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Yahoo
10-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Two men sentenced to life in prison for complicity in murder of Maltese journalist
Two men were sentenced to life in prison on Tuesday after being convicted of complicity in the murder of Maltese journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia. Jamie Vella and Robert Agius were accused of supplying the bomb that killed Caruana Galizia in 2017. Both were found guilty of the charges last week and on Tuesday were given the maximum sentence of life in prison. Caruana Galizia, 53, was murdered on 16 October 2017 by a car bomb that was detonated while she was driving near her home. In her career, she had written extensively about suspected corruption in political and business circles in Malta, and her murder shocked Europe and triggered angry protests in the Mediterranean island country. Caruana Galizia's investigative reports had targeted people in then-Prime Minister Joseph Muscat's inner circle whom she accused of having offshore companies in tax havens disclosed in the Panama Papers leak. She also targeted the opposition and at the time of her death was facing more than 40 libel suits. The six-week trial also concerned the separate murder of a lawyer, Carmel Chircop, who was shot and killed in 2015. Two other men, George Degiorgio and Adrian Agius, were convicted and sentenced to life in prison for that murder on Thursday. George Degiorgio and his brother Alfred Degiorgio both pleaded guilty in 2022 to carrying out the murder of Caruana Galizia. Related Malta jury finds two men guilty of supplying bomb that killed journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia Daphne Caruana Galizia: Brothers sentenced to 40 years prison for murdering Maltese journalist They were each sentenced to 40 years in prison. A third man, Vincent Muscat, pleaded guilty in 2021 for his role in the Caruana Galizia murder, and was sentenced to 15 years in prison. He testified in the recent jury trial after being granted a presidential pardon for his role in the Chircop murder on the condition he tell the whole truth. Yorgen Fenech, a prominent Maltese businessman, is currently out of jail on bail awaiting trial on charges of alleged complicity in the Caruana Galizia murder.
Euronews
10-06-2025
- Politics
- Euronews
Two men sentenced to life for links to murder of Maltese journalist
Two men were sentenced to life in prison on Tuesday after being convicted of complicity in the murder of Maltese journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia. Jamie Vella and Robert Agius were accused of supplying the bomb that killed Caruana Galizia in 2017. Both were found guilty of the charges last week and on Tuesday were given the maximum sentence of life in prison. Caruana Galizia, 53, was murdered on 16 October 2017 by a car bomb that was detonated while she was driving near her home. In her career, she had written extensively about suspected corruption in political and business circles in Malta, and her murder shocked Europe and triggered angry protests in the Mediterranean island country. Caruana Galizia's investigative reports had targeted people in then-Prime Minister Joseph Muscat's inner circle whom she accused of having offshore companies in tax havens disclosed in the Panama Papers leak. She also targeted the opposition and at the time of her death was facing more than 40 libel suits. The six-week trial also concerned the separate murder of a lawyer, Carmel Chircop, who was shot and killed in 2015. Two other men, George Degiorgio and Adrian Agius, were convicted and sentenced to life in prison for that murder on Thursday. George Degiorgio and his brother Alfred Degiorgio both pleaded guilty in 2022 to carrying out the murder of Caruana Galizia. They were each sentenced to 40 years in prison. A third man, Vincent Muscat, pleaded guilty in 2021 for his role in the Caruana Galizia murder, and was sentenced to 15 years in prison. He testified in the recent jury trial after being granted a presidential pardon for his role in the Chircop murder on the condition he tell the whole truth. Yorgen Fenech, a prominent Maltese businessman, is currently out of jail on bail awaiting trial on charges of alleged complicity in the Caruana Galizia murder. French leftist MEP Rima Hassan has remained in Israeli custody and was awaiting a hearing on Tuesday before an Israeli judge, after being detained the day before alongside seven other people. Hassan was part of the 'Freedom Flotilla', a group of activists who set off on 3 June from Catania, Italy, to try to deliver humanitarian aid to Gaza by boat but were intercepted