Wednesday, November 30, 2016

Sons of Ethel Rosenberg urge Barack Obama to clear their mother of spying before Donald Trump enters White House



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Small fire at ElectroGas controlled in minutes

A small fire at the ElectroGas compound today was controlled in a matter of minutes, the company said. It said some insulation material and cardboard caught fire in an isolated area at around noon. The incident, that was related to some final works, was not in an operational area and was detected early by the control room and security staff. The installed firefighting equipment was able to extinguish the fire in a matter of minutes. Police units attended and a fire brigade was called to site as a protective measure.

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MPs urged to use good sense in hospitals’ contract debate agreement

Speaker Anglu Farrugia urges government and opposition members of the public accounts committee to use their good sense on decision as to whether to discuss government contract with Vitals Global Healthcare

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Spiteri puts Sliema in fourth round

Holders Sliema Wanderers scored a dramatic FA Trophy victory when they edged Mosta 3-2 in a thrilling encounter at the Tedesco Stadium. It was Mosta who looked in control when taking a two-goal lead. On 19 minutes, Martin Vlcek controlled the ball on the edge of the area and beat Sliema goalkeeper Glenn Zammit with a firm drive. The Slovakian winger turned provider two minutes later when he picked Francis Onwudinjo at the far post and the Nigerian tucked the ball home. On 37 minutes, Sliema pulled a goal back when Kurt Magro handled Denni's shot inside the area and from the resultant penalty the Brazilian drilled the ball into the net. Denni almost struck again two minutes later but his dipping shot came off the upright.  Sliema kept up the pressure on the restart and drew level on 55 minutes. John Mintoff 's cross was met by Jean Paul Farrugia but the ball came off the upright. Muchardi was first on the rebound but his effort was blocked with the ball falling to Mark Scerri who bundled home. With the match looking set to finish in extra-time, Sliema grabbed the winner. Salomon Wisdom, who had replaced Peter Xuereb, sped into the area and his shot was deflected into the path of...

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'Lucky thief' casually walks off with $1.6m pot of gold in broad daylight 



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Moment thief steals pot of gold worth $1.6m from armoured truck



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Donald Trump's picks for Treasury and Commerce support bilateral trade deals, leaving post-Brexit opening for UK



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Sarah Palin tipped for Donald Trump's cabinet and could return to frontline politics after seven year hiatus



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CIA director John Brennan warns Donald Trump not to end Iran deal and be cautious with Russia



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Home owner claims firm keeps trying to deliver to his property because it has same name as nearby development



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Donald Trump's anti-flag burning tweet prompts countrywide #FlagBurningChallenge 



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Crucial referendum on constitutional reform a chance to weaken Italy's detested political "caste", PM Matteo Renzi says



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Nestle claims it has found a process to almost halve sugar in chocolate 



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Justyne Caruana highlights shortcomings found in homes for the elderly following investigations

Parliamentary secretary for active ageing Justyne Caruana revealed this evening that a total of 63 inspections of private or government-contracted old peoples' homes found a number of shortcomings.

Her comments were made this evening during a parliamentary debate on the introduction of the Homes for Older Persons (Care Quality Standards) Authority Bill. In relation to the shortcomings found in various old peoples' homes, Dr Caruana said that without a regulatory authority, such as the one that was debated this evening, it is not possible to take action on those homes for the elderly.

She added that it would act as a watchdog and oversee that elderly persons are living in dignified conditions in line with quality standards.

Dr Caruana explained that the Authority would provide a legal framework for the day-to-day operations and management of care and nursing homes for the elderly.

"Today, we are walking the talk," she said.

Nationalist Party speaker for social police Paula Mifsud Bonnici cautioned against a clause that would allow MPs, who are not parliamentary secretaries or ministries, to be members of the Authority.

She said that this would open up room for abuse and could create conflicts of interest.

Dr Caruana asked her to substantiate her claim by naming an MP that has the intention of joining the Authority and how that could be an issue. She also said that it is not the relevant Ministry that gives instruction to the Authority, but the other way round.

Mrs Mifsud Bonnici said that she does not need to substantiate her claim because the law allows for this situation to occur.

 



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'Jim' Delligatti: Inventor of the Big Mac dies aged 98



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Lord Chief Justice: Community service is not tough enough and needs to be a more visible punishment



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Shortcomings uncovered during inspections at old people’s homes

A series of shortcomings uncovered during 63 inspections at old people's homes could not be tackled as there currently is no regulatory authority

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A&E and maternity wards could close if spending on agency doctors is not slashed



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Nearly half of cases of fraud investigated found in breach of the law

A total 292 of 613 cases of fraud investigated by the Social Solidarity Ministry this year were found to be in breach of the Social Security Act. Minister Michael Farrugia told Anthony Agius Decelis (PL) in reply to a parliamentary question that this meant a saving to the Exchequer of €1,611,461. During the same period, the department received 357 new reports of alleged abuse. In an answer to another question by the same MP, Dr Farrugia said 1,647 widows started receiving the full pension pertaining to their husbands who had paid enough social security contributions to be eligible for a full pension. The minister also said that during the last 12 months, 696 persons had asked to pay social security contributions arrears. Of these, 450 were accepted.

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Helena Dalli wins Hero of the Year Award

Civil Liberties minister Helena Dalli won the Hero of the Year Award during the sixth edition of the European Diversity Award held in London last night. Those nominated in the various categories included Luxembourg Prime Minister Xavier Bettel and Italian undersecretary of State Ivan Scalfarotto. The ceremony, which took place in the London Museum of Natural History, was attended by over 500 participants working in the field of equality and diversity across Europe. The award is given to politicians, journalists, athletes, companies and publishing houses that act as trailblazers in the enhancement of equality in European society. In her acceptance speech, Dr Dalli said that we must work hard so that the advancements made would not get undone. She pointed out that democracy could never become a tyranny of the majority and attention to minorities had to be high on the agenda of every government. On a national level, finishing touches on the Equality Bill and a Human Rights and Equality Commission Bill aimed at mainstreaming equality for all persons in all spheres of life were now underway – after a wide consultation process - with the intent of presenting the Bills to Parliament...

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Amber Rudd pledges £13.4million to guard every Jewish school, college, and nursery and synagogue in the UK



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Cherie Blair says the era of 'mothers' and 'fathers' is over - they should call themselves 'parents' instead



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Debate on changes to Maltese Language Council composition postponed

Parliamentary committee debating proposed changes to Maltese Language Act agrees to postpone to next week discussion on changes proposed by Education Minister Evarist Bartolo on the composition of the Maltese Language Council

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Various shortcomings brought up during inspections of old peoples' homes

Various shortcomings were brought up during 63 inspections of private or government-contracted old peoples' homes, Parliamentary Secretary Justyne Caruana told parliament today. She added that, in the absence of a regulatory authority, no action could be taken the homes which were faltering. Introducing the Homes for Older Persons (Care Quality Standards) Authority Bill, Dr Caruana said that the Bill would address this issue through the creatiion of an authority, which would act as a regulator and watch dog over the operation of such homes. She said the Bill would provide a specific legal framework for the operation and management of care and nursing homes for older persons with the ultimate aim being the protection of the physical, emotional and social well-being of older persons. It also aimed at establishing standards that such homes had to meet to guarantee the well-being of older persons. 

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Football FA Trophy: Lija beat Pieta Hotspurs to progress

Lija Athletic are through to the fourth round of the FA Trophy when they eased past Pieta Hotspurs 2-0 at the Tedesco Stadium. Pieta were the better side in the first half and created the better chances. On 11 minutes, Karl Micallef served Gabriel Mensah whose dipping drive just missed the upright. Mensah turned provider on the stroke of half-time when the Nigerian James Scicluna whose low drive was well blocked by Gauci. On the restart, Lija seized the initiative and on 56 minutes Jorge Garcia Vidal spurned an open chance when he found himself unmarked inside the area but he blasted over with only Montfort to beat. But the Brazilian made amends 58 minutes when he sped clear of his marker and hit a rising shot that flew into the roof of the net. Lija killed off the match on 71 minutes when Aboubakar Bello Osagie embarked on a surging run that took him past Travis Bartolo and hit a low drive that rolled past a diving Montfort. Lija Athletic now await the winner of the tie between Għargħur and Tarxien Rainbows who face each other on December 13.  

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Chapecoense plane crashed when other aircraft was allowed to land first



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Cases of benefit fraud at 292 between January and June of 2016, estimated €1,611,461 saved

In the first half of 2016, 613 cases of benefit fraud were investigated, 292 of which were found to have broken social security laws. This has led to savings of €1,611,461.

The information came to light in the form of a parliamentary question put forward by Labour Party MP Anthony Agius Decelis. Family Minister Michael Farrugia revealed that the benefits fraud investigation department had received 357 reports of alleged benefits fraud. 



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Lino Farrugia Sacco withdraws candidature for ASA president

Judge Farrugia Sacco's letter

Former Malta Olympic Committee president Lino Farrugia Sacco has withdrawn his candidature for president of the Aquatic Sports Association of Malta. The other candidate is current ASA president Joe Caruana Curran. Judge Farrugia Sacco's letter can be read in the pdf link below.

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Zac Goldsmith hit by his own car ahead of final debate in Richmond by-election



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Christians should not fear speaking about their faith at work and in public places, Theresa May says



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Escort 'thought she could ruin' multi-millionaire accused of her murder



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LEGAL Fears of insurance shortfall for families bereaved in Columbia plane crash



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Joe Caruana Curran remains ASA president as Farrugia Sacco withdraws candidature

Joe Caruana Curran (left) will remain president of the Aquatic Sports Association for another three years after Lino Farrugia Sacco (right) withdrew his nomination.

The nomination was withdrawn via a letter former judge Farrugia Sacco presented this evening at the start of the association's general meeting.

The reasons for the withdrawal were not made public, but it was clear that Mr Caruana Curran enjoyed more support from the clubs.

Under his guidance, the Maltese waterpolo team earned its first ever participation at the European championships, which were held in Serbia earlier this year.



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Average annual wage for 2015 at €20,460

The average wage in Malta as of 2015 stood at €20,460, an increase of €2,483 from 2010. This information came to light in the form of a parliamentary question put forward by Nationalist Party (PN) MP Claudio Grech.

