti-mafia law, which was among the recommendations from the public inquiry into Caruana Galizia's death, where it showed that there is an infiltration of the mafia in politics, Delia said.

"Not only those who pull the trigger are guilty of a crime. Anyone who gets rich through their association with a mafia organisation forms part of the mafia and deserves to go to prison," the proposal says.

The organisation called for the need for a law against organised crime to catch whoever publicly hides their wealth while enjoying the wealth deriving from crime accomplished by others in his/her name.

The 11th proposal calls for the confiscation of unexplained wealth, and that if anyone enjoying this wealth cannot prove legitimate sources, they should be presumed to be benefitting from illicit wealth.

This wealth should be taken from the person following trial in court, even if the obtention of this wealth through criminal means is not yet proven, they propose.

The 12th proposal then calls for this wealth confiscated from criminals to be invested back into the community, for social initiatives that compensate from the damage done by the criminals.

The 13th proposal calls for real public broadcasting, "free from government." It entails regulating the public broadcasting by a law that ensures independence from government, they said.

"State broadcasting should have the best journalists and presenters/broadcasters who critically and assiduously exercise vigilance on the behaviour of the people in power and give voice to minorities and the marginalised," they said.

The 14th proposal calls for political parties and broadcasting to be separate from each other.

"Mixing political parties with the media that are supposed to keep vigilant over them erodes democracy and polarises public discourse. Political parties should have a voice, but they should not own television stations, radio channels or newspapers," the organisations said.

The 15th proposal calls for fair rules for government spending in the media, saying that today, government rewards media that favours it, and punishes media that investigates and criticises it.

The organisations said that public spending on advertising and subsidies given to the media should have nothing to do with how critical of, or favourable to, government the media is. Rules of transparency are needed to stop partisan discrimination, it said. Delia said that currently, these decisions are made by the Minister behind closed doors.

The 16th proposal calls for a serious law against SLAPP suits, so that people with money are not allowed to use the courts to silence those who reveal their wrongdoings, for protection from court cases intended to silence journalists and activists.

"It is alarming that after six years after Daphne Caruana Galizia's death, we are only now waiting for a bill which seriously addresses this," Delia said.

The organisations insisted for a cleanse of elections from corruption in their 17th proposal, and for proper enforcement of the law which has existed since the 1930s, and "is absolutely ignored by police and the Electoral Commission, which is also a product of the main political parties," Delia said, urging against the buying of votes.

The 18th proposal calls for the punishment of abuse of power, and whoever uses power to become rich or to reward their friends, whoever takes advantage or gives advantage to anyone who will return the favour by exploiting information acquired through their office, should be found guilty of crime.

They should also be removed from public office, the organisations said. This ties in with the 19th proposal, which also calls for the punishment of those who obstruct justice.

The proposal calls for whoever lies to the authorities enforcing the law, misleads them or gets rid of proof before it is brought before the investigators, whoever uses their power to create obstacles for investigators, knowingly wastes the investigators' time or limits their access to proof of crime, should be charged with criminal offences.

On this, Delia said that the current laws are defective as well, and that criminal codes adopted from other countries should help prosecutors.

The final proposal calls for autonomous Local Councils with real power to improve people's lives. Local democracy should be strengthened so that local councils may collect local taxes and act in the interests of their community, not of central government, they said.

Delia said that the country has seen a "reversal of power" for local councils, and said that having their competencies removed is another aspect which is eroding the country's democracy.

Asked by the media on having full-time MPs, the organisations said that today, the money being spent on a "ceremonial" Parliament is a waste, as there is no scrutiny on what government does.

Despite being an unpopular proposal, as it would entail increasing the pay of said MPs to a full-time basis, whose pay comes from citizens' taxes, the organisations said that if the country truly wants a democracy, it needs to pay for it to happen, otherwise it will always be in the hands of the rich.

The Nationalist Party has asked the Speaker of the House of Representatives to investigate Education Minister Clifton Grima after the Standards Commissioner refused to do so.

The PN is requesting an investigation into the content of replies the minister gave to parliamentary questiins.

The PN is alleging that the minister misled the House in his answers regarding the publication of an auditing report that should have taken place and on which a decision on a five-year extension of the licence for the American University of Malta was determined in August 2022.

In his reply, the minister referred to a report based on an institutional audit that took place in October 2020, which he said was available on the internet. This report was already the basis on which a decision had been taken, in 2021, that the licence is extended by just one year because, according to this audit, the AUM had failed.

The PN said that the Speaker should carry out his duties in search of the truth. MPs have the right to receive truthful answers to PQs they submit.

In a ruling given in August, The Standards Commissioner said that replies to parliamentary questions that are considered to be misleading should be investigated by the Speaker, not by him.

Former Formula One boss Bernie Ecclestone admitted fraud at a court hearing Thursday after prosecutors charged him with failing to declare millions of dollars held in a trust in Singapore to Britain’s government.

The 92-year-old billionaire, who wore a dark suit, said “I plead guilty” at Southwark Crown Court in central London.

Ecclestone headed Formula One racing and controlled the sport for for four decades from the 1970s to 2017, when he stepped down as chief executive and Liberty Media took over the series.

Prosecutors allege he failed to declare a trust in Singapore with a bank account containing around $650 million when he was asked about any trusts abroad that he was involved in.

They say that Ecclestone claimed he had set up “only a single trust” in favor of his three daughters, and that he was “not the settler nor beneficiary of any trust in or outside the U.K.” Prosecutors say he acted “dishonestly” and intended to make a gain from the claims.

