Tuesday, February 28, 2017
Netanyahu criticised in damning report on 2014 Gaza war
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and former defence officials have been criticised by an inquiry into their conduct during the 2014 Gaza war
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Watch: Dramatic moment player saves opposing goalkeeper's life after horror collision
An international footballer is being hailed a hero after stopping an opposing goalkeeper from swallowing his tongue, following a horror collision.
Half an hour into Bohemians 1905's match with Slovacko in Czech Republic's 1. Liga, drama struck as goalkeeper Martin Berkovec collided with his own defender, Daniel Krch.
Berkovec, 28, was said to have gone limp after the clash and Slovacko's Francis Kone was first to check on his condition.
The goalkeeper had swallowed his tongue and according to reports in the Czech Republic, Kone was quick to pull it out and save his life.
Following the game, Berkovec passed on his thanks to Kone - who plays for Ivory Coast - for his hero intervention.
Writing on Facebook as he checked in from the hospital, he said: "I would like to thank Francis Kone for rescue and emergency at today's game... I'm glad for the relief and thanks again!!!"
Berkovec spent the night in a local hospital after under going a CT scan but is expected to make a full recovery.
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Italy grants partial pardon to ex-CIA officer for role in 2003 kidnapping of terrorism suspect
Italy's president has granted a last-minute partial pardon to a former CIA officer for her role in the 2003 abduction of an Egyptian cleric
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European Parliament committee votes to revoke Marine Le Pen's immunity over violent Isis images
European Union legislators have voted to lift the EU parliamentary immunity of French presidential candidate Marine Le Pen for tweeting pictures of ISIS violence
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World news in one minute: Find out what happened around the world on 28 February
This is the main news as reported by the Associated Press on 28 February.
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Juncker set to unveil post-Brexit plan to European Parliament today
European Commission chief Jean-Claude Juncker today will unveil his plan for the EU's future after Britain's departure, his spokesman said.
Juncker's so-called "White Paper" will be presented to the European Parliament after Commissioners got a first look at it yesterday, the spokesman said.
Euractiv reports that European Union leaders will then consider Juncker's plan at a summit on 9-10 March, before coming up with their own post-Brexit roadmap at a special meeting in Rome on 25 March.
"On Wednesday, president Juncker will go to the European Parliament to present the White Paper on the future of the union," Juncker's spokesman Margaritis Schinas told a briefing.
Britain's shock June 2016 vote to leave the EU — coupled with crises involving the economy and migration — has plunged the 28-nation EU into a deep bout of soul-searching.
At a special summit in Italy to mark the 60th anniversary of the Treaty of Rome which founded the EU, the bloc's leaders will issue a special declaration with new plans for future.
The declaration is expected to cover the next ten years and is likely to contain suggestions for a "multi-speed Europe" in which EU states can decide on how much integration they want, European sources told AFP.
EU leaders are also keen to move on and not let the entire European project get bogged down in what promise to be difficult negotiations with Britain over its exit, which is expected in 2019.
Schinas said Juncker's plan was meant to open a "debate" ahead of the Rome declaration and said there was a "lot of interest" in the former Luxembourg prime minister's views.
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Young woman caught with nine heroin packets asked to change statement after late night meeting
A young woman was arrested in Mgarr ix-Xini in June 2013 but the narrative was changed three months later
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Napoli furious as Juventus given two penalties in Coppa Italia semi-final
Juventus came from behind to beat Napoli 3-1 with the help of three favorable penalty decisions in a controversial first leg of their Italian Cup semifinal on Tuesday.
Napoli had broken the deadlock with a well-worked team goal in the 36th minute. Lorenzo Insigne and Arkadiusz Milik played a rapid one-two and the former crossed into the box for Jose Callejon to volley in at the back post.
But the momentum changed after the break with two contentious penalties awarded to Juventus — and one denied to the visitors.
Napoli, which had been in a self-imposed media blackout for more than a week, decided to break its silence after the match.
"We haven't decided to interrupt our media silence, but it seemed right to us to congratulate the lads, who had a great game," Napoli's sporting director Cristiano Giuntoli said. "We lost tonight because of decisions that weren't just debatable, but were shameful and hurt Italian football.
"The first penalty shouldn't have been given, and the second was even less of a penalty because (Napoli goalkeeper Pepe) Reina got the ball ... Ours was a penalty. This referee is shameful. Congratulations to the team."
Napoli's Kalidou Koulibaly was judged to have tripped Paulo Dybala shortly after halftime and the Argentina forward dusted himself off before firing the resulting spot-kick into the bottom left corner, sending Reina the wrong way.
Juve's second penalty came five minutes after former Napoli striker Gonzalo Higuain had made it 2-1. Napoli goalkeeper Pepe Reina appeared to get the ball but also brought down Juan Cuadrado following a swift counterattack. Dybala converted into the same corner.
Napoli's players were also angered by the referee ignoring their claims for a penalty moments earlier for what appeared to be a foul on Raul Albiol, which led to the counterattack.
"The result changed only because of the refereeing decisions," Reina said. "What should I have done on Cuadrado? Disappear? If I get the ball I get the ball, it's not a penalty.
"And no one's talking much about the penalty on Albiol," the Napoli keeper added. "That was more a penalty than the other... Tonight the result was decided by refereeing mistakes, the whole of Italy saw it."
Higuain's goal came shortly after the hour. A corner was played out to Cuadrado and his cross into the box was inadvertently headed to Higuain by Koulibaly and the forward slotted it in from a tight angle.
Higuain, who had netted the winner when the two sides met in the league earlier this season, joined Juventus for an Italian-record 90 million euros ($100 million) after scoring a league-record 36 goals for Napoli last campaign.
Juventus defender Giorgio Chiellini later brushed off the controversy surrounding the penalty decisions.
"It's bar talk," Chiellini said. "After Roma's win at Inter on Sunday, everyone talked about refereeing decisions and not about Roma's great performance. And it's the same thing tonight. We're used to it, we're thinking about the actual football and the mistakes we made, we will have to sweat hard in Naples."
The return leg will be played on April 4. The winner will meet either Lazio or Roma, which play the first leg of their cup derby on Wednesday.
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Motorcyclist suffers grievous injuries in Sliema collision
A motorcyclist was grievously injured in an accident in Sliema early this morning
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Two women charged with killing North Korean leader's half-brother in Malaysia
Appearing calm and solemn, two young women accused of smearing VX nerve agent on Kim Jong Nam, the estranged half brother of North Korea's leader, were charged with murder Wednesday.
The women, who arrived in court under the protection of masked special forces carrying machine guns, are at the center of a bizarre killing at a busy Kuala Lumpur airport terminal. Many speculate the attack was orchestrated by North Korea, but Pyongyang denies any role.
"I understand but I am not guilty," Vietnamese suspect Doan Thi Huong told the court in English after the murder charge was read. She looked briefly at the public gallery as she was led out and bowed her head.
The other suspect, Indonesian Siti Aisyah, nodded as her translator told her: "You are accused of murdering a North Korean man at the departure hall" of Kuala Lumpur International Airport. She was dressed in a red T-shirt and jeans.
The women did not enter pleas because the magistrate court where they appeared has no jurisdiction over a murder case. Lead prosecutor Iskander Ahmad told the court he will ask for the case to be transferred to a higher court and for both women to be tried together.
Indonesian suspect Siti Aisyah, center, in the ongoing assassination investigation, is escorted by police officers as she arrives at Sepang court in Sepang, Malaysia on Wednesday, March 1, 2017. Under the protection of special forces carrying machine guns, two women accused of smearing VX nerve agent on Kim Jong Nam, the estranged half brother of North Korea's leader, arrived in court Wednesday to face murder charges.
Each faces a mandatory death sentence if convicted. Both women were wearing bulletproof vests as they were escorted from the court to Kajang Prison.
Kim Jong Nam was attacked as he waited for his flight home to Macau on Feb. 13. He died shortly after two women went up behind him and wiped something onto his face.
Both women have reportedly said they thought they were part of a prank TV show playing harmless tricks on unsuspecting passengers. Aisyah told authorities she was paid the equivalent of $90.
The attack was caught on grainy airport surveillance video; Huong was seen clearly in a T-shirt with "LOL" emblazoned across the front.
Vietnamese suspect Doan Thi Huong, center, in the ongoing assassination investigation, is escorted by police officers out from Sepang court in Sepang, Malaysia on Wednesday, March 1, 2017. Appearing calm and solemn, two young women accused of smearing VX nerve agent on Kim Jong Nam, the estranged half brother of North Korea's leader, were charged with murder Wednesday.
Gooi Soon Seng, Aisyah's lawyer, spoke to his client for the first time Wednesday.
"Her eyes were red and she says she's innocent," he said.
Also Wednesday, the court approved a gag order to prevent police and potential witnesses from making public statements about the case.