The average wage between for the five year period in question is as follows: 2010 – €7,976.92, 2011 – €18,609.51, 2012 – €19,273.96, 2013 – €19,686.52, 2014 – €19896.31 and 2015 – €20,460.12

Finance Minister Edward Scicluna tabled the information this evening in parliament.

 



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Missing will could help unlock mystery of British businessman poisoned in Kenya



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Aleppo at risk of becoming 'giant graveyard', UN envoy warns



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Gun used by French poet Paul Verlaine to shoot his lover fetches £368,000 at auction



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Undercover sting reveals 80 per cent of RAC patrols told customers with 'good' flat batteries they needed new ones 



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Speaker appeals for MPs' good sense to agree on hospitals' contract debate

Government and Opposition members on the Public Accounts Committee should use their good sense to get to an agreement on the Medical Association of Malta and the Union Ħaddiema Magħqudin's request for the hospitals' privatisation contract to be discussed within the Public Accounts Committee. Last Monday, the PAC did not agree it should discuss the request saying this should be done by the Standing Committee on Health. The issue was referred the issue to the Speaker for a ruling. The PAC received MAM and the UĦM's request to review the contracts signed between the government and Vitals Global Healthcare for the privatisation of the Gozo, St Luke's, and Karen Grech hospitals last week. 

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Speaker sends Vitals contract investigation decision back to PAC

Speaker of the House Anglue Farrugia ruled that it is up to the Public Accounts Committee members to decide whether to agree to the request put forward by the Medical Association of Malta and UHM Voice of the Workers.

The unions in question had put forward a request before the PAC for the Auditor General and the committee itself to investigate the hospitals privatisation contract with Vitals Global Healthcare. Members of PAC could not agree, with Justice Minister Owen Bonnici insisting that the issue be discussed before the health parliamentary committee. In addition to this, Shadow Minister for Health Claudette Buttigieg had withdrew her request for the Vitals contract to be discussed before the health committee.

Dr Farrugia urged for consensus in coming to an agreement on whether to investigate the contract. He said that "In light of a lack of direction, the House is tied to observe the practices of the House of Commons (UK), as a general rule, only those members nominated in the committee may take part in the deliberations of the committee. 



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The most severe crimes up by 30 per cent in some areas



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Russia demands explanation after Recep Tayyip Erdogan threatens to topple 'tyrant' Bashar Assad



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Finance manager at UK-based Korean firm 'lost job because she refused to bow to her boss'



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For sale: world's first sports car, four careful owners



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Privileges Committee to consider breach of privilege complaint against Nationalist MP

The Privileges Committee shall be considering a breach of privilege complaint against justice shadow minister Jason Azzopardi regarding his statement that Justice Minister Owen Bonnici had lied to parliament. On Monday, Speaker Anġlu Farrugia asked Dr Azzopardi to retract his statement so that he could consider the case closed. He warned that unless the statement was retracted, he would take "further steps". Dr Azzopardi had immediately said he would be appealing the ruling. Dr Farrugia today told Parliament he would be passing the case to the Privileges Committee. Opposition leader Simon Busuttil asked the Speaker to also apply the ruling to him as he also believed that Dr Bonnici had lied to Parliament regarding the commission paid to Henley & Partners, the administrators of the Individual Investor Programme. Dr Busuttil said Dr Bonnici had tried to gag the Opposition and stifle freedom of expression when he raised a breach of privilege complaint against a journalist.

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AFM officer cleared of tampering with evidence relating to migrant's death

A soldier who last year had been handed an 18-month prison term after he was found guilty of tampering with evidence walked free today after his conviction was revoked on appeal. Lance Bombardier Gordon Pickard, 38, of Żabbar, had been convicted of changing details about the brutal death of Malian Mamadou Kamara, 32, who was certified dead in a Detention Service van outside the Paola health centre on the night of June 29, 2012, so as to cover up for two colleagues implicated in the violence. The court of appeal, presided by Madam Justice Edwina Grima, noted that the sentence of the first court had failed to address the precise circumstances that could have led to this crime being committed. "In fact, the considerations of the Court of Magistrates consist of a series of thoughts on how, in its view, the events took place. How those thoughts point to the crime in question remains, with the greatest of respect, a mystery." The court pointed out that for the crime to exist there had to be evidence of suppression, destruction or changes of material evidence. "False declarations to the police do not constitute this crime. This is a provision that deals with the material traces of a...

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Speaker finds Jason Azzopardi prima facie in breach of privilege over comments on Owen Bonnici

Speaker Anglu Farrugia has found PN MP Jason Azzopardi to be prima facie in breach of parliamentary privilege over comments he made on Justice Minister Owen Bonnici, in which he accused him of lying to Parliament. Soon after the ruling was read out, PN Leader Simon Busuttil said he backed Dr Azzopardi's comments completely and asked that the same ruling be applied to him.

At the start of this evening's sitting, Dr Farrugia asked Dr Azzopardi whether he would be taking back the comment, or at least change it. Dr Azzopardi said he wished he was in a position to do so but could not.

The Speaker said that in light of Jason Azzopardi's refusal to retract his comments he was finding the PN MP prima facie in breach of privilege.

At this point the Opposition Leader stood up in defence of Dr Azzopardi.

This irked the Justice Minister, who said that if the PN Leader was echoing Azzopardi's comments he would file for breach of privilege against the Opposition Leader as well.

Dr Farrugia cautioned all parties, telling them that, while they had a right to criticize they should not resort to insults.

Dr Busuttil took the floor again, reiterating his full backing for Dr Azzopardi's comments. "I am doing this because I believe in freedom of expression. Today, 30 years from the Tal-Barrani events, we have the Justice Minister trying to muzzle us. I want you (the Speaker) to apply the same ruling to me as well."

Dr Bonnici said he was disappointed by the Opposition Leader's attitude. "We come here to work not to be insulted. I will heed the Speaker's advice because I believe that we should rise above petty insults." The Justice Minister said he was not trying to muzzle anyone and said he was only using a procedure Azzopardi himself had used against journalists back in 2010. 



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Jeremy Hunt: Doctors and nurses should be put in charge of hospitals



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Andrews celebrate St Andrew's Day with Ceilidh in St Andrews

St Andrew's Day has been celebrated with a unique gathering of people named Andrew in the Scottish town that bears the saint's name. Tourism body VisitScotland tracked down 21 people from across Europe named Andrew or related names like Andre, Andrea and Andreas, and invited them to the Fife town of St Andrews as part of its Spirit of Scotland campaign. The group spent two days sampling Scottish traditions including golf, whisky, the bagpipes and Highland games before they took part in a massive outdoor ceilidh to mark St Andrew's Day. A short video was made of their experience, which VisitScotland hopes will encourage more tourists to travel to Scotland. One of those who took part was Andrew Stuck, from London. He said: "It's been amazing, really great fun. People in Scotland are so welcoming. "My mother's family was from Glasgow and she named me Andrew to keep the Scottish connection. I feel like I've only really scratched the surface of Scotland so I'll have to come again." Malcolm Roughead, chief executive of VisitScotland, said: "Our global campaign - the Spirit of Scotland - showcases the country's personality and people to the world and invites international audiences to...

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Tour operators concerned as Air Malta axes Frankfurt

Air Malta's decision to stop flying to Frankfurt, one of Europe's main hubs, in March and reduce services to Berlin, has infuriated tour operators, particularly those connected to the German market. The operators said they could not understand how the national airline concluded it did not need to continue operating in one of Europe's busiest airports. Confirming the decision, a spokesman for Air Malta said that connectivity with Frankfurt would not be lost, because the German carrier Lufthansa would still service the route. "The airline will still retain code-share flights to Frankfurt, where Lufthansa will be the operating carrier with two daily flights," the spokesman said. The tour operators approached by this newspaper said Frankfurt was one of the main air routes served from Malta and connecting to mainland Europe. They were more at ease dealing with the Maltese national airline for their needs, they added. "We were shocked when we heard that Air Malta will stop Frankfurt. However, they told us that the route is no longer profitable for them, because Lufthansa has taken away their business. They also seem to have a problem with a shortage of aircraft," a spokesman for the...

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Tuesday, November 29, 2016

Stephen Hawkin: We eat too much and move too little, it's not rocket science



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Block children from sending sex images on social media, Jeremy Hunt says 



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Young people are the most gullible when it comes to banking scams 



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'Earn as you learn' plan for nurses with new part-time degrees 



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One in four Jobseeker's Allowance claimants caught abusing benefits system as watchdog reveals chaos



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Enshrine new conscience clause for Christians in Bill of Rights, ministers urged



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Twelve dead, mainly schoolgirls, in Turkey dorm fire



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Stop using iPads in lessons to prevent bullying, minister says 



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Stripes dumped out of FA trophy

St Andrews 3 Birkirkara 0 Birkirkara goalkeeper had a night to forget as St Andrews completed a night of FA trophy shock exits when they dumped the Stripes out of the competition. This result places pressure on Birkirkara coach Drazen Besek who knows that the Birkirkara's hopes of silverware now rest with the Premier League and nothing on display at the Victor Tedesco Stadium yesterday suggested that is a viable option. Birkirkara's casual approach to the match was punished by St Andrews' as early as the quarter of the hour mark. Ivan Paz has to be credited for his measured corner towards Karlo Kesinovic who hit home with a brilliant header into the corner of the net. Shocked by this unexpected turn of events, the Stripes tried to react to restore parity but their efforts were unsuccessful as St Andrews put more men behind the ball. Shaun Bajada came in for Muscat at the restart. Kesinovic hit wide from a good position as St Andrews opened on the offensive. Birkirkara were looking sheepish, trying to grapple with the saints' five-man defence. The onus was on them to go for enterprise. After 51 minutes, they saw some light at the end of the tunnel and Joseph Zerafa could only...

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Claudette Buttigieg displeased with perception that being pro-life is out of fashion

Shadow minister for health Claudette Buttigieg believes that being 'pro-life' has gone "out of fashion", and said that NGOs representing these views should not be simply written off as being old fashioned.

Government whip Godfrey Farrugia cautioned his fellow MPs that allowing embryo freezing was tantamount to being "an accomplice to murder".

