Your news update in the morning, presented by Michael Kaden
NEWZ06:00 on 26 August 2024
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Nicolette Ghirxi was ‘talked out’ of assessment
Femicide victim Nicolette Ghirxi agreed to take a domestic violence risk assessment but felt she was “talked out of it”.
In a voice message transcribed by Times of Malta, Ghirxi said a risk assessor told her “there are no threats but insults”.
In April, Ghirxi told a friend and her lawyer she had been told such assessment “would score zero, kind of”.
The Foundation for Social Welfare Services said the risk assessors in question categorically deny the allegation.
Despite all evidence, the police keep insisting it was Ghirxi who refused the assessment. The Police Complaints Board is currently reviewing the conduct of the force and its procedures.
Ghirxi’s laywer Joseph Borda said risk assessments should be carried out by default. Borda also reiterated his call for an independent inquiry into how the state failed to protect his friend.
Nicolette Ghirxi was found murdered in her apartment in Swatar on 12 August. Her ex-partner Edward Johnston was shot dead by police hours later.
Major escalation between Hezbollah and Israel
Militant group Hezbollah launched a drone and rocket attack on Israeli military sites on Sunday morning to avenge the killing of a senior commander.
Israel’s Defence Forces (IDF) said most rockets and drones were intercepted or fell short of target.
The IDF said 100 of its fighter jets were striking Hezbollah targets in Lebanon “in a self-defence act to remove these threats”.
UN secretary-general Antonio Guterres said he is deeply concerned by the increase in exchanges of fire across the Lebanon-Israel border.
On Sunday night, Hamas’s armed wing claimed to have fired a rocket at Tel Aviv, in response to Israeli “massacres against civilians”.
Talks in Cairo aimed at negotiating a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in Gaza ended with no agreement.
Abela denies police interference accusations
Robert Abela’s style of leadership was the main reason behind party and government woes, MaltaToday cited senior Labour insiders on Sunday.
Unnamed ministers reportedly claimed Abela had ordered police not to interrogate some of those named in the magisterial inquiry into the hospitals scandal.
Besides the alleged decision to derail police investigations, Abela was criticised for blaming “everyone but himself” for Labour’s poor showing in this year’s elections.
Commenting on the claims, Opposition leader Bernard Grech said Abela’s administration had “reached its lowest ebb”.
Rule-of-law NGO Repubblika challenged Abela to either deny the accusations or to “resign before nightfall”.
In a statement on Sunday evening, the Office of the Prime Minister said Abela “denies categorically and in the most absolute way that he has ever given any direction similar to what has been maliciously reported”.
Weather
It’s gonna be a hot & sunny start into this new week, at a high of 34°C.
