In the Press: Spring hunting referendum date set for 11 April

MaltaToday

A referendum on whether to abolish the spring hunting season will be held on 11 April, along with the 2015 local council elections. However, Prime Minister Joseph Muscat has said that he will defend Malta’s right to continue derogating from the EU Birds Directive, which bans spring hunting.

Justice Minister Owen Bonnici has said that there is nothing at law to prevent Magistrate Carol Peralta from hearing the Leisure Clothing case, even though the defendant Bin Han is being represented by Peralta’s own personal lawyer Edward Gatt.

Illum

Following this week’s tragic militant attacks in Paris, police commissioner Michael Cassar has said that the police force is taking all necessary precautions so as to be prepared for all possibilities. He added that security at the airport and the ports has tightened.

The Sunday Times of Malta

France launched a massive manhunt for the accomplice of a militant Islamist who had planted explosive at a kosher supermarket in Paris earlier this week, an attack that left four hostages dead. The attacker has been shot dead, but the whereabouts of his partner, 26-year-old Hayat Boumeddiene, remain unknown and police have described her as “armed and dangerous”.

Il-Mument

During Manuel Mallia’s tenure Home Affairs Minister, a lot of pressure had been placed on the Central Visa Unit and the Immigration Unit of the police force to grant visas for North Korean and Chinese citizens to work in the Leisure Clothing factory.

It-Torca

People are signing contracts with private old people’s homes, effectively trading off their personal residences for a place in the old people’s homes. These people often perform this trade-off because it would be their last resort: they cannot afford a spot in a private retirement home, and over 2,000 people are on the waiting list for a spot in a state retirement home.  

The Malta Independent on Sunday

Opposition leader Simon Busuttil has said that this week’s reshuffle of his Shadow Cabinet was only the beginning of the Nationalist Party’s renewal. Busuttil strongly denied that his decision to demote George Pullicino, Tonio Fenech and Carm Mifsud Bonnici from shadow ministers to spokespersons was based on allegations of wrongdoing from the government.

Kullhadd

In light of the Charlie Hebdo attacks, the newspaper said that reason must reign over emotionality and that generalising all Muslims in a negative manner will be a massive mistake.