The above comments were made this evening in parliament during a debate on the budget estimates of the Embryo Protection Authority.

Mrs Buttigieg asserted that when the issue of embryo freezing was ignited by Prime Minister Joseph Muscat earlier this year, the intention was to deviate from the number of political scandals. She said that parliament was discussing the issue this evening "serenely" due to a report issued on the matter, allowing for calm discussion.

Health Minister Chris Fearne said that currently, there are two frozen embryos at Mater Dei hospital. This is because the mother of the embryos fell seriously unwell after the eggs were extracted and fertilised through an IVF process. Currently, the law allows for embryo freezing in exceptional circumstances such as the one just described.



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British professor injured in Ohio State attack will 'hold judgement' on suspect after Isil claim responsibility



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Zac Goldsmith's career in 60 seconds



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German intelligence officer 'arrested over Islamist plot' raising fears the spy agency has been infilitrated



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Police and rescue workers inspect Colombia plane wreckage



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Colombia plane crash: 'It's a tragedy of huge proportions' - how the disaster unfolded



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How the Colombia plane crash unfolded



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Do not be an accomplice to murder, Godfrey Farrugia warns MPs

Giving way to embryo freezing would make MPs "an accomplice to murder", government whip Godfrey Farrugia warned his colleagues this evening. Speaking during the debate on the estimates of the Embryo Protection Authority, Dr Farrugia asked: "Who are we to decide which embryos are implanted and which are frozen?" He said it was good to protect the right of a couple to form a family but it was also important to protect the universal right to life. "This is above all other rights," he said. Dr Farrugia said he would be voting in favour of the Bill but as for future amendments, "he would decide later". The Opposition has asked a division, scheduled to be taken on Wednesday week.Winding up, Health Minister Chris Fearne said there were two frozen embryos at St Luke's Hospital because a mother fell seriously ill before she could finish the IVF treatment cycle.  

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What is the Mannequin Challenge? Everything you need to know



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Report on public accounts for 2015 shows lack of control in free childcare scheme

The annual audit report on the 2015 Public Accounts was tabled in parliament this evening, with the government praising the transparency being displayed. An audit on the Free Childcare scheme, however, found a somewhat troubling situation with regards the verification of attendance.

A fully automated attendance recording system was implemented and introduced at the start of 2016. The audit showed that the new system only translated into a new set of risks, which still resulted in significant undue payments.

The Foundation for Educational Services was found to be unreliable due to the lack of evidence obtained to confirm that payroll was adequately verified, the audit revealed. It also shows that overtime was approved for payment before it was actually performed.

The report comprises 21 reports on the operations of various ministries, departments and other government entities, including an analysis of the Financial Report 2015.

The National Audit Office (NAO) noted that letters of comfort and bank guarantees, being potential dues by government, reached almost €1.5 billion in 2015 and that substantial excess of expenditure over budgeted figures was reported.



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Government issues €921 million in guarantees

The Labour government has issued €921 million in guarantees, including €75.25 million to the Malta Freeport Corpporation and €360 million to Electrogas since coming to power in March 2013, Finance Minister Edward Scicluna told Chris Said (PN) the following guarantees were issued: Enemalta (€179.9 million); Malta Freeport Corporation: ($80 millio); Malta Transport Malta: (€8 million); Enemed: (€8 million); Foundation for Tomorrow's Schools: (€133.2 million); Grand Harbour Regeneration Corportation: (€4.5 million); Malta Enterprise: (€5.5 million); Malta Government Investments: (€8 million); Malta Industrial Parks Ltd: (€46.15 million); Malta Investment Management: (€8 million); Petromal: (€85 million); Public Broadcasting: (€0.33 million) and Electrogas: (€360 million). Two guarantees to Enemalta, amounting to €93.9 million, and those to the  Malta Freeport Corporation have since been cancelled. The minister said the guarantees to Malta Transport were needed to secure a loan facility to finance its capital expenditure and secure banking facilities to cover working capital requirements. Guarantees of €66 million was given to Enemalta to finance the interconnector project. A...

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Government issues €921 million in guarantees

The Labour government has issued €921 million in guarantees, including €75.25 million to the Malta Freeport Corpporation and €360 million to Electrogas since coming to power in March 2013, Finance Minister Edward Scicluna told Chris Said (PN) the following guarantees were issued: Enemalta (€179.9 million); Malta Freeport Corporation: ($80 millio); Malta Transport Malta: (€8 million); Enemed: (€8 million); Foundation for Tomorrow's Schools: (€133.2 million); Grand Harbour Regeneration Corportation: (€4.5 million); Malta Enterprise: (€5.5 million); Malta Government Investments: (€8 million); Malta Industrial Parks Ltd: (€46.15 million); Malta Investment Management: (€8 million); Petromal: (€85 million); Public Broadcasting: (€0.33 million) and Electrogas: (€360 million). Two guarantees to Enemalta, amounting to €93.9 million, and those to the  Malta Freeport Corporation have since been cancelled. The minister said the guarantees to Malta Transport were needed to secure a loan facility to finance its capital expenditure and secure banking facilities to cover working capital requirements. Guarantees of €66 million was given to Enemalta to finance the interconnector project. A...

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Barman and 'needy' fox become best friends in bizarre night out 



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German intelligence officer 'arrested over Islamist plot' raising fears the spy agency has been infilitrated



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Hibernians elimated from FA Trophy

Photo: Shutterstock

SENGLEA 3 HIBERNIANS 2 Division One side Senglea Athletic caused their first upset of the season by eliminating Hibernians from the FA Trophy. The match turned out to be an exciting affair with Senglea squandering a shocking two-goal lead to fight back and notch the winner in the extra-time. The first action of note came past the quarter of the hour mark, when Mbong launched Degabriele but the nippy striker shot over the bar. The Southseasiders bent but did not break, and had a couple of half-chances before Bjorn Kristensen left Hibernians with ten men after collecting two quick bookings. The Malta midfielders' troubles began shy the half hour mark, when he was booked for clattering into Marcelo De Souse Dias and then five minutes later he clipped Christian Cassar's legs outside Hibs penalty box and was sent off. Out-numbered, Hibs took some time to settle down and struggled to create any clear cut chances with Degabriele's diagonal shot hitting the side-netting just before half-time. Still it needed something special to penetrate the Hibs rearguard and De Sousa Dias obliged in sensational fashion between the 48th and 50th minute. First, he arrowed a swerving free-kick in the...

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Childcare providers lack adequate oversight, audit report reveals

Auditor General's 2015 public accounts report says that a lack of control over service providers was uncovered during an audit on the Free Childcare Scheme

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Why too many people are still scared of seeking help for their mental health 



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Shipbuilding report calls for increased competition and end to BAE monopoly



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Prince Harry brings the rain with him to Barbados



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Two embryos currently frozen at Mater Dei

Embryo Protection Authority orders freezing of two embryos after the mother fell seriously ill before she could finish IVF treatment cycle

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Letters of comfort and bank guarantees reach almost €1.5 billion

Letters of comfort and bank guarantees, being potential dues by government, reached almost €1.5 billion, according to the Annual Audit Report on the Public Accounts for 2015 which the Auditor General presented to Speaker Anġlu Farrugia today. It comprises 21 reports on the operations of various ministries, departments and other government entities, including an analysis of the Financial Report 2015. Following a detailed analysis of the Financial Report, the National Audit Office (NAO) also noted that: * substantial excess of expenditure over budgeted figures was once again reported; * some of the outstanding advances issued in favour of third parties, totalling approximately €69.4 million, will continue to be repaid out of an annual budgetary provision; * following the enactment of the Government Borrowing and Public Debt Management Act, a number of measures will be implemented thereby introducing a risk management framework with supporting Information Technology systems, together with a code-of-conduct and conflict-of-interest rules; and * to date, six Draft International Public Sector Auditing Standards (IPSAS), as adopted by the government, have been published, being...

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Police threaten drunk drivers with bizarre Nickelback punishment 



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CCTV shows shocking moment man attacks driver with a shovel



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BFI to save 100,000 classic TV shows as Basil Brush and Tiswas at risk of disappearing forever



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Simon Busuttil accuses Evarist Bartolo of creating 'obscene precarious jobs'

Employment Minister Evarist Bartolo this evening objected to a Leader of the Opposition accusation that he was misleading the House over the General Workers' Union  Community Work Scheme. Dr Busuttil accused Mr Bartolo of creating "obscene precarious jobs". Mr Bartolo asked the Speaker for a ruling saying Dr Busuttil was accusing him of deliberately misleading the House, a very serious accusation. Asked by the Speaker whether he was attributing disloyalty to the House by Mr Bartolo, Dr Busuttil insisted that Mr Bartolo did not want to answer his question not because he used of the words "misleading the House" but because he did not have an answer to the "obscene scheme he created". Amid should from the government benches, Dr Farrugia suspended the sitting to give a ruling. Earlier Minister Joe Mizzi also asked for a ruling saying that Dr Busuttil did not have any right to make statements when asking supplementary questions.

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Dutch MPs vote to ban the burka ban in public places



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Mark Austin reveals he feared for his daughter's life as she battled anorexia



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My wife likes your colouring-in books, Prince William tells author



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Prime Minister Joseph Muscat meets Angela Merkel ahead of Presidency

Prime Minister Joseph Muscat has met with the German Chancellor Angela Merkel in Berlin to discuss, among other things, the EU Council Presidency.

This meeting took place after Dr Muscat's visit to meet with the French and Irish leaders. Merkel said she looks forward to the Maltese presidency and said that Malta's geographical position will help with discussing certain agendas, namely immigration.

Joseph Muscat said that the Maltese Presidency will be a pragmatic one. On migration, the two leaders agreed that this is an evolving problem as political instability still reins in Libya.