“He now accepts that some tax is due in relation to these matters," prosecutor Richard Wright said.

Ecclestone had pleaded not guilty to the charges earlier this year.

The latest developments in the Middle East, a part of the world that has been in the limelight for decades, are a matter of serious concern.

Hundreds have already died in an escalation of events that started last Saturday when Hamas launched a terror attack on Israel killing hundreds of civilians. The conflict continued in the following days as Israel retaliated with devastating bombardments and Hamas launched rockets. The war has already left too many victims – Palestinians and Israelis alike, and too much destruction.

And, from what is being said and reported, it is unlikely that the situation will calm down anytime soon. The sensation is that matters will become worse before they can get better. While the world is used to seeing the Middle East in the news, what has happened in the past days is unprecedented, and it will have a lasting effect for years to come.

The events have affected many other countries too. Among the dead are people of different nationalities who happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time, and this has meant that other nations have been directly involved in the issue. Many other foreigners who were in the zone where the conflict broke have had to be hastily repatriated. The experience they spoke about with the media exposed how volatile and dangerous the situation is, and how lucky they were to leave unscathed. Civilians have also been taken as hostages.

The world is in a difficult situation. The war in the Ukraine after Russia’s invasion still lingers on, with all its effect on trade and commerce. Thousands have died here too, and many more thousands have been displaced as they moved away in search of a more peaceful setting. Inevitably, this has exacerbated the migration issue even further, as neighbouring countries have had to contend with the thousands of people crossing the borders into safer land.

In the meantime, hundreds more migrants continue to flock into Europe from North Africa, risking their lives on rickety boats in an attempt to seek greener pastures. Southern European states, as well as North African states, are busy dealing with this influx, as they have been doing for the past 25-30 years. With all that is now happening in the Middle East, it is likely that the surge of people who want to move towards Europe increases.

All this is happening as the world attempts to recover from more than two years of a global pandemic, which in itself has had a negative effect on people’s lives not only from a medical point of view, but also in terms of the economy, as inflation has hit hard and is still hitting hard. Again, the situation in the Middle East will only help to make matters worse.

There are countries that are openly supporting Israel and others who are backing the Palestinians. Unfortunately, very few seem to be talking about peace in the region. We are sure that, behind the scenes, there are efforts to bring the two sides to some kind of negotiating table in the hope that some solution can be found. Whether this is possible, at present, is very much in doubt.

The  Malta Chamber of Commerce, Enterprise and Industry is asking the government for a six-month advance notice before the government reduces or removes the subsidies on energy, CEO Marthese Portelli said. She said that there is a lack of awareness about the true cost of the energy crisis and climate change, which is impacting consumer behaviour.

The prices of electricity and fuel have been kept stable over the past years, and in particular since the start of the war in Ukraine, as the government aimed to keep inflation as low as possible. The rising cost of products and services in the past two years has raised inflation up to unprecedented levels, with the government’s argument being that if the price of energy goes up too, then inflation would sky-rocket even higher. But this subsidisation, one day, has to stop, and the European Commission is already pushing the government to take this decision.

In a wide-ranging interview with this media house, parts of which were published on Sunday and Monday, Portelli was asked about the impact of gradually removing energy subsidies. The interview dealt with various aspects regarding the chamber’s proposals before the government presents its budget for 2024. The chamber has presented 250 proposals for the government’s consideration. “Real-time data on consumption patterns, tariff bands, and real-time cost, supplemented by data analytics, can help service users control their energy use and reduce consumption,” Portelli said.

“Businesses and people are not aware of the real price of energy, since it is being heavily subsidized. The reality is that we cannot keep depending on blanket subsidies for everyone forever.  Such subsidies promote inefficient energy consumption at unrealistically low prices and hinder the allocation of financial assistance to those struggling to afford necessities. In our pre-budget proposals, we are insisting that subsidies need to be directed to businesses that are economically viable and that are investing in energy efficient solutions, particularly given that as a country we need to attain the green targets that we have committed to,” she said.

She explained that the chamber believes that the distribution network should be made accessible to other operators after 2027, as there is the possibility of alternative energy sources. Without such liberalization, private companies could have wind turbines or solar farms but are unable to use the energy they generate except for feeding the national grid at a predetermined price.

She said that the country needs a substantially large investment in the distribution network to ensure reliable energy supply and operational efficiency, particularly to adequately support the country’s transition towards greener energy and mobility targets. “Key upgrades need to be completed by summer 2024. A modernized grid will enhance energy efficiency and have lower maintenance costs. It should also prevent blackouts, thereby supporting commercial operations and improving competitiveness,” Portelli said.

“We also have a number of proposals which will help to accelerate faster towards the green transition. These benefit both businesses and domestic households,” Portelli said.

One of them, which is already being implemented in some other Member States, is zero taxation on the installation and procurement of photovoltaic panels. Another proposal incentivizes consumers to replace appliances that are inefficient by getting a reduced VAT on these purchases in a tiered approach where the highest energy rating receives the highest VAT reduction.

“We need to stop depending on government subsidies for everything. Everyone needs to do their part to try and be sustainable. Ultimately the subsidy the government is forking out is coming from taxes collected from businesses and people and it would make more sense to invest that money in systems that help better our quality of life,” Portelli said.

One subject that always attracts attention when the budget is presented is the Cost of Living Adjustment, by which salaries are raised depending on the inflation registered in the previous year. For 2023, the weekly increase was €9.90 per week, and given that inflation was again high this year, the wage increase for 2024 is likely to be around €13 per week.

