PN stalwart Charles Borg, Is-Sunnara, dies

October 21, 2019, 7:04 am

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The driver of former President and Prime Minister Eddie Fenech Adami has passed away.  The death of 65-year-old Charles Borg, Is-Sunnara, was announced by Nationalist MP Beppe Fenech Adami who said the family had lost “one of us”.  He thanked Mr Borg for “walking all the way with us”. Mr Borg flanked Eddie Fenech Adami at the most trying time, during the pre-1987 incidents and was at Tal-Barrani when the Nationalist Party had been prohibited from holding a mass meeting there. Supporters who gather there had been attacked by Labour thugs.  He was Dr Fenech Adami's trusted aide and was the person who carried him shoulder-high through the crowd during the mass meetings.  Mr Borg had been the go-between when Joseph Fenech, known as Zeppi l-Hafi, had wanted to come forward with information on the attempted murder of Dr Fenech Adami's personal assistant, Richard Cachia Caruana.  He had organised a secret meeting between Dr Fenech Adami and Mr Fenech in St Julian's. Mr Fenech, who had been involved in the case, was then granted a presidential pardon to turn state's witness and testify in court. One suspect had pleaded guilty before the trial while the other was cleared of the...

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Seven-year jail term for string of thefts

October 21, 2019, 7:38 am

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A man has been handed a seven-year jail term after admitting to a string of violent thefts including 15 targeting vehicles and two snatch-and-grab robberies wherein pedestrians were slightly injured. Bjorn Borg, 36, registered an admission to 34 charges relating to 15 separate instances of theft from vehicles committed between August 8 and 25 from various localities including Għajn Tuffieħa, Floriana, Pieta, Pembroke, Gżira, St Julian’s, Marsa and Swieqi. The accused also pleaded guilty to two muggings. The first one took place along the Ta’ Xbiex seafront late in the evening on August 7, when he made off with a woman’s handbag, slightly injuring her.  The following day, he attempted another snatch and grab along the Sliema promenade, once again slightly injuring two pedestrians in the attack. The accused had also attempted to withdraw €500 from an ATM using a card stolen from one of the vehicles. The accused was also charged with relapsing and with breaching the terms of a suspended sentence handed down in May 2018. “It was not acceptable for people to go through such an experience,” declared the court when handing down judgment in the light of the accused’s own admission. Our...

British PM denied new Brexit deal vote

October 21, 2019, 8:14 am

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British Prime Minister Boris Johnson was dealt another blow on Monday when the speaker of parliament denied him a second shot at winning MPs' approval for his EU divorce deal, with Brexit looming in just 10 days' time. House of Commons speaker John Bercow -- a colourful figure who has played a starring role in the Brexit drama -- said Johnson was not allowed to push for the same measures twice in the same parliamentary sitting. Lawmakers, meeting on a Saturday for the first time in 37 years, had voted to demand that the Conservative prime minister delay Brexit while they further consider his newly-agreed EU divorce agreement. "The motion will not be debated today because it would be repetitive and disorderly to do so," Bercow said. "Today's motion is in substance the same as Saturday's motion and the House has decided the matter." Johnson is trying to secure an October 31 break from Brussels that severs many of the island nation's economic relations with Europe after 46 years of EU membership. But lawmakers refused on Saturday to give their backing to his revised settlement plan until all the domestic legislation needed to ratify it has passed. They also mandated the British...

Woman on trial in France for killing, dismembering work rival

October 21, 2019, 8:27 am

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A French woman went on trial on Monday charged with killing a work rival, chopping up the corpse and dumping the body parts in a canal. Sophie Masala, a 55-year-old mother of two, appeared in the dock in Toulouse in a black suit and light-coloured blouse, occasionally shaking her head in disagreement as the indictment was read. She admits to having killed Maryline Planche, 52, but insists it was not intentional. Planche was killed at her apartment in central Toulouse in the south of France in May 2016, her head smashed with a bottle. A few days later, a metal hacksaw was used to cut up her body.  From the apartment to the Canal du Midi, some 500 metres away, the body parts were transported in a supermarket trolley, and her head in a backpack.  The parts were found later, washed up along the banks of the canal.  A few days after the murder, Masala was arrested in her hometown of Montpellier about 250 kilometres (155 miles) away.  "This is an unusual trial... We hope that we will be able to understand by the end of it," said a lawyer for Planche's family, Georges Catala. The two women had worked at an association for handicapped people, where their dislike for each other was well...