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Malta's will be a pragmatic Presidency - Prime Minister

German Chancellor Angela Merkel has expressed satisfaction that Malta will be taking over the Presidency of the European Union because, she said, it would shoulder this responsibility in an exemplary manner. During official meetings with Prime Minister Joseph Muscat, Ms Merkel said she looked forward to this Presidency led by a country which had excellent bilateral relations with Germany. Malta's geographical position, she said, would help the Presidency place the most important themes at the forefront of the agenda. Prime Minister Joseph Muscat said everyone should judge Malta on its work. It was proud of what it was doing and would continue to work in the best way possible. "It will be a pragmatic presidency," he said. Both leaders agreed that the immigration challenge was evolving daily especially because of the situation in Turkey, the lack of stability in Libya and the Mediterranean route. They agreed on the need for dialogue and agreement with stakeholders and mentioned the need for an equal distribution of the immigration burden. They also discussed Brexit with Dr Muscat explaining that Malta had historical links with the UK and was in favour of a fair agreement which...

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Employment Minister requests ruling on claim that he misled parliament over jobs scheme

Education and employment minister Evarist Bartolo has requested a ruling on claims made in parliament this evening by opposition leader Simon Busuttil.

Dr Busuttil said that Mr Bartolo "misled" parliament when he compared the community work scheme introduced by the previous administration with the current scheme that is to be administered by the General Workers' Union.

The opposition leader's claims stem from the fact that under the previous scheme, those who were benefitting from the programme remained on the unemployment registry, therefore they still received state benefits because they were considered to be unemployed.

The difference with the current scheme, Dr Busuttil said, was that those making use of the programme were struck off the unemployment registry, and were therefore considered to be in employment.

When asked if he would consider retracting his claim that the employment minister had misled parliament, Dr Busuttil refused, and said that Mr Bartolo would not respond to his statement because he was unable to.

"The minister wants to avoid answering questions about this obscene scheme he has introduced," he said.

This prompted Mr Bartolo to request a ruling by the Speaker, while transport minister Joe Mizzi requested an additional ruling to ascertain whether the opposition leader could make such statements and whether he could interject and put forward supplementary questions during question time.

The government work scheme being referred to, that is to be administered by the GWU, is a scheme that aims to assist the unemployed. GWU won the government tender for €980 per participant, with the total number of participants estimated to be roughly 600 people. It was found that the GWU would have a surplus of €115 per worker at the end of each month, but would have to incur administrative costs of €110 per worker at the end of each month. 



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Prince Charles reveals he was 'run over by a bus' when he was a student



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US blames 'human factors' for coalition airstrike that killed dozens of Syrian soldiers 



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Son of British property tycoon says suggestion he committed suicide over sexual impotence is an 'insult' during inquest in bitter family feud



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Busuttil accuses Bartolo of misleading parliament, avoiding questions on 'obscene' jobless scheme

Evarist Bartolo calls for a Speaker's ruling in parliament after opposition leader Simon Busuttil accused him of misleading the House and trying to hide in bid to avoid answering questions on new scheme administered by the General Worker's Union

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Italian playboy arrested in New York for allegedly faking his own kidnapping after two-day drugs binge with escort



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Football coach Barry Bennell charged with 8 child sex offences



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NHS workers 'are quitting to stack shelves because it pays more'



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Donald Trump says protesters who burn flag should be jailed or lose citizenship



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Donald Tusk accuses British voters who backed Brexit of creating 'anxiety' for 3.3m EU migrants in UK



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Dog-sitter ordered to pay friend £1k after pet pug she was looking after got run over



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Monday, November 28, 2016

Poppi Worthington's father will not be charged over her death, CPS says 



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Ukip to 'replace' Labour in North of England and have more than 10 MPs in 2020, says new leader Paul Nuttall



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Over 16 million carers 'at risk' by being trusted with someone's PIN



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Ohio State attack eyewitness: 'I thought it was an accident until the guy came out with a knife'



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Existing Paceville master plan is a "no-go" - Planning parliamentary secretary

The Paceville master plan in its current state was a "no-go" and it would be used as a first draft with feedback from the general public and parliamentary committee taken into consideration, Planning parliamentary secretary Deborah Schembri said this evening. Heated arguments between the parliamentary secretary and shadow minister Marthese Portelli dominated much of this evening's Environmental and Development Planning Committee's on the master plan. Dr Portelli complained that the committee was being asked to rise and report to the Plenary when the Planning Authority and Lands Department had still not provided information requested by the Opposition. This information included the means by which Gross Floor Area (GFA) allowances were assigned to developments, accurate charts showing which land was owned by the government and which land was privately owned, and the means by which compensation for expropriation would be calculated. Dr Portelli refused to answer several questions posed by committee chair Franco Mercieca (PL) on the ground that the "yes" or "no" answers he requested did not allow for the presentation of nuanced positions, and could be used to undermine the...

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Mitt Romney gets second interview with Donald Trump for Secretary of State as David Petraeus heads to Trump Tower



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Maltese language organisations plead with minister to scrap council amendments

Maltese language academics from six different organisations today reiterated their opposition to proposed amendments to the Maltese Language Council.  In a statement, L-Akkadmeja tal-Malti president Olvin Vella said that the six organisations would "not be accomplices to the damage that would have been done," if the amendments were forced through.  The organisations believe that the amendments will lead to unqualified people being granted influential positions in the Council, including being put in charge of technical committees.   "Although we want a representative Council, the majority of its members must be qualified," Dr Vella said. "The proposed amendments include no guarantees that technical heads will be qualified in Maltese."  The Education Ministry had not consulted with the Akkademja or the University's Maltese Department before announcing the amendments, the six organisations said.  The amendments would broaden Council membership and make technical heads electable by a majority of Council members. Currently, technical heads are picked from a list recommended by the Akkademja tal-Malti and University's Maltese Department.  Council members made their concerns public...

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Boy, 11, leads police on 'dangerous' car chase after Grand Theft Auto session



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Pope on course for historic visit to Northern Ireland



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There is 'more uncertainty than ever before' about the OBR's gloomy Brexit warnings, IFS says 



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Family feud in Kenyan court over who is responsible for death of British property tycoon



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Discovery of alcohol-regulating hormone could lead to pill which prevents cravings



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Speaker asked to rule as government insists Vitals deal is a health committee issue

Government and Opposition members of the Public Accounts Committee this evening crossed swords over a request to investigate the contracts signed for the privatisation of three state hospitals. After a heated two-and-a-half hour discussion the two sides could not agree on whether the committee should even investigate the contracts, and committee chairman Tonio Fenech said he would call on the Speaker to give a ruling. The PAC had received a request to review the contracts signed between the government and Vitals Global Healthcare for the privatisation of the Gozo, St Luke's, and Karen Grech hospitals. The request was submitted by the Medical Association of Malta as well as the Union Ħaddiema Magħqudin last week, but Justice Minister and committee member Owen Bonnici insisted the matter should instead be referred to the health committee. READ: Vitals hits out at UĦM, MAM statements Mr Fenech meanwhile argued that a request made to the committee should not be referred to another, especially when the PAC was perfectly competent to investigate the matter. Opposition MP Chris Said said it was clear that government members did not want the matter to be reviewed by the...

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Speaker to decide whether investigations into Vitals Healthcare will be by PAC or Health Committee

The Public Accounts Committee was dominated by heated discussions as to whether or not the investigation into the contracts made between the government and Vitals Global Healthcare should be put forward to the aforementioned committee or to the health committee; where it had already been approved for discussion.

The request was put forward by Union Haddiem Maghqudin and the Medical Association of Malta, who both raised concerns regarding Vitals Global Healthcare's ability to raise the necessary financing to make good on its promise to invest about €220 million in the running of the Gozo, Karin Grech and St Luke's hospitals.

 It was for this reason that the unions felt that the issue would be better served in front of the PAC rather than the MC; since it is their belief that the issue requires the financial know-how of the committee and the auditor general.

Minister for Justice Owen Bonnici did not believe that the issue should be put before the PAC once the request had already been approved by a separate committee. The medical committee is headed by Labour Whip, Dr Godfrey Farrugia.

Opposition MP Claudio Grech claimed that the minister's opposition to the unions' proposal proved that the government did not want the issue put forward in front of the PAC, chaired by former PN minister Tonio Fenech.


Shadow Health Minister Claudette Buttigieg said that she would be retracting her request for the issue to be discussed by the Parliamentary Health Committee in order for the Public Accounts Committee to investigate the deal on the privatisation of three hospitals

The ruling on the discussion will be decided by the Speaker at a later date.




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Paceville master plan turns into heated arguments between government and opposition

The Paceville master plan debate in the Environment and Planning Development Committee in Parliament saw heated arguments between government and the opposition, with PN MP Marthese Portelli saying government will be expropriating private land, yet at the same time have developers build on public land.

PN MP Marthese Portelli asked if accurate maps by the lands department representing what is public and private land has been submitted, as well as whether a list of government property and private property and where the master plan intends to change things has been presented. "This exercise was meant to occur between the Lands Department and the Planning Authority".

Parliamentary Secretary Deborah Schembri said that Lands Commissioner Peter Mamo told her this information was already passed to the committee.

Marthese Portelli said she already highlighted that the map is not correct, saying some land is public when it is in fact private. The Lands Department gave wrong information" she said.

Dr Schembri said that Peter Mamo told her that the plans are small and thus there could be overlapping, and for what Dr Portelli wants, a survey that takes a lot of time would need to be conducted. "He said that all the GPD could pass over, given their resources,  has already been passed onto this Committee".

Dr Portelli said: "So we are saying the GPD can't do it, and neither do they have the funds for it, yet government has funds for a €300,000 payment to Mott Macdonald.  If the Lands Department is not ready to do it, then who will? We are either here to help people, or lump many documents and shut people up".

Dr Schembri said that at the end of the day "we must do things that are possible". She said that the master plan is not about looking at who owns what, but its rather about a concept.

Dr Portelli stressed the importance of a list showing what is private and public land, as the plan indicated there will be a lot of private land that will be taken for open spaces.

MP Mercieca said that he drafted a number of questions for the Committee to help them see where they agree, for the report they need to draft.

Dr Portelli stressed that the master plan must go back to the drawing board. She said that through the plan, government would need to pay for expropriated land. "It will take up a large amount of private property to make open space, yet at the same time there is public property being given to the private sector. So the government is paying private citizens for land, yet throwing away land giving it to private developers. I asked for this list in order to see this more clearly".

Arguments over the questions posed

Both sides agreed that there is need for a holistic plan without any conflict of interest favouring one developer over another, one resident over another etc.