When, last year, it became clear that the COLA would have been the highest ever, there was talk of a possible revision of the mechanism which establishes the salary adjustment. But a year has passed and we are nowhere near such a revision.

The chamber said that with the current COLA mechanism, it is very likely that inflation will remain high (significantly above the 2% target), making Malta’s exports including manufactured goods, tourism and financial services less competitive. Lower economic growth and higher wage costs would continue squeezing business margins. The chamber also highlighted that employees ending paying more tax and moving into higher tax bands because of inflation and the resulting wage rises.

With respect to the forthcoming COLA, Portelli said that the chamber is insisting that the COLA increase should not be taxed. The COLA is a means of compensation for inflation experienced, and this is why it should not be taxed. We are also saying that any planned tax refunds by cheque should be incorporated into the revised tax bands to eliminate the administrative burden of the issue of these cheques and to improve the monthly take-home-pay of employees. ”

Government should be looking at ways to improve the purchasing power of lower income groups while minimising increases in labour costs to slow down the wage-inflation spiral.

Portelli said that another sore point for the local domestic business community is corporate taxation. It is set at 35% and is one of the highest in Europe. However, there is bias which favours foreign companies. This creates an uneven playing field and leads to a competitive disadvantage for domestic businesses burdening the latter higher tax rates which ultimately impacts their profitability and ability to invest and grow. The chamber is proposing a revised tax structure which is conducive to a shift in our economic model to more value-added, by offering lower tax rates or targeted tax incentives for high-potential companies (both foreign and local companies) in specific sectors.

“The most important issues that need to be addressed are the areas which will ensure that we remain competitive and that help us to better our productivity,” Portelli said.

She said that the country’s heritage, culture and identity needs to be protected as these are crucial for the tourism industry to thrive.

“Our pre-budget document is not a simple wish-list. We have put a lot of thought in it to ensure that our proposals set out the direction that the country needs to take.” She explained that The Malta Chamber’s pre-budget proposals offer the framework needed in order to move away from the current economic model based to a well-being economy which is based on value added.  

Some of the chamber’s proposals have been proposed before, and Portelli was asked if government truly listens to constituted bodies when they come up with their suggestions.

“The chamber believes in constant dialogue and we hold regular meetings both with Government and the Opposition as well as with authorities, agencies and departments, to discuss challenges, and explain the rationale behind our proposals, on behalf of the business community as a whole,” Portelli said. She said that admittedly, there are some entities and ministries that engage with The chamber more than others.  

“We would like all members of parliament and all policy makers to look at our pre-budget proposals and take them up. All of them are doable and will help to bring out the much required change in direction,” Portelli said. She closed off by saying that for a government to be successful, it needs to listen to the genuine business community and the genuine public, insisting on the words 'genuine' and people who work in an ethical way.

The Israeli government is under intense public pressure to topple Hamas after its militants stormed through a border fence Saturday and killed hundreds of Israelis in their homes, on the streets and at an outdoor music festival.

In the Gaza Strip, meanwhile, residents are facing ever-growing uncertainty after the territory's only power plant ran out of fuel and shut down Wednesday. Without power, communication is limited and information is scarce.

Egypt has engaged in intensive talks with Israel and the United States to allow the delivery of aid and fuel through its Rafah crossing point, which remained closed on both sides Thursday. However, Egypt pushed back against proposals to establish corridors out of Gaza, saying an an exodus of Palestinians from the enclave would have grave consequences on the Palestinian cause.

The war, which has claimed more than 2,500 lives on both sides, is expected to escalate.

Here's what's happening on Day 6 of the latest Israel-Palestinian war:

MEDIA REPORTS: ISRAELI AIRSTRIKES ON AIRPORTS IN SYRIA

DAMASCUS, Syria — Syria’s pro-government media reports that Israeli airstrikes have targeted the airports of the capital city Damascus and the northern city of Aleppo, damaging their runways.

Al-Watan Daily and Dama Post did not give further details other than both airports are out of service.

They were the first Israeli strikes on Syria since the militant Palestinian group Hamas carried out its deadly attacks in southern Israel.

Earlier this year, the airports of Damascus and Aleppo were hit several times.

NETANYAHU PRAISES BLINKEN'S VISIT TO ISRAEL

TEL AVIV, Israel — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken addressed journalists on Thursday in Tel Aviv.

Netanyahu praised Blinken’s visit as a “tangible example of America’s unequivocable support of Israel.”

“President Biden was absolutely correct in calling this ‘sheer evil,’” Netanyahu said, referring to Hamas' unprecedented attack Saturday on Israel.

They shook hands after Netanyahu’s remarks.

Blinken said that he came before journalists “not just as secretary of state, but also a Jew” while recounting his own family’s history of surviving the Holocaust.

“So prime minister, I understand on a personal level, the harrowing echoes that Hamas’ massacres carry for Israeli Jews, as well as Jews everywhere,” Blinken said.

ISLAMIC GROUP CONDEMNS ISRAEL'S AIRSTRIKES IN GAZA

JERUSALEM — The 57-nation Organization of Islamic Cooperation on Thursday strongly condemned what it called the “ongoing Israeli military aggression against the Palestinian people in the Gaza Strip.”

“The OIC considers this brutal aggression against the Palestinian people a blatant international and humanitarian law violation and a war crime,” it said in a statement. It cited the killing and wounding of women and children, the destruction of civilian buildings and other locations.

The OIC said it held Israel “fully responsible” for the “repercussions of the continuation of this sinful aggression."