Red-carded Vahaamahina retires from international rugby

October 21, 2019, 8:45 am

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France lock Sebastien Vahaamahina announced his international retirement on Monday 24 hours after being sent off in the Rugby World Cup quarter-final defeat to Wales. Les Bleus led 19-10 when Vahaamahina was sent off in the 49th minute in Oita for elbowing Aaron Wainwright before his side lost after conceding a penalty goal and a late converted try in the final half an hour. "It's difficult, very difficult today even more so that I had planned this many months ago, that was my last match for France," he said in a statement published on his 28th birthday. "I hadn't made the announcement about my retirement public because it's not how I do things.  "The people impacted by this decision have known since this summer: Jacques Brunel, Franck Azema, some players also," he told newspaper Midi Olympique.  Vahaamahina, who won his 46th cap in the fixture, lashed out at flanker Wainwright at a driving maul with his side seeming to be in a dominant position in the game. "I just lost control. I regret the act, admittedly it was spontaneous and out of control but the fact remains that I am responsable. I'm the only one to balem," he said. Captain Guilhem Guirado and the most-experienced...

Schoolboy handed suspended sentence over Marsascala thefts

October 21, 2019, 9:03 am

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A schoolboy, linked to a series of robberies targeting Marsascala households, was handed a suspended sentence after admitting to fresh theft charges upon his third arraignment this month. The 15-year old, whose name was banned from publication under court order, had been remanded in custody on October 11 after pleading not guilty to three break-ins at private homes in the same locality. On that occasion, the court, presided over by magistrate Joseph Mifsud, had observed that the boy had “apparently not learnt his lesson,” having landed once again on the wrong side of the law barely 10 days after having been granted bail during his first arraignment on October 1. That court had recommended that the boy was to be detained at the Young Offenders Unit pending proceedings before the Juvenile Court. However, eight days later, the boy was escorted back to court, this time admitting his involvement in four other instances of aggravated theft, once more targeting Marsascala properties. The charges related to the theft of an electric scooter on September 19, two robberies from private residences in the early hours of September 25 and the theft of an motorized bicycle two days...

New-look Bayern out to prove Spurs drubbing was no fluke

October 21, 2019, 9:35 am

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Bayern Munich face Olympiakos away in the Champions League on Tuesday with key defender Niklas Suele sidelined as Niko Kovac's side seek to prove their demolition of Tottenham was no fluke.  The summer overhaul of Bayern's squad bore spectacular fruit a fortnight ago in a 7-2 thrashing of Spurs as winger Serge Gnabry scored four second-half goals. "The 7-2 was a great match, a statement, but nothing more," insisted Bayern head coach Kovac after last season's finalists were routed. Now Bayern must back up the Spurs trouncing in Athens on the back of below-par performances in the Bundesliga and the loss of Germany centre-back Suele. Bayern suffered their first defeat this season 10 days ago by crashing 2-1 at home to Hoffenheim, then leaked a 91st-minute equaliser in Saturday's 2-2 draw at Augsburg to stay third in the Bundesliga. The point at Augsburg carried a high price as torn knee ligaments means Suele should be sidelined for the next six months. "We didn't pass the character test," admitted Gnabry after the Augsburg draw. "We didn't put our chances away at the end, if we had converted one, it would have been all over. That's how we blew it. "Sometimes you have games like...

Maltese Abroad - Lipman, Zammit meet in historic Serie A game

October 21, 2019, 9:36 am

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ITALY Malta internationals Emma Lipman and Shona Zammit crossed swords in what has been a historic appointment for Maltese football. In fact, as Lipman featured for Florentia San Gimignano and Zammit played for Bari they became the first Maltese to share the field simultaneously in an Italian top-flight game.  Martina Borg played as Sassari Torres defeated Arezzo 4-2 in their latest Serie C outing.  Rashed Al Tumi defended Casarano's goal for the third straight time as they held former Serie A side Foggia to a 1-1 draw on away soil. ENGLAND Maria Farrugia was in the starting XI as Sunderland Ladies eased past Sheffield FC 6-1.  SCOTLAND Anna Vincenti was in goal for Motherwell Ladies in their 5-0 defeat to heavyweights Celtic Women in the Scottish league. IRELAND Jacob Borg played a part in Finn Harps' 1-0 victory over Waterford in the Irish top-flight. GERMANY Jana Barbara was in SGS Essen U-20 team that defeated Borussia Monchengladbach 3-1 in the German youth league. SPAIN Miguel Micallef played with both U-19's and second team of the senior side of San Marcelino as they drew 1-1 (U-19's second-tier) and won 3-0 (B league - senior level). UNITED STATES Andrea Borg...