Asked whether the Committee agreed that the infrastructure needs to be improved, both sides agreed, but Dr Portelli added that the same must be done to the surrounding localities, and PL MP Charles Buhagiar argued that the infrastructure projects must be done prior to development occurring.

Asked whether the committee agrees in principle that tall buildings can be built in the area while making open space, the committee hearing quickly deteriorated into a heated argument. The PL members agreed, however PN MP Ryan Callus said that these questions should have been sent to Committee members beforehand. I don't think these questions should be imposed on us as though we are having an exam, like a show. This is not how mature politics is done. I expected that these questions be given to us beforehand, not handed to us here and now.

Chairman Mercieca said that these are simple questions. "Do you agree with tall buildings or not?"

PN MP Callus said that his problem is not with the substance of the questions, but with the way things have been done. "Everyone knows this masterplan is a disaster from top to bottom. We are ready to find a common position, but this is not how things are done".

Dr Portelli said that if the PN does not agree with tall buildings, government will come out saying the PN does not agree. "If the PN says yes, when the new master plan comes out, and if we have objections to some of those tall buildings, government will say we are contradicting each other. This is the crucial point. The crucial question was whether we agree with the concept of a master plan, and yes we do with conditions. You can't ask me about tall buildings as it depends which one, who would pay for the open space etc".

Asked whether there are any sites which are not ideal for tall buildings, Dr Portelli quoted from the Chamber of Architects, that the quantity of development proposed is accommodated without any analysis. PN MP Ryan Callus said this answer can be found, in black and white in the objections put forward by the people.

Parliamentary Deborah Schembri said that government will listen to the people and read their complaints. She said she will take decisions that are needed after hearing and reading all that the public are saying.

Dr Schembri argued that the opposition was not giving a response, however time and time again, PN MPs said that the plan needs to go back to the drawing board, and a more holistic plan that does not prefer one developer over another, one resident over another, be drafted.

In a clear attempt to anger the opposition, Chairman Mercieca said "then to be clear, you agree with all of them but Mercury Tower", to which all the PN MPs objected arguing that this is not what they said.

Dr Portelli argued: "If we want a holistic plan, then we should not choose one site or another, but all of Paceville". She stressed that this is a plan of tall buildings not a holistic plan. "This is even shown in the questions you are asking us, which regard tall buildings".

Dr Schembri argued that it is a holistic plan.

Dr Portelli then asked how the Ground Floor Area worked, given that it benefited Mercury House. She said that all developers must be treated justly when it comes to this ration, and alleged that there is no level playing-field in the current plan.

Both sides agreed that there should be open spaces in Paceville, but PN Portelli said that the Mott MacDonald plan takes away land from private businesses for such space and does not take the small businesses into consideration.

The discussion is still ongoing

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Speaker's ruling requested as government insists health committee, not PAC, should investigate VGH deal

Healthcare professionals asked the Public Accounts Committee to investigate the hospitals privatisation deal: but because a request had already been made to the health committee, the government side argued that the matter should be handled by parliament's health committee

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At least 25 Maltese locked up abroad

There are at least 25 Maltese nationals serving prison sentences abroad, parliament was told.  Foreign Minister George Vella told Godfrey Farrugia (PL) that 21 are incarcerated in Australia, and one each in Libya, the UK, Tunisia and Brazil. Six others – five in Australia and one in Libya – are also waiting to be processed. Dr Vella made it clear that the 25 were those who had asked for help from Malta's foreign missions. Therefore, he said, the number could be higher. Working with disability Family Minister Michael Farrugia told parliament that 692 persons with disability have started work and continued receiving their disability pension. Dr Farrugia was answering a question by Anthony Agius Decelis (PL). Hip replacements Some 146 hip replacements were carried out between March and December 2013, Health Minister Chris Fearne told shadow minister Claudette Buttigieg. None of these replacements led to any Ombudsman complaints or litigation procedures, he added. Mr Fearne also said that there had been a marked increase in knee replacement cases between January and October this year. Despite the increase, waiting times for orthopaedic consultations at Mater Dei Hospital had...

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Decline in bees could wipe out British apple industry, say scientists



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Council: Amendments to law will take Maltese back 40 years

Maltese Language council accuses Education minister of refusing to consult with those most knowledgeable about Maltese language

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Fraudsters tried to sell my home on Rightmove: Court hears how thieves raided owner's bins and faked deeds



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Lord Howard: Judges have made a 'grab for power' by involving themselves in Parliamentary decision-making



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United manager Mourinho charged again by FA

Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho has been charged with improper conduct by the FA after he was sent off at the weekend for the second time in a month. The Portuguese was banished from the dugout in the 27th minute of yesterday's 1-1 home Premier League draw with West Ham United after booting a water bottle down the touchline following what he felt was an unjust booking for midfielder Paul Pogba. "It is alleged his behaviour ... amounts to improper conduct," the FA said in a statement. "He has until 6pm on 1 December 2016 to respond to the charge." Mourinho was also dismissed for verbally abusing referee Mark Clattenburg at half-time during a match against Burnley at the end of last month. The former Chelsea, Real Madrid, Inter Milan and Porto boss was banned from the touchline for one match and fined a total of 58,000 pounds ($71,972) for two separate incidents of misconduct in October. He admitted using abusive and/or insulting language towards Clattenburg and was fined 8,000 pounds for the incident and banned from the touchline for one game. Mourinho was also charged and fined a further 50,000 pounds for comments he made about referee Anthony Taylor ahead of a game...

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'Man in the Hat' Belgian terror suspect says UK's security services make country 'more difficult to attack' than France



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PM meets Hollande in first leg of European tour

Prime Minister Joseph Muscat yesterday visited the French President Francois Hollande in the first leg of his tour of European capitals.

In a tweet, Dr Muscat said he had a very focused and productive meeting with President Hollande.

A DOI statement later said that the two discussed the situation in the Mediterranean, the situations in Syria and Libya, and the future of Turkey. The two countries agreed these topics must be given priority during the Maltese presidency.

From Paris, Dr Muscat flew to Dublin where he was to meet the Irish PM Enda Kenny.



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Theresa May: Brexit can work for us and our European neighbours



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Cards Against Humanity: Why are people paying to dig this massive hole in the earth? 



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Jason Azzopardi told to retract claim that Owen Bonnici lied

Nationalist Party MP and shadow minister Jason Azzopardi has been told to retract the statement "Owen Bonnici lied to parliament" by speaker Anġlu Farrugia.  The speaker told Dr Azzopardi that if he retracted the phrase, he would consider the case closed. If not, he would take "further steps".  But the retraction appears unlikely to happen, with Dr Azzopardi tweeting "Forget it. I will not cower, nor bow" soon after the speaker had issued his ruling.  Dr Azzopardi had also made the initial remark on Twitter, in relation to a report about the commission being paid to Henley and Partners for its role in the Individual Investors Programme.  Minister Bonnici had subsequently filed a breach of privilege complaint, saying the statement was unacceptable and untrue.  In his ruling, the speaker said that Dr Azzopardi had failed to refer to the minister's evidence before the Public Accounts Committee, where it emerged that the commission was not only due on the initial €650,000 investment. This was also evident from the regulator's annual report, the speaker said. 

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Cubans in their thousands queue before dawn to bid farewell to Fidel Castro



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Auschwitz survivor issues heartfelt plea to Austrians not to elect far-Right government 



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Denmark picks eurosceptic as foreign minister

Denmark's new coalition government today picked an outspoken eurosceptic as its new foreign minister, marking a potential political shift in a country where opposition against the European Union is growing. Anders Samuelsen, 49, has maintained a sceptical attitude towards Denmark's participation in the European Union since his Liberal Alliance party was founded in 2007 and campaigned against further cooperation with the bloc. "I have not changed my attitude overnight towards the EU," Samuelsen told reporters on Monday after his party on Sunday became part of a new broader coalition deal. Unlike previous liberal governments that have clearly stated they wanted to keep Denmark close to the core of the European Union, the new 86-page government platform presented on Sunday only describes policy towards EU in vague terms. "The government's line is that we are at the core of the EU cooperation, but at the same time we have a critical attitude in the way the EU works. We want to reform the EU, United Nations and NATO from within," he said. "We have a task of cleansing to do." "We may be inspired by what happens in the rest of the world," he said without elaborating and without...

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A Maltese passport is the ninth 'most powerful' in the world

.

Malta has the ninth "most powerful" passport in the world, down two places from last year, according to this year's Passport Index. Germany has the most powerful passport in the world, with a visa-free score of 157, followed by Sweden in second place with a score of 156. Finland, France, Switzerland, Spain, South Korea and the UK were each given a ranking of 156, sharing the third spot. Malta, together with Iceland, was given a score of 150. Despite being ranked in the ninth position, as a number of countries were given the same ranking, there are, in fact, 27 other countries with passports that are more powerful. The index also shows that Afghanistan had the worst-ranking passport in the world, coming in at the 95th place and a ranking of 24. Also at the bottom end of the scale were the passports for Pakistan and Iraq. At 94th place, that for Pakistan was given a score of 27 while that for Iraq stood at 93rd place with a score 29. The index is drawn up by combining the ranking for visa-free travel, together with visa-on-arrival ratio, with the country's score as attributed by the UN Development Programme Human Development Index. According to the UN World Tourism Organisation,...

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Jason Azzopardi ‘in breach of privilege’ over acusations against Owen Bonnici

The speaker of the House of Representatives has ruled that opposition spokesman Jason Azzopardi was in breach of parliamentary privilege when he accused the justice minister of 'lying in parliament' over commissions paid to Henley and Partners

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Secret Brexit memo suggests Britain will not be offered Single Market membership



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Dylann Roof to represent himself at his death penalty trial



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Speaker says Jason Azzopardi must retract ‘minister lied’ comments made against Justice Minister

Speaker of the House Anglu Farrugia declared today that PN MP Jason Azzopardi must retract his statements, that Justice Minister Owen Bonnici lied in Parliament regarding the Henley and Partners Commissions.

Minister for Justice Owen Bonnici had asked the Speaker of the House to investigate what he claimed to be the breach of parliamentary privilege by Shadow Minister Jason Azzopardi.

