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Gaetano Abela, former Malta festivals guru, dies

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Gaetano Abela, a former chairman of the Malta Song Festival, passed away on Friday, aged 78. Mr Abela, who had been suffering from a long illness, was well-known for coordinating various song festivals since 1971 when Malta participated for the first time in the European Song Festival.  He was initially appointed chairman of a committee under the auspices of the Young Christian Workers in 1960.  A businessman by profession, Mr Abela also organised the festival Kanarin tad-Deheb for children with the winner participating in various Zecchino d'Oro festivals in Italy.  He then served as chairman of the Malta Song for Europe in the late 1990s.   

Waste: Massive seabed clean-up planned for nine Maltese beaches

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4.55pm - Added video One hundred tonnes of rubbish will be cleared from the seabed by an international team of divers in a bid to make nine Maltese beaches among the cleanest in the world. International conservation NGO Ocean Alliance announced on Friday it would be certifying a number of swim zones on the island as ‘white flag’ swimming areas.  The 'white flag' designation is issued by the NGO to beaches it has certified as being litter-free. It is not to be confused with 'blue flag' status, a conservation badge of honour granted by the Foundation for Environmental Education. Addressing a press conference in Wied iż Żurrieq, NGO chief executive Kristijan Curavić said the popular swimming zone would be the first one on the island to be certified as being completely waste free.“Our divers will be going down and bringing up a few tonnes every day until there is no waste left. Then it will be monitored regularly to ensure it is one of the cleanest beaches in the world,” he said. The clean-up was scheduled to begin today but was postponed until next week due to windy conditions along the island’s south western coastline. Speaking with Times of Malta, Mr Curavić said the white flag...

Air Malta's traffic grows by over a third in February, a "record"

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Air Malta carried a total of 101,500 passengers in February, a whopping increase of 34.6 per cent compared to the same month last year, the airline said on Friday. It is a record increase during the traditionally weakest month of the year, Air Malta said in a statement.  Between November and February, the airline reported a strong growth of 24 per cent, making this winter season one of the most successful ever. Should the figures continue to improve at the same rate, the airline will manage to close the financial year without any losses - it would be the first time in over 10 years, Air Malta chairman Charles Mangion said. Paul Sies, Air Malta’s Chief Commercial Officer said: "Although we had an excellent performance with regards to advanced bookings for the month of February, we were positively surprised that the same momentum was also retained during the month." The airline increased its frequency on main routes and re-introduced Frankfurt airport. The new strategy, which included the launch of the hand luggage only fare Go-Light proved to be popular among guests. "We are looking forward the preliminary results for March... looking very promising," he said. Tourism Minister...

Elderly massage parlour owner knew nothing of 'extras', court rules

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A 78-year-old owner of two massage parlours in which clients were offered sexual "extras" has been cleared of living off the earnings of prostitution after a court found no evidence that he was aware of the illegal activities.  Alfred Attard had acquired the two shops, one in Mosta and the other in Ħamrun, after marrying his carer-turned-wife. Having registered both premises in his name, Mr Attard allegedly entrusted the keys and day-to-day management of centres to his wife and four Chinese employees, two of whom also shared his home. He would rarely enter the parlours, instead ferrying his wife and employees to and from work, later complaining about how much fuel the trips cost him.  Trouble brewed when, following a police raid on the shops in November 2012, the owner ended up facing criminal charges for having allegedly allowed the premises to be used for illicit purposes and for having knowingly lived off the earnings of prostitution. Police surveillance revealed that sexual activity was taking place inside, with two male customers testifying about the "extras" which they had allegedly paid for and received. Although one of the masseuses confessed that she performed such...

Motorcyclist hospitalised following Mosta traffic collision

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A traffic collision in Mosta left a motorcyclist hospitalised and a key thoroughfare temporarily closed to traffic on Friday afternoon.  The motorcyclist was involved in a collision with the driver of a Peugeot car at around 3.30pm on Independence Avenue and taken to Mater Dei hospital for treatment.  Police closed Independence Avenue to traffic following the crash. No more information was available at the time of writing.  In another traffic collision in Mosta, a 60-year-old man from Mosta was taken to hospital as a precautionary measure after the Toyota Yaris he was driving turned over on Triq il-Missjunari Maltin.  The accident happened at around 3pm, police said. 

