Thursday, August 31, 2017

France's big win leaves Dutch in danger of missing World Cup

France's 4-0 win over Netherlands has the Dutch on the brink of missing the World Cup, while Cristiano Ronaldo's three goals helped keep Portugal in contention in European qualifying and moved him ahead of Pele on the list of all-time international scorers.

Belgium trounced Gibraltar 9-0 among the other games Thursday, when Switzerland stayed perfect with a 3-0 win over Andorra in heavy rain.

The Netherlands, who finished third at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, dropped to fourth place in Group A, six points behind France, three behind Sweden and two behind Bulgaria.

Only the group winners in Europe automatically qualify for next year's World Cup in Russia. The runner-up has to go through a playoff.

Ronaldo increased his international tally to 78 goals during Portugal's 5-1 rout of the Faeroe Islands in Group B, surpassing Pele in the process. Among European goal scorers, he's is now in second place only six behind Hungary great Ferenc Puskas.

"Things are going well for me with Portugal," Ronaldo said. "The team is playing well and we are still alive. We gained confidence after this victory and we will keep focused to make sure we can make it to the World Cup."

Here is a closer look at the qualifying groups in action Thursday:

GROUP A

France regained control of its World Cup destiny with a comfortable victory that started with a goal from Antoine Griezmann and ended with the first international goals by promising youngsters Thomas Lemar and Kylian Mbappe.

After Griezmann's opener, Lemar netted twice and Mbappe — newly signed by Paris Saint-Germain — added another to give Les Bleus a three-points lead over Sweden, which lost 3-2 at Bulgaria.

"We had no chance against a France side that was very strong," Netherlands coach Dick Advocaat said. "Maybe in the first half we resisted a little bit, but overall we didn't play well and France largely deserved to win."

France can all but secure a World Cup berth with a win against Luxembourg, while the Dutch need to beat Bulgaria at home to keep its hopes alive.

GROUP B

Portugal easily defeated the Faeroe Islands to stay close to leader Switzerland.

Ronaldo scored twice in the first half — including a neat side-volley from inside the area — and once after the break to increase his haul to 14 goals in seven Group B matches.

Switzerland overcame poor pitch conditions to defeat Andorra for its seventh straight victory, maintaining a three-point gap over the European champions. The match in St. Gallen was interrupted in each half as workers entered the pitch to clear standing water. The second half also was delayed.

Hungary kept pace in third spot with a routine 3-1 win over last-place Latvia, but it remains eight points behind Portugal.

GROUP H

With a commanding performance orchestrated by Thomas Meunier against part-timers from Gibraltar, Belgium produced a 9-0 victory to bring next year's World Cup finals ever closer.

Paris Saint-Germain's Meunier had three goals and three assists and Romelu Lukaku added three goals of his own in an overall demonstration of flicks, backheels and superior moves.

The easy victory gave Belgium a six-point lead over second-placed Greece, which was held to a 0-0 draw by Estonia.

Bosnia-Herzegovina lost 3-2 to Cyprus, staying two points behind Greece.



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At least 24 killed in Mumbai building collapse

A building collapsed in India's financial capital of Mumbai leaving at least 24 people dead

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A vision that is ahead of its time | Chris Said

PN leadership hopeful Chris Said on the importance of an innovative forward-looking vision... that 'reaffirms the party's core principles'

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PN exponents undermining Delia, Portelli – Alex Muscat

Labour MP Alex Muscat says that Nationalist Party exponents are "undermining Adrian Delia and Frank Portelli".

In his bi-monthly column on The Malta Independent, Muscat speaks about "malicious posts on social media against one candidate or another" being the order of the day.

It has become evident that the clique controlling the PN has its preferred candidates, and is doing all in its power to influence the choice of the party councillors.

See full article



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Pictures of the Day: 1 September 2017



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Cycling NGO comes out in defence of police: they need protecting too

Local cycling advocacy group questions how society keeps asking for enforcement, but seem to forget that police officers may not be fully protected

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Hurricane Harvey: Rescuers seek anyone - alive or dead - left in floodwaters

Rescuers began a block-by-block search of tens of thousands of Houston homes Thursday, pounding on doors and shouting as they looked for anyone — alive or dead — who might have been left behind in Harvey's fetid floodwaters, which have now damaged more than 87,000 homes and destroyed nearly 7,000 statewide.

Elsewhere, the loss of power at a flood-crippled chemical plant set off explosions and a fire, and the city of Beaumont, near the Texas-Louisiana line, lost its public water supply. The remnants of the storm pushed deeper inland, raising the risk of flooding as far north as Kentucky.

More than 200 firefighters, police officers and members of an urban search-and-rescue team fanned out across the Meyerland neighborhood for survivors or bodies. They yelled "Fire department!" as they pounded with closed fists on doors, peered through windows and checked with neighbors. The streets were dry but heaped with soggy furniture, carpet and wood.

"We don't think we're going to find any humans, but we're prepared if we do," said District Chief James Pennington of the Houston Fire Department.

The confirmed death toll stood at 39, though it is expected to rise. But by midday, the temporary command center in a J.C. Penney parking lot had received no reports of more bodies from the searches, which are expected to take up to two weeks.

Unlike during Hurricane Katrina's aftermath in New Orleans, crews used GPS devices to log the homes they checked rather than painting neon X's on the outside. That avoided alerting potential thieves to vacant homes.

The blasts at the Arkema Inc. plant northeast of Houston also ignited a 30- to 40-foot flame and sent up a plume of acrid black smoke that stung the eyes and lungs. The blaze burned out around midday, but emergency crews held back because of the danger that eight other trailers containing the same compound could blow, too. No serious injuries were reported.

The latest statewide damage surveys revealed the staggering extent of the destruction caused by Harvey. The figures from the Texas Department of Public Safety indicated that nearly 50,000 homes sustained minor damage and 37,000 sustained major damage. At least 6,800 homes were destroyed.

In the Houston area, an estimated 136,000 structures, or 10 percent of all structures in the county database, were flooded, said Jeff Lindner, meteorologist for the Harris County Flood Control District.

About 325,000 people have already sought federal emergency aid in the wake of Harvey. More than $57 million in individual assistance has already been paid out, Federal Emergency Management Agency officials said.

Rescues continued apace, as did the search for shelter among people made homeless by the storm. Emergency officials reported 32,000 people in shelters across Texas.

The Harris County FEMA director said the agency was looking for ways to house people who lost their homes to Harvey. The priority is to get them into some form of temporary housing, with hotels being one option, he said.

"Right now nothing is off the table," Tom Fargione said. "This is a tremendous disaster in terms of size and scope."

Although it has been downgraded to a tropical depression, Harvey was still expected to dump heavy rain on parts of Louisiana, Tennessee and Kentucky through Friday. Forecast totals ranged from 4 to 8 inches (10 to 20 centimeters), with some places possibly getting up to a foot.

As the water receded in the nation's fourth-largest city, the greatest threat of damage shifted to a region near the Texas-Louisiana state line.

Some residents in Beaumont, Texas, began to get anxious after the city of nearly 120,000 lost water service when its main pump station was overwhelmed by the swollen Neches River. Officials said they were having difficulty bringing in enough bottled water to set up distribution stations because of flooded roads.

A procession of about 10 vehicles tailed a pickup towing a trailer packed with bottled water meant for emergency workers. The truck circled a downtown Beaumont block before Letorisha Hollier hopped out of the closest car.

"Give us a case!" Hollier shouted. Her persistence paid off. A firefighter handed her the water. She was the only tailgater to score a case.

Beaumont police spokeswoman Carol Riley said there were "some disturbances" in supermarkets because people were concerned about water.

The lack of water forced Baptist Beaumont Hospital to bring in ambulances and helicopters to move patients to other facilities, including some who had already been removed from flooded nursing homes. Hospital spokeswoman Mary Poole said other patients were able to be discharged.

In nearby Port Arthur, the Coast Guard used baskets and harnesses to pull people out of a neighborhood with chest-deep water.

Economists said the storm shut down everything from plastics plants to oil refineries to the Houston port — the second-busiest in the nation — which could affect the nation's economy.

With widespread reports of gas shortages, the head of the Texas agency that regulates the oil and gas industry urged drivers to wait three or four days to fill up their tanks. Panic buying is causing a run on gas and empty fuel pumps, Texas Railroad Commissioner Ryan Sitton said.

Energy Secretary Rick Perry said he would release 500,000 barrels of crude oil from an emergency stockpile in a bid to prevent gasoline prices from spiking.

Also Thursday, Houston public schools pushed back the start of classes by two weeks. The nation's seventh-largest district had been scheduled to reopen Monday but will now begin school on Sept. 11.

Health experts warned that sewage in the floodwater could make people sick and that mosquito populations could explode in the coming weeks because stagnant water offers abundant breeding grounds.

With temperatures likely to climb to the low 90s over the weekend, residents were warned about the dangers of heat exhaustion, especially for people who lost power or must toil outdoors.