On more than one occasion, the minister said through his letter to the Speaker, Dr Azzopardi claimed that the Minister lied in Parliament about the commissions handed to Henley and Partners in the citizenship scheme, after it was revealed that Henley and Partners - the concessionaries of Malta's cash for passports scheme - earn 4% commission on the sale of government bonds to those who purchase passports

Speaker Anglu Farrugia read out the request by Dr bonnici. In his letter, the minister also said that Opposition Leader Simon Busuttil had retweeted a number of tweets by Jason Azzopardi, which alleged that the minister was a liar, and as a result of MP Azzopardi's tweet, it was repeated on programmes in the media.

PN MP Azzopardi also asked Speaker Anglu Farrugia to investigate whether, during the PAC meeting in 2015, the minister had lied.

The Speaker quoted from the Committee meetings that took place, as well as the Annual IIP report and other documents. He said that the minister had made clear that there were certain clauses in the contract that could not be published due to commercial sensitivity and competitivity. He also said that PAC Chairman Tonio Fenech had realised, when the minister was being asked about some of these clauses, that they would receive funds from more than the €650,000.

The Speaker ordered that Jason Azzopardi retract the statements at the first chance he has in Parliament when he returns from abroad. 




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Language Council warns that ‘those proposing amendment do not have basic knowledge of Maltese'

The Maltese Language Council is calling on the Minister of Education Evarist Bartolo and the Prime Minister not to go on with the proposed amendments in the Council. In a press conference organised by the Council, Bernard Micallef, the Head of the Maltese Language Department at the University of Malta, said that the proposed changes will weaken the council because the majority of the members will not be qualified. Echoing what Olvin Vella told The Malta Independent in an interview, the number of academics in the Council will not be at a minority.

Dr Micallef explained that the people who suggested these amendments do not have the basic orthographic knowledge to write in Maltese. Holding a press release which announced these changes, Dr Micallef said that the document was filled with spelling mistakes.

The council is calling on the Ministry not to cause useless controversy and not to hinder the harmony and success achieved by the Council throughout its years. Dr Micallef said that this does not only affect academics, but all those who are somehow linked with the Maltese language, including journalists, writers, publishers, translators and teachers. "We are willing to take this issue before the Prime Minister because we believe this is very serios," he explained.

The press conference, attended by Maltese literature giants like Trevor Zahra, Achille Mizzi and Victor Fenech, was also addressed by Olvin Vella from the Akkademja tal-Malti. Dr Vella said that he fears that there are those few ambitious people who want "their language fantasies to materialize," who are drawing the attention and being supported by the Ministry for Education.

When asked by this newspaper to explain who these people really are, Dr Vella said that these are "language Talibans, who want us to go back in time and those detached from reality."

"These are the same people who pretend that the public calls a portions of chips as 'bicciet tal-patata," he added.

In an interview which featured on this newspaper, Dr Vella explained that if the proposed amendments pass, the Maltese Language Council will be weakened. 



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Drone films breathtaking views of Whitby Abbey and Stonehenge



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French Left 'facing collective suicide' in presidential elections in wake of centre-Right primary



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Two new PN MPs join parliamentary ranks

The Nationalist Party's two new MPs took their oath of allegiance this evening.  Edwin Vassallo and Peter Micallef were the two PN candidates who obtained the highest number of votes without being elected. The two men were granted parliamentary seats following a Constitutional Court ruling last week.  Mr Vassallo served as parliamentary secretary in the last Nationalist government. He was elected for five consecutive elections between 1996 and 2008 but lost his place in 2013. Dr Micallef is also be making a return to Parliament, having been elected in a casual election in 2010 to fill in the seat vacated by John Dalli, who had resigned to become European Commissioner. Portfolios assigned In a statement, the Nationalist Party said that Mr Vassallo will be the party spokesman for manufacturing and cooperatives, while Dr Micallef will be party spokesman for mental health. Their portfolios, party leader Simon Busuttil said, were in sectors which the current government had all but abandoned. "Ever since Joseph Muscat has been in power, local manufacturing has regressed, especially export-related manufacturing," Dr Busuttil said. "Actavis' announcement that it will be firing 200...

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Murder suspect appears in court with no lawyer

The man accused of murdering Caroline Magri appeared in court without the assistance of a lawyer this afternoon.  Ms Magri was found murdered in her bedroom in Ta' Giorni last September. Djibril Ganiou was charged with the crime.  Mr Ganiou informed the court, by means of his interpreter, that he was expecting lawyer Giannella DeMarco to turn up. However, presiding magistrate Claire Stafrace Zammit informed him that Dr DeMarco had renounced the brief. She told the accused that unless he paid for their services, no lawyer would assist him in court. The man explained that he was trying to obtain the necessary money, but that he was willing to accept the court's offer to appoint a legal aid lawyer. The prosecution exhibited an envelope containing DVDs and reports concerning four separate incidents between February 2015 and August 2016 involving the accused and his alleged victim. On September 20, On September 20, 2015 Ms Magri had filed a report alleging that Mr Ganiou had slightly injured her. The court heard that on August 26, 2016 the two were involved in a fight with two others in Triq il-Miratur, Floriana. The St Julian's police station bail book was also exhibited in...

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Edwin Vassallo, Peter Micallef attend their first sitting of this legislature

House of Representatives welcomes newly-elected opposition MPs Edwin Vassallo and Peter Micallef

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Lawyers can now sit in on police interrogations

People being questioned by police can as of today avail themselves of legal assistance throughout interrogations, the Justice Ministry announced.  The right to legal assistance during interrogations was first introduced in February 2010, but suspects were only allowed to speak to their lawyer for up to one hour. This right has now been broadened to match the norm in many other European countries.  Lawyers will now be able to sit in on interrogations, will be allowed to ask questions and be given the right to pass remarks "as allowed by procedure", the ministry statement said.  The new system would ensure that people were not found guilty in cases where there were doubts about the way police statements had been obtained, the ministry said, to the benefit of the person being interrogated, the police and the justice system as a whole.  "The previous government spent years dragging its feet on this issue," the ministry said. "In contrast, this government moved the legislative process forward in a careful and considered manner." 

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New PN MPs Edwin Vassallo and Peter Micallef take Parliamentary oath

Edwin Vassallo and Peter Micallef took their oaths in Parliament this evening, following the announcement that they were elected after a Constitional Court ruling on Friday giving the Nationalist Party two extra seats.

The Electoral Commission had met to determine which two candidates who contested on behalf of the PN were to take a seat in the House of Representatives after the court judgment.

Mr Vassallo, who is the Mosta mayor, and Peter Micallef were the two PN candidates who obtained the highest number of votes without being elected.

Speaker of the House Anglu Farrugia welcomed the two new MPs to Parliament.

 

 

 

 




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Matteo Renzi urges Italians to vote in favour of political reform or face "decades" of stagnation, as referendum looms



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Right to legal aid throughout interrogations or arrest comes into effect

The right to legal aid throughout interrogations or when placed under arrest has come into effect as of today, a press release issued by the justice ministry said this evening.

In addition to this, a number of other rights have also come into effect for persons who are under investigation.

In the press release, it said that such rights have been the norm for a number of years in other advanced countries. 

"In this way, we will have a criminal justice system that is trustworthy and that ensures no person will be found guilty in dubious circumstances where there could be reason to doubt whether justice was served or not."



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Updated | Ohio campus gunman reported killed

At least 8 people have been injured, one of them critically, in the university shooting

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Seven people sent to hospital after report of Ohio State active shooter

Seven people were sent to the hospital Monday morning after an active shooter was reported on campus, the Columbus Fire Department said shortly after the school sent a series of tweets telling students to shelter in place and to "Run Hide Fight."

Two of those people are in stable condition, the department said. It had no information on the other five people.

Around 10 a.m., the university's emergency management department tweeted "Buckeye Alert: Active Shooter on campus. Run Hide Fight. Watts Hall. 19th and College." Watts Hall is a materials science and engineering building.

"Run, hide, fight" is standard protocol for active shooter situations. It means: Run, evacuate if possible; hide, get silently out of view; or fight, as a last resort, take action to disrupt or incapacitate the shooter if your life is in imminent danger.

The university followed up with another tweet: "Continue to shelter in place in north campus area. Follow directions of Police on scene." The university asked for anyone with information to call police.

Many police vehicles were at the scene. No other information was immediately available.

With nearly 60,000 students at its main Columbus campus, Ohio State is one of the nation's largest universities.



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Donald Trump threatens to reverse Barack Obama's Cuba thaw unless concessions made



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What is Article 127? New Brexit legal challenge over the single market



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Wife of Lambretta millionaire wins £2.7m divorce settlement ten years after they split



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Sunday, November 27, 2016

Music ‘food’ for the brain

When a child receives musical instruction, their brains are asked to complete certain tasks, that involve hearing, motor, cognition, emotion and social skills.

Music lessons improve brain connections in healthy children and may be useful in children with autism spectrum disorders and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), researchers say. After nine months of musical training in healthy children, diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) showed brain fibre growth and new connections in areas of the brain associated with autism spectrum disorders and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), the researchers found. "The musical experience at an early age can contribute to a better brain development, optimising the creation and establishment of neural networks as well as the process of myelination and stimulating committed tracts in the frontal regions, especially the minor forceps," Pilar Dies-Suarez, chief radiologist at the Hospital Infantil de Mexico Federico Gomez in Mexico City, said. Dies-Suarez will present the findings this week in Chicago during the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA) annual meeting. The minor forceps is a fibre bundle which connects the lateral and medial surfaces of the frontal lobes and extends through the anterior end of the corpus callosum. "The minor forceps has been studied in recent years...

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Organ masterclasses with German musician

German organist Christian Schmitt

Free organ masterclasses will be given by German concert organist Christian Schmitt on Wednesday as part of the Malta International Organ Festival, a festival of 17 concerts taking place in churches and cathedrals around Malta. Schmitt will also perform in a concert, further details of which will be given tomorrow. The masterclasses are being held on Wednesday at the St Augustine parish church in Valletta as from 9.30am. All those interested in attending should fill in the form available from http://ift.tt/2gIPqiD or send an e-mail to info@MaltaInternationalOrganFestival.com. ■ The festival runs until December 9 with concerts taking place in various cathedrals, basilicas and churches across the Maltese islands. Full program details can be obtained from http://ift.tt/2gIPqiD. This space will cover the individual concerts on the day. The masterclasses are being held courtesy of the German Embassy in Malta.