Meanwhile, Kim's corpse is at the center of a growing diplomatic battle between North Korea and Malaysia.
Speculation is rampant that North Korea was behind the killing, particularly after Malaysia said Friday that VX had killed Kim. Experts say the oily poison was almost certainly produced in a sophisticated state weapons laboratory.
On Tuesday, a high-level North Korean delegation arrived in Kuala Lumpur seeking custody of the body.
North Korea opposed Malaysian officials even conducting an autopsy, while Malaysia has resisted giving up the body without getting DNA samples and confirmation from next of kin.
Malaysian officials have confirmed that the victim of the attack was Kim Jong Nam. North Korea, however, has identified him only as a North Korean national with a diplomatic passport bearing the name Kim Chol.
Health Minister Subramaniam Sathasivam said Malaysia will continue to insist that the body be identified by medical examiners through DNA or other means before it can be released. He said the protocol is to release it to the next-of-kin once identification is completed.
Kim Jong Nam is believed to have two sons and a daughter with two women living in Beijing and Macau.
The Pyongyang delegation is also seeking the release of a North Korean arrested in the case, 45-year-old Ri Jong Chol. Malaysia has not described his alleged role in the killing, and it was not clear if or when he could be charged.
Authorities are seeking seven other North Korean suspects, four of whom fled the country the day of Kim's death and are believed to be back in North Korea. Others sought include the second secretary of North Korea's embassy and an employee of North Korea's state-owned airline, Air Koryo.
Kim Jong Nam was estranged from Kim Jong Un. He reportedly fell out of favor with their father, the late Kim Jong Il, in 2001, when he was caught trying to enter Japan on a false passport to visit Tokyo Disneyland.
He had been heading to Macau, where he has a home, when he was killed.
Isolated North Korea has a long history of ordering killings of people it views as threats to its regime. Kim Jong Nam was not known to be seeking political power, but his position as eldest son of the family that has ruled North Korea since it was founded could have made him appear to be a danger.
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Yet another biker injured in Sliema traffic accident
Another biker was injured early this morning in an accident in Sliema, the police said.
The 29-year-old Finnish rider, resident of Msida, was riding a Sky Team bike which was involved in a crash with a Suzuki Swift driven by a 35-year-old Spaniard who lives in Sliema.
The accident happened in Rudolphe Street at 2am.
The Finnish rider was taken to hospital where he was found to be suffering serious injuries.
This is the latest in a series of accidents involving motorbikes. On Sunday, a quadbike rider was killed in an accident in Mosta.
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Parliament to debate Media and Defamation bill on 27 March
Parliament is set to debate the controversial Media and Defamation bill on 27 March, PL Whip Godfrey Farrugia said this evening during the House Business Committee.
The Media and Defamation Act has been described as a killer of freedom of speech by many in the fields of journalism, blogging and IT law. One particular issue of note is news website registration.
The bill was presented by Justice Minister Owen Bonnici.
The government says the bill, which also abolishes criminal libel and increases libel damages, will also serve to protect journalists, however this bill is being hotly debated.
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French police officer accidentally fires at Hollande speech
A French police sniper has accidentally shot and injured two people during a speech by President Francois Hollande in western France.
The shot was fired as the officer moved position on a roof about 100m from a tent where Mr Hollande was speaking in the town of Villognon.
The bullet went through the canvas of the tent, where drinks were being made. It passed through a waiter's thigh and lodged in another person's calf.
The injuries were not life-threatening, the BBC reports.
Mr Hollande was inaugurating a new stretch of railway when a loud noise like a gunshot was heard. He interrupted his speech for a few moments, but reports said there was no panic.
"I hope it's nothing serious. I think not," Mr Hollande said as he paused his address to ask whether anyone had been hurt.
The president later visited the injured - the head waiter of a local hotel and an employee of a railway maintenance company.
One local report said the safety catch of the sniper's weapon was unlocked, allowing the gun to be discharged accidentally.
The marksman is based with a special protection unit in nearby Poitiers, officials said.
A judicial investigation has been launched.
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Lax password security practices flagged in NAO cyber security report on 10 government entities
The National Audit Office (NAO) has issued an IT Audit report on cyber security across Government entities, and found a number of issues.
The principal aim of this comprehensive report was to evaluate the level of adoption of selected cyber security controls across ten Government entities, namely: Malita Investments p.l.c.; Malta College of Arts, Science and Technology; Malta Competition and Consumer Affairs Authority; Malta Enterprise Corporation; Malta Freeport Corporation Ltd.; Manoel Theatre; Commission for the Rights of Persons with Disability; Refugee Commission; Regulator for Energy and Water Services; and Wasteserv Malta Ltd.
The aspects of cyber security reviewed by the NAO in the selected audit sites essentially dealt with critical issues such as the management of IT services; confidentiality and integrity of data; cyber security awareness; antivirus protection; business continuity and disaster recovery; IT hardware and software inventories; physical security; server monitoring; and software access control.
The report, a government statement read, found a number of issues. Some such issues include that small Government entities are opting to fully out-source their IT services despite lacking capacity to manage these out-sourced services; that certain entities which do not have internal IT capabilities are opting for cloud hosting without seeking the necessary technical advice; that only one of the 10 audited entities has a data retention and storage policy; that there is a general lack of cyber security awareness amongst users; that non one of the audited entities has a formally written a business continuity and disaster recovery plan; and that 50% of the entities audited do not have a software inventory.
"In most of the selected audit sites, best practices are not being followed in terms of password complexity, password expiry, password history and the need to force the user to change his/her password upon first logon;"
The report also found that in many instances, offline mailboxes are not being duly backed up; and there are inadequate and insecure server environments.
The NAO recommended that all entities which have participated in this audit should review their IT operations with the support of their respective Ministry CIO, with the aim of improving their level of preparedness in the area of cyber security. Indeed, evidence in hand suggests that the recommendations listed in this report may, in some way or other, apply to all Government departments and entities and, thus, it is recommended that all entities follow the best practices listed in this document.
This report may be accessed through the National Audit Office website www.nao.gov.mt or Facebook page http://ift.tt/29jAVeG
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Media Bill to be debated in Parliament on March 27
The decision was communicated to the House Business Committee by government whip Godfrey Farrugia
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ALS donation tins stolen from Valletta food stall during Carnival
ALS Malta founder Bjorn Formosa warns against donating money to individuals purporting to represent ALS Malta
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NAO finds government entities lacking in cyber security awareness, data retention policies
The comprehensive report evaluated the adoption of selected cyber security controls across ten government entities
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Lawyer Frank Testa appointed to head inquiry into claims of political interference
Lawyer Frank Testa has been appointed to lead the inquiry into allegations that two young Gozitan men were given permission to change their police statement after they had originally admitted to trafficking drugs, a government statement has read.
The allegation, which was revealed by MaltaToday and took place in 2014, claims that the men were able to change their statements after two government officials intervened following a meeting with the men's father in Victoria. The Prime Minister yesterday ordered an inquiry into the matter.
"After the meeting the two young men were given the opportunity to change their police statements - which they did - with the new statement completely contradicting their original declarations," the paper claims. The two men were not prosecuted.
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'Dieselgate could have been prevented’ – Labour Party MEP Miriam Dalli
The evidence found in the final report of the EU Parliament's Emission Measurements in the Automotive Sector (EMIS) committee clearly shows that the 'Dieselgate' scandal could have been prevented, MEP Miriam Dalli has said in a statement.
Following a committee vote on this report, the S&D spokesperson on Environment Miriam Dalli noted that this scandal would not have occurred if Member States and the European Commission acted upon their legal and administrative responsibilities.
The 'Dieselgate' scandal saw the multinational company Volkswagen admitting it had intentionally programmed diesel engines to activate certain emission controls only during laboratory testing, which did not reflect the same emission levels in the real world. This scandal involved around 11 million vehicles sold worldwide between 2009 and 2015. On 17 December 2015 the European Parliament decided to set up the EMIS Committee to investigate in detail alleged contraventions and maladministration in relation to emission measurements in the automotive sector.
The report presented by the EMIS committee, of which Miriam Dalli is a member on behalf of the Socialists and Democrats, concludes that Member States failed to implement in an effective way Regulation (EC) 715/2007. While the latter addressed the use of 'defeat devices', none of the Member States found the defeat devices installed in the Volkswagen vehicles before the US authorities flagged the abuse in September 2015.
"Several studies have reported large discrepancies between pollutant emissions measured in the laboratory during the type-approval process and the same emissions measured in real world conditions, the relevant authorities never took any action. It is also not ideal that Member States relied on tests which were carried out in the car manufacturers' certified laboratories," Miriam Dalli said.
The Labour MEP added that the European Commission and Member States should learn from the past mistakes, and dedicate more resources so that a similar abuse is not repeated.