Harvey initially came ashore as a Category 4 hurricane in Texas on Friday, then went back out to sea and lingered off the coast as a tropical storm for days, inundating flood-prone Houston.

The storm brought five straight days of rain totaling close to 52 inches (1.3 meters), the heaviest tropical downpour ever recorded in the continental U.S.



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Very exciting to going to a World Cup - Southgate

"It will be difficult to play here in Malta.  We have to create as many clear opportunities as possible and make use of them.  We are four matches away from going to a World Cup and that is exciting," exclaimed England head coach Gareth Southgate.

After Wayne Rooney's retirement, the captain's armband issue had to crop up amongst the media present at the England press conference "I have not decided yet who will carry the captain's armband.  I feel it is unfair to discuss this at this point. The group is becoming more resilient as a group and we are improving."

"Malta defend really well and are well organised.  I can speak highly of Pietro Ghedin, a very experienced coach.  We have to be patient.  I have played here in 2000 and I know all about playing before a full house here.  I am looking forward to it again."

Manchester City's new boy Kyle Walker also spoke highly of Southgate "Malta play a 5-4-1 so we have to be patient and try to work the Maltese out.  It is a pleasure working with such a head coach as Southgate." 



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Watch: PN Leadership hopefuls in second debate before Saturday's election phase

PN Leadership hopefuls Chris Said, Adrian Delia, Alex Perici Calascione, and Frank Portelli are facing off in their second debate and final debate before the first round of voting in the leadership elections, scheduled to take place on Saturday.

This Saturday, PN councillors will cast their vote and two of the four candidates will be eliminated from the race. It will then be up for the PN party members to vote for their favourite candidate out of the remaining two on 16 September.

The run-up to this Saturday's election has become quite heated, with accusations against a number of candidates being made. The PN Administrative Committee yesterday recommended that one of the candidates, Delia, remove himself from the race following a report by a party Ethics committee, however the candidate has refused to do so.

 



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[LIVE] Second Nationalist Party leadership debate

Follow it here…

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Five chicken farms sealed over fears of egg contamination

Eight out of twenty sampled eggs tested were found to contain traces of the insecticide fipronil, authorities said

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Malta coach Ghedin says England are the best in Europe

Ahead of Friday's FIFA World Cup qualifier against England, Malta head coach Pietro Ghedin stated that England are the best team in Europe at the moment.

"England are the best team in Europe at the moment.  The English team has improved a lot since our last meeting with them at Wembley Stadium."

Ghedin also spoke about Wayne Rooney's retirement: "Rooney is an English football icon.  But the English can afford it because they have enough talent in spite of his absence."

"At this stage I would not like to speak about my future.  Right now we are all focused on the England match but I feel i have worked well with this group and other groups during these last six years.  I feel I have done my work correctly and professionally and am happy to have done so".

"It will be very difficult tomorrow.  England are England, everyone knows their potential.  We have to play for the pride of this country against the English.  England will want to put up a better showing against us than they did at Wembley Stadium. No injury problems as per regards the squad except Alfred Effiong being suspended" concluded Ghedin.

Malta captain Andre' Schembri, who has been in fine form for his new club Apollon Limassol in Cyprus, spoke about how important it is that Malta sheds the "colonial" mentality once and for all "As team captain I am always positive and I try to do my best to transmit this positivity around my colleagues.  Tomorrow I am sure we will do well and give our best performance for the pride of our country.  To do this I always stress that we have got to shed the colonial mentality we always have had.  But against England I am sure that we will unite and give our best."




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Eggs packed at five local farms had low traces of Fipronil; no negative health effects expected

So far eggs packed in five Maltese farms have been identified as having extremely low amounts of Fipronil, however with the current exposure levels, no negative health effects are expected the Malta Independent was told during a press briefing at the Health Ministry,

Superintendent of Public Health Charmaine Gauci, Director of Environmental Health Clive Tonna, Director General of the Veterinary and Phytosanitary Regulation Department Marica Gatt and Chief Veterinary Officer Roberto Andrea Balbo were present during the meeting.

They explained that on 7 August, a decision was taken for a random sampling of eggs to be taken. The eggs were sampled between 16-18 August for Fipronil, despite Malta at that point not having been tagged as having received contaminated eggs or having any implicated farms. 20 samples of eggs were taken (6 imported, 14 locally packed).

The eggs were sent for analysis in a lab in Germany, as Malta does not have a lab capable of such tests. The results were communicated to the Maltese Public Health authorities on 30 August. Eight out of the 20 samples contained small traces of Fipronil, these included six of the locally packed eggs and two imported from Italy.

The positive samples results ranged from 0.024 to 0.21 mg per kg of Fipronil. The European Commission, this newsroom was told, considers the acute reference dose for eggs to be 0.72 mg per kg, any amount over may be of negative consequence on human health. The Maltese samples contained amounts below this mark.

Europe has a harmonised approach to deal with the current situation. In cases where levels are below 0.72 mg per kg, as is Malta's case, the farms are blocked from selling their food, and the food from said farms will be withdrawn from the market. The eggs will then be destroyed. Farms will only again be allowed to sell their eggs once they are compliant with the maximum residue level of 0.005 mg per kg. The five Maltese farms are currently at this stage, and further samples have been sent to the German lab.

This newsroom was told that there are no health effects expected with the current possible exposures via eggs in general. Also, across the EU there have been no reports of symptoms related to such consumption, the spokespersons said.

Thus far, this newsroom was told, no evidence that fipronil was used at the farms has been found.

The Maltese Health Authorities will sample eggs from the 31 other farms found on the Maltese islands, this newsroom was told, and paultry will also be tested. The authorities will also continue to monitor the Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed, and has submitted its findings to the alert system.

Fipronil is a broad-spectrum insecticide and acaricide. It is authorised in the EU for use in veterinary medicine to combat insects such as fleas, lice, ticks, cockroaches and mites. Its use on food producing animals, however, is not permitted., and it cannot be used on surfaces where food is prepared or bedding of food producing animals.


 



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Planning Authority approves demolition of Rabat townhouse, despite objections

The Planning Authority today approved the demolition of the dilapidated house situated just off of St Francis Street despite strong objections from nearby residents.

The house (photo left) is within the urban conservation area and an area of archaeological importance. The dilapidated house will be replaced by a two-storey residence (photo-montage right).

The case officer's report says that the site consists of a single storey dwelling located at the end of an alley and includes an extensive garden which has a wide frontage and is located on two distinct levels. "The existing house, outbuildings and upper garden are in effect located on the ancient scarp, whilst the lower garden is located in the actual ancient ditch. A number of caves, most probably re-utilised as burial chambers are accessible from the lower garden, whilst underlying the upper garden is an underground passageway whilst a well underlies the existing residence. The site is located as a class B site of archaeological importance, as well as being located within the designated area of archaeological importance for Rabat and Mdina."

Planning Authority Chairman Vince Cassar and NGO representative Annick Bonello voted against.

Before the permit is executable, the developer must submit a geological statement, which could potentially lead to a geological study.

Residents raised questions about the geological stability of the area.

Many neighbours had objected to the development, which they argue would have a negative impact on a historic ditch which runs through the property and could date back to the origins of Mdina.

A site inspection of the property by the Superintendence and the Cultural Heritage Advisory Committee established that the existing structures proposed for demolition are of no architectural or historical merit. The amended plans indicate that no excavation and rock cutting is being proposed and that the existing foundations will be used for the new construction. "This will result in the elimination of possible impact on archaeological features or other subterranean tunnels or chambers," the case officer's report notes.

Objections were also registered by Din L-Art Helwa and the Rabat local council.



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Man accused of cannabis cultivation 'not guilty' after statements 'discarded or inadmissible'

A man today walked away from charges of cultivation and possession of cannabis after a court found that his statement was inadmissible, while also discarding a witness' statement after she failed to give her disposition during proceedings.

On 17 June 2008, police from the Drug Squad executed a search warrant issued against Sean Anthony McGahern, a 33-year-old UK national who resided in Gzira. 

Upon their arrival, they found a certain Alison Aquilina and her mother and during the search conducted in the said residence, on the ledge of the bedroom's window, they found six pots, which they suspected to contain cannabis plants.

A court-appointed expert found that some of the plants yielded a negative result, while one plant, which weighed 5.43 grams (without roots), had the substance Tetrahydrocannabinol at a purity of 3.4%.

Aquilina was arrested and escorted to Police Headquarters for further investigations.

She would give a statement to the police on 17 June 2008, which was confirmed under oath before the Inquiring Magistrate.

McGahern also gave a statement to the police on 12 August 2008, however the accused was prevented from exercising his right to obtain legal advice prior to being interrogated, as Maltese Law did not provide this right to an arrested person at time. 

Subsequent case law that was quoted by the court, with Magistrate Natasha Galea Sciberras ruling that the accused's statement was  inadmissible.