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Maltese descent

I am looking for the family of Francis John Cutaiar, (or Cutajar), who was born in 1799 or 1800 in Malta. He was my fourth great-grandfather. I have no information on who his parents may have been or where exactly he was born in Malta. He married Amelia Luzenberg, of Alsace, France. I do not have a marriage location or the exact date. He was listed as living in New York City in 1828 with his wife and one daughter, Amelia Cutaiar. From there he moved to Philadelphia, PA and had several more children, including my third great-grandfather, and remained there until he died in 1861. I would love... This article is part of our premium content. Full story is available on Times of Malta Premium.

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Art exhibition

Art Malta co-founders Aaron Lu (left) and Gabriella Mallia (right) with the director of the China Cultural Centre Yajun Wang at the opening of Innuendo. Photo: Luke Brincat

Ten painters, three sculptors, two photographers and one jeweller from six different countries have come together in a celebration of art for Innuendo, running until Wednesday in St Julian's. Put together by Art Malta, this exhibition once again subscribes to Art Malta's aim to work with visual and performing artists, merging art and business audiences together. Set up at the beginning of the year by Gabriella Mallia and Aaron Lu, it has now developed into three areas: Art Malta on Tour; Art Malta Euro Tour and Pop Up Art Galleries. Innuendo sees the participation of painters George Preca, Christian Formosa, Francis Galea and Joseph Barbara from Malta, Aglika Bochukova from Bulgaria, Dag Art from Poland, He Ping from China, Chris Minoldi from Italy, and Aaron Lu and Anastasia Malkhazova from Germany; Maltese sculptors Joe Genovese, Sergio Gauci Stonepecker and Eleazar Galea; photographers Rafael Mielczarek from Poland and Louis Agius from Malta; and Italian jeweller John Lord. The title of the exhibition was chosen to bring attention to the artists' activity which is the creative shaping of impressions and experiences through different media in a mix of conscious and unconscious...

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Road plates hazard

Photo: Chris Sant Fournier

A section of the main road heading to Mosta, just past the Lija cemetery, is covered with  several steel plates. But why is there no advance warning for the unwary driver – 'Road plates ahead' – as is done in other civilised countries? Too much of a difficult job for Transport Malta, perhaps? This article is part of our premium content. Full story is available on Times of Malta Premium.

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Cervantes’s masterpiece under the microscope

On the 400th anniversary of the death of Spanish author Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra, a seminar looking at the impact of his seminal work, Don Quixote, on foreign writers is taking place over the next three evenings. Today's speakers include Hilaire Kallendorf from the Texas A&M University who will be delivering a keynote speech entitled 'Don Quixote in Los Angeles: The First Chicano Novel and Its Cervantine Model'. This will be followed by Peter Vassallo from the University of Malta with theologizing Cervantes's 'Don Quijote: Graham Greene's Monsignor Quixote'. Closing the evening is Pedro Javier Pardo from the Universidad de Salamanca talking on The Pierre Menard Syndrome: Don Quixote, from Book to Myth. Tomorrow's session sees speakers from the University of Malta Adrian Grima, Richard Spiteri and Vincent Vella talking respectively on 'Don Quixote, Madness and the Protagonists of Maltese Reformist Fiction', 'Denis Tillinac: The Don Quixote Myth at the Turn of the 21st Century' and 'Ernesto Panza: The Tale of An Artless Revolutionary'. Independent researcher Marceliano Acevedo will then talk about 'Madame Bovary and Don Quixote: A Personal Relationship'. The seminar draws to a...

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­­­Shipping movements

These ships are expected in Malta: The CMA CGM Platon from Mersin to Valencia, the AS Cypria from Tanger Med to Rijeka, the EM Corfu from Aliaga (all CMA CGM Malta Agency Ltd), the MV Euroferry Malta from Salerno to Salerno, the MV Eurocargo Venezia from Genoa to Genoa (both Sullivan Maritime), the Merito from Algiers to Algiers (Thomas Smith Shipping Ltd) and the La Suprema from Genoa to Genoa (Gollcher Co. Ltd) today. The Santa Regula from Koper to Livorno, the Stjerneborg from Tripoli to Tunis, the AHS St Georg from Misurata (all CMA CGM Malta Agency Ltd) and the Antwerp from Bejaia to Skikda (Thomas Smith Shipping Ltd) tomorrow. The Seago Piraeus from Antwerp to Piraeus (Thomas Smith Shipping Ltd), the MSC Katie from Singapore to Barcelona (John Ripard & Son Ltd) and the MV Eurocargo Malta from Genoa to Livorno (Sullivan Maritime) on Thursday.

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Cartoon of the day

Dickensian

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Unbecoming behaviour

It was reported (November 23) that Finance Minister Edward Scicluna is concerned that false rumours would be detrimental to the financial sector and to the Maltese economy. May I remind the minister that what is causing considerable damage to both the financial sector and the Maltese economy is the cavalier attitude to good governance of the Muscat government, which he forms part of, and to the glut of scandals that have become the hallmark of the Muscat administration. The opening of secret companies in Panama by those closest to Joseph Muscat, which behaviour has gone unpunished, together... This article is part of our premium content. Full story is available on Times of Malta Premium.

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Vivienne Gatt

Victoria Blackman writes: In November, I lost the best part of my youth. My best friend, Vivienne Gatt, went to meet our Lord. I first met Vivienne and her brother, Mario, when we were circa five years old. Vivienne and I became inseparable during our youth. She was the calm, organised one while I was the impetuous one.  We were total opposites in every other way. Like me, she was a great reader and her tastes were eclectic. Vivienne was one of the founders of the Early Teens Centre in San Ġwann.  In fact, she was the first secretary and took her job very seriously. This centre was started in our early teens and, together with all our friends, we – well, mainly she and the rest of the committee – organised pageants during Christmas and Easter and held fund-raising activities. Most of our old friends will surely remember the long hikes, the discoes we used to organise and, most of all, the sense of well-being during the evenings that we all spent together when we all gathered at the church hall to hang out and play table tennis. All this happened under the eagle eyes of both Fr Noel Barbara [now Bishop of Kenya] and Fr Publius Mair, who took care of us all. She was loyal to her...

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Prisoner dies by suicide every three days as toll hits 'epidemic' level



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Donald Trump, without evidence, claims illegal voting cost him US popular vote



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New Orleans French Quarter shooting kills one and wounds nine



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The EU must compromise to win a good Brexit deal for Britain and the rest of the union, warns Polish PM 



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Nine out of ten GPs cannot offer safe care, new survey indicates



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BBC is 'coming up short' in religious broadcasting and does not take faith seriously, presenter warns



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Islamic State retreat 'reveals terror plots against Europe'



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Further reforms are needed to strengthen the powers of English MPs, says study



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Majority of 'add-on' fertility treatments not supported by science - damning report



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Heston Blumenthal serves up bacon and banana trifle for Christmas dinner as retro desserts make comeback



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Julian Barnes: Americans should be barred from Booker Prize 



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FA investigates child sex scandal as jailed coaches are named



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Boris Johnson may attend Fidel Castro’s funeral as Barack Obama is told to stay away 



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Cadbury accused of fudge as it pulls out of Fairtrade



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'He is immortal to us' - silent prayer but little hope of change as Cubans mourn Fidel Castro 



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Francois Fillon set for face off with Marine le Pen after winning French presidential primaries



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Francois Fillion set for face off with Marine le Pen after winning French presidential primaries



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Britain 'faces US legal claims after America passes terror sponsors' law'



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Fillon wins French conservative presidential primary

Francois Fillon, a socially conservative free-marketeer, won France's centre-right presidential primaries, setting up a likely showdown next year with far-right leader Marine Le Pen that the pollsters expect him to win. With votes from four-fifths of 10,228 polling stations counted, Fillon, who went into Sunday's second-round run-off as firm favourite, had won over 67 percent of the vote in a head-to-head battle with another ex-prime minister, Alain Juppe. "I must now convince the whole country our project is the only one that can lift us up," a visibly moved Fillon said at his campaign headquarters after Juppe conceded defeat. All eyes now turn to the ruling Socialist party and to whether the deeply unpopular President Francois Hollande will decide to run for the left-wing ticket in his party's primaries in January, amid signs that his prime minister, Manuel Valls, is considering a bid of his own. France, the euro zone's second largest economy, has faced stubbornly high unemployment under Hollande, and the past two years of his term have been marked by Islamist militant attacks that have killed 230 people and focused attention on immigration and security concerns too. Opinion...

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Mourinho sent off on bad day for United as Arsenal win again

Manchester United manager Jose Mourinho was sent off for the second time in a month today as the controversial coach watched his side draw 1-1 at home to West Ham United and lose more ground in the Premier League title race. On an afternoon when Arsenal moved within three points of top spot after Alexis Sanchez scored twice in a 3-1 home win over Bournemouth, Mourinho's hopes of seeing United roar back into contention foundered amid more Old Trafford drama. At the end of last month the Portuguese was dismissed for abusing referee Mark Clattenburg at halftime against Burnley. This time Mourinho's crime was simple petulance, booting a bottle down the touchline in the 27th minute after what he felt was an unjust booking for Paul Pogba. Jon Moss, the referee, had history with Mourinho, having also sent him to the stands against West Ham for a halftime rant at the official when he was Chelsea boss last November. The score was 1-1 on Sunday when Mourinho saw red, Zlatan Ibrahimovic having levelled after a sensational start in which Diafra Sakho headed West Ham in front after 90 seconds, the second-fastest goal United had conceded at home in the Premier League. What will have concerned...

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France: Fillon declares victory in presidential primary

Former Prime Minister Francois Fillon has declared victory in France's first-ever conservative presidential primary, beating a more moderate rival who had warned of encroaching populism.

Fillon enjoyed a surprise surge in popularity in recent weeks over longtime favorite Alain Juppe, also a former prime minister.

Fillon campaigned on promises of drastic free-market reforms, a hard line on immigration and Islam, support for traditional family values and friendlier ties with Russia's Vladimir Putin.

In a victory speech following the primary's runoff election Sunday, Fillon called for unity to defeat the far right and the discredited left.