"There are various useful recommendations in this report, and I hope the relevant authorities take the necessary decisions by the end of this Maltese Presidency. This is crucial so that existing legislations reduce air pollution, not only on paper or in the laboratory, but also on the road and in our cities. Ultimately, only through this approach can we restore the trust of our consumers and citizens in European products and policy," Dr Dalli concluded.
Seb Dance, S&D spokesperson on the Dieselgate scandal, highlighted how the verdict is clear. "Maladministration and negligence made widespread fraud in the car industry possible. Even after the scandal broke, industry lobbying convinced several EU member states to delay and water down new Real Driving Emissions testing and allow cars to pollute more than that allowed by law," Dance remarked.
The EMIS report was adopted with 40 votes in favour, 2 against and 2 abstentions.
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Foreigners make up 40% of prison population
In 2016, the number of non-Maltese prisoners was 224 out of a total of 559
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Man robs Sliema store armed with a knife; nobody hurt
A man armed with a knife robbed a store in Tigne street, Sliema, this afternoon.
The incident occurred at 5.15 pm, a police statement read, and the man was wearing a hoodie and sunglasses. The robber entered the shop armed with a knife and ordered the 58-year-old employee to hand over cash.
The robber managed to escape however nobody was hurt.
Duty Magistrate A. Micallef Trigona was inormed and an inquiry was ordered.
Police investigations are ongoing.
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Muscat embarks on tour of six European capitals
Prime Minister Joseph Muscat bemoans lack of EU unity on migration, but acknowledges small progress registered
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'EU Funds are to be used in a responsible and accountable manner' – Minister Edward Scicluna
Finance Minister Edward Scicluna said that EU institutions need to send a clear signal to EU citizens that EU funds are to be used in a responsible and accountable manner, "with full respect to the principle of sound financial management".
Minister for Finance Edward Scicluna was addressing members of the EU Parliament's Budgetary Control Committee (CONT) as well as the Commissioner for Budget and Human Resources Günther Oettinger at the European Parliament, in Brussels. He was representing the Economic and Financial Affairs Council during the meeting, where he presented the Council recommendation on the discharge to be given to the Commission for the implementation of the 2015 budget.
Minister Scicluna highlighted the Council's disappointment at the estimated level of error of 3.8%, as reported by the European Court of Auditors for 2015 payments, however noted that the Council welcomed the positive opinion given by the Court on the reliability of the annual accounts of the European Union, and that the error was lower than the previous financial cycle.
He conveyed the Council's appreciation of the efforts taken by member states to address issues related to non-compliance with procurement rules. Minister Scicluna reiterated on the importance of having better, rather than more controls, as the cost of control might outweigh the benefits of such programmes.
Minister Edward Scicluna also called on the European Commission to identify weaknesses in control systems and to take or propose appropriate actions, such as simplification of provisions and improvement of controls. Furthermore, he thanked both Commission and Court for promoting the importance of performance.
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Man fined €3,000, has driving licence suspended for 8 days for causing accident
A driver has been fined €3,000 by a court after he was found guilty of causing an accident which left a motorcyclist with permanent injuries.
Alfred Zammit, 55, was charged with having caused serious injury to Lee Farrugia through negligence.
The accident took place on 19 November 2014 in Triq Pantar, Lija, at around 8am.
Mr Zammit had claimed that he had used his indicator before changing lanes but the court, after watching footage of the incident, said this had not been the case.
Magistrate Claire Stafrace Zammit said the U-turn Mr Zammit had performed in his BWM had caused the accident. Mr Farrugia suffered an 8% disability.
The court said it was clear that Mr Zammit had failed to keep a proper lookout and did not see the motorcycle coming.
For these reasons the Magistrate fined Mr Zammit for €3,000 and disqualified him from driving for 8 days.
Inspector Roderick Spiteri prosecuted.
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Fine, licence suspension for driver over negligent U-turn that injured biker
The accident left a biker injured and with a permanent disability, quantified at 8%
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Sliema residents renew appeal for PA to prevent demolition of 150-year-old house
Residents, NGOs and the local council have renewed their objection to the demolition of a two-story 150-year-old house in St Mary Street, Sliema. An application was filed in 2016 for the building of a three star hotel that would replace a two-story house, which was built in 1861.
It is understood that the facade of the house would remain as is, however the back would be demolished and give rise to an eight-floor pencil development, the tallest in the entire street.
Residents who's home touches upon the proposed development have genuine concerns about the lack of natural light, especially in view of the similar "monstrosity" that has been developed to the right of their home.
St Mary Street is a rarity in that many of the historic buildings have been preserved due to the Urban Conservation Policy. For reasons unbeknownst to Flimkien Ghal Ambjent the site removed from the Urban Conservation Policy area, and it therefore questions under what criteria has the area been removed and whether the PA was thinking long-term when faced with ever increasing development applications.
Mr Joseph Camilleri, and his wife Maria-Antonia were mainly concerned that the eight stories that would be raised right above their residence would cause damage to their property, they expressed concern with the level of activity in the residential street, the lack of parking which is already a major problem for the area, and more than that it is the lack of natural light that is sure to have a detrimental effect on their property and garden.
Other residents who reside within the vicinity of the proposed development relayed similar concerns. The residents, mostly elderly, questioned whether they have a right to peace and quiet within their own homes. Some have lived in the area for over 70 years, and expressed utter heartache at the lack of safety and security.
The Planning Authority was supposed to take a decision last month regarding whether to give the green light for the development application, however, following the Superintendent for Cultural Heritage objection and objections from a further 40 people, the decision was delayed to 1March.
The delay was put in place in order for the applicant to respond to the objections and amend his final application, however FAA, in a press conference which took place this afternoon, informed the press that the application was resubmitted in its original form.
Astrid Vella from FAA stressed that the residents were being stripped of basic rights such as access to natural light, right to peace and quiet and the right to place solar panels on their roofs in order to benefit from government schemes and lower utility panels.
FAA together with the residents urged the PA, despite the case officers' recommendation to develop, to reconsider and prevent another historical building from being lost.
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EP pushes for public access to data in fight against money laundering
Under proposed amendments, registers of beneficial owners of companies would be available to the public without a 'legitimate interest', and trusts would have to meet the same transparency requirements as firms
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Report praises progress in health sector but obesity still massive problem
The Health Systems in transition (HiT) review praised government's ability to vastly improve the health care sector but maintained that sustainability, obesity (of which Malta is the highest in Europe), diabetes and HIV remain principal issues in the industry's development.
The HiT series consists of country-based reviews that provide a detailed description of a health system and of reform and policy initiatives in progress or under development in a specific country.
The study is done in conjunction with The European Observatory, an independent intergovernmental partnership, hosted by the World Health Organisation (WHO), and has been conducted in Malta on three seperate occassions 1999, 2014, and 2016.
Health Minister Chris Fearne praised the "remarkable progress" in the health sector which the report puts down to he current administration's commitment to increasing government spending in the health sector with a 12.5% increase in 2016 and a further 11.4% in the budget for 2017.
However, it does warn that escalating costs must be addressed within the next five year in order for the health system to continue "to expand to meet its obligations and respond to increasing demand in a manner that is sustainable over time".
On the controversial public-private partnership contracts with Vitals Global Healthcare with three existing hospitals (Gozo General Hospital, Karin Grech Geriatric Hospital, and St.Luke's Hospital) the report says that this new development is "expected to play an important role within the Maltese health system by attracting international patients".
However, "its impact on equity and health expenditure needs close monitoring over the coming months and years".
The study also revealed that in spite of the Maltese health care system offering universal coverage, people visit private care providers (who take up around two-thirds of the workload).
It read that the further strengthening of the primary health (such as the facility in the Southern Harbour Area) and mental health sector is a "vital objective" and will make an "important contribution" to the health system.
The report also praised the government's intent to implement a renewed e-health strategy.
In its conclusions, the report said that health behaviours such as obesity, binge drinking, smoking (but has decreased over the years), poor health behaviours among lower socio-economic groups, and frailty in aging, remain areas of concern compared to other EU countries.
For example, 25% of the adult population are obese, whereas 27% of children between the ages of 11 and 15 are obese.
The challenges, according to the review, which the health system faces are the increasing diverse population, the growing population, the redistribution of resources from hospital to primary care, ensuring innovative expensive medicines while remaining efficient, and financial sustainability.
The review revealed that life expectancy in Malta is higher than the EU average with men living till an average of 79.8 years (in comparison with 78.1 for the EU) and women living till 84.3 years (in comparison to 83.3 years for the EU).
Maltese people also spend an average of close to 90% of their lifespan in good health, and have the lowest rates of preventable mortality in the EU.
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Retrial ordered over 2014 drugs conviction
A judge has ordered a retrial of a case which saw a man being sentenced to prison based on statements he gave police without a lawyer present
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Court annuls drug trafficking conviction over breach of rights, awards compensation
A constitutional court has annulled a drug trafficking conviction and awarded compensation to a man who was not told by police investigators that his statement might be used against him in court.