With regards to Aquilina, while her statement was confirmed on oath before the Inquiring Magistrate, she did not give her deposition during these proceedings, although she did appear before the Court during the sitting held on 23 October 2012, when, however, the accused failed to appear.

This meant that while Aquilina's statement "certainly constituted determining and decisive evidence in finding the accused guilty of some of the charges in this case", McGahren was precluded from confronting the witness' statement through cross-examination and thusly a fair defence. 

Since there was no other evidence to support the charges, the court found the accused not guilty, and ordered the destruction of the plants. 



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Planning Authority approves addition of five floors to United Garage highrise in Gzira

The United Garage highrise in Gzira is to have a further five floors added following the approval of an application by the Planning Authority today.

The PA board voted in favour of plans that will see the extra five floors added to the previously approved 16 floors two years ago. The total height will be 21 storeys.

The only person to vote against the extension, ERA Chairman Victor Asciak, said that high-rise projects were not taking the overall picture into consideration.

The Gzira local council was against the plans, arguing that the community did not benefit from the development, and mentioned parking issues and inconvenience to residents. NGO Din L-Art Helwa also said it was concerned due to the visual impact of the extra floors. 

Project architect Edwin Mintoff argued the extra floors would allow the development to utilise the 8,107.5 square metres of floor space allowed under the Floor Area Ratio (FAR) Policy. He also said the original application had 28 more underground parking spaces than is required, thus meaning that the added floors are catered for.

This project is one of a number proposed high-rise projects in Gzira.



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Claudio Grech opposes MEA’s unpaid sick leave proposal

Nationalist MP Claudio Grech told The Malta Independent on his behalf, that he does not agree with proposal by MEA for the first day of sick to be unpaid. The Nationalist's Party shadow minister for Economic Affairs and Competitiveness, Claudio Grech, said that this kind of proposal is detracting to the whole economic model and what it stands for. The Nationalist Party is still to discuss the issue.

The issue for the first day of unpaid sick leave to be unpaid was introduced by the Malta Employers Association proposed, last week. In their proposals for the budget, the MEA said many companies are concerned about the increased incidence of sick leave – in particular sporadic sick leave linked to weekends.

"You cannot address issues by diluting the social and health factors of employees. Just because there is a pattern of when people call sick in the week, and therefore propose unpaid sick to all. It's not the solution" Grech said.

Grech added, "It's just throwing the baby out with the water". He also spoke about ensuring the employees had the right incentives for support in order to reduce such abuse. Whilst mentioning also that if there is abusive, employers have the extensive rights on how they can detect this abuse and control it. "So I don't think moving with this draconian measure, which in affect could be detrimental for other workers i.e. in regards to sickness and contagious illnesses that could spread because of such a measure, is worth it".

The MEA proposal had received much backlash from the Unions, with the 'Il-Forum Unions Maltin' stressing that every sick leave that is given with a doctor's certificate is genuine and therefore there shouldn't even be a discussion on this type of sick leave. On the other hand, the Union had said that they are against any type of abuse and are ready to collaborate with whoever is ready to stop this abuse at the work place.

The Malta Union of Teachers (MUT), also disagreed with the proposal saying "the first day of sick leave should be unpaid and treated as a waiting day". They had said that it was, unacceptable that such regressive measures are even proposed and discussed in this day and age, especially when the country is passing through a positive economic period and following electoral campaigns in which everything was promised to everyone. The MUT stressed that instead the Government is to implement Public Holidays falling on weekend at once.

Furthermore the UHM Voice of the Workers had said they were categorically against the proposal issued by MEA. Josef Vella, Directive leader of UHM, responded that the union will never accept this situation. The Union did not accept any conditions of sick leave to change in regard to this because this goes against the rights of the worker, saying it was "illegal".

Prime Minister Joseph Muscat had also joined the chorus of disapproval over a proposal from employers for the first day of sick leave not to be paid, deeming it a "a non-starter".



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Pietro Ghedin selects final squad for England match

National coach Pietro Ghedin yesterday selected the final squad for the World Cup 2018 qualifier against England at the National Stadium this Friday.From the 23-strong squad announced last week, Balzan FC striker Alfred Effiong is suspended for the England game but will rejoin the squad for the qualifier against Scotland at Hampden Park on September 4.

Defender Michael Johnson, now playing for Balzan, has earned his first senior call-up.Goalkeeper Steve Sultana and striker Lydon Micallef were on the initial list named by Ghedin but the Ħamrun Spartans duo, who are still uncapped, have not been included in the final squad.Captain Michael Mifsud, of Valletta, is the most experienced player in the squad with 125 appearances.

In the away match against England, Malta suffered a 2-0 defeat at Wembley Stadium.

FINAL SQUAD

Goalkeepers: Henry Bonello (Valletta FC); Andrew Hogg (Hibernians FC).

Defenders: Andrei Agius (Hibernians FC); Steve Borg (Valletta FC); Ryan Camilleri (Valletta FC); Clayton Failla (Hibernians FC); Michael Johnson (Balzan FC); Sam Magri (Ebbsfleet United); Zach Muscat (US Arezzo); Alex Muscat (Sliema Wanderers FC); Joseph Zerafa (Valletta FC).

Midfielders: Clyde Borg (Floriana FC); Ryan Fenech (Balzan FC); Paul Fenech (Balzan FC); Bjorn Kristensen (Hibernians FC); Luke Gambin (Luton Town); Steve Pisani (Floriana FC).Forwards:  Jean Paul Farrugia (FC Chiasso); Michael Mifsud (Valletta FC); Andrè Schembri (Apollon Limassol).

The Malta squad will travel to Glasgow on Saturday to face Scotland at Hampden Park on Monday.  



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No vote was taken by PN administrative committee – Adrian Delia

Nationalist Party leadership contender Adrian Delia gave the lie to PN administrative committee president Karol Aquilina, saying that no vote was taken by the committee on the statement that was issued requesting him (Delia) to reconsider his position.

Karol Aquilina this morning said that the vote taken by the administrative committee was unanimous, but addressing the media this afternoon Delia said that he had information that no vote was actually taken.

On Wednesday, the PN administrative committee said that in the wake of a report by the Ethics Committee the PN set up to investigate allegations about Delia, it was asking Delia to reconsider his position.

Delia rejected the suggestion, saying that the administrative committee had taken a different view from the Ethics Committee. "The Ethics Committee could have sanctioned me, suspended me or dismissed me, but it did nothing of the sort," Delia said.

This breaking news story is being updated and more details will be published shortly. Please refresh the page for the latest version.



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Perici Calascione’s former business partner denies being on the run for misappropriation of funds

PN Leadership candidate Alex Perici Calascione's former business partner, Silvan A. Said, has denied being on the run from the authorities for misappropriation of funds.

The allegation was made in an anonymous letter sent to the PN's Ethics Committee yesterday. The letter which was also sent to the media, also lists Perici Calascione's connection through marriage with the Pisani family, shareholders of the Corinthia Group when other shareholders, according to the letter, are members of the Gaddafi family

Silvan A. Said, in a letter to the media, states that he was Perici Calascione's only partner in Fenici Insurance Brokers Ltd and that, while not having been mentioned by name in the anonymous letter which was sent ot the committee, a search on the public records would reveal his identity.

He categorically denied the "unfounded allegations" that he is on the run for misappropriation of funds, calling what was said an outright lie aimed at damaging Perici Calascione's reputation.

Said said that he sold his shareholding in Fenici Insurance Agency Ltd and Fenici Insurance Brokers Ltd back in August 2001. He said that the agreed price was fully honoured by Future Investments Ltd.

He argued that Deloitte audited the company, and an exercise in due diligence was carried out when the sale occurred. He argued he did not owe the company money.

When the sale concluded, he resigned as director of both Fenici Insurance Agency Ltd and Fenici Insurance Brokers Ltd. And had no further conection with the company.

He said that there was never a claim by the new owners of misappropriation of funds, and that the police never questioned him. He said claims that he was on the run are malicious and untrue.

He has been in the Middle East since 2007, he said.

He said that the "anonymous cowards" who wrote the letter made unfounded, criminally libellous accusations in his regard.



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Civil marriage is open to same sex couples as from Friday

As of tomorrow, 1 September 2017, civil marriage is open to same sex couples, the government said.

This is a result of the Marriage Act and other Laws (Amendment) Act, which passed through Parliament on 12 July 2017 and was published in the Government Gazzette on the 28 August following the President of Malta's assent.

This was the first law which the new government moved in Parliament during this legislature, showing the strong commitment towards civil liberties and equality and making Malta the 25th country in the world, and the 15th in Europe, to introduce such a law.  

The institution of marriage is now fully gender neutral to ensure that lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, intersex, and genderqueer (LGBTIQ) persons are free to contract a marriage with their loved ones, be they of the same or a different sex.