The OIC, based in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, broadly aligns itself with the thinking of Saudi Arabia’s rulers. That suggests the ongoing war likely will affect the ongoing efforts by the United States to broker a deal that could see Saudi Arabia diplomatically recognize Israel.

ISRAELI AIRSTRIKES HAVE BLOCKED THE OPERATION OF THE RAFAH CROSSING, EGYPT SAYS

CAIRO — Egypt’s Foreign Ministry denied Thursday it had officially closed the Rafah crossing and said Israeli airstrikes have prevented it from operating.

In the statement, the ministry called on all countries and international organizations wishing to provide humanitarian aid to deliver supplies to el-Arish International Airport, in Egypt’s northern Sinai. Hamas’ border authorities said Tuesday that an Israel airstrike hit the no-man’s land between Gaza and Egypt, blocking the road with a large crater.

ICRC SAYS IT'S IN TOUCH WITH HAMAS, ISRAELI AUTHORITIES ABOUT ISRAELI HOSTAGES

The International Committee of the Red Cross on Thursday said it was in touch with Hamas and Israeli authorities as part of efforts to secure the release of Israeli hostages who are believed to be held in the Gaza Strip.

“As a neutral intermediary we stand ready to conduct humanitarian visits, facilitate communication between hostages and family members and to facilitate any eventual release,” said Fabrizio Carboni, the group’s Middle East regional director.

The Mideast emirate of Qatar, a frequent mediator between Israel and Hamas, has also confirmed its involvement in the negotiations.

Carboni appealed to Israel to allow badly needed humanitarian assistance into Gaza as Palestinians face staggering supply shortages following Israel’s decision to impose a siege on the crowded territory.

CZECH GOVERNMENT TO ALLOW ISRAELIS TO RETURN HOME ON CZECH PLANES

PRAGUE — The Czech Foreign Ministry said it has agreed with a request from Israel to allow Israeli citizens to fly home on Czech government planes evacuating Czech citizens from Israel. The ministry said the Israeli nationals need to return home for humanitarian and family reasons, or to join the military following the attacks by Hamas.

An unspecified number of Israel’s citizens were aboard a Czech plane that took off from Prague on Thursday. Another such plane is scheduled to fly to Israel later in the day.

INTERNATIONAL RED CROSS WORKING TO MOBILIZE SUPPLIES, STAFF ALREADY IN GAZA

CAIRO — Fabrizio Carboni, the International Committee of the Red Cross's regional director, said the aid group's first aim is to mobilize the medical supplies, fuel and staff already within Gaza — particularly those that could support medical facilities.

Speaking to journalists at an online presser, he said that aid delivery through the Rafah crossing requires both a political agreement and also a security deal so that needed supplies can safely reach affected areas.

“I fear that what’s coming next is going to be at least as challenging as what we’re seeing now.” Carboni said.

SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORM X REMOVES HUNDREDS OF HAMAS-LINKED ACCOUNTS

LONDON — The head of Elon Musk’s social media platform X says it has removed hundreds of Hamas-linked accounts and taken down or labeled thousands of pieces of content since the militant group’s attack on Israel.

CEO Linda Yaccarino on Thursday outlined efforts by X, formerly known as Twitter, to get a handle on illegal content flourishing on the platform following a warning from a top European Union official, who requested information on how X is complying during the Israel-Hamas war with tough new EU digital rules aimed at cleaning up social media platforms.

The new Digital Services Act mandates social media companies step up policing of their platforms for illegal content, under threat of hefty fines.

2 PALESTINIANS ARE GUNNED DOWN AT A FUNERAL IN THE OCCUPIED WEST BANK

ISRAEL — The Palestinian Health Ministry reported Thursday that two Palestinians were killed in the occupied West Bank when Israeli settlers sprayed bullets at a funeral for three Palestinians who had been killed in a settler rampage the day before. Footage showed Jewish settlers in their cars swerving into the funeral procession and cutting off the road to the village of Qusra, south of Nablus, before stopping and opening fire.

Health authorities identified the two men killed as a father and son: 62-year-old Ibrahim al-Wadi, a local official in the secular nationalist Fatah party; and 25-year-old Ahmed al-Wadi, an off-duty Palestinian security officer.

Residents near the northern West Bank city of Nablus and north of Ramallah reported that armed settlers have rampaged through villages and hurled stones at passing Palestinian cars after the unprecedented Hamas militant attack on Israel on Saturday.

220 EVACUEES ARRIVE IN MADRID FROM TEL AVIV

MADRID — Spain’s foreign ministry says a plane evacuating 220 people from Tel Aviv landed in Madrid late Wednesday, bringing to 429 the number of people flown out of the city on Spanish flights in two days.

The Wednesday flight included 149 Spaniards, 15 people from other European Union countries, 36 from Latin America and 20 from other countries, a foreign ministry statement said.

The previous day’s flight brought out 209 people, 185 of them Spaniards.

FRANCE MAKES 24 ARRESTS FOR ANTISEMITIC ACTS SINCE HAMAS ATTACKED ISRAEL

PARIS — France’s interior minister is reporting 24 arrests for antisemitic acts in the country since Hamas attacked Israel and says that online hate is surging.

“Since the end of the day Saturday, since the terrorist massacres in Israel, there have been more than 100 antisemitic acts, essentially graffiti — swastikas, ‘death to Jews,’ calls for an intifada against Israel,” said the minister, Gerald Darmanin. Speaking Thursday on France Inter radio, he said there have also been people caught with knives near Jewish schools and synagogues and a drone equipped with a camera that was spotted flying over a Jewish cultural center. Because of stepped-up police security around Jewish sites, “we were able to detain a large proportion of these people" with 24 arrests, he said.