by Israel's authorities about 200 kilometres from the coast on Sunday evening. The Israeli Foreign Affairs Ministry said then that the crew of the Madleen vessel had been provided with water and sandwiches but Hassan's team said that after a brief, filmed, distribution of sandwiches during the arrest, no water or food was provided during the 16-hour journey to the port of Ashdod, which the crew was forced to spend on the ship's deck until nightfall. The 12 Freedom Flotilla members were then presented with a document urging them to recognise they had entered Israeli territory illegally. Signing it meant immediate expulsion, while refusal would result in being brought before a judge. Four of them chose the first option, including Swedish activist Greta Thunberg, Spaniard Sergio Toribio, and two French nationals, Baptiste Andre and Omar Faiad. But the other eight refused to sign the document, arguing that the Freedom Flotilla was intercepted in international waters and rejecting the claim that they entered illegally. These eight people are now detained awaiting a new hearing before an Israeli judge, who could order their expulsion in the coming days. Hassan's parliamentary immunity guarantees her freedom of expression and protects her from legal action stemming from any EU member state, but does not apply outside of EU territory. The MEP's team denounced the document presented as 'a propaganda operation aimed at legitimising an illegal arrest and detention' and claimed it is 'a blatant violation of her parliamentary immunity'. 'We strongly affirm that their humanitarian mission to Gaza was legal, necessary, and urgent; the arrest violates international law; the detention is illegal and arbitrary," the statement from Hassan's team also reads. The European Parliament told Euronews on Tuesday that its President Roberta Metsola has been in constant contact with the Israeli authorities to ensure the safety and security of Hassan. 'We will remain in round-the-clock contact with all parties until it is resolved safely," a Parliament spokesperson said. This is not the first time a MEP was detained in a third country. In February 2025, three MEPs - Isabel Serra (Spain), Catarina Martins (Portugal), Jussi Saramo (Finland), all from the Left group - were detained and subsequently expelled from El Aaiún, the main city of the disputed territory of Western Sahara, where they had gone to carry out a human rights observation mission. 'The European Parliament will always insist that all its members are kept safe and treated with respect as elected representatives of the people of Europe wherever they are in the world", the Parliament also said in its statement to Euronews. Her detention and the Freedom Flotilla's seizure have become a much-debated political issue in France and in Brussels. France Unbowed published an appeal calling for the immediate release of the passengers and the lifting of the Israeli blockade on Gaza. Its leader Jean-Luc Mélenchon and MEP Manon Aubry also called for urgent intervention from President Macron and European and international bodies, declaring they bear a moral responsibility to defend these activists. A rally they organised in Paris on Monday to protest against the detention and Israel's actions in Gaza gathered tens of thousands of people, according to Mélenchon. In the European Parliament, The Left, the Socialists and Democrats and the Greens/European Free Alliance co-signed a statement asking for all the activists to be released.
LeMonde
09-06-2025
- Politics
- LeMonde
Mexico data leak exposes broadcaster's methods to destroy reputations of public figures
Letter from Mexico City "Remember these words, 'Televisa Leaks.'" "Today," Aristegui Noticias "reveals a massive leak of documents from Televisa, the largest media conglomerate in Latin America. It shows how this channel attacks its opponents and assists its allies." On April 27, Carmen Aristegui, the most listened-to voice in Mexico, opened her two-hour radio program with this scoop. She is also one of the country's most respected journalists, someone whom those in power have repeatedly tried to silence, but who has never let go of the microphone. On that day, "Aristegui Noticias" revealed that once again, Carmen Aristegui had been the victim of manipulation – this time by Televisa, Mexico's leading private television channel. The leak, totaling five terabytes of data – twice the size of the Panama Papers – came from a former employee of the channel's so-called "war room," known as Palomar. German Gomez provided a wealth of information, from the team's chat logs to details of "media warfare operations" carried out between 2018 and 2024.