Minister for European Affairs and Equality Helena Dalli described the Marriage Equality Act as another step towards having more equality in our society- a building block with which the government continues to eliminate discrimination, which usually stems from social prejudice. Dr. Dalli held that this law, which modernizes marriage law, will make the Maltese society a more inclusive one where everyone enjoys all rights and obligations. 

By removing all discrepancies between husband and wife, couples contracting a civil marriage after 1st September, are free to adopt or take on their partner's surname without distinction and to choose a family surname which all their children are to take.

Notwithstanding the introduction of the Marriage Equality Law, couples, irrespective of their sex, can still enter into a civil union. However, the 185 couples who have already entered a civil union, since its introduction, can opt to convert their civil union into marriage within five years from the coming into force of the Marriage Act i.e. till 2022. In this case the civil union shall end upon conversion, and the resulting marriage shall be deemed to have subsisted from the date when the civil union was formed. Moreover, couples who have already applied for a civil union may convert their application to one of civil marriage, without re-applying or changing their ceremony date.

 



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Prime Minister appoints Malta-UK Business Promotion task force

The Prime Minister appointed his Special Envoy for Investment Promotion Joseph Zammit Tabona (photo) to chair the newly set up Malta-UK Business Promotion Taskforce which will be responsible for business promotion of Malta within the UK.

This task force is being set up to implement a plan of action between now and end 2019 to promote business, including industrial, economical and financial activities to Malta in collaboration with the UK. Malta will position itself as a business destination for UK-based companies which want to set-up a base in a European Union Member State following Brexit.

Zammit Tabona served as Malta's High Commissioner to the United Kingdom & Northern Ireland from 2009 till 2013. He has been the Prime Minister's  Special Envoy  for Investment Promotion since 1st August 2013. He was recently decorated as a Member of the Order of Merit in 2016. Mr Zammit Tabona was also appointed as a Board Member of the Guardian for Future Generations by the Minister for the Enviornment.

He served as Chairman of Malta Enterprise, Malta Stock Exchange and FinanceMalta.  He is currently Chairman of Valletta Cruise Port plc, which operates the Cruise Liner Terminal in Valletta.  Zammit Tabona is also a Director of Klesch Group Limited and Medserv plc and Chairman of Tigne Mall plc.  He also served as President of the Malta Federation of Industry in 1990/91 and 2000/2003.

Zammit Tabona's experience in public practice and his involvement in both public and private sectors enable him to develop a deeper understanding of the needs of all sectors of the local industry.

The other members of the Malta-UK Business Promotion Taskforce are:

David Curmi – Chairman, Trade Malta; CEO,  Mapfre MSV Life Plc

Joe Cuschieri – Chairman,  Malta Gaming Authority

Kenneth Farrugia – Chairman, FinanceMalta

Kurt Farrugia – Head Government Communication

Mario Galea – CEO,  Malta Enterprise

Mario Grima – Former Director BOV and Middlesea Valletta

Stefano Mallia – Partner, Grant Thornton

Maria Micallef – Managing Director, RSM Malta

Michaela Muscat – Maritime Attache, Malta High Commission UK

Nadia Pace – Investment Promotion Consultant Malta Enterprise; Former CEO World Aviation Group

Kevin Valenzia -Territory Senior Partner, PWC Malta

Mr David Walsh - CEO, KPMG Crimsonwing



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No concrete plans yet for Marsa power station site

Energy Minister Joe Mizzi yesterday said that the government is still evaluating the options for the Marsa power station site and that it has not yet decided on any specific plans.

"Technical persons are currently looking at the possible ways forward for the Enemalta land," the minister told this newspaper yesterday.

"There are certain ideas, and we have held discussions with the other shareholders, Shanghai Electric Power. It seems we are on the same wavelength as concerns the development of the area, and the people of Marsa are also being kept in mind," the minister told this newspaper.

Mizzi was, however, not willing to mention any ideas that are currently on the table, and would not confirm if there will be a park.

He did, however, state that the area would include an open space: "We will not forget the people of Marsa, and we will create recreational areas. We are not only considering the business aspect, but the holistic aspect".

Asked about demolition works, he said they are on target, and works are meant to be concluded by the end of 2017, but they could actually be finished earlier.

The minister believes that the historic parts of the old power station will remain: "One will await the final report to see how we will move forward."

The Marsa Power Station was switched off in March 2015, and was kept on cold standby until early 2017, when it was completely disconnected. The plant is currently being dismantled.

The decommissioning and dismantling of this station formed part of Enemalta's plan to transform the country's electricity generation sector by ending the use of oil-fired generators and shifting to cleaner technologies, including gas-fired plants, the Malta-Italy Interconnector and renewable sources.



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Former clients' testimonies send heroin dealer to two years and nine months in prison

A court has sentenced a man to two years and nine months in prison after four of his former clients testified against him.

40-year-old Martin Debono, from Hamrun, was found guilty of trafficking heroin, which was further aggravated as he was found to be dealing the drug within the vicinity of a school, youth centre, or social club.

He was also guilty of relapsing and breaking the conditions handed down to him in a sentence given on 9 June 2008.

Debono's previous offences include aggravated theft and the possession of heroin on several occasions, attempted theft and wilful damage, the falsification of documents, 

He has previously been granted a conditional discharged (twice), a probationary order (twice), monetary fines, a suspended prison sentence, and an effective prison sentence (three times).

In relation to the aforementioned charges, Debono was arrested on 12 January 2012. Upon a search of his vehicle, police officers found a bag with a brownish dust within them, and they also found in Debono's possession an empty cigarette packet with two pieces of foil that were stained brown.

There were no illicit substances found at Debono's residence after a police search was conducted. Debono would later refuse to answer questions when under interrogation.

A female former drug addict told the court, which was presided over by Magistrate Natasha Galea Sciberras, that she had started using heroin when she was sixteen years old and would continue to do so over the next seven years. 

The woman, along with another former client of Debono, said while they were under arrest, on separate occasions, in 2010 that they would purchase heroin from a dealer known as 'Il-Boccu' or 'Il-Bucc', however none of them had ever identified the dealer as Martin Debono. 

It was only until March 2012, when a man was arrested after police found him and his friend in car with a sachet containing a brown substance and seven new syringes. The man would tell police that he had purchased the substance from a someone known as 'Il-Boccu', who he later revealed was called Martin Debono. 

He would later identify Debono as 'Il-Boccu' in court. 

The witness also provided the mobile number of the accused, and through Vodafone's records it was established that Debono and the witness had contacted one another on 17separate occasions throughout  May 2011, apart from text messages that were exchanged.

A fourth client would also identify 'il-Boccu' and say that had told a magistrate in 2010 that he had bought from him on three separate occasions prior to his appearance in court.

Debono was sentenced to two years and nine months in prison, and was required to pay a fine of €2,750 and €955 in court expenses. 



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Archbishop re-appoints Commission for Justice and Peace

Archbishop Charles J. Scicluna has re-established the Commission for Justice and Peace and has appointed Mr Daniel Darmanin, an architect by profession, as President of the Commission for a three-year term, the Curia said in a statement.

Mr Darmanin, 33, graduated from the University of Malta and pursued his studies at the University of Loyola in Chicago, USA, where he read for a Masters degree in Social Justice and Community Development.

The members of the Commission include Mr Wallace Buttigieg Scicluna, Dr Katrine Camilleri, Rev. Fr Mark Cachia S.J., Dr John Paul Cauchi, Ms Maria Vella, and Ms Simone Vella Lenicker, architect.

The Justice and Peace Commission intends to work with people of goodwill in favour of a more just society, where everyone's rights are respected and where everyone lives in dignity and peace. The Commission is planning to accomplish this task through reflection and analysis, by advocating for human rights and quality of life, and by creating wider awareness on Catholic Social Teaching.

The Commission will be also assisting the local Church in her contribution towards a more just society that respects the dignity of the human person, while encouraging the People of God to live this solidarity in practical terms.

The Commission may be contacted on email: justiceandpeace@maltadiocese.org.



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I DO Magazine: Getaway - Summer honeymoon ideas for total relaxation

After you've thrown the biggest party of your lifetime, you deserve some total relaxation with your better half. We bring you three honeymoon ideas; find the right one for you at the close-by gem, Italy.

Italy is rated as one of the top romantic destinations in Europe; it is also very close by, which is an extra bonus for us Maltese. Italy can never disappoint, it is known for its versatility; be it breathtaking beaches, picturesque mountains, ski resorts, rich historical sites, arts and sumptuous food and wine. The only problem you will have is choosing which places to visit. Here we have come up with three top romantic places and we will be exploring Lake Como, Sardinia and Umbria.

