A leading Maltese businessman has been indicted for allegedly masterminding the car bombing murder of an investigative journalist that triggered an international outcry.
The indictment, which confirms for the first time that Yorgen Fenech will stand trial, requests life imprisonment on the murder charge and between 20 and 30 years in prison for criminal conspiracy.
Journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia, who investigated alleged corruption involving high-level politicians and prominent businessmen, was killed on October 16, 201, when the car she was driving blew up on a road near her home.
Fenech was arrested in November 2019, while trying to leave Malta on his yacht, in connection with the murder and is in jail awaiting trial. He has denied involvement and pleaded not guilty to all charges.
Attorney General Victoria Buttigieg laid out the formal charges against Fenech on Wednesday.
The murder of Caruana Galizia, a reporter who had exposed cronyism in Malta's political and business elite sparked international outrage and protests that eventually forced then-prime minister Joseph Muscat to resign.
At the time of her death, she was investigating a highly controversial power station deal, in which Fenech was one of the main shareholders and a director.
According to the indictment, Fenech is accused of asking an associate of his, taxi driver Melvin Theuma, to hire three hitmen who would be paid 150,000 euros ($175,000) to kill Caruana Galizia.
The hitmen had allegedly initially planned to shoot the journalist with a sniper rifle from the other side of a valley, while she sat on her sofa at home. But the plan was dropped at the last minute and a car bomb chosen instead.
It was detonated at 2:58pm, allegedly by George Degiorgio, through a text message sent from his boat.
Degiorgio and his brother Alfred are both awaiting trial for planting the bomb. A third man, Vincent Muscat — no relation to the former prime minister — pleaded guilty earlier this year and was jailed for 15 years.
A public inquiry into Caruana Galizia's murder last month found the Maltese state responsible for creating a climate of impunity in the country that allowed her to be killed, including through the coordination by staff in the prime minister's office of online harassment campaigns against her.
Prime Minister Robert Abela apologised to the Caruana Galizia family after the inquiry's conclusions, and pledged to take all of its recommendations on board.
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Tree of Hell
Starring: Raed Zeno, Hadi Awada, Dr Mohammad Abdalla
Director: Raed Zeno
Rating: 4/5
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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Who has been sanctioned?
Daniella Weiss and Nachala
Described as 'the grandmother of the settler movement', she has encouraged the expansion of settlements for decades. The 79 year old leads radical settler movement Nachala, whose aim is for Israel to annex Gaza and the occupied West Bank, where it helps settlers built outposts.
Harel Libi & Libi Construction and Infrastructure
Libi has been involved in threatening and perpetuating acts of aggression and violence against Palestinians. His firm has provided logistical and financial support for the establishment of illegal outposts.
Zohar Sabah
Runs a settler outpost named Zohar’s Farm and has previously faced charges of violence against Palestinians. He was indicted by Israel’s State Attorney’s Office in September for allegedly participating in a violent attack against Palestinians and activists in the West Bank village of Muarrajat.
Coco’s Farm and Neria’s Farm
These are illegal outposts in the West Bank, which are at the vanguard of the settler movement. According to the UK, they are associated with people who have been involved in enabling, inciting, promoting or providing support for activities that amount to “serious abuse”.
MATCH INFO
Europa League final
Who: Marseille v Atletico Madrid
Where: Parc OL, Lyon, France
When: Wednesday, 10.45pm kick off (UAE)
TV: BeIN Sports
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
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- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
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Gothia Cup 2025
4,872 matches
1,942 teams
116 pitches
76 nations
26 UAE teams
15 Lebanese teams
2 Kuwaiti teams
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Recent winners
2002 Giselle Khoury (Colombia)
2004 Nathalie Nasralla (France)
2005 Catherine Abboud (Oceania)
2007 Grace Bijjani (Mexico)
2008 Carina El-Keddissi (Brazil)
2009 Sara Mansour (Brazil)
2010 Daniella Rahme (Australia)
2011 Maria Farah (Canada)
2012 Cynthia Moukarzel (Kuwait)
2013 Layla Yarak (Australia)
2014 Lia Saad (UAE)
2015 Cynthia Farah (Australia)
2016 Yosmely Massaad (Venezuela)
2017 Dima Safi (Ivory Coast)
2018 Rachel Younan (Australia)
Global state-owned investor ranking by size
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1.
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United States
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2.
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China
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3.
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UAE
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4.
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Japan
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5
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Norway
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6.
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Canada
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Singapore
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Australia
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Saudi Arabia
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South Korea
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Specs
Engine: Duel electric motors
Power: 659hp
Torque: 1075Nm
On sale: Available for pre-order now
Price: On request
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The Perfect Couple
Starring: Nicole Kidman, Liev Schreiber, Jack Reynor
Creator: Jenna Lamia
Rating: 3/5