Online, “hatred is surging,” he added, with more than 2,000 cases of antisemitic speech reported to a French online watchdog force, he said.

ISRAEL IS TRYING TO IDENTIFY THOSE MISSING SINCE SATURDAY'S ATTACK

JERUSALEM — The Israeli official overseeing the effort to return hostages taken by Hamas says the government is still trying to identify all of those missing or taken captive in Saturday’s attack.

In a statement, Gal Hirsch said his office is working “to formulate an assessment of the situation” and to assist the families of the captives and missing. “The searches in the field are continuing and the difficult work of identifying the bodies continues,” said Hirsch, a former general who was appointed after the incursion by Hamas on Saturday.

Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari, the chief military spokesperson, said Thursday that the army has notified the families of 97 Israelis believed to be in Hamas captivity.

CAIRO — The Egyptian government has rejected any proposal to establish corridors out of Gaza for Palestinians fleeing Israel’s bombardment in Gaza, a senior Egyptian official said early Thursday.

The official said they were talking with Israel and the United States about establishing safe corridors inside Gaza and the allowance of humanitarian aid to besieged Palestinians.

The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to brief media, was responding to White House National Security spokesperson John Kirby, who said that the Biden administration is in active conversations to achieve safe passage out of Gaza for civilians.

Egypt's state-run media reported that Israel's offensive is part of a scheme to empty the enclave.

Palestinians in Gaza lined up outside bakeries on Thursday after spending the night in pitch darkness surrounded by the ruins of pulverized neighborhoods, as Israel launched new airstrikes and said it was preparing for a possible ground invasion.

International aid groups warned that deaths in Gaza could accelerate as Israel prevents delivery of supplies. The war, which was ignited by a bloody and wide-ranging Hamas attack into Israel, has already claimed at least 2,400 lives on both sides.

Lt. Col. Richard Hecht, an Israeli military spokesman, told reporters Thursday that forces “are preparing for a ground maneuver if decided," but that the political leadership has not yet ordered one. A ground offensive in Gaza, the first since the 2014 war, would likely bring even higher casualties on both sides in brutal house-to-house fighting.

In Gaza, Palestinians fleeing airstrikes can be seen running through the streets, carrying their belongings and looking for a safe place. Hundreds of thousands have crowded into U.N.-run schools while others are staying with relatives or even strangers who let them in.

Lines form outside bakeries and grocery stores during the few hours they dare to open, and the bakeries could soon shut down for lack of fuel or power.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed to “crush and destroy” Hamas with the support of a new war cabinet formed Wednesday that includes a longtime opposition critic. “Every Hamas member is a dead man,” Netanyahu said in a televised address.

The U.S. has pledged unwavering support for Israel's response, and Secretary of State Antony Blinken arrived in Tel Aviv on Thursday to meet with Netanyahu and other Israeli leaders.

The Israeli military said overnight strikes targeted Hamas' elite Nukhba forces, including command centers used by the fighters who attacked Israel on Saturday, and the home of a senior Hamas naval operative that it said was used to store unspecified weapons.

Another airstrike killed a commander with the Islamic Jihad armed group in his family home in the northern town of Beit Lahia, according to media linked to the group's armed wing.

“Right now we are focused on taking out their senior leadership,” Hecht, the military spokesman, said. "Not only the military leadership, but also the governmental leadership, all the way up to (top Hamas leader Yehiyeh) Sinwar. They were directly connected."

The Hamas-run Interior Ministry said Israeli strikes demolished two multi-story houses on top of residents without warning, killing and wounding “a large number” of people, mainly civilians. Hamas has threatened to kill Israeli hostages if Israel strikes Palestinian civilians without warning.

Israel has halted the entry of food, water, fuel and medicine into the territory. On Tuesday, Gaza’s only power station ran out of fuel and shut down, leaving only lights powered by scattered private generators. Those will shut off as well if fuel is not allowed in.

A senior official with the the International Committee of the Red Cross warned that lack of electricity could cripple hospitals, as he called for Hamas to release hostages.

“As Gaza loses power, hospitals lose power, putting newborns in incubators and elderly patients on oxygen at risk. Kidney dialysis stops, and X-rays can’t be taken," said Fabrizio Carboni, ICRC’s regional director. “Without electricity, hospitals risk turning into morgues.”

In Israel, opposition leader Benny Gantz, a former defense minister and political opponent of Netanyahu, joined a new wartime cabinet. Israel has mobilized 360,000 reservists, massed additional forces near Gaza and evacuated tens of thousands of residents from nearby communities.

The Israeli government is under intense public pressure to topple Hamas after its militants stormed through a border fence Saturday and massacred hundreds of Israelis in their homes, on the streets and at an outdoor music festival.

Netanyahu alleged that the attackers engaged in atrocities, including binding boys and girls and shooting them in the head, burning people alive, raping women and beheading soldiers.

The prime minister’s allegations could not be independently confirmed, and authorities did not immediately offer further details. Rescue workers and witnesses have described horrifying scenes, including the slaughter of elderly people and finding bloody rooms crowded with massacred civilians.

Militants in Gaza are holding an estimated 150 people taken hostage from Israel — soldiers, men, women, children and older adults — and they have fired thousands of rockets into Israel over the past five days.