Lake Como

George Clooney has a house on Lake Como and if Mr Clooney chooses this magical place to have his getaway house then it must be worth visiting! Lake Como is a place where one can totally relax just by going around the towns situated beside the lakes, admiring the beautiful gardens and villas, visiting boutique shops and eating delectable meals al fresco. You can get there by a direct flight to Milan and get a taxi from the airport. Lake Como is the shape of an inverted Y and Como is the lake's main town at its end. It is a good base to stay at because it has easy access to buses and ferries so you can move around easily. You can get a ferry to stroll around different villages; Bellagio is a very attractive town at the junction of the two 'legs' of the lake. Other towns to visit are Tremezzo, which is a beautiful little town right across from Bellagio. Menaggio is the main town on the western shore which is another attractive town worth a visit. And then there is Lecco which is the town at the end of the south-eastern branch of the lake. The food is exceptional you can never go wrong especially if you like seafood and pizza. Lake Como can be combined with other stays at nearby lakes such as Lake Maggiore and Lake Orta.

Sardinia

If sun and sea is your kind of relaxation getaway then Sardinia is the place to be. It is surrounded by breathtaking views of mountains, long sandy beaches and cultural towns, simply the perfect combination for the most romantic holiday. To get there you have to fly from Malta to either Rome or Milan and get another flight to Sardinia Olbia Costa Smeralda, Alghero or Cagliari. Each part of the island is just as picturesque. It is also best to rent a car so you can visit different beaches and towns during your stay. This beautiful island will captivate you with its breathtaking scenery. You will spend your days relaxing by the beach, sipping cocktails, watching the sunset, enjoying a sumptuous Sardinian dinner and walking on deserted beaches in the balmy evening air, away from it all. Search for Costa Smeralda, Castelsardo, Cagliari, Cala Ganone and Alghero you will find somewhere that is perfect for you. For your good appetite you must try their suckling pig which is one of their traditions and is cooked to perfection. Fish dishes are also very popular in Sardinia, and their traditional drink made of berries Mirto, is worth a try. Do not go crazy on it as it is quite strong.

Umbria

Umbria is an Italian region bordering Tuscany, Lazio and Le Marche. It is often called the country's green heart; it's known for its medieval hill towns, dense forests and local cuisine, particularly foraged truffles and wines. You can reach Umbria by a direct flight to Rome and it is best to rent a car from the airport so you can reach your destination in fewer hours and can explore the region thoroughly. You can stay in the medieval town of Todi, which stands on the top of a hill overlooking the beautiful Tevere or on the rocky cliff of Orvieto or in hilltop Perugia, which is the capital of Umbria.

In Umbria you can spend your time going around exploring valleys, medieval towns and villages, sipping their delicious wines and indulging in their culinary specialities such as truffles, grilled vegetables, bruschetta with olives, home-made olive oil, various cheeses and cold cuts. Umbria is also known for an abundance of meat dishes, particularly lamb, pork, and game, either grilled over the fire or cooked on the spit with an abundance of herbs. While on your honeymoon you can rent a luxurious villa or farmhouse with a private pool, or spa where you can totally relax and recharge your senses.

The honeymoon is special for all couples it marks the start of your married life together. It is the time when you can totally enjoy each other before you get into your daily routine. It is a magical time that you will remember for the rest of your life. Therefore plan it well, do not overdo it by trying to visit a lot of different places, total relaxation should be your top priority. Enjoy!

 

 




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Full-time employment up 5.3 per cent in March – NSO

In March 2017, registered full-time employment increased by 5.3 per cent while part-time employment as a primary job increased by 4.2 per cent when compared to the corresponding month of the previous year, the NSO said.

Gainfully Occupied Population: February-March 2017

Administrative data provided by Jobsplus show that, over a period of one year, the labour supply (excluding part-timers, see methodological note 5) increased by 4.5 per cent, reaching 189,983. This was mainly attributed to a year on year increase in the full-time gainfully occupied population (9,512) and further complimented by a drop in registered unemployment (1,384).

Registered full-time employment

In March 2017, arts, entertainment and recreation and administrative and support service activities contributed mostly to the increase in employment, compared to March 2016. Registered full-time employment in the private sector went up by 8,576 persons to 142,047. Public sector full-time employment increased by 936 persons to 45,287.

The number of persons registered as full-time self-employed rose by 760 when compared to March

2016, while the number of persons registered as employees increased by 8,752. Full-time employment for males and females went up by 4.2 per cent and 7.3 per cent respectively over 2016 levels.

Registered part-time employment

Registered part-time employment in March 2017 went up by 6.4 per cent when compared to a year earlier. The sectors that contributed most to the overall increase were wholesale and retail trade; repair of motor vehicles and motorcycles and professional, scientific and technical activities.

The number of part-timers who also held a full-time job amounted to 24,993 up by 9.4 per cent when compared to the corresponding month in 2016. Employed persons whose part-time job was their primary occupation totalled 34,768, up by 4.2 per cent when compared to 2016.



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Michael Briguglio says Adrian Delia should withdraw himself from leadership race

The former Leader of Alternattiva Demokratika Leader Michael Briguglio has said that if he were Adrian Delia, he would withdraw himself from the PN leadership race.

Writing on Facebook, Briguglio said that the PN ethics board and the council unanimous recommendations "speak for themselves".

"PN leadership controversy: I think that the PN ethics board and council unanimous recommendations speak for themselves. In such a situation I would have withdrawn. Freedom and responsibility are two sides of the same coin."

The former AD chairman referred to the decision by Delia yesterday evening, to stay on the race for PN leader despite the PN administrative council advising Delia to reconsider. Delia left the PN Headquarters to speak to the media where he said that the report found nothing illegal.

The report did find that Delia failed to explain his Jersey account. When pressed about it, Adrian Delia denied this account even exists.

The Times of Malta are reporting that the whole council agrees with the outgoing PN leader Simon Busuttil, that Delia should reconsider.



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Msida Primary School to be modernised, fitted with latest educational facilities

Infrastructural works are to begin at Msida Primary School under the government's permission on the same area that is connected to St Therese College. The new complex will see additional classrooms, sportive facilities, AC units, a big multi-purpose hall and underground parking.

 A press release issued by the Education Ministry said that the new complex will cater for around 300 students and 40 staff members, and will be operating under the educational facilities of Santa Venera. There will be supervised transport for all students, inclusive for small children in kindergarten in order to minimise all inconvenience to students and parents.

The part of the complex serving Msida will retain the same administration team, teachers, clerical and ancillary staff, as well as the same schedule as that of Msida. Msida students will also benefit from access to the 13-16 afterschool club through the Santa Venera unit.

The statement described how various primary schools are in need to maintenance and extension works, or new complexes altogether. In fact, 17 primary schools are 100+ years and are no longer adapted for the 21st century.

This coming September, the Visual and Performing Arts school of Hamrun will be operational. 



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TMID Editorial: Light pollution - Let there be less light

The blight of Malta's light pollution epidemic is bound to eventually reach epic proportions unless proper light abatement measures begin being imposed on future developments and remedial action is taken with respect to the thousands of existing glaring sources of light pollution.

Some time ago NASA had published a photograph of Europe at night, which had showed Malta to be a massive orange light bulb in the middle of the Mediterranean. A recent reputable scientific paper showed that Malta was only outdone by Singapore and San Marino in terms of light pollution.  That paper also highlighted the fact that Malta suffers so heavily from light pollution that the glowing band of our own galaxy, the Milky Way, is no longer perceptible from our islands.  In fact, the Milky Way cannot be seen from 89 per cent of Malta and Gozo.

But in light of this, poor outdoor lighting practices persist across the country's roads, industrial installations, football pitches…just about everywhere one looks.

Light pollution detracts from our own quality of life, as well as those of the country's sensitive fauna and its bird populations.

But despite the fact that better controls against light pollution also mean more cost-effective lighting, there seems to be little effort being made in this regard, and the country can do much better through the right legislation, rules and regulations.

Better legislation should be implemented to reduce light pollution in future development through the planning and enforcement systems, particularly within a prescribed number of kilometres around ecologically sensitive areas, while also implementing a Dark Sky heritage concept for the country.  This could be coupled by a public awareness campaign encouraging residents to switch off lights and remove or replace unnecessary or inappropriate outdoor lighting, as well as a business awareness campaign to prevent over illumination of hotel porches, windows and grounds.

Globe lights need to be removed from all public areas, together with a complete prohibition on their future use, as well as the prohibition of unnecessary external lighting, the replacement of other types of street lighting with a full cut-off design in a rolling programme, a reduction of over-illumination, which will also contribute to a reduction of CO2 emissions.

Light pollution, after all, is mostly wasted light being emitted from poorly designed fixtures that emit light upwards instead of downwards where it is needed. Outdoor lighting is, of course, indispensable but we definitely need to use more devices that give light facing downwards.

Light pollution also needs to be controlled through the use of cut-off lighting, which does not emit light upwards, in Outside-Development Zones.

For example, football pitches should only be lit by asymmetric full cut-off floodlighting which prevent the nuisance to the neighbourhood while still perfectly illuminating the play area.

There are dozens more ways and means by which light pollution can be put under better control, but what we need is the right incentives to do so.  Recent controversies that have erupted over the lighting in dark sky areas such as Dwejra, Gozo, and it is hoped that the spotlight being shed on the issue will urge the authorities to take more concrete action.