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RMSR fleet hits the wall

October 21, 2019, 10:04 am

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The 40th Rolex Middle Sea Race is doing its best to leave a mark on the history of the famous 606nm offshore race. For the moment, that mark appears somewhat black. If the first 24 hours were frustrating for the majority of the fleet, the following 24 were equally as painful. The only yacht to have escaped the clutches of the great Sicilian wind shadow, that has formed off the North coast, is the American maxi Rambler. While George David’s crew powers south towards Lampedusa, the rest of the fleet have been left contemplating another night of slow progress. Rambler rounded Favignana Monday morning at around 09:30 CEST, switched on the afterburners, relatively speaking, and sped to Pantelleria at 15 knots passing the island at 15:10 CEST. She is now marching on to Lampedusa at the southernmost corner of the racecourse and has taken the overall lead under IRC. Behind Rambler, the rest of the fleet is spread from an imaginary line running north from Bagheria, 10km east of Palermo, back to beyond the Aeolian Islands. On a positive note, all competing yachts are through the Strait of Messina and half the fleet have rounded Stromboli. The competitive juices are still flowing...

Safeguard Malta's reputation before it's too late, Delia tells Muscat

October 21, 2019, 11:56 am

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The 2020 Budget failed to address Malta’s institutional, social and environmental challenges and once again fell short of any ideas on how to identify new economic niches, the Opposition leader said on Monday evening. Moreover, those at risk of poverty had almost reached 90,000, partly due to government’s heavy reliance on importing foreign cheap labour.  Adrian Delia levelled criticism in parliament in his reaction to the 2020 Budget speech delivered last week by Finance Minister Edward Scicluna. “Joseph Muscat’s metropolitan Malta is one in which disparities are on the rise,” the Opposition leader said, when giving his overall evaluation of the six years of Labour government so far.  The Labour administration was anything but one based on meritocracy, transparency and accountability.   “We want an economy which distributes wealth in a socially just manner,” he said.  “A PN government would fight corruption, create opportunities for everyone and make us proud of being Maltese once again,” he said. In his address, Dr Delia noted that workers were not reaping fruits of the economic growth, which, he insisted, should be measured through social and environmental wellbeing rather...

Ħamrun beat Hibernians to go second

October 21, 2019, 12:13 pm

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HIBERNIANS 1 Vella 45 ĦAMRUN SPARTANS 2 Failla 22 Ailton 30 Ħamrun Spartans kept the pressure on leaders Floriana with a fine victory over Hibernians. Clayton Failla’s clever finish and Ailton’s low drive put the Spartans two up inside the half hour mark to give the Reds what proved to be an unassailable lead despite Hibernians’ valiant efforts. Ħamrun recalled Marco Criaco and Ailton in attack for Valdo Alhinho and Alessio Capitelli, while Hibernians brought in Marko Jovicic between the goalposts and Leandro Barbosa in defence. It was Ħamrun who flew out of the blocks and stunned their more-quoted opponents with two early goals. Soufiane Lagzir had already hit straight at Jovicic when the Hibs defence was caught static by their former captain Failla. The winger raced through on the right before hitting in a cross-shot that deceived Jovicic with the ball finishing in the back of his net. That was on 22 minutes. And eight minutes later, a rampant Ħamrun doubled their advantage as the match threatened to turn into a nightmare for Hibernians. Ailton’s powerful run tore the Hibernians defence apart down the middle channel before he fired a low shot into the corner via the foot of...

Painting for a cause

October 22, 2019, 12:01 am

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Sip and Paint Malta is today organising a painting event in aid of the Malta Breast Cancer Foundation. Material and guidance will be provided in the two-hour session, which will be open to people of all ages. The event will take place today at Vee Gee Bee Art in Bellavista Road, San Ġwann, at 6pm. For more information, visit the Sip and Paint Malta Facebook page.

Fair of Maltese crafts in Valletta

October 22, 2019, 12:11 am

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Malta Crafts is this week setting up stalls in St George’s Square, Valletta, where one can buy genuine handmade crafts products directly from the artisan.  Costume jewellery, wood works, silver filigree, honey products and candles, beading, paintings and much more will be available over the course of this four-day event. The Maltese Crafts Fair is running between today and Friday from 9am until 4pm in St George’s Square, Valletta.

Trudeau's Liberals win Canada vote, will form minority government

October 22, 2019, 12:15 am

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Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's Liberal Party held onto power in a nail-biter of a Canadian general election on Monday, but as a weakened minority government. Television projections as of 2am Tuesday (0600 GMT) declared the Liberals winners or leading in 156 of the nation's 338 electoral districts, versus 122 for his main rival Andrew Scheer and the Conservatives, after polling stations across six time zones closed. As early as Tuesday, Trudeau will have to form an alliance with one or more smaller parties to govern a fractured nation.  [attach id=781566 type="video"][/attach] The first test of his future government will follow in the coming weeks with a speech to parliament outlining his legislative priorities and a confidence vote. "From coast to coast to coast, tonight Canadians rejected division and negativity," Trudeau said. "And they rejected cuts and austerity and voted in favour of a progressive agenda and strong action on climate change." He reassured Quebec that his Liberal government, despite an electoral setback in the French-speaking province, "will be there for you." He also spoke directly to a growing sense of Western Canada's alienation within the federation,...