Dominic Camilleri, 35, was arrested on suspicion of drug trafficking in February 2004. He had given two statements, one on 13 February and a second on 24 February.
According to his lawyers, Mr Camilleri had given highly incriminating answers without warning that anything he said might be used against him, as in fact happened. He was also not given the right to a lawyer.He was charged with drug trafficking in 2008 and was found guilty in 2014.
A court had sentenced him to 18 months in prison and fined him €950. Mr Camilleri had filed an appeal, which is still pending.His lawyers said the only evidence leading to his conviction were the two statements, which were in breach of the European Convention on Human Rights. They said that, as a result, the conviction and sentence were illegal.
The Attorney General argued that the outcome of the appeal was still pending. Mr Camilleri was free to make his case before the Appeals Court and could not, as of yet, declare that his right to a fair hearing was breached.Mr Camilleri said he was a drug dependent person and was suffering from withdrawal symptoms when he was interrogated. Back then he was 22.
He said he had cooperated and signed the statements because he wanted to get the whole thing over and done with as quickly as possible. He also said he was scared and the attitude shown by the police further added to this.
The interrogating officers shouted at him, insulted him and banged their fists on the desk, he said, but this never made it into the police statement, he said.Police Inspector Josric Mifsud said Mr Camilleri had been told that, should he help the police, the police would in turn help him and press for a more lenient sentence. The Inspector denied that the police had scared Mr Camilleri and insisted that the youth had admitted to drug possession.
The court, presided over by Mr Justice Joseph Zammit McKeon, declared that Mr Camilleri's rights had been breached and declared the statements as null. The court also declared the 2014 judgement as null and ordered the AG to pay Mr Camilleri €1,000 in compensation. It also ordered a retrial.
Lawyers Jason Azzopardi, Kris Busietta and Julian Farrugia represented Mr Camilleri.
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Cacopardo insists on €16.5 million planning gain from Malta Freeport Terminals
AD Deputy Chairperson Carmel Cacopardo, representing the Birzebbugia local council, insists that the €955,000 Malta Freeport Terminals was ordered to pay as a planning gain be upped to €16.5 million.
Carmel Cacopardo was presenting his arguments before the Planning Appeals and Review Tribunal this afternoon.
The Environment and Planning Commission had ordered the Freeport to pay €955,000 through a planning gain, in return for the sanctioning of four large cranes, which had been installed. This was, however, appealed by the Malta Freeport Terminals who objected the decision whereby it would be made to pay the €955,000 as compensation for possible negative impacts on the Birzebbugia community by the four cranes.
Planning gains are contributions to a special fund, which are used to finance embellishment projects in the community and to fund urban improvements.
Mr Cacopardo, appearing before the appeals tribunal, brought in Mr Jonathan Orlando, a Planning Authority representative who coordinated the DPAR report on this particular case to testify. He proceeded to ask a flurry of questions relating to how the Planning Authority decided on the €955,000 figure. In response, mr Orlando said that the rate of €1.16 per sqm was used, and that this amount is according to internal practice for planning gains in such applications when it comes to large industrial developments. He explained that the total affected area was 823,000 sqm. Mr Orlando said that in cases of residential and commercial large developments, the practice is for a €4.66 per sqm planning gain to be ordered. In other cases, on occasion, lump sums can also be ordered, but stressed that there is some flexibility when it comes to planning gain amounts.
Mr Cacopardo, however, indicated that the sea area was not taken into consideration, and Mr Orlando said that they based their consideration on the site indicated within the application, which did not include the sea area. He conducted a rough estimation and the sea area affected would be around 220,000 sqm.
The AD Deputy Chairperson also said that in the Lowenbrau redevelopment case, where the factory was to be redeveloped into a mixed-use development site which includes a supermarket, the appeals tribunal ordered that €15 per sqm be paid as a planning gain. Mr Cacopardo added that the effects of the new cranes on the Birzebbugia residents are far greater than the effects of the Lowenbrau redevelopment on the residents of that area.
Mr Cacopardo calculated the total amount that should be paid as a planning gain to be €16.5 million. He also brought up the issue of noise pollution caused by the cranes, and asked whether this was considered by the authority, to which Mr Orlando said yes.
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Chef accuses ex-employee of giving recipes to competitor
The owner and head chef of a fish shop have filed court proceedings against a former employee, accusing him of passing on proprietary recipes to a competitor
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Inspector confirms former policeman questioned in Marsa murder probe
Ex-cop believed to have been with Sylvester Farrugia at time of shooting accompanied victim's murder to search for her son
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Fish restaurant owners accuse former employee of taking exclusive recipes to competitor
The owners of a gourmet fish restaurant have accused a former employee of taking their exclusive recipes and presentation methods to a competitor, claiming this is resulting in confusion among their clients and financial losses for their business.
Chef Adam Demanuele and Louis Genius, the owner of Adam's Gourmet Fish Shop, filed a judicial protest against former employee Prakash Kunju Perath, who is an Indian national.
They said they had created unique recipes and distinctive presentation styles that are identifiable with their establishment. Mr Perath worked at their restaurant for a time but resigned on 15 October 2016. He was subsequently employed by a supermarket, described by the complainants as a competitor. Mr Demanuele and Mr Genuis said Mr Perath took his knowledge of their recipes and presentation styles to his new employer in an abusive and illegal way. They say this is a case of unfair competition.
The use of their recipes by a competitor was leading to confusion among clients, misleading them about the true origin. The complainants said they are incurring damages as a result and they were holding Mr Perath solely responsible. The protest was signed by lawyers Pawlu Lija and Veronique Dalli.
Mr Perath said in a counter protest that the allegations against him were untrue and only aimed at tarnishing his reputation and his standing with his new employer. He warned that he might resort to legal action should the protestants persist with their claims.
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Man allegedly kills grandmother, 2 police in eastern Germany
German police say a 24-year-old man killed his grandmother, then ran over and killed two police officers as he fled from them.
Police in the state of Brandenburg said they started searching for the man, whose identity wasn't released, after finding the body of his 79-year-old grandmother Tuesday in the town of Muellrose, east of Berlin near the Polish border.
Police spokesman Ingo Heese said when the man came to a checkpoint in his car he rammed into two police officers, who died at the scene, the dpa news agency reported.
The suspect was taken into custody a short time later but further details weren't immediately available.
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PN calls for inquiry into police interference in Gozo drug prosecution
The delay opens up the possibility of evidence being tampered with, the PN said
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Defence raises serious questions as Marsa shooting murder case continues
No blood was found near the house of a man who stands charged with shooting dead an attempted arsonist in Marsa, a court heard today. In fact, officers only found blood on the car the victim was allegedly driving, which was found some blocks away, and near the body.
This emerged during the compilation of evidence against Deniro Magri of Marsa, who stands charged over the murder of 25-year-old Sylvester Farrugia on 12 February.
The court had previously heard how Mr Farrugia was part of a group of people that had tried to set fire to Mr Magri's front door in St Paul's Street. The latter came out shooting, allegedly hitting Mr Farrugia once. The victim's body was found a few blocks away, in Simpson Street.
During today's sittings doubt were raised as to whether other people could have been involved in the killing.
Replying to questions by defence lawyer Giannella de Marco, CID Inspector Keith Arnaud said he could not rule out that the victim was hit while he was sitting in the car. He confirmed that a bullet had grazed one of the car seats. This jars with the version given by the accused, who told the police that he had shot at the men while they fled on foot.
Mr Magri said he had seen the men approaching his residence on a CCTV monitor. One was holding an object which Mr Magri believed could have been a fuel can or a bomb. He got his gun, shouted something from the window, and opened fire as they turned and ran. The accused had told the police that he was unaware he had hit anyone and only learnt of the death the following morning from the news.
Replying to questions by Dr Jason Azzopardi, who is appearing for the victim's family, the inspector confirmed that Mr Magri was, at the time he opened fire, not entirely sure of what was happening. "I asked him why he opened fire before checking what was going on. He said he didn't know, his first reaction was to shoot," the inspector said.
Inspector Arnaud said a jerry can filled with fuel and a makeshift torch were found near Mr Magri's residence. The cap of the jerry can was found in the stolen car that was being used by the victim. Another torch was found in his garage.
In the meantime, the actions of a man who was seen on CCTV footage in the same area on the night of the shooting further added to the mystery. The man was seen walking down Simpson Street twice, wearing a hood on his second run, shortly after the shots were fired.
Mr Farrugia's stolen Toyota Starlet was also caught in the footage driving down the same road. The hooded man was interrogated and first told the police he had not seen Sylvester Farrugia on the night and did not know what happened to him. When he was told he had been caught on CCTV he refused to speak.
Inspector Arnaud said the following morning, the same man had accompanied the victim's mother as she searched for her missing son in Marsa. At the time she did not know he had been murdered.