Polls suggest the 62-year-old Fillon would have a high chance of winning the French presidency in the April-May election, and that his toughest challenge may come from far-right leader Marine Le Pen.



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Disaster strikes on Caribbean tour as Prince Harry's ship breaks down 



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Girls are getting ill because they spend all their time 'taking the perfect selfie', says Jennifer Saunders



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Eton 'appoints fist woman deputy'



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Decade of 'torture' if bid to withdraw life support from vegetative Gulf War hero fails



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Father of Chitty dies

In the UK, Chitty was taken from one location to another by trailer. However, when in Malta, Chitty was driven on public roads, including country lanes.

Pierre Picton, owner of the original Chitty Chitty Bang Bang car, who made the film prop even more famous than the film it starred in, died on November 10 aged 82. He will be well-remembered in Malta, especially by countless Maltese now in their mid-30s who were children when Chitty and its loveable owner came over to the island in the Christmas of 1990. It was the same year Pope John Paul II paid the first Papal visit to Malta. And Christmas was made all the more magical for the children when Picton and the most famous car in the world visited on the invitation of David Arrigo and Ulli Salomo. Mr Arrigo, one of Malta's foremost car aficionados, recalls that time with great affection: "I was indeed fortunate, as probably I drove Chitty on public roads more than anyone else apart from Mr Picton. In the UK she was always taken from location to location by trailer. During Chitty's month in Malta she was driven everywhere." Pedestrians and road users just could not believe their eyes seeing Chitty next to them at the traffic lights or on the Gozo ferry. "On one occasion I spotted a friend at a bus stop in Msida. I offered her a lift to Floriana, much to the disbelief of the rest of...

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Tens of thousands march in Rome to protest constitutional reforms put forward by embattled Italian leader Matteo Renzi



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Allegri says Juve needed to commit more fouls

 Juventus coach Massimiliano Allegri said his team were outmuscled by Genoa in Serie A today and suggested that one of the reasons for their 3-1 defeat was that they did not commit enough fouls. Allegri's opposite number Ivan Juric, meanwhile, praised Genoa for being cynical and mean. "There's only one way to sum up the game: we suffered 25 fouls and we only committed eight ourselves, and when you suffer physically, then you are going to lose the game," Allegri told reporters. The Serie A leaders were knocked off their stride, conceding three goals in the first half-hour against their midtable opponents as they suffered their third league defeat of the season. "There's no justification for that first half-hour," said Allegri. "We conceded three goals from six metres and you are going to lose the game if you do that. Everyone has a slip-up during the season and this was ours." Allegri added that his players might have relaxed after Tuesday's 3-1 at Sevilla guaranteed them a place in the Champions League knockout stages. "We need to keep our feet on the ground and understand that the season is long and nothing can be taken for granted," he said. "What did I say to the players?...

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A new side to Spanish

As the new show Inicio sets out to prove, modern Spanish dancing isn't just about frilly costumes and stomping feet. In fact, as Deborah McNamara tells Jo Caruana, that's barely the start of it. Flamenco dancing can get a bad rap. Some critics argue that the music is repetitive and the style monotonous – but that could be because they haven't ever experienced Nuevo Flamenco or Danza Estilizada, two styles that bring a fresh, new approach to flamenco dancing and which have come to thrill fans worldwide. And now, for the first time, a local dance company is choosing to focus on them and bring... This article is part of our premium content. Full story is available on Times of Malta Premium.

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Valletta fire blanks; Kaljevic puts Balzan again at the top

VALLETTA-  0

MOSTA-      0

 

Mosta: Y. Cini, A. Caruana, T. Grant, K. Magro, E. Vella, D. Xuereb, K. Jackson (K. Frendo), C. McLaren, V. Oseghale (M. Vlcek), N. Priso (B. Meludse), Z. Brincat

Valletta: D. Barktus, J. Caruana, L. Aguirre, V. Alhino, Jhonnattann, U. Uchenna R. Camilleri (R. Romao), S. Borg, L. Cremona (J. Borg), M. Mifsud, S. Malano (R. Fenech)

Referee: G. Tonna

Asst.refs: D. Sultana, W. Debattista

4th official: S. Pace

Yellow cards: N. Priso, C. McLaren, A. Caruana, S. Borg

Player of the match: K. Magro (Mosta)

TMI top 3: 1. K. Magro  2. S. Malano  3. Z. Brincat

Attendance: 711

 

Valletta's push to keep themselves close to the leading duo were punctured as they were held to a goalless draw by Mosta. They now trail leaders Balzan by five points.

After an evenly balanced first half of few openings, Valletta had so much dominance in the second but failed to create any strong chances.

The Citizens produced a spate of individual skill but did not gel as a team yesterday.

Mosta defended in numbers but never lost their composure although they were found wanting in the final third. They had a lot of positives but in football you have to score.

The teams went into this match in contrasting fortunes. Valletta were unbeaten in six matches while Mosta were winless also in six.

Statistics suggested that Valletta might be a test too far for Ivan Zammit's boys.

Two notable absentees for Valletta were the suspended duo Claudio Pani and Federico Falcone

Mosta stayed composed and defended in numbers, closing spaces at the back. Valletta were only restricted to shoot from a distance. Aguirre's pile drfiver was deflected into a corner and Jhonnattann hit the side netting. Malano's try towards the end of the first half, failed to find the target.

Midway through the  half, Mosta's Oseghale failed to capitalise on a Camilleri erratic clearance and he shot wastefully wide.

But otherwise the half did not offer much excitement and the opening 45 minutes were best forgotten by both sides.

Valletta needed to show more urgency in the second half but did not want to be exposed at the back by the mobilty of Jackson, Mc Laren, Oseghale or Priso in the Mosta attack.

Keeping a semblance of self-control was imperative and they started by exerting important authority in midfield,wher Malano was highly involved, pegging Mosta back and keeping confident possession.

On a Jhonnattann cross, Malano headed slightly over.

Past the hour, Valletta effected a double substitution, withdrawing Camilleri and Cremona and putting in Jean Borg and Romeu Romao.

Oseghale limped off for Mosta and was replaced by Martin Vlcek.

On 66 minutes a Caruana short back pass put some pressure on his goalkeeper who rushed off his line to smother the danger before Vlcek could capitalise.

Valletta held to their territorial dominance as the minutes ticked away but could not create enough chances to breach Mosta's solid defence.

Alihno and Grant went close with last ditch efforts for Valletta and Mosta respectively but the match remained goalless and the stalemate prevailed at the end.

 

BALZAN FC-                        4

PEMBROKE ATHLETA-      0

 

Balzan: I. Janjusevic, C. Brincat, S. Arab, B. Kaljevic, E. Serrano, S. Bezzina, A. De Barros, A. Nafti, M. Piciollo (L. Micallef), D. Grima (T. Agius), A. Souza (A. Effiong)

Pembroke: M. Calleja Cremona, B. Muscat, S. Eboh (A. Scozzese), A. Djeljilj, M. Micallef, U. Akuto, S. Arab, S. Shodija, O. Maksimov, O. Bugeja, A. Borg

Referee: J. Barcelo (Gibraltar)

Asst.refs: H. Warwick, J. Villada

4th official: Y. Borg

Scorers: B. Kaljevic 13,45, 88 pen, S. Arab 34

Yellow cards: A. Djeljilj, U. Akuto, M. Micallef, M. Calleja Cremona

Player of the match: B. Kaljevic (Balzan)

TMI top 3: 1. B. Kaljevic  2. A. Nafti  3. O. Maksymovic

 

With Hibernians winning on Saturday and going top of the standings, the spotlight and pressure turned on Balzan who could not afford to slip against Pembroke Athleta to regain the primacy yesterday.

Balzan quickly reaffirmed the order of things. They began to outfight their opponents all over the pitch and topped that off with some flashes of class from Souza nad Nafti and the lethal finishing of Bojan Kaljevic in particular, who notched a hat-trick yetserday and took his tally to 13 goals this season.

Pembroke did sporadically threaten but no team can defend this generously and expect to get away with it.

Pembroke coach Artim Shakiri must have been flabbergasted with the way that his fragile defence imploded yet again. They have kept only one clean sheet in 13 league games so far this season.

And their predatory touch in front of goal has been so badly lacking up.

Both teams had key players missing with Pembroke's suspended duo of Zoran Levnaic and Paltemio Barbetti. Pembroke coach also dropped Manewski and Mariano and handed starts to Sunday Eboh, Ugochukwo Akuto, Oleksander Maksymov and Adrian Borg.

Balzan also had centre back Bruno de Oliveira suspended. The returning Alfred Effiong and Lydon Micallef both started on the bench while Paul Fenech did not feature in their squad.

An early goal put Balzan in the driving seat when short of the quarter hour Bojan Kaljevic chested a high ball inside the Pembroke area on the left and beat keeper Calleja Cremona with a low strike at the far post.

Pembroke could have gone in front themselves six minutes earlier but Makymov's shot from the right rebounded off the foot of the post.

Balzan increased their lead on 34 minutes when Souza played a short pass from the right to Samir Arab who scored with a curling shot from the edge of the area.

Soon after Souza ran in well for a Bezzina cross from the left but the Pembroke keeper was alert and saved into a corner.

Still the more dominant force, Balzan made them three on the stroke of halftime. Bojan Kaljevic again made the better of Calleja Cremona's erratic sortie and drove the ball low beyond him.

Photos Domenic Aquilina

The quality then dipped in the second half.

Pembroke had a goal disallowed soon after the restart when Akuto, who had tapped the ball in to finish off Siraj Arab's effort, was ruled offside.

Balzan effected a double substitution on the hour, putting in Lydon Micallef and Alfred Effiong for Piciollo and Souza.

Pembroke soon spurned a good chance when Borg failed to put the ball in from a promising position off Micallef's cross.

On the other end, Micallef presented Kaljevic with an open score but keeper Calleja Cremona somehow deflected into a corner.

Akuto missed the target when put through by Arab and the same player was denied by keeper Janjusevic some minutes later.

 

There was still time for Balzan to score their fourth and for Kaljevic to complete his hat-trick. The Balzan striker won a penalty, which he himself tucked in, after being felled by keeper Calleja Cremona two minutes before the end.

 




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