Los Angeles Times
06-06-2025
- Politics
- Los Angeles Times
Jury finds 2 men guilty of supplying bomb used to kill Maltese journalist Galizia
VALLETTA, Malta — A Maltese jury found two men guilty of complicity in the murder of Maltese journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia, after a six-week long trial covering two homicides wrapped up late on Thursday. Jamie Vella and Robert Agius were accused of supplying the bomb that killed her. Both were found guilty of the charges. The journalist was murdered on Oct. 16, 2017, by a car bomb that was detonated while she was driving near her home. Caruana Galizia, 53, had written extensively about suspected corruption in political and business circles in Malta. Her murder shocked Europe and triggered angry protests in Malta. Caruana Galizia's investigative reports had targeted people in then-Prime Minister Joseph Muscat's inner circle whom she accused of having offshore companies in tax havens disclosed in the Panama Papers leak. She also targeted the opposition. When she was killed, she was facing more than 40 libel suits. The Caruana Galizia family said in a statement that Thursday's verdict brings them a step closer to justice. 'Yet, eight years after Daphne's brutal assassination, the institutional failures that enabled her murder remain unaddressed and unreformed,' the family added. Vella and Robert Agius, together with two other men – George Degiorgio and Adrian Agius – also faced charges related to the separate murder of a lawyer, Carmel Chircop, who was shot and killed in 2015. Vella, Degiorgio and Adrian Agius were found guilty of charges tied to the murder, while Robert Agius was found not guilty. The judge will decide on sentencing at a later date. George Degiorgio and his brother Alfred Degiorgio both pleaded guilty in 2022 to carrying out the murder of Caruana Galizia. They were each sentenced to 40 years in prison. A third man, Vincent Muscat, pleaded guilty in 2021 for his role in the Caruana Galizia murder, and was sentenced to 15 years in prison. He testified in the recent jury trial after being granted a presidential pardon for his role in the Chircop murder on the condition he tell the whole truth. Yorgen Fenech, a prominent Maltese businessman, is currently out of jail on bail awaiting trial on charges of alleged complicity in the Caruana Galizia murder. Orland writes for the Associated Press.
06-06-2025
- Politics
Jury finds 2 men guilty of supplying the bomb used to kill Maltese journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia
VALLETTA, Malta -- A Maltese jury found two men guilty of complicity in the murder of Maltese journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia, after a six-week long trial covering two homicides wrapped up late on Thursday. Jamie Vella and Robert Agius were accused of supplying the bomb that killed her. Both were found guilty of the charges. The journalist was murdered on Oct. 16, 2017, by a car bomb that was detonated while she was driving near her home. Caruana Galizia, 53, had written extensively about suspected corruption in political and business circles in Malta. Her murder shocked Europe and triggered angry protests in Malta. Caruana Galizia's investigative reports had targeted people in then-Prime Minister Joseph Muscat's inner circle whom she accused of having offshore companies in tax havens disclosed in the Panama Papers leak. She also targeted the opposition. When she was killed, she was facing more than 40 libel suits. The Caruana Galizia family said in a statement that Thursday's verdict brings them a step closer to justice. 'Yet, eight years after Daphne's brutal assassination, the institutional failures that enabled her murder remain unaddressed and unreformed,' the family added. Vella and Robert Agius, together with two other men – George Degiorgio and Adrian Agius – also faced charges related to the separate murder of a lawyer, Carmel Chircop, who was shot and killed in 2015. Vella, Degiorgio and Adrian Agius were found guilty of charges tied to the murder, while Robert Agius was found not guilty. The judge will decide on sentencing at a later date. George Degiorgio and his brother Alfred Degiorgio both pleaded guilty in 2022 to carrying out the murder of Caruana Galizia. They were each sentenced to 40 years in prison. A third man, Vincent Muscat, pleaded guilty in 2021 for his role in the Caruana Galizia murder, and was sentenced to 15 years in prison. He testified in the recent jury trial after being granted a presidential pardon for his role in the Chircop murder on the condition he tell the whole truth. Yorgen Fenech, a prominent Maltese businessman, on charges of alleged complicity in the Caruana Galizia murder.