The man was now swabbed for gunshot residue because "there were no indications that he had shot at someone."
In the meantime a woman reported finding a lot of broken glass, possibly from a car window, in Triq Ghabex, which is adjacent to St Paul Street, on the other side of the block. The woman had already swept up the glass and thrown it away. The woman said she had not heard any shots fired in her street.
The gun used by Mr Magri has not been found. The accused told the police he had thrown the weapon away near December 13 Road.
Lawyers Giannella de Marco, Jean-Luca Caruana Curran, Franco Debono and Marion Camilleri are appearing for the accused. Dr Jason Azzopardi is appearing for the victim's family. The case is being heard before Magistrate Aaron Bugeja.
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Greens welcome the revision of the Anti-Money laundering directive
Alternattiva Demokratika today welcomed the revision of the Anti-Money laundering directive at Committee stage in the European Parliament.
In a statement, AD Chairperson, Prof . Arnold Cassola, said: "A public register for companies and trusts will make it more difficult for people like Konrad Mizzi, Keith Schembri and Brian Tonna to open up shelf companies and obscure trusts. Stronger sanctions are being proposed for violators of this directive as well as more control of the financial intermediaries. The increased income by the state should serve to better finance the social system and the health and educational institutions of our country".
Greens/EFA economic and finance spokesperson Sven Giegold said:"This is a very strong signal from the European Parliament in the fight against money laundering and the financing of terrorism. The position adopted today includes a number of Green ideas and is a strong response to the Panama Papers scandal. The majority of MEPs have rightly backed better control of the middle-men who make these crimes possible. We must put the interests of the public good ahead of those of a small number of big businesses and banks. We are especially pleased to have secured a Green proposal for the introduction of a real estate register showing who owns what land and property in each Member State. Real estate is often misused for money laundering purposes and it is crucial to have public information on who benefits from its ownership."
"In so many of the tax dodging scandals of recent years, poor enforcement has been as much of a problem as poor legislation. Our proposal, backed by the majority today, would grant the European Commission the power to audit Member States' relevant authorities to make sure they are enforcing the rules and to stop further scandals happening."
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Swieqi murder: Police focusing on businessman’s personal issues
The police are focusing on personal issues as they continue their investigation into the murder of a businessman in Swieqi on Monday.
The Russian partner of the businessman, David Abela, 51, who was found murdered inside his Swieqi home on Monday, has been extensively questioned by the police, sources told The Malta Independent.
The woman, Irina Aleksandrovna Micallef, reported the grisly discovery at around 5:15pm. It is believed that she found her partner with his hand and feet tied to the bed. The man was naked and had duct tape on his mouth. He had been stabbed multiple times. The police believe that the man was killed at around 5am on the same day.
The woman, who is the mother of one of Mr Abela's children, flew in from abroad early in the afternoon but only went to her Swieqi home after 5pm. This newspaper is also informed that Mr Abela had recently filed a police report after a massive row he had with the woman. Sources said their relationship had deteriorated over the past months.
Sources close to the investigation said the woman, at first, had failed to tell investigators that she spoke Maltese and had also changed her version at least once. The sources also pointed out that the woman showed no emotion as she was spoken to at the scene and later escorted to the police HQ for interrogation.
The information obtained by this newspaper tallies with other news reports, one of which says that investigators did not find any signs of forced entry at the Swieqi villa. Other reports say that there is no apparent link between the murder and Mr Abela's business interests and that investigators are probing into Mr Abela's private life.
Mr Abela is the owner of 21st Century Travel and 21st Century Limousines. The father of four is also a director in Aviaserve, an airport ground handling company.
An autopsy was performed this morning.
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PL says government’s energy plan helping economy
The Labour Party today said that the government's energy plan is helping economic growth and this is of benefit to Maltese families.
Addressing a press conference, Family and Social Solidarity Minister Michael Farrugia said the government was receiving excellent ratings from companies like Standard & Poor's, and that reduction in energy tariffs had left €80 million in the economy.
Labour MP Charles Mangion said Standard & Poor's praised the government's decision to switch from heavy fuel oil to gas.
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Muscat procrastinating on appointing inquiry into political interference in police work - PN
Forty-eight hours after announcing the setting up of an inquiry into allegations of political interference in a police investigation, the Prime Minister has still not turned his words into action, the Nationalist Party said in a statement today.
This procrastination is "scandalous" and could lead to tampering of evidence against the two politicians who are alleged to have intervened to stop the police from investigating a drug trafficking case.
This is a serious case, the PN said, as it is being alleged that two people who were caught trafficking drugs were freed without being taken to court and that their statement was changed after a meeting in which two government politicians took part.
This delay is protecting drug traffickers, the PN said. The Prime Minister is eager to set up an inquiry each time an opposition member is involved, but is dragging his feet on this occasion.
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PM on another whirlwind tour – six countries in three days
Prime Minister Joseph Muscat is on his second whirlwind tour around six countries in Europe, similar to one he had taken before Malta took over the presidency of the European Union.
His first stop was in Stockholm, Sweden, where he met Swedish PM Stefan Lofven.
The two sides discussed the EU's social agenda, Brexit and illegal immigration, the Department of Information said. Dr Muscat is not accompanied by journalists other than a representative of the national media PBS.
In a press conference later, the Swedish PM said Sweden agreed with Malta that the EU should be more open to social issues.
Dr Muscat said, according to the DOI, that the EU is not united on immigration.
He had earlier accompanied Mr Lofven at a ceremony commemorating the assassination of former Swedish PM Olof Palme in 1986.
The PM will also be visiting the Czech Republic, Romania, Greece, Cyprus and Italy.
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Reduced energy tariffs crucial in fight against poverty, minister insists
Social solidarity minister Michael Farrugia would not say whether cases of poverty were due to personal choices or living beyond one's means
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Swieqi murder | Autopsy underway as police probe victim’s private life
An autopsy to determine David Abela's cause of death is being carried out as investigations intensify into victim's private life
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Migrant jobs scheme will help clamp down on worker abuse, minister insists
Evarist Bartolo: 'There's no automatic system that could safeguard these workers from abuse, but removing them from the black economy will facilitate supervision'
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Refugee child abuse rampant in Libya, UNICEF report warns
Thousands of refugee children experience abuse, exploitation and arbitrary detention in Libya, UNICEF reports
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Minister Bartolo believes temp employment agency for migrants must be tweaked with time
Employment and Education Minister Evarist Bartolo believes that the temporary employment agency to be set up for migrants cannot be overly complicated from the start, and improvements would have to be made with time.
Mr Bartolo was responding to questions by the media at a press conference where he outlined the strengths and challenges highlighted from the EU Commission's country report on Malta.
Asked whether the token system being proposed for migrants would be enough to protect them against abuse carried out by employers, Mr Bartolo said that inspections and safeguards are obviously necessary, adding that merely bringing migrants out of the black market is already a step in the right direction because it would allow for inspections.
The scheme is schedule to begin at the end of March, and will include two job brokerage offices at Marsa and Hal Far open centres, which host asylum seekers and refugees. The thinking behind the scheme is for migrants to find short-term work through official and regulated means, rather than loitering in well-known spots such as Marsa, and waiting for somebody to pull over and offer them work.
Under the proposed scheme, migrants would be required to register themselves at the job offices and highlight their skills, and the office will then match them with an employer.
EU Commission country report
Mr Bartolo outlined the strengths and challenges posed by Malta's current labour and education sectors. With regard the labour sector, the two biggest challenges are encouraging people to further their skills within their chosen profession, and the second is that Malta is lacking an effective system of accreditation for skilled workers. Accreditation is important for job mobility, especially across the EU as it is a rubber stamp of the individual's competence levels in a particular sector.
In addition, Malta managed to attain a 70 per cent active labour engagement ratio last year, with the Minister highly confident that the EU's 2020 target for 75 per cent employment ratio will be reached.
Chairman of JobsPlus (formerly known as the Employment and Training Corporation) highlighted positive labour market statistics, such as the average of 40 persons per week exiting employment in the last year when compared with the 80 persons per week under the previous Nationalist Party administration.
He said that unemployment continued to decrease between January and February 2017, with the unemployment figure reaching 2,800 people for this month, roughly down 100 people from January.
The Commission highlighted the need to address a skills mismatch problem facing the nation, where jobs in Malta labour market on offer are increasingly more skilled.
With regard Education, Mr Bartolo proudly noted that Malta was among the top five EU member states that spend most on education. Malta currently spends roughly 5.6 per cent of GDP on education, while the EU average stands at 5 per cent. He also noted Malta's high spending on tertiary education, inclusive of University and MCAST.
"Reform in the education sector over recent years is starting to gain momentum," said Mr Bartolo as he quoted from the EU Commission country report.
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Etna volcano erupts in fiery show of lava in eastern Sicily
Mount Etna has erupted in a fiery show of lava in eastern Sicily.