Winery thief gets jail time after returning €30,000 stolen

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A man who robbed a winery in Gozo of some €30,000 and then returned the money has been handed a two-year effective jail term despite being forgiven by his theft victim. William Boakye, 37, Uganda-born, admitted to the aggravated theft at Bacchus Winery in Fontana, Gozo.  Following his arrest and prosecution, Mr Boakye had earned the forgiveness of the victim of the theft, with the owner declaring in open court that he had received €29,950 from the accused "in full and final settlement of all claims" in his regard. Magistrate Joe Mifsud took note of the nature of the offence on one hand and, on the other, the accused’s cooperation with the police, his clean criminal record, his early guilty and the fact that the stolen money had been returned. In the light of all this, the court declared the man guilty and condemned him to a jail term of two years.  Inspector Bernard Charles Spiteri prosecuted. Lawyer Jean Paul Grech was defence counsel.

Enemalta's head of accounts had a tampered smart meter

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A former Enemalta division head had a tampered smart meter installed at his house, illegally cutting his electricity bills by more than half.  Louis Attard was handed a 14-month prison sentence suspended for 28 months and €140 fine after a court found him guilty despite his "sly" attempts to disassociate himself from the crime.  Mr Attard, who worked as Enemalta's Head of Accounts, got his wife's cousin, fellow Enemalta employee Anthony Mifsud, to arrange for technician Paul Pantallersco to install a tampered meter at his Mosta home, the court ruled.  The meter was installed in February 2011 and replaced three years later, in 2014, around the time Mr Pantallersco was sentenced to two years in jail for bribery and installing more than 250 tampered smart meters.  Tests by local Enemalta technicians, experts in Italy as well as an engineering professor had all confirmed that Mr Attard's meter had been tampered with. A conductive paste had been smeared onto part of the device, causing it to register a reading approximately 53 per cent lower than it should have been.  Mr Attard denied any knowledge of the tampered meter, while Mr Mifsud testified that he had never asked Mr...

Two dead after suspected gas incident in Mġarr ix-Xini

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Two people were found dead after a suspected gas leak incident in Mġarr ix-Xini, Gozo, Times of Malta is informed.  The Maltese man, Paul Muscat aged 59, and a 52-year-old British woman, believed to be his partner, were found in a boathouse. Initial investigations show the couple could have been dead since Tuesday, according to sources. So far, no foul play is suspected. Mr Muscat, a father of two, and a captain on the Gozo Channel ferries from Sannat, had practically turned the boat house into his residence for the last five years. The police were informed about the discovery at 1.30pm. The roads leading to the picturesque Gozo bay have been closed, pending further investigations.  A magisterial inquiry is under way.    

Nine suspected human traffickers arrested

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Nine people have been arrested in connection with a suspected human trafficking ring, authorities said on Friday afternoon. The suspects are believed to have brought 14 Asian workers to Malta, ostensibly to do low-paying cleaning work, and then used them for trafficking purposes.  Identity Malta flagged the case to police following an agency exercise to follow up on residence permits submitted by third country nationals. The permit applications had been filed by employers on behalf of the workers in question.  The information led to police arresting the nine suspects, which include both Maltese and foreign nationals, on Friday morning. None of the suspects are linked to Identity Malta, the Home Affairs Ministry said.  Magistrate Donatello Frendo Dimech has opened an inquiry into the case and is expected to hear the testimony of the 14 suspected victims. 

Trump fires back at Baldwin over impersonation

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Donald Trump has tweeted his displeasure over Alec Baldwin's comment that impersonating the US president is "agony", and suggested that Saturday Night Live (SNL) should replace the actor. Mr Trump tweeted: "Alec Baldwin, whose dying mediocre career was saved by his terrible impersonation of me on SNL, now says playing me was agony. Alec, it was agony for those who were forced to watch. Bring back Darrell Hammond, funnier and a far greater talent!" Baldwin responded in a series of tweets, the first of which read: "Agony though it may be, I'd like to hang in there for the impeachment hearings, the resignation speech, the farewell helicopter ride to Mara-A-Lago (sic). You know. The Good Stuff. That we've all been waiting for." Baldwin also tweeted that he was "Looking forward to the Trump Presidential Library", and suggested that it would contain a live Twitter feed and "a little black book w the phone numbers of porn stars". In a third tweet, the actor and comedian asked US first lady Melania Trump to stop calling him to ask for tickets to Saturday Night Live. Baldwin, a Democratic activist, received an Emmy award for his running parody last year on Saturday Night Live. But he...