Israel’s increasingly destructive airstrikes in Gaza have flattened entire city blocks and left unknown numbers of bodies beneath debris. A ground offensive in Gaza, whose 2.3 million residents are densely packed into a strip of land only 40 kilometers (25 miles) long, would likely result in a surge of casualties on both sides.

The UN said late Wednesday the number of people displaced by the airstrikes had soared 30 percent within 24 hours, to 339,000, two-thirds of them crowding into U.N. schools. Others sought shelter in the shrinking number of safe neighborhoods.

The Egyptian government rejected an American proposal to allow Palestinians fleeing Israel’s bombardment to leave Gaza, a senior Egyptian official said early Thursday, speaking on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to talk to the press. Egypt believes that Palestinians leaving Gaza would harm the Palestinian cause, and its state-run media reported that the Israeli offensive is part of a scheme to empty the enclave.

Convoys stood loaded with fuel and food Wednesday on the Egyptian side of the Rafah crossing, but were unable to enter Gaza, the official said. The only crossing point between Egypt and Gaza was shut down Tuesday following nearby Israeli airstrikes.

The official said Egypt was talking with Israel and the U.S. on establishing safe corridors inside Gaza and delivering humanitarian aid to the besieged Palestinians, and with Israel and other foreign governments to evacuate foreigners through the Rafah crossing point.

The risk of the war spreading was evident Wednesday after the Iranian-backed Lebanese militant group Hezbollah fired anti-tank missiles at an Israeli military position and claimed to have killed and wounded troops.

The Israeli military confirmed the attack but did not comment on possible casualties. The Israeli army shelled the area in southern Lebanon where the attack was launched.

The death toll in Gaza rose to 1,200 early Thursday, the Palestinian health ministry said.

The Gaza Strip’s biggest hospital, Al-Shifa, has only enough fuel to keep power on for three days, said Matthias Kannes, a Gaza-based official for Doctors Without Borders. The group said the two hospitals it runs in Gaza were running out of surgical equipment, antibiotics, fuel and other supplies.

Ghassan Abu Sitta, a reconstructive surgeon at al-Shifa, said he had 50 patients waiting to go to the operating room.

“We’re already beyond the capacity of the system to cope,” he said. The health system “has the rest of the week before it collapses, not just because of the diesel. All supplies are running short.”

The Palestinian Red Crescent said other hospitals’ generators will run out in five days. Residential buildings, unable to store as much diesel, likely will go dark sooner.

Shock, grief and demands for vengeance against Hamas are running high in Israel.

In the West Bank, Israeli settlers attacked a village south of Nablus, opening fire on Palestinians and killing three, the territory's health ministry said. More than two dozen Palestinians have died in fighting in the West Bank since the weekend.

In a new tactic, Israel is warning civilians to evacuate whole Gaza neighborhoods, rather than just individual buildings, then leveling large swaths in waves of airstrikes.

Israel’s tone has changed as well. In past conflicts, its military insisted on the precision of strikes in Gaza, trying to ward off criticism over civilian deaths. This time, military briefings emphasize the destruction being wreaked.

Even with the evacuation warnings, Palestinians say some are unable to escape or have nowhere to go, and that entire families have been crushed under rubble.

Other times, strikes come with no notice, survivors say.

“There was no warning or anything,” said Hashem Abu Manea, 58, who lost his 15-year-old daughter, Joanna, when a strike late Tuesday leveled his home in Gaza City.

The Israeli military said more than 1,200 people, including 189 soldiers, have been killed in Israel, a staggering toll unseen since the 1973 war with Egypt and Syria that lasted weeks.

Israel says roughly 1,500 Hamas militants were killed inside Israel, and that hundreds of the dead inside Gaza are Hamas members.

September was the third consecutive month during which Malta International Airport saw more than 800,000 passengers, the MIA said in a statement. Traffic for September totalled 812,176 passenger movements, translating into an increase of 6.5 per cent over 2019 figures.

This growth was registered on the back of an increase of 3.0 per cent in seat capacity compared to 2019. Despite this increase, at 89.2 per cent, the monthly seat load factor (SLF) remained high, indicating that travel demand did not wane.

 There were no surprises in the top five markets, with Italy remaining at the top, followed by the United Kingdom, Germany, France and Spain. Cumulatively, the top five markets accounted for 66 per cent of September’s total traffic.

While Italy (+48.7 per cent) and France (+46.4 per cent) registered significant growth over 2019, the United Kingdom (-19.1 per cent) and Germany (-23.8 per cent) fared worse than they had in 2019, and Spain registered a minimal drop of 0.1%.

WINTER (NOVEMBER 23 - MARCH 24) FLIGHT SCHEDULE

October is the last summer month for the aviation industry, and Malta International Airport has just published its new flight schedule for the upcoming winter season here. The schedule features direct flights to 30 different markets, and several already-popular routes, including Vienna, Marseille, Edinburgh, Warsaw and Zagreb, will benefit from increased flight frequencies.

Air Malta has engaged a consultancy firm based in Abu Dhabi, paying them €200,000 per month, as the government transitions from closing down the airline, and launching a new national airline in its stead.

Finance Minister Clyde Caruana tabled the contract with Knighthood Global in Parliament on Wednesday, in reply to a parliamentary question made by PN MP Paula Mifsud Bonnici, where she asked about the services the company is giving to Air Malta.

Caruana said that Knighthood Global is a global consultancy firm specialised in aviation, and that it was engaged on a temporary contract to provide financial and strategic advice.

The company is assisting the airline’s management in the implementation of the new business plan of the new airline and was also providing a person with experience in the aviation sector in a temporary role.