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Why lowering nicotine in cigarettes could change the course of health

The new commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently made a surprising and bold announcement that could potentially save more lives than if we ended the opioid epidemic today. FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb, a physician and cancer survivor, said that federal regulators will start a conversation about dramatically reducing the amount of nicotine in cigarettes, low enough to make them nonaddictive, while taking a go-slow approach to adopting new regulations on electronic cigarettes and other devices that are increasingly popular for consuming nicotine.

As Gottlieb put it, efforts to reduce smoking in the United States call for "Envisioning a world where cigarettes would no longer create or sustain addiction, and where adults who still need or want nicotine could get it from alternative and less harmful sources."

This is a potentially historic announcement that offers a common-sense approach to moving the nation forward in our effort to reduce the number of illnesses and deaths caused by smoking. It is certainly an approach that has scientific merit.

I have spent decades working to reduce the harm of tobacco use. In 1992, I joined the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as director of the Office on Smoking and Health. I can recall when the FDA's standard response to requests that it regulate nicotine in cigarettes was to assert that cigarettes are neither a food nor a drug, but "a device of pleasure" outside of their authority.

I can assure you that few smokers derive true pleasure from their addiction. My research team has found that most smokers regret that they ever started, and they desperately want to quit the habit. 

The death toll of smoking: 15 times higher than for opioidsThough the opioid crisis is currently attracting the attention of the media and decision-makers across society, smoking remains the leading cause of preventable death and disease in the United States, causing more than 480,000 deaths a year. To put the scourge of conventional cigarettes in context, smoking kills 15 times more Americans per year than opioids.

Most Americans understand that smoking can cause cancer, but they may not be aware that it is also tied to a wide range of other health problems including heart disease, stroke and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. In fact, a new study published in the journal Health Affairs found that infant mortality across the 13-state Appalachia region was 16 percent higher than the rest of the U.S. and overall life expectancy 2.4 years shorter, largely due to the higher rates of smoking in Appalachia.

As Gottlieb has noted, cigarettes are the only legal consumer product that, when used as intended, will kill half of all long-term users.

The new approach that Gottlieb proposes is a first step on a long journey that has great promise. If nicotine levels in cigarettes can be reduced significantly, it won't take long for smokers to realize that lighting up more frequently and dragging more deeply will never give them the same nicotine hit as in the past. This novel and intriguing idea is that smokers would quickly switch to e-cigarettes or other alternatives to get the nicotine they seek, a much safer option than burning tobacco and inhaling the smoke. Of course, regulators would have to figure out how to prevent black market sales of high-nicotine cigarettes.

Meanwhile, low-nicotine cigarettes would be less likely to hook a new generation of young smokers. Nearly 90 percent of adult smokers took up the habit before they turned 18. Making cigarettes less appealing and addictive to young people would be revolutionary and would put the goal of a smoke-free generation within grasp.

An opening to e-cigarettes?

Some critics have focused on Gottlieb's decision to delay the regulatory process for e-cigarettes, hookahs and other novel products while exploring how to reduce nicotine in traditional cigarettes. But he has pledged not to delay important, common-sense regulations to protect children from accidental poisoning by making the containers of liquid nicotine for e-cigarettes child-proof, and by setting standards for battery packs which occasionally burn or explode, injuring users.

The public will need to be patient because the regulatory process is extraordinarily slow. In fact, the first step is the arcane-sounding "Advance notice of proposed rule-making," and there are nine steps in all to adopting a new regulation.

It's also unclear whether tobacco companies will fight the FDA's proposal to reduce nicotine in conventional cigarettes by dragging the debate through the court system. In the past, cigarette makers have been quick to file lawsuits or mount lobbying campaigns to head off perceived threats to their industry. Right now, an organization receiving substantial financial support from R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Co. is pushing for a repeal of a decision by San Francisco city leaders to ban the sale of flavored tobacco products, which are widely seen as appealing to young people. Indeed, stock prices for the big cigarette producers plunged after the FDA announcement, a signal that the FDA proposal was seen as bad for their bottom line.

However, it's worth noting that several cigarette manufacturers are also entering the market for e-cigarettes and other novel nicotine delivery devices, so they may be ready to switch rather than fight (to reverse a line from an old tobacco ad). For a sense of how the strategy, or at least the public messaging, of some cigarette makers is evolving, go to the homepage of tobacco giant Philip Morris International, where the splashy design claims the company is "Designing a Smoke-Free Future."

There are many forces at work, but the good news is that scientists and the general public will get opportunities to offer their input as this process moves forward. And a growing number of state and local governments are adopting their own policies to protect young people from smoking cigarettes, including raising the legal age to purchase tobacco products from 18 to 21.

In the meantime, I want to encourage smokers to do what they can to quit. Don't get discouraged and don't put it off. Most people make several "failed" attempts to quit before they manage to quit for good.

Find the method that works for you, and if it's e-cigarettes, make sure you really are using them to help you quit smoking conventional cigarettes and not falling into the trap of becoming a "dual user" who never kicks the smoking habit. Stay focused on the goal – to stop inhaling the toxic smoke that's generated by setting tobacco on fire.

Article by Michael P. Eriksen, Georgia State University

The Conversation is an independent and nonprofit source of news, analysis and commentary from academic experts



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Lombard Bank Malta p.l.c. half-yearly results for 2017

Profit before Tax for the Lombard Bank Group increased by 7.6% to €4.7m for the first six months of 2017, compared to €4.4m in the same period last year. This result was achieved despite the impact of historically-low and, at times, even negative interest rates and more costly regulatory compliance requirements.

The bank experienced strong activity in most of its business lines but remained cognisant of its prudential limits. MaltaPost, the bank's main subsidiary, also achieved its objectives providing an increase in Profit before Tax of 9.8% during the first six months of its financial year.

The results for the bank in 2016 had included a one-time significant item which amounted to €1.3m and was included under Other Operating Income.

Net Interest Income at bank level for H1 2017 rose by 1.9% from €7.0m to €7.1m.

The unfavourable interest rate environment persisted, putting further downward pressure on Interest Margin. The bank managed these rates, which were absorbed and not passed on to its customers. This cost was mitigated by additional interest earned from a volume increase of 13.5% in Customer Loans and Advances, thus resulting in a positive net interest margin.

Customer deposits decreased marginally by 1.2% since December 2016 with customers opting for shorter deposit maturities, and this contributed to a lower Interest Expense.

The bank remains well funded and supported by a diversified portfolio of retail deposits. The increase of 39.5% in Fee and Commission Income for the bank was mainly attributable to higher levels of credit activity as noted above.

Postal sales and other revenues continued to experience positive trends in international mail services, registered mail and parcel volumes.

Costs relating to Employee Compensation and Benefits reflect the highly competitive labour market and are currently proving to be challenging. Other significant costs associated with Risk Management and Compliance continued to rise resulting in a Cost-to-Income Ratio of 49.0%, up from 43.1%.

The bank increased Impairment Allowances to €24.6m thereby hedging against any possible adverse developments in its lending activity, in line with its prudential financial management practices. Given the high level of tangible security held against the loan portfolio as well as an overall satisfactory asset quality, the bank considers this level of provisioning to be adequate.

Common Equity Tier 1 Ratio (CET1), for which the Regulatory minimum is 4.5% in terms of EU Regulation No. 575/2013, stood at 13.8% while Total Capital Ratio was 14.0%, well above the transitional and fully loaded regulatory requirements.

The bank experienced an expected increase in its Risk Weighted Assets as a result of the expansion in lending and investment activities during the period reviewed. Group Loan to Deposit Ratio stood at 54.8%.

The Board of Directors notes that despite the persistently difficult operating environment, the bank's performance continues to be characterised by robust operating fundamentals, prudent financial management and a high quality customer base.

For the second part of the current financial year, the Board is confident that the current momentum of business growth will deliver a strong earnings performance, as the Group remains committed to increase stakeholder value.




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Wednesday, August 30, 2017

Three die and dozens trapped as Mumbai building collapses in heavy floods



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EU/UK citizens' rights fall inside Tusk's political activities - Alfred Sant

Former Prime Minister and Maltese MEP Alfred Sant said that even if the European Commission is the negotiator in the Brexit negotiations - the European Council is fully involved in the process and, therefore, the EU/UK citizens rights fall well inside the scope of Donald Tusk's political activities. 

Sant reacted when the President of the European Council failed to answer queries filed by 21 MEPs from five different political groups at the European Parliament on the recognition of citizenship rights of UK citizens in other EU Member States and agreement on non-UK EU citizens' rights in the UK. Tusk said he was not in a position to answer the question since BREXIT negotiations falls outside the scope of his political activities. The Parliamentary Question was initiated by Julie Ward S&D and co-signed by other MEPs, including Maltese MEP Alfred Sant.