Setting out Brexit vision, May appeals to EU to show flexibility

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Prime Minister Theresa May urged the European Union on Friday to show more flexibility in talks on a future relationship, saying Britain was ready to swallow the "hard facts" of Brexit but did not believe they prevented a successful trade deal. In a much-anticipated speech, May mixed a gentler tone, jettisoning an earlier strident tone that Britain would walk away from the Brexit talks, with an appeal to the EU to work together to solve some of the more difficult Brexit conundrums. She tried to tackle a row over EU member Ireland by again offering ways of avoiding a return to the hard border with the British province of Northern Ireland, acknowledging that London would have to maintain regulatory standards with the bloc. That promise on regulation was one of several "hard facts" along with the suggestion that the European Court of Justice would still play a role after and that Britain might have to pay to get associate membership of EU institutions, that could alarm vocal Brexit campaigners in her party. But it was, she said, time to be "straight" with people over what was achievable, some 20 months after Britain voted to leave the EU and her government began to try to unravel...

Savio College turns 50

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Boscofest participants.

Savio College, in Dingli, will be marking the 50th anniversary of its foundation this month. A Catholic school founded on the educational philosophy of St John Bosco, the college arose from the green fertile fields of Dingli back in 1965, when, on June 20, the late Archbishop Michael Gonzi blessed the foundation stone. It opened its doors three years later and welcomed its first group of 12 students. The college today caters for 260 students, supported and guided to develop and grow in all spheres of their life, be it academically, physically, spiritually, emotionally and socially. “With the help of a professional staff and a parents’ committee, the Salesian community caters for and is always on the lookout to address emerging needs and to safeguard a one-to-one approach,” a spokesman said. Savio College is a hub of activity all year round, holding summer camps, winter live-ins and retreats for youth from across the country. A Salesian Oratory was opened in Dingli in 1970 with the aim of reaching out to young people within the locality, with the work continuing up to this day. A sports complex was completed in 2003 and the outdoor facilities were upgraded with synthetic grass...

Watch: Izzo backs Malta to reach Euros

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The Malta waterpolo national team faces their biggest match in history when they take on Belarus in the return leg of the European Championship play-off at the National Pool on Saturday (start: 4pm). After losing last week’s opening leg in Minsk 8-7, Karl Izzo’s team will be looking to beat the Belorussians by at least a two-goal margin that would secure them a second successive participation in the European Championship finals, which will be held in Barcelona between July 14 and 28. During the last week, the Malta players have been looking to recover all their energies following last weekend’s grueling opening leg in Belarus and Izzo declared that his players were ready to put their name on the history books with a win over Belarus. “We have been preparing for this play-off tie against Belarus for the past two years and there is great determination among the players to beat Belarus and cut our ticket to the European Championship finals this summer,” the Malta coach said. “As expected the first leg turned out to be a very difficult test, especially for our young members of the team, who struggled to adapt to the intimidating atmosphere created by the home crowd last...

Young woman critical after nearly drowning in Marsalforn

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A 28-year-old woman is in a critical condition after she found herself in difficulty while swimming at Xwieni Bay in Marsalforn.  Emergency services received a call for assistance at around 2.15pm, and paramedics who arrived at the scene quickly took the victim to Gozo General Hospital for treatment.  Magistrate Joanne Vella Cuschieri is leading an inquiry into the case. 

Activists remember Daphne Caruana Galizia, blog posts in hand

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More than 200 people joined Daphne Caruana Galizia's family for a candelit vigil in Valletta on Friday evening to demand justice for the murdered journalist. Held 10 years since Ms Caruana Galizia began her popular blog Running Commentary, vigil participants clutched placards with print-outs of articles uploaded to the blog. Having assembled at parliament square, the group began the brief walk to the Great Siege Monument outside the law courts, which has been turned into a makeshift memorial for Ms Carauna Galizia.  There, they chanted "Justice for Daphne...no impunity" and one of the organisers read out an excerpt from one Ms Caruana Galizia's blog posts. Other attendees declined to follow suit, despite an invitation to do so.  The vigil, held two weeks after a similar event, was organised by the Civil Society Network, Occupy Justice, Kenniesa and l-Awturi.  Activists unsatisfied with authorities' handling of the affair have said they will be keeping up the pressure on the government to ensure good governance and identify the people who ordered the October assassination.  Ms Caruana Galizia's bereaved husband, sisters and parents were all spotted among the crowd. Partit...