The contract was signed in June 2022 by Knighthood Global executive chairman James Hogan and Air Malta chairman David Curmi. It was extended in January and signed by Knighthood’s CEO James Rigney. It expires at the end of 2023.

Knighthood Global has been tasked with, according to the tabled contract, ensuring economic discontinuity between the old and new airline, supporting discussions with the European Commission, help with the formulation of a five-year business plan, supporting the development of a network and fleet plan, review the funding required by the new airline, developing a communications strategy, changing work practices to bring them in line with industry standards and configuring a finance accounting system.

The news comes after government decided to shut down Air Malta in favour of a new national airline, after the company had been losing millions for decades. Discussions with the European Commission resulted with a refusal to accept a government request for fresh state aid for the carrier.

President of Malta George Vella left Malta for a visit to Australia on Wednesday afternoon. 

The main objective of this visit will be meeting with the Maltese communities in Melbourne, Adelaide, Canberra and Sydney.

President Vella will also have a series of official meetings, among others, with the Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia David Hurley, with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, with the Leader of the Opposition Peter Dutton, as well as with the Governors of the states he will be visiting.

The delegation of the President of Malta in Australia includes the Minister for Public Works and Planning, Stefan Zrinzo Azzopardi.

For the duration of President Vella’s engagements in Australia, Professor Frank Bezzina will serve as Acting President.

The President will return to Malta on Monday 23rd October 2023.

The lawyer representing the heirs of murdered journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia emphasised the gulf in resources between the slain journalist and the State funded Egrant inquiry.

Lawyer Therese Comodini Cachia made submissions this morning in the human rights case filed by the family, who are arguing they cannot prepare a defence against an ongoing libel case filed by former prime minister Joseph Muscat against the slain journalist, because only she knew the names of her sources.

Comodini Cachia told Madam Justice Miriam Hayman that Caruana Galizia had multiple sources for her Egrant story, because she followed the rules of responsible journalism.

“In this case Muscat is resting on evidence that was gathered in a million-euro investigation and which the defendant, not having a million euro to spend, relied on the rules of responsible journalism. This causes prejudice to the defendants,” the lawyer said.

Comodini Cachia stressed that Caruana Galizia’s assessment of the evidence that she had access to could not be compared to that gathered in the lengthy magisterial inquiry, which cost millions and utilised resources that were not available to the journalist.

“If the source reveals herself, that is the source’s decision, but responsible journalism does not rely on a single source,” Comodini Cachia argued.

One of the lawyers representing the State Advocate dictated a note to the court, arguing the untimeliness of the constitutional case and the plaintiffs’ failure to exhaust ordinary legal remedies before filing the constitutional case.

Lawyers Pawlu Lia and Charlon Gouder, appearing for the Muscats, seconded the State Advocate's submissions and asked that the court give a decision as to whether a deceased person can be a party to judicial proceedings, and not the heirs.

“This is a case per excellence where the other party is admitting that they have an ordinary remedy,” Lia said.

The judge asked what they considered to be the ordinary remedy that should have been exhausted.

“There is already an ongoing case today,” Lia said. “The present plaintiffs were not the original plaintiffs, but joined at a later stage and are insisting on certain pleas. They intended to summons a particular witness, but for some reason could not, after that the applicant and his son testified...”

“What is the remedy?” repeated the judge.

“They are saying there was no fair hearing,” Lia replied. “We are before a constitutional court, that is presumably impartial. What is the point of the constitutional case? The other case is still ongoing after the plaintiffs substituted themselves into the position of the defendant. So, they have a remedy.”

State Advocate lawyer Maurizio Cordina added that the libel case is still ongoing and the parties to it also still have the opportunity to appeal an unfavourable outcome.

Comodini Cachia replied that the point of filing the constitutional case was that the applicants are facing allegations before another court but are precluded from exhibiting evidence in their defence.

“The personality of the person murdered is a particular one. All information about her sources died with her. Even if still alive, she would have to protect her sources. Luckily, Daphne Caruana Galizia was diligent enough to immediately file a reply to the libel and, in fact, was murdered three days later. As the heirs are obliged to have the acts transferred on to them, they are in a position where they cannot bring this evidence because they don’t know who these sources are and still have an obligation to protect them.

“It is not a case of winning or losing a libel, but the magistrate hearing the libel needs to hear evidence which I cannot produce. Am I supposed to summons every Tom, Dick and Harry and ask them 'are you the source?'?” Comodini Cachia said, adding that if the Muscats suspected someone, “they can summons them themselves.”

The lawyer explained that she needed this witness to testify about how Caruana Galizia protected her sources.

Lia hit back, telling the judge that Caruana Galizia had testified before the Egrant inquiry three times “and was obliged to say everything she knew and so she did.”

“The source she indicated was [Maria] Efimova and [then magistrate] Aaron Bugeja reached his conclusions.”

Efimova subsequently fled Malta and could not be produced as a witness.

“Are we saying that every case where the defendants cannot bring their witnesses because someone is abroad should be decided in their favour?”

The inquiry had already been exhibited in the libel case in digital form, Lia said, adding it was also published by the AG and is available in the newspapers and so must be physically exhibited in this case.

Before adjourning the case to December, the judge ordered that the legal copy of the libel proceedings exhibited in the constitutional case must also include “every exhibit and annex in any format.”

Top EU officials gathered outside the European Parliament in Brussels for a solemn moment in solidarity with the victims of terror attacks in Israel.

EU Parliament President Roberta Metsola delivered a speech.