The volcano's latest eruptions, which can last days and even weeks, began on Monday evening. The giant orange fountains of lava, spewing toward the sky, could be seen in the city of Catania and the resort town of Taormina.
Although volcanic ash clouds can cause flight disruptions, the nearby Catania airport was operating normally Tuesday. Authorities reported no danger to the towns that dot the mountain's slopes.
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Missing persons: ‘There were times when we found people literally standing on the edge of a cliff’
Data which was recently tabled in Parliament shows that there were 837 missing person reports in 2016 but the number of people involved was much less, according to Inspector Busuttil, who is one of three inspectors in the Vice Squad. "A number of reports could be about the same person," he says. "I remember we had one case, a teenage girl who lives in a care home. She was reported missing three times in the space of a few hours. She went out in the evening and failed to return. We found her and returned her to the care home but she escaped again after an hour. She repeated the whole thing after we had found her for the second time," the Inspector chuckles.
But missing person reports sometimes lead investigators down a more grisly route. "Sometimes the search ends with the discovery of a body and a suicide note."
Inspector Busuttil says the Malta Police Force acts on missing person reports immediately. "Unlike other countries we do not wait for 24 or 48 hours because the first hours may be the most crucial. There were occasions where we found the person we were looking for literally standing on the edge of a cliff, ready to take the plunge. The outcome would not have been so positive had we not started looking for them immediately."
Missing persons may not always have suicidal tendencies but the police start investigating immediately for other reasons, including the possibility that the person might get on a plane and fly out of the country.
There is, in fact, a rather long check list that officers have to tick off before they start to worry. "We check all hospitals, Mt Carmel, the lock-up, the airlines and the Sicily ferry service. We send a picture of the missing person and the necessary information to all our branches, including the districts. We also check for recent bank transactions and check CCTV footage if we find signs of activity, the social services and the Agency for Welfare of Asylum Seekers in case the person is a migrant. We also try phone localization, check for recent internet activity, such as Facebook, and speak to Transport Malta, to see if a bus card was used. If they have a scheduled appointment at the hospital or any other entity, we go there and let them come to us."
Inspector Busuttil says in one case some two years ago, an individual who had gone missing but who the police knew was living in the St Paul's Bay area was found after his picture was distributed to all shops and take-aways in the area.
The inspector says if none of the above work an appeal for information is made through the media. "We do not use the media unnecessarily because people might get used to seeing missing person reports and become desensitized. At the same time when we use the media it means that the case is more serious and the check list has not led us to find the person."
Officers investigating missing person reports have to be "creative," Inspector Busuttil says. In some cases the army and the Civil Protection Department are roped in to help. One such instance was the search for Mike Mansholt, a German teenager who was found dead underneath the Dingli Cliffs. It is believed he fell over the edge with his bicycle. His body was located more than a week after he went missing in a search involving sniffer dogs, helicopters and many volunteers.
Inspector Busuttil says the disappearance of British national Tom Stewart from Mount Carmel Hospital in May 2016 remains one of the most mysterious cases. Mr Stewart, a diabetic, jumped over a perimeter wall, never to be seen again. The police had received several reports that a disheveled and confused Mr Steward had been seen walking barefoot on the Mosta-Lija road but it turned out that the man was a homeless person who resembled the Briton.
But the worst case in Inspector Busuttil's memory is the gruesome discovery of the bodies of Mario Camilleri, known as 'l-Imniehru,' and his son Mario Junior. What started as a search for two missing persons turned into a full-blown double-murder investigation. While the bodies were being exhumed from the Birzebbuga field, forensic officers found a third body, belonging to taxi driver Matthew Zahra, who had disappeared some months before.
But the majority of missing person cases are much less sinister, the Inspector explains. "The majority of reports are about naughty care home girls who run away for a few days. Most of these girls are found, in the end." The statistics show that over 600 cases filed in 2016 were about missing females, most of them teenagers. The inspector says he does not know why girls go missing more than boys. "Perhaps they are naughtier," he quips.
The majority of missing people who are not found, the inspector says, are irregular migrants who leave Malta illegally. In fact, out of 260 people who have been missing since the 1970s, only six are Maltese. Over a third are Somali nationals. In one case involving an escaped migrant, the police found him on Facebook, with a profile picture showing him sipping beer near the Fontana di Trevi."
Some people, including Maltese nationals, might flee the country for a myriad of reasons, including unpaid debts or trouble with some nasty people. The Inspector recounts the case of a Maltese man, who had been missing for several years. "His file came up for review so I ran a simple Google search and found that he had been jailed in Australia over a number of crimes. Until then his family had no idea was still alive."
Some of the people who disappeared without a trace over the past few years include young Theo Bugeja, the only person who was never found after the Simshar tragedy, a Chinese woman who was swept out to sea in Gozo in 2015 and two French persons who disappeared in stormy seas near Xlendi two years earlier.
The inspector says there is nothing to suggest that disappearances are linked to more serious crimes, but there was one case where a human trafficker, a person who had smuggled some migrants into Malta to work for him, filed a missing person report.
Despite the fact that the majority of cases are not serious, the sheer number of them keeps the Vice Squad occupied. And this particular police section also deals with human trafficking, child abuse, sexual offences, domestic violence, hate crime, elderly abuse, illegal gambling. "You can never have enough resources. We try to be proactive. The more resources we have the more proactive we can be," the Inspector says.
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Government gives more than €800,000 to voluntary organisations
64 voluntary organisations will benefit from a total of €833,564 from public funds, Minister Helena Dalli announced.
The funds will be used to fulfill 66 projects in different communities around Malta and Gozo.
The organisations who qualified for the funds are music societies, sports groups, civil rights organisations, culture groups, and health organisations.
The Minister, speaking at the Grants Award Ceremony at the Malta Council for the Voluntary Sector, praised voluntary organisations for the important work they do in improving the lives of people.
She went on to say that the government will continue to help the voluntary sector through the introduction of two more voluntary centres in Rabat and Marsaxlokk.
The Chairman of the Malta Council for the Voluntary Sector Nathan Farrugia said that the substantial investment within the sector shows the faith the government has in voluntary groups.
Mr Farrugia also said that the council will be working on a fundraising portal for voluntary organisations.
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Cockfighting raid: Men who admitted to animal cruelty charges fined €2,000 each
Three men who yesterday were found guilty, by admission, of engaging in cockfighting on Sunday were today fined €2,000 each.
Johan Saliba, 37 from Birkirkara, Adrian Pace, 22 from Qormi and Matthew Micallef, 21 from Birkirkara were among 25 people arrested during a police raid in Qormi on Sunday. More arraignments are expected.
The three men admitted to various charges relating to animal cruelty and suffering.
The police said they had acted on a tip-off about organized cockfights. Officers spoke to several men and identified the accused as having been involved in the cockfights.
Lawyer Edward Gatt, appearing for Mr Micallef, said his client had only filmed the fights on his mobile phone but was not actually involved in the fights.
Lawyers Franco Debono and Amadeus Cachia, appearing for Mr Saliba, stressed that their client is a first-time offender and was a spectator.
Dr Ludwig Caruana said his client, Mr Pace, was also a spectator.
The the men were yesterday granted bail, pending sentencing, against a€10,000 guarantee. They were present for sentencing this morning. The court ordered the accused to pay the fine in €100 instalments.
Inspectors Roderick Agius and Colin Sheldon prosecuted.
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Cockfight organisers fined €2,000
Three men have been fined €2,000 each after pleading guilty to causing unnecessary suffering to animals
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Number of guests, total nights up in 2.1%, 0.6% in 2016 - NSO
In 2016, total guests in collective accommodation establishments surpassed 1.6 million, an increase of 2.1 per cent over the same period in 2015. Total nights spent went up by 0.6 per cent, reaching nearly 9.0 million. The net use of bed-places advanced by 0.2 percentage points to 63.7 per cent, the NSO said today.
Total guests and nights spent during December 2016 advanced by 17.3 and 13.5 per cent respectively when compared to the corresponding month in 2015.
In December, total guests in collective accommodation establishments numbered 109,011, while total nights spent amounted to 500,179. All collective accommodation categories registered increases in total nights spent. The largest share of guest nights was reported in 4-star hotels, accounting for 231,050 nights, or 46.2 per cent of the total.
The average length of stay in collective accommodation establishments in December 2016 went down by 0.1 when compared to the same month in 2015, reaching 4.6 nights. The net use of bed-places stood at 44.1 per cent, up by 5.6 percentage points when compared to the corresponding month of the previous year.
On a national level, there were 161 active collective accommodation establishments during December, with a net capacity of 16,694 bedrooms and 37,209 bed-places.
Regional breakdown
Total guests in Malta numbered 103,806, up by 18.4 per cent over December 2015. Additionally, an increase of 13.9 per cent was recorded in the number of nights spent. The average length of stay edged down by 0.2 of a night to 4.7, when compared with the same month of the previous year, while the net occupancy rate advanced from 39.0 per cent to 45.0 per cent.