Watch: NBA roundup: Sixers overcome LeBron, Cavs

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Dario Saric hit two key hoops in the final 5:09 to squash Cleveland rallies Thursday night, helping the Philadelphia 76ers hold on for a 108-97 victory over the Cavaliers in a nationally televised game in Cleveland. The win was Philadelphia's first in three tries against Cleveland this season, and allowed the 76ers (33-27) to move within 2 1/2 games of the Cavaliers (36-25) in the Eastern Conference playoff race. The loss cut into the Cavaliers' lead in the Central Division. They now lead Indiana (34-27) by just two games. Kings 116, Nets 111 (OT) Bogdan Bogdanovic scored 23 points and De'Aaron Fox added 21 to lead host Sacramento to a win over Brooklyn . Willie Cauley-Stein had 17 points and Buddy Hield tallied 16 for the Kings, who halted a five-game losing streak. Skal Labissiere added 11 points. DeMarre Carroll recorded 22 points and 10 rebounds and Allen Crabbe scored 20 for Brooklyn, which lost for the 14th time in the past 16 games. Jarrett Allen had 15 points and 13 rebounds, D'Angelo Russell contributed 15 points and 12 assists and Joe Harris scored 11 points. Lakers 131, Heat 113 Isaiah Thomas scored a game-high 29 points off the bench and Julius Randle added 25...

Signs of war crimes in Syrian bombings, says UN

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Syrian government air strikes on the besieged Syrian enclave of eastern Ghouta and shelling from the rebel-held zone into Damascus probably constitute war crimes and must be prosecuted, the top UN human rights official said on Friday. Zeid Ra'ad al-Hussein, United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, said the perpetrators of such crimes in Syria should know they were being identified and that dossiers were being built for future prosecutions. In one of the deadliest offensives of Syria's war, government air strikes and bombardment have killed hundreds of people over 12 days in eastern Ghouta, an area of besieged towns and farms in the last major rebel-held region near the capital. The UN Security Council called on February 24 for a 30-day ceasefire in eastern Ghouta, where 400,000 people live. "Despite this rare example of unanimity, civilians in Eastern Ghouta have reported that air strikes and shelling continue," Zeid told the Geneva rights forum during an urgent debate held at Britain's request. "Once again, I must emphasise that what we are seeing, in eastern Ghouta and elsewhere in Syria, are likely war crimes, and potentially crimes against humanity. Civilians are...

Coleman breezes into 60m semis

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Christian Coleman, the man fancied to lead sprinting into the post-Usain Bolt era, gave a glimpse of his searing ability after a brief alarm as he breezed into the 60 metres semi-finals at the world indoor championships on Saturday. Coleman, the US sprinter who set a world record of 6.34 seconds last month, stuttered on his third stride while easing into cruise control but still had no problems as he then motored away from the field to win in a modest 6.71 seconds. "My start was decent, but I tripped," Coleman said. "But I stayed calm and made it through. I'm really excited and feel well prepared. The crowd here is great so far and I think it will be electric this evening." Thanks to his mistake, Coleman, who turns 22 on Tuesday, was only the 16th fastest qualifier for the semi-finals scheduled for the evening session before the final which is the climax of Saturday's programme. The quickest man in the heats was Coleman's U.S. team mate Ronnie Baker, who clocked 6.57, while other impressive winners were Turkey's Emre Zafer Barnes (6.58) and China's Su Bingtian (6.59). The biggest cheer in the morning session was reserved for 41-year-old former world 100m champion Kim Collins,...

First local performance of Kuhnau’s Biblical Sonatas

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A concert of sacred music will be held tomorrow at St Dominic’s Priory, Rabat. The concert will feature a number of biblical sonatas composed by Johann Kuhnau (1660-1722), predecessor of J. S. Bach during his tenure as Thomaskantor (musical director of boys’ choir Thomanerchor) in Leipzig. The sonatas form part of the prestigious work Musicalische Vorstellung einiger biblischer Historien, known popularly as Biblical Sonatas, and will be played on harpsichord for the first time locally by Joanne Camilleri.  Brief biblical commentaries will be offered by Fr Christopher Caruana, OP. The concert starts at 5pm. Admission is free of charge.

Prime Minister inaugurates Is-Suq tal-Belt

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Prime Minister Joseph Muscat officially inaugurated Is-Suq tal-Belt in Valletta on Friday night following a €14 million capital investment.  The building which spans from Merchants Street to St Paul Street is one of the major projects undertaken by the private sector in Valletta. The project, which saw the dilapidated premises being extensively restored and refurbished, came about after an investment by the privately-run Arkadia Catering. The project has transformed the iconic Victorian building into a hub where gastronomy is intertwined with cultural events and a recreational space. More than 250 new jobs are expected to be created as a result of this project which is one in a series of others transforming Valletta, which currently holds the title of European Capital of Culture.
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