"Our presence here - outside the European Parliament - is significant. Our gathering held in the Simone Veil Agora is symbolic. Our voice is important. And our strong stand against terrorism is crucial. October 7th is a day that will go down in global infamy. The world has witnessed Jews being murdered simply because they were Jewish. Again. In Israel. We are here with the President of the European Council, the President of the European Commission, and all of you - as one - to express our solidarity, to condemn the appalling acts of terror and murder and to demand the immediate release of hostages."

Europe, she said, "stands ready to help broker resolutions, but I have said it before and it bears repeating - There is no justification for terrorism. Hamas is a terrorist organisation. They do not represent the legitimate aspirations of the Palestinian people. They do not offer solutions. They offer bloodshed."

"It helps to speak plainly. On October 7th Hamas murdered more than a thousand innocent babies, children, women and men and still hold close to 100 more hostage. They opened fire on hundreds of young people at a music event, killing indiscriminately - including EU nationals. They abducted young girls and boys. They took elderly Holocaust survivors and dragged them out of their homes. They paraded dead people through the streets like trophies."

"This is not a time for whataboutism. We have to be clear about what we are talking about: this is terror in its worst form."

Photo: EU Parliament

Car dealer and alleged kidnapper Christian Borg has been fined €3,000 over health and safety violations at a construction site he was developing, in which Prime Minister Robert Abela and his wife also held a stake.

In June 2018, Abela and his wife Lydia had signed a deal to purchase a plot of land in Triq il-Karmnu, Żabbar.

That same day, Borg received Planning Authority permission to build nine apartments and garages on that plot of land - despite having no apparent connection to the property at the time.

Borg then acquired the site for €315,000 on 29 November, 2018.

Borg had been granted planning permission to build an apartment and garage complex on the same day that he bought the plot co-owned by the Abelas in Żabbar.

The Abelas later sold their stake to Borg, making a €45,000 profit. Abela had been providing legal advice to both Borg and the Planning Authority at the time the deal took place.

Borg found guilty of health and safety violations

Borg, in his capacity as project supervisor, was prosecuted in 2022 over the failure to comply with occupational health and safety regulations which stipulate the minimum health and safety requirements that must be in place at construction sites.

He was charged after an OHSA site inspection in September 2022, which revealed a number of dangerous health and safety violations. Several balconies had no barriers set up to prevent workers from falling off and workers had to access the site by walking over some narrow wooden planks laid across a ditch.

In addition to this, Borg had not attempted to control access to the construction site. The rear portion of the site was easily accessible to the public and the front gate was a simple wooden plank that could easily be bypassed.

Delivering judgement in the criminal case, Magistrate Rachel Montebello noted that the September 2022 inspection had been the site’s fourth. The risks had already been repeatedly flagged by inspections in July 2020, January 2021 and October 2021.

Finding Borg guilty of the charges, the court fined him €3,000.

A draft bill allowing 16- and 17-year-olds to become mayors and deputy mayors has been approved by Cabinet, Parliamentary Secretary for Local Government Alison Zerafa Civelli said on Wednesday.

During a press conference held in the Parliament building, Zerafa Civelli said that the bill will be now presented in parliament for discussion.

She said that now, anyone elected with the most votes, coming from the party with the majority of votes can be elected as mayor or deputy mayor, irrespective of age. Until now, 16- and 17-year-olds could contest but could not be appointed mayors even if they are the candidates who obtain the highest number of votes.

Local Government Minister Owen Bonnici said “the proof of the pudding is in the eating”, when referring to the government’s confidence in the country’s youth, adding that Malta is set to become the first country where 16-year-olds are given the opportunity to become mayors.

“We believe that we have to continue strengthening our confidencein young people,” he said, adding that this event is going in the “the history books of this country’s democracy”.

Going on a personal note, he said that when his political career took off at the age of 20 years old, it was seen as something strange as there weren’t many his age.

“I had decided that this needs to change,” he said adding that this new draft law shall bring new ‘blood’ into politics.

The minister was also asked about the maturity level needed for a 16-year-old to administer public funds.

He said that, back in 2019, 16-year-old showed a lot of enthusiasm as they were given the right to vote. Moreover, he said that from results of the last local council elections, there were many under 18-year-olds who “got very good results”.

“I have no doubt that history is going to look back at this as a step towards the completion of democracy for this country,” he said.

Bonnici was also asked about the removal of powers from local councils, with mayors contending that councils had lost much of their autonomy in the past years.

The minister denied this and said that this is another invention by the opposition.

On the contrary, he said that the government has given more powers along the years, with the most recent one being on deciding whether to give permission for caravan placing.

Moreover he also said that the government has also given more powers thanks to the launch of the regional local council.

Gender Equality mechanism to be studied before local council elections implementation - Minister

The Gender equality mechanism needs to be studied and analysed in detail before government commits itself to implementing it in the next local council elections, he said.

Last May, the same minister announced the National Strategic Vision for Local Governments from 2023-2030 proposing the implementation of the gender equality mechanism, in efforts to ensure equality in the representation of genders in local governments.

He had also said that a study will be carried out on this, which will be concluded in time for this to be implemented for the 2024 local council elections. The strategy mentioned how this will be similar to the gender quota which was implemented in parliament where both PN and PL had to have six women MPs, however, there may be some differences to make it suitable for local governments.

An elderly man has died after he found himself in difficulty while swimming in Marsascala on Tuesday, the police said Wednesday.

The man, aged 80, of Zejtun, was swimming in St Thomas Bay.

He was certified dead on site.

Magistrate Yana Micallef Stafrace is leading an inquiry.