Dr Sant quoted the European Council guidelines on the withdrawal of UK from the EU, issued in March 2017, during which the European Council stated that:

"The right for every EU citizen, and of his or her family members, to live, to work or to study in any EU Member State is a fundamental aspect of the European Union. Along with other rights provided under EU law, it has shaped the lives and choices of millions of people. Agreeing reciprocal guarantees to safeguard the status and rights derived from EU law at the date of withdrawal of EU and UK citizens, and their families, affected by the United Kingdom's withdrawal from the Union will be the first priority for the negotiations. Such guarantees must be effective, enforceable, non-discriminatory and comprehensive, including the right to acquire permanent residence after a continuous period of five years of legal residence. Citizens should be able to exercise their rights through smooth and simple administrative procedures."

The 21 MEPs told Mr Tusk that since the UK referendum on 23 June 2016, citizens of EU Member States in the UK and UK citizens in other EU Member States have experienced feelings of uncertainty, anxiety and distress about the situation facing them and their families. 'New Europeans' and other civil society organisations have highlighted the deep concern of citizens regarding their ability to enjoy the rights that derive from their EU citizenship, including the right to remain in the Member States in which they are resident, and retaining their right to private and family life, as enshrined in the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights and the European Convention on Human Rights.

"There is significant regret that individuals are being treated as 'bargaining chips' in the Brexit negotiations. Irrespective of the UK's current or future position, will the President advocate to the European Council that it should commit to maintaining EU citizenship rights for UK citizens in other EU Member States, and that these shall remain in place regardless of the outcome of negotiations with the UK?

Will the President also advocate that guarantees on non-UK EU citizens' rights in the UK should be subject to a separate agreement with the UK and not be influenced by the outcome of negotiations on other subjects?" asked the MEPs representing the Group of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists & Democrats (S&D), the Greens European Free Alliance (Verts/ALE),  The Confederal Group of the European United Left/Nordic Green Left (GUE/NGL), the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe Group (ALDE) and the European People's Party (EPP).

The Parliamentary Question was signed by Julie Ward (S&D), Jean Lambert (Verts/ALE), Helga Trüpel (Verts/ALE), Paloma López Bermejo (GUE/NGL), Catherine Bearder (ALDE), Bart Staes (Verts/ALE), Alfred Sant (S&D), Eugen Freund (S&D), Alex Mayer (S&D), Tomáš Zdechovský (PPE), Barbara Spinelli (GUE/NGL), Heidi Hautala (Verts/ALE), Ricardo Serrão Santos (S&D), Jean-Paul Denanot (S&D), Ernest Urtasun (Verts/ALE), Valentinas Mazuronis (ALDE), Tania González Peñas (GUE/NGL), Hilde Vautmans (ALDE), Pascal Durand (Verts/ALE), Viorica Dăncilă (S&D) and Kateřina Konečná (GUE/NGL).



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20th anniversary of tragic death: Diana's common touch changed the monarchy forever

It was so human. So accessible. So very Diana: Prince William, the heir to the British throne, sprinting down the track at London's Olympic Park with his wife, the Duchess of Cambridge, and his brother, Prince Harry, in a relay race this year promoting mental health.

There was a time when such a scene would not have happened.

Princess Diana, a preschool teacher thrust into the glare of celebrity by her marriage to Prince Charles, dragged Britain's ribbon-cutting royals into the modern world. She made a direct connection with the public —once running her own race in a flowing white skirt and baggy sweater — and promoted causes far from the mainstream at the time, like land mine removal and AIDS research.

That link lives on through her sons, who have adopted their mother's more personal approach to monarchy and in the process reinvigorated the institution.

"She was the first royal who really took the public's heart," said Sandi McDonald, 55, standing outside an exhibit of the late princess' dresses at Kensington Palace. "I think her sons are the same — the public just loves them."

William and Harry are the most obvious reminders of Diana's impact. They have spoken openly about their own mental health issues over losing their mother while so young and broken down taboos just as their mother did by embracing AIDS patients to ease fears about the disease. But the princess' most far-reaching legacy is her popularization of the idea that celebrities can use their ties to millions of people they've never met to bring about change.

Having been swallowed up by the royal machine when she was barely 20, Diana found her way in life after realizing that the public was fascinated by her every thought. She was able to manipulate that interest to promote causes such as land mine clearance and to tell her side of the story when her marriage collapsed amid Prince Charles' relationship with Camilla Parker Bowles, who later became his second wife.

Today's celebrities in every field have adopted that model — created when newspapers and the evening news were the primary sources of information — and pumped it full of steroids in the world of Facebook and Instagram.

"You can sort of trace the molecular chain or genetic chain between Diana and Kim Kardashian," said sociologist Ellis Cashmore, the author of "Elizabeth Taylor: A Private Life for Public Consumption."

"Imagine if Twitter or Facebook had been around in (Diana's) day!"

While every wannabe celebrity today posts their secrets on social media, in the 1990s it was unimaginable that a royal would share personal hopes and fears with the world. But trapped in a loveless marriage, Diana chose to take her message to the people who loved her.

She covertly cooperated with biographer Andrew Morton to get her story out, using an intermediary who recorded tapes of her answers to the author's questions so she could deny ever having spoken with Morton.

"This was a quite remarkable thing that she was doing," Morton told The Associated Press. "Here she was, talking about the most intimate details of her life — about this woman called Camilla, about her eating disorders, about her half-hearted suicide attempts — to me, who was a relative stranger. ... She was talking about things which no princess had ever spoken about before."

The gamble paid off. Diana's story was told, and the public loved her all the more. Her funeral featured an unprecedented outpouring of grief and emotion, with tens of thousands lining the streets and mountains of flowers piled outside Kensington Palace. It was a transformative event for both the royal family and for Britain, Morton said.

"No longer were we seen as the stiff-upper-lip, do-not-touch nation," Morton said. "We were seen as a trembling lower lip (nation), not afraid to emote, to shed our tears in public."

After Diana's death, the royals also learned they had to change.

Queen Elizabeth II returned to the capital from vacation in Scotland and gave a speech from Buckingham Palace that quieted days of headlines accusing her of being indifferent to Diana's death. A more accessible monarchy has followed.

Last year, as Britain celebrated the queen's 90th birthday for months, the queen joked at a street party outside Buckingham Palace that while she appreciated the cards and messages, "how I will feel if people are still singing 'Happy Birthday' to me in December remains to be seen!"

As William and Harry grew up, they inherited Diana's ability to communicate with the public. To the delight of mental health charities, they and the Duchess of Cambridge have fronted a campaign to persuade people to open up about mental health struggles. One charity, Mind, said the day after Harry spoke about his struggles following his mother's death their public inquiry line received a 38 percent increase in calls.

"It shows how far we have come in changing public attitudes to mental health, that someone so high-profile can open up about something so difficult and personal," said Paul Farmer, the chief executive of Mind.

The young royals have also brought other luminaries into the conversation. In one video, Prince William spoke with pop star Lady Gaga, who told of her struggles with post-traumatic stress disorder.

Diana "knew, even from an early age, that she wanted to groom them more in the image of modern princes, that they would be able to reach out to people," said Morton. "She did not want a ... do-not-touch sign over the future of her children."

Diana also changed the public's expectations of national figures, Cashmore said, noting that Britons are no longer satisfied with a distant monarchy. Her sons' common touch is one reason for the often-denied speculation that William will take the throne after the queen's death, skipping his less popular father.

Quite simply, Diana changed the royal family, said Jenny Glossop, a fan from Worcestershire who visited the Kensington Palace dress exhibit.

"The royals were always formal and stuffy and didn't have a connection with the public. Diana came along, joined the family and changed the royals forever, because after that even the queen softened, became more approachable," Glossop said. "Her boys have grown to be Diana's boys. Everything we loved about her carries on in the family."



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Pictures of the Day: 31 August 2017



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Princess Diana: In her own words



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Revellers hurl tomatoes in Spanish 'Tomatina' festival



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Leonardo DiCaprio joins stars in donating $1 million to Harvey relief effort



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Former monk sues cosmetics giant over anti-aging formula

A former Roman Catholic monk has filed a federal lawsuit against cosmetics giant L'Oreal, accusing the company of stealing patented technology in an anti-aging wrinkle cream that his charity was selling to raise money for the poor.

Dennis Wyrzykowski and his company, Carmel Laboratories LLC, have been joined in the lawsuit by the University of Massachusetts Medical School, which developed the technology and licensed it to Carmel in 2009.

According to the lawsuit, the cream, called Easeamine, is made using technology inspired by a discovery by two UMass scientists that adenosine, a chemical compound found in the heart, can promote skin elasticity.

The lawsuit, filed in June and amended this month, alleges L'Oreal was aware UMass held the patent for the science. It alleges L'Oreal had been denied patents because of their similarity to those granted to UMass, but the cosmetic company went ahead with a line of products based on the adenosine technology.