Total guests in Gozo and Comino increased slightly to 5,205, while total nights spent went up by 2.2 per cent to 13,721 when compared to the comparative month of the previous year.
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Former UK PM Major slams 'unrealistic' Brexit expectations
Former Prime Minister John Major lambasted Britain's preparations for leaving the European Union on Monday, saying the government must offer more charm and less "cheap rhetoric" if it wants to get a good deal.
Major, who led the U.K.'s Conservative government between 1990 and 1997, accused pro-Brexit politicians of giving Britons unrealistic expectations of life outside the EU.
Prime Minister Theresa May — like Major, a Conservative — plans to invoke Article 50 of the EU's key treaty, triggering two years of exit talks, by the end of March.
Major said the government's goal of settling divorce terms and forging a new relationship with the bloc within two years is "very, very optimistic."
In a speech at the Chatham House think tank that he billed as a "reality check," Major said voters must be given a better idea of "the timescale and complexity of the huge undertaking that lies ahead."
He said there is a "real risk" that the U.K. will not get the close free-trade deal with the EU that the government is seeking.
"Behind the diplomatic civilities, the atmosphere is already sour," Major said. "A little more charm, and a lot less cheap rhetoric, would do much to protect the U.K.'s interests."
Major, who backed the losing "remain" side in last year's EU membership referendum, said victorious "leave" campaigners should stop telling their opponents to quietly accept the result.
He said the 48 percent who voted to stay in the EU "care no less for our country than the 52 percent who voted to leave."
"It is not 'arrogant' or 'brazen' or 'elitist' or remotely 'delusional' to express concern about our future after Brexit," Major said. "Nor, by doing so, is this group undermining the will of the people: they are the people."
He also cautioned that leaving the 28-nation bloc would weaken Britain's voice in the world and make the U.K. more reliant on the United States and new President Donald Trump — "a president less predictable, less reliable and less attuned to our free market and socially liberal instincts than any of his predecessors."
In response, May's office said the government "a clear plan to get the best deal for the United Kingdom and are going to get on with the job of delivering it."
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Malta’s Willa Naylor story inspires: Other nations shaking heads at US transgender toilet battle
Willa Naylor's story is serving as an inspiration to other nations, the Associated Press reports.
The Associated Press is carrying a story on the transgender debate going on in the United States, and mentioned Willa's story as an example of how other nations are in the forefront.
The full story is below:
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Coming out as a transgender boy brought untold relief to Irish student Lucas Cross. After years of holding it in, he could finally start using the boys' restrooms at school — because Ireland, like some other parts of the world, doesn't make a federal issue about where children do their business.
As Donald Trump and U.S. courts seek to make transgender use of toilets an American battleground in schools , the more progressive corners of Europe and Latin America are shaking their heads in bewilderment. From Tipperary to Tierra del Fuego, schools let children go to the bathroom that suits their identity, a trend that could be reversed if the bitter U.S. debate travels overseas.
"What happens in the U.S. has a cultural impact here, and it's scary," said Catherine Cross, Lucas' mother, who helps Irish schools nationwide set policies on how to support transgender students. "There's always going to be people who are frightened of change. It could give them license to shout louder when they see what's going on in the States."
In this photo taken on Thursday, Feb. 23, 2017, 10 year-old Anna Thulin-Myge sits down for a snack with her mother Siri Oline Myge and stepfather Ola Vassbo in Haugesund, Norway. Anna was born a boy but is now legally a girl. Only Malta and Norway allow children to swap gender without a doctor's agreement or intervention. She says changing in the girls' locker room and using the girls' bathroom at school makes her feel included.
The right of transgender students to use restrooms in keeping with their own identity has become an afterthought in Norway and Argentina, where the world's most far-reaching laws allow children to have their sexual identity reversed on their birth certificates, passports and other official identification without any formal medical diagnosis. Acceptance of identity from age 6 onward is the order of the day.
"When someone changes gender, the corresponding bathroom is respected. If it's a trans girl, she goes to the girl's bathroom. If it's a trans boy, he goes to the boy's," said Barbara Magarelli, a gay rights activist in Argentina, where she advocates supports for transgender children — including her own 12-year-old, whose official documents were changed three years ago to reflect her identity as a boy.
Magarelli said parents often have the bigger problem coming to grips with new realities. Her son's prepubescent classmates, she said, "already knew."
In Norway, 10-year-old Anna Thulin-Myge is feeling liberated by a 2016 law that allowed her to be officially redefined as a girl. That means she can use the girls' toilets and the girls' locker room for gym. The only special arrangement is that she arrives five minutes ahead of the other girls to change. The nation's sports federation advises schools and leagues that transgender girls should be allowed to play on girls' teams, arguing that inclusiveness trumps any concerns about competitive advantages.
"It makes me feel included," Anna said at her family home in Haugesund, a small town on Norway's southwest coast.
Anna has discussed Trump's policy shift with her parents and hopes her school doesn't ever force her back to the boys' room. "I would feel sad and confused. That's not me," she said.
A deficit in firm rules governing how to deal with transgender children does present challenges in European countries, activists concede, but they say that has helped avoid a U.S.-style culture of conflict on the matter.
"Yes, there are pressure points because when people ask, 'What shall we do?' there is no general from-the-top guidance. Schools have to make it up some of the time, and they have to think on their feet," said Jane Fae, a transgender activist in London. "But no, what you don't have over here is the fanatically religious opposition to LGB people and to trans people."
Both Ireland and Malta, overwhelmingly Catholic lands where abortion remains outlawed, passed laws in 2015 permitting changes to sexual identity on official documents — Malta for even young children, Ireland at age 18. Ireland that year also became the first country on earth to legalize gay marriage by popular national vote.
Crusading activists have paved the way on both islands.
In Malta, 8-year-old Willa Naylor helped persuade government ministers to change the law with a personal appeal fleshed out in her book, "Truly Willa."
Ireland's foremost transgender rights pioneer, Lydia Foy , spent decades following her 1992 sex-reassignment surgery fighting legal battles to have Ireland record her as a woman. In 2015 she became the first Irish citizen to make the official change.
Hundreds more have followed, including Lucas Cross, who today is a transgender freshman studying psychology in Waterford, southeast Ireland. Only a few years ago in his native village of Rathangan, Lucas was feeling suicidal, self-harming and refusing to drink water for fear it might force him to use a school toilet.
"I avoided it at all costs," he said. "I'd go in the morning and not again until I got home."
"Going into the girls' was never comfortable for me, even though it's cleaner and smells better," he said. "I felt like I should be in the boys' bathroom but it was extremely intimidating. I wasn't ready for any transphobic remarks. It was easier to avoid the bathroom completely than to confront the question."
His mother says it took years for her to come to grips with her child's true identity — and, in the summer before Lucas' senior year, warned teachers and the principal to be ready for change. Lucas' final year of high school became by far his happiest as staff and classmates accepted him as a boy.
"The school were very good about it. They were only concerned that I wasn't using either loo," he said. "They made sure I knew that it was completely fine to use the bathroom I wanted and if there was an issue, they definitely had my back."
Today, the son helps his mother guide schools, transgender children and their families toward happy compromises like his own. He facilitates monthly "Transformers" fellowships for people aged 14 to 19, while in another room, she counsels their parents and school officials.
New Department of Education-approved guidelines recommend adopting unisex school uniforms and sports activities, respectful and consistent use of the student's new name, and appointment of a teacher trained in answering students' questions about transsexual issues — in part so that the school's lone trans student doesn't face all that pressure alone to explain.
Catherine Cross says about 10 percent of schools she advises still seek to force transgender students to use disabled toilets, refuse to use their new name and stick to calling a transgender girl "he" and vice versa. Problems are most common, she says, in all-boys schools where a lone transgender girl might live teenage years of silent shame rather than risk being recognized.
Ireland's approach to transgender students may be ahead of American practice, she says, but it's subject to the whims of local principals.
"The guidelines are not law or mandatory. Irish schools have a lot of autonomy to do what they see fit," she said. "On the whole they are pretty decent to trans kids. But they don't have to be."
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Minister challenged over denial that Malian was refused medication
An activist with human rights NGO who worked closely with the migrants and was allowed access to the centre has challenged home affairs minister Carmelo Abela's attempt to downplay the alleged mistreatment of a Malian migrant
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Editorial: Konrad Mizzi - Fake politics
Politics is a means to serve people and politicians should enter politics only with one aim in mind - to serve the nation and represent the electorate in the best honourable way.
Politicians who, the day after they get elected, rush to open secret accounts in shady jurisdictions and lobby behind everyone's back to set up bank accounts with the declared intention to pour commissions into them while in office, cannot be considered honourable politicians and the result of their labour can only be described as fake politics.