Wyrzykowski, who leads a religious charity known as the Teresian Carmelites in Millbury, Massachusetts, said in an interview Tuesday that he was selling the cream online for $65 per tube to support the Carmelites work with prisoners, drug addicts, and school children.

He said the availability of the L'Oreal products decimated the Carmelites business.

"For me, L'Oreal pillaged the poor, that's what they did," Wyrzykowski said.

L'Oreal, which is based in Paris and has U.S. operations in New York, has asked a U.S. District Court judge in Delaware to dismiss the lawsuit. The company's attorneys argue in court documents that L'Oreal believes its use of adenosine falls outside the University of Massachusetts patents.

"While we admire the purpose of the work these two organizations are doing together, we find no merit in these allegations," L'Oreal said in an email Wednesday to The Associated Press. "We expressed this point of view in many conversations we had with the Teresian Carmelites and their outside legal advisers over the past two years."

Mark Shelton, a spokesman for the UMass Medical School, said they were not involved in drafting or filing the lawsuit, but became plaintiffs because they are obligated to protect the licensing agreement with Carmel.

James Dobson Jr., a now-retired cardiovascular physiologist who was one of two UMass scientists to make the discovery, said the technology is potentially worth millions of dollars.

"If you know a patent is out there and you willingly infringe on it, that really upsets me," he said. "What also upsets me is that the Teresian Carmelites were going to use the proceeds for the poor and disadvantaged in central Massachusetts and that was a noble thing to do."

Wyrzkowski said the loss of profits from the cream forced him to sell property that was going to be used for a spiritual center and curtailed other charitable works.

The Catholic Church withdrew recognition for the Teresian Carmelites in 2008, saying they no longer met the criteria to be a Catholic organization. But the group continued as a nondenominational, nonprofit with about 15 current members, Wyrzykowski said.

"We've basically turned it into a foundation because we were no longer able to sustain what we were doing because of what L'Oreal did," he said.

The lawsuit seeks unspecified damages.



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Eritrean seriously injured in Marsa fight

An Eritrean man was seriously injured early this morning following a fight in Marsa, the police said.

The 37-year-old was found wounded on the pavement by police officers who were called for assistance.

He was taken to hospital for treatment.



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Trump sows confusion by rejecting idea of North Korea talks

True to form, President Donald Trump sowed policy confusion with a tweet.

Declaring Wednesday that "talking is not the answer" on North Korea, Trump's message appeared to clash with efforts by his Cabinet members to safeguard the possibility of a diplomatic solution as Kim Jong Un's military races toward mastering a nuclear-tipped missile that can reach America.

The president's morning tweet came a day after a highly provocative North Korean missile test that flew over Japan, a close American ally, potentially endangering civilians on the ground. On Wednesday, Kim called for more weapons launches in the Pacific.

"The U.S. has been talking to North Korea, and paying them extortion money, for 25 years. Talking is not the answer!" Trump tweeted.

The statement raised fresh uncertainty about the Trump administration's strategy for North Korea. How the U.S. plans address the North's growing nuclear capabilities is of increasing urgency not just in Northeast Asia, but also in the United States. Last month, the isolated, communist country tested for the first time a missile that could potentially strike the U.S. mainland.

Trump didn't spell out what he meant by "extortion," but he appeared to be referring to the $1.3 billion the U.S. has provided in aid to North Korea since 1995. Most of that has been food and fuel.

Criticism of past administrations' failures to halt North Korea's march toward nuclear weapons has been a recurrent theme from Trump. However, his comment overlooked that fact there's been virtually no U.S. aid to North Korea since early 2009. Talks also have been in limbo for years. The last formal negotiation between Washington and Pyongyang on the nuclear issue occurred in 2012.

Eliminating the possibility of new negotiations could limit U.S. options. It also risks increasing the chance of military confrontation between nuclear-armed powers.

Within hours of Trump's tweet, Defense Secretary Jim Mattis appeared to contradict him.

"We're never out of diplomatic solutions," Mattis said as he met with his counterpart from South Korea for talks on military readiness.

The U.S.-allied government supports, in theory, greater diplomatic outreach to Pyongyang. If war were to ever break out, millions of South Koreans would immediately find themselves within range of the North's large conventional weapons arsenal.

In Geneva, Robert Wood, the U.S. ambassador to the Conference on Disarmament, sought to explain the president's tweet.

Trump was expressing his frustration at North Korea's "dangerous and provocative threats," Wood said. But like Mattis, he said the U.S. remained willing to discuss the North's denuclearization.

"The United States is open to trying to deal with this question diplomatically, but the other side is not," Wood told reporters.

It's not the first time Trump has complicated his administration's national security message via social media.

Last month, as aides worked to defuse tensions between Qatar and its Arab neighbors, Trump blindsided them by tweeting that Qatar funded terrorism. The gas-rich monarchy hosts 11,000 U.S. troops.

Trump also surprised officials with tweets on Russia and banning transgender people in the military.

Supporters of U.S. engagement with North Korea argue that periods when the U.S. is talking and providing aid to the country have proved the most successful in curbing its weapons development. In the past five years, without formal talks, the North's technological strides have been most rapid.

Secretary of State Rex Tillerson last week hinted at possible direct talks if North Korea demonstrated its sincerity by stopping weapons tests. The U.S. also has been maintaining a diplomatic back channel with North Korea.

The immediate outlook for diplomacy, however, appears bleak.

On Wednesday, North Korea's Kim called for more weapons launches into the Pacific Ocean. The Korean Central News Agency said the launch that overflew Japan was of an intermediate-range missile that the North first successfully tested in May and threatened to fire into waters near Guam earlier this month. It described the launch as a "muscle-flexing" countermeasure to U.S.-South Korean military drills that conclude Thursday.

Trump offered a surprisingly subdued, initial response to the Japan overflight Tuesday, without any of the bombast of earlier this month when he warned the North of "fire and fury" if its threats persist. He said "all options are on the table," a standard formulation signaling Washington hasn't ruled out military action.

While the U.N. Security Council on Tuesday condemned the launch as "outrageous," there was no move to impose more sanctions.

At the disarmament body in Geneva, North Korean diplomat Ju Yong Chol said the council's statement revealed Washington's "evil intention to obliterate the DPRK's sovereignty and rights to existence and development."



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Hungry North Korean soldiers 'ordered to steal corn to be ready for war' as Kim Jong-un ramps up rhetoric



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UK weather: Rain, thunder and plunging temperatures as summer draws to a close



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Gwyneth Paltrow admits she 'f----- it up' with Brad Pitt



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Shivering girl, 3, found clinging to drowned mother 'who saved her' in Harvey floods



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Chemical fire expected at flooded Arkema plant in Texas after Hurricane Harvey



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Britain halves foreign aid money to Nigeria��



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Warning over craze for keeping African pygmy��hedgehogs��as pets



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First cancer gene therapy to treat��leukaemia approved by US regulators



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Defiant Delia refuses to back down: ‘PN establishment trying to tarnish my name’

Adrian Delia said that the Nationalist Party establishment is doing its best to tarnish his reputation, and will not be withdrawing his candidacy.

Minutes after a report by the PN administrative committee urged him to reconsider his position, Delia said that he had already made up his mind to go ahead with his candidature, as the Ethics Committee had found nothing against him.

Instead, the PN administrative committee, which he described as part of the establishment, chose to issue a statement trying to denigrate his reputation. With its action, the PN administrative committee is trying to prejudice the free choice voters have in the election for party leader.

The Ethics Committee could have "sanctioned me, suspended me or dismissed me", but it did not take any such decision, because it found nothing wrong, Delia said, urging PN councillors to go to vote on Saturday to elect him and get rid of the party establishment that had gripped the PN.

What was said by the Ethics Committee is not the same as what is being said by the PN administrative committee, the establishment, Delia said, and the PN administrative committee had taken a stand against him when the election had already started - early voters have already cast their preference last Saturday.

There are people who want to make it hard for me to be elected, he said. The request made by the councillor for an investigation was made for all candidates, and yet when the party administration committee issued a statement "it mentioned only me," he said. "Just think why this happened," he said.

Delia said that he is happy with the report compiled by the Ethics Committee which, he recalled, was set up when the electoral process had already started. The Ethics Committee, he said, was satisfied that there was nothing wrong with my candidacy, and it was the PN administrative committee which interpreted it in such a way as to request his reconsideration. Nowhere in the Ethics Committee report is there a suggestion for him to reconsider, yet the administrative committee decided that he should, Delia said.

Delia said that whereas the Ethics Committee found nothing wrong and did not suggest his backing down, the "PN establishment" chose otherwise. But the time has come for the PN councillors and members to choose a "new way" of doing politics, he said, mentioning his slogan for the election.

He said there is no proof of an account in Jersey, adding that he cannot give an explanation about something he does not know about.

Asked if he met outgoing leader Simon Busuttil, Delia replied, "I was waiting to be given a copy of the Ethics Committee report and a copy of the administrative committee statement. I met Busuttil and asked him on what grounds I should reconsider and he said nothing"



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