The irony is breath taking. While two Cabinet Ministers are currently discussing with journalists a way forward to update and revamp the archaic laws that govern the media and the press, Minister Konrad Mizzi has launched a propaganda campaign, presumably using public funds, to lash out at this media house.
While hell broke lose when Economy Minister Chris Cardona went as far as activating a garnishee warrant over a libel case he and his assistant initiated against blogger Daphne Caruana Galizia, another first by a Labour minister who resorted to publish an audiovisual propaganda spot attacking the The Malta Independent went unnoticed.
Maybe it's because one has become accustomed to expect the unexpectable from this government, particularly from the likes of Konrad Mizzi. Or maybe it's because the desired effect at defaming this news organisation has had little if any success.
Konrad Mizzi is propagating in his TV spot that The Malta Independent construed a news story in which it was pointed out that he opened his secret New Zealand trust on the same day Gasoil sold its shares in Electrogas. Konrad Mizzi claims that these two events are separate and not linked to one another.
Even if such was the case, it is our job to investigate and publish such findings to inform the general public of those deeds politically exposed persons like Konrad Mizzi would like to hide from the public.
There is nothing fake in pointing out the facts emerging from journalistic findings. It is the job of journalists to push forward information and leave it to the actors embroiled in such controversies to explain their position.
The story referred to by KonradMizzi's propaganda machine was not challenged in court neither by Mizzi himself nor by Electrogas or Gasoil.
The reason is because it was factual and revealed facts, which cannot be refuted or denied because this newspaper provided documents that show the facts black on white.
With his actions Konrad Mizzi has shown to everyone that he has failed to understand his role and obligations in politics. He is a businessman with a PhD who doesn't own a political soul.
He simply obeys his master's voice, whoever that is, and has dragged into politics a very dangerous precedent by which the end justifies the means, at all costs.
His pre-electoral ploy to set up multi-million projects that have only sowed doubt and controversy because of the lack of transparency and because of his secret business structures has weakened the true meaning of politics.
Sadly, Konrad Mizzi is not his own man. He isn't free to resign from his political role to continue leading his business endeavours. We know this from off the record conversations but we will not stoop as low by reproducing them unless pushed any further.
This newspaper rejects the allegation that it construed any fake news and expects Konrad Mizzi to retract the infamous audio visual spot attacking the free press.
When he is done from his parliamentary seat he will be remembered for the Panama Papers investigation, in which we are proud partners with the ICIJ.
He will be remembered as the only minister who sat in a Cabinet that permitted his wife to cash €13,000 in public funds each month with nothing to show for them.
This is not politics. This is not the reason why 95% of the population goes out to vote every five years. This is not the kind of politician the people deserve.
While we take full responsibility of our news stories and bow down to court judgments whenever we're found to be at fault we urge the electorate to resist fake politicians who blind your eyes and steal your vote in a fake bid to serve the country.
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World news in one minute: Find out what happened around the world on 27 February
This is the main news as reported by the Associated Press on 27 February.
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Monday, February 27, 2017
Malaysia to charge women for airport murder of North Korean leader's brother
Two women implicated in the killing of the estranged brother of North Korea's leader are to be charged with murder on Wednesday, Malaysia's prosecutor has said
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Journalist for German newspaper arrested in Turkey for 'terrorist propaganda'
The Turkish authorities have arrested a German-Turkish journalist they accuse of producing terrorist propaganda and undermining the government
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[ANALYSIS] Keeping Konrad against all odds?
How can a Prime Minister afford to retain a minister whose secret company in a tax haven looks like 'a textbook case of money laundering' according to PANA committee MEPs from across the political spectrum? James Debono asks a year after the Panama scandal rocked Malta
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Samsung chief indicted for bribery, embezzlement amid scandal
The heir to the Samsung empire and four other top executives have been indicted on multiple charges, including bribery and embezzlement, according to South Korean prosecutors
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Australian man arrested on charges of helping ISIS develop missile technology
A man suspected of trying to advise the Islamic State on missiles has been arrested in Australia
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Firm says several mistakes caused Oscars best picture gaffe
The accounting firm responsible for the integrity of the Academy Awards said Monday that its staffers did not move quickly enough to correct the biggest error in Oscars history — the mistaken announcement of the best picture winner.
PwC, formerly Price Waterhouse Coopers, wrote in a statement that several mistakes were made and two of its partners assigned to the prestigious awards show did not act quickly enough when "La La Land" was mistakenly announced as the best picture winner. Three of the film's producers spoke before the actual winner, the coming-of-age drama "Moonlight," was announced.
"PwC takes full responsibility for the series of mistakes and breaches of established protocols during last night's Oscars," PwC wrote. It said its partner, Brian Cullinan, mistakenly handed presenters Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway an envelope containing the winner of the best actress award.
"Once the error occurred, protocols for correcting it were not followed through quickly enough by Mr. Cullinan or his partner," the statement read.
It did not address in detail which protocols were violated, or say whether a tweet Cullinan sent about best actress winner Emma Stone before the best picture announcement contributed to the mistake.
The firm, which has handled Oscar winner announcements for eight decades, apologized to Beatty, Dunaway, the cast and crew of "La La Land" and "Moonlight," the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, and host Jimmy Kimmel.
"We wish to extend our deepest gratitude to each of them for the graciousness they displayed during such a difficult moment," the statement said. "For the past 83 years, the academy has entrusted PwC with the integrity of the awards process during the ceremony, and last night we failed the academy."
The statement came after nearly a day of speculation about how the worst gaffe in Oscars history unfolded. The fiasco launched countless punchlines, memes and a probe of what went wrong.
The mystery deepened Monday afternoon after the Wall Street Journal reported that Cullinan tweeted a behind-the-scenes photo of winner Emma Stone holding her statuette. "Best Actress Emma Stone backstage!" the tweet read. The tweet, sent moments before the best picture announcement, raised the question of whether the accountant was distracted from the task at hand. Although the tweet was deleted from the social media site, a copy of it was kept by Google and available through a cache page.
The mistaken announcement altered the usual celebration that follows the coronation of a best picture winner. The only Oscars mistake that came close occurred in 1964, when Sammy Davis was given the wrong envelope for best music score winner but made a quick correction.
The "La La Land"-''Moonlight" mix-up, in contrast, took a painfully long time to be announced, with two-plus minutes elapsing before it was announced to the moviemakers and the world at large.
The embarrassing episode stepped squarely on what should have been a night of high-fiving for the academy. After last year's awards were clouded by the #OscarsSoWhite protests, diversity ruled Sunday as actors Viola Davis ("Fences") and Mahershala Ali ("Moonlight") were among the people of color claiming trophies, while "Moonlight" focused on African-American characters.
PwC, which originated in London over a century ago, was quick to apologize to the movies involved. The academy has not yet commented on the mistake.
On paper, the process for announcing Oscars winners seems straight-forward. As per protocol, Cullinan and PwC colleague Martha Ruiz toted briefcases to the awards via the red carpet, each holding an identical set of envelopes for the show's 24 categories. The accountants also memorize the winners.
During the telecast, the accountants were stationed in the Dolby Theatre wings, one stage left and one stage right, to give presenters their category's envelope before they went on stage. Most presenters entered stage right, where Cullinan was posted and where he handed Beatty and Dunaway the errant envelope.
Yet the previous award, best actress, had been presented by Leonardo DiCaprio, who entered stage left and received the envelope from Ruiz. That left a duplicate, unopened envelope for best actress at stage right.
"It's a simple process, if a painstaking one," said Dan Lyle, who had Oscar duties for Price Waterhouse for 11 years in the 1980s and '90s. Accountants attended rehearsals to learn whether presenters would enter from the right or left. But given the possibility of last-minute changes, both accountants had a full set of envelopes.
When Lyle ended up with a redundant envelope for a category handled by his colleague, he said, he got it out of the way by stuffing it in a pocket or otherwise discarding it before moving on to the next award.
Lyle said there were always nerves no matter how much care was taken. Each time an envelope was dispensed, he said, he hoped that "I handed over the right one." If the wrong winner was announced, a PwC accountant was to quickly dash to the stage to correct the error.
Such a rapid response should have occurred Sunday but didn't, as confusion reigned onstage. Backstage, however, people were working calmly to right the ship, said Matt Sayles, a freelance photographer for The Associated Press.
"It was more crazy onstage. I feel like backstage knew that something was wrong and they handled it," Sayles said. "They clearly knew that something was wrong."
Sayles, who has shot five Academy Awards from a backstage position just out of the sight of television cameras, said the result of the mix-up was a more subdued celebration from winners including "Moonlight" director Barry Jenkins.
One observer said London-based PwC is scrambling now. Nigel Currie, an independent branding specialist in London with decades' worth of industry experience, said this mistake is "as bad a mess-up as you could imagine."
"They had a pretty simple job to do and messed it up spectacularly," he said. "They will be in deep crisis talks on how to deal with it."
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