How Vasco Rossi influenced Italian language

October 22, 2019, 12:21 am

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The theme of the ‘Italian language in concert’ is being explored during a talk forming part of the Week of the Italian Language in the World activities. Irene Incarico will deliver the talk about Vasco Rossi, the controversial singer whose career spans over 40 years – from the ‘free radios’ era until the contemporary music platforms. The rock star from Zocca, a small town in the northern Italian region of Emilia-Romagna, a self-proclaimed ‘provocautore’ (a pun between the words provocateur and author in Italian), has explored the multifaceted aspects of the musical scene and its languages, moving from an early disc jockey experience to the publishing of books, DVDs and soundtracks, while releasing more than 250 original songs. His distinctive lyrics have become anthems for several generations and have legitimised a new linguistic approach to the Italian songwriting tradition. The talk is being held tomorrow at the Italian Cultural Institute in St George’s Square, Valletta, at 6.30pm. Entrance is free but seating is on a first-come, first-served basis. It is organised by the Italian Cultural Institute in collaboration with the Department of Italian within the Faculty of Arts,...

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Anton Schranz: much more than a maritime artist

October 22, 2019, 12:25 am

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German exhibition marking his 250th birth anniversary, and also featuring his sons’ works, nearing its closure On July 18, an exhibition showcasing works by Anton Schranz, his three artist sons Giovanni, Antonio, Giuseppe and Giovanni’s son, Costantino, opened in Ochsenhausen, a town in Baden-Württemberg, one of Germany’s richest states, celebrating the 250th anniversary of Anton’s birth on May 14, 1769. The exhibition’s title – Anton Schranz: Ein Marinemaler aus Ochsenhausen – A Maritime Artist From Ochsenhausen – highlights the surprise of the citizens of this landlocked town, over 1,000km from the nearest seashore, when, some 40 years ago, they came to know that one of Ochsenhausen’s sons, born so far from any open sea, had been a maritime artist. Anton Schranz was much more than a maritime artist, though the genre dominated his later work. His opus includes portrait commissions (King George III and Menorca’s newly-appointed bishop) rich landscapes and townscapes, baroque fantasies, bucolic scenes… Moreover, in Menorca, where he lived for 26 years, he was commissioned to stucco and gild cathedrals and churches, as well as design, create, gild and decorate a beautiful case for...

Mbappe set for bit-part Champions League role against Club Brugge

October 22, 2019, 12:30 am

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Still fighting for full fitness France World Cup winner Kylian Mbappe will feature for Paris Saint-Germain in their Champions League group game at Club Brugge on Tuesday, but will not play 90 minutes according to coach Thomas Tuchel. The lightening quick 20-year-old forward has been suffering from a thigh strain since early August but came off the bench to score against Nice at the weekend. "It's too early for him to play 90 minutes so we need to work out whether we want him to start the match or finish it," said Tuchel on Monday. "It's the same with Edi," he said referring to Uruguayan striker Edinson Cavani, who has had a niggling hip complaint. Mbappe has tried out his thigh three times in his bid for fitness with cameo appearances at Bordeaux and Galatasaray. "They have been out for a long time and while others have seized their chance we are stronger now they are back," said Tuchel. PSG sit top of their Champions League group with six points while Club Brugge are second on two, with Galatasaray and Real Madrid both on one.

Man complains that compensation money had to be paid in lawyer's fees

October 22, 2019, 12:36 am

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Most of the compensation money paid to a man by the government for breach of rights ended in his lawyer's pocket, the victim argued in a dispute brought before the European Court of Human Rights. The case was sparked when the man complained that compensation awarded by the domestic courts for a breach of his right to freedom of expression was outweighed by the costs and that, therefore, he was still a victim of the breach. After attempts at an amicable settlement failed, the government finally decided to put paid to the man’s complaint by binding itself under a unilateral declaration to pay the complainant a fixed sum. This turn of events led an ECHR Committee of three Judges, including Chief Justice Emeritus Vincent De Gaetano, to strike out the case from its list, after noting that the amount of compensation was consistent with that forked out in similar cases.  However, that was not to be the end of the story. Four months down the line, a letter from the same man landed before the European Court requesting that his case be restored to the list of cases, arguing that the full sum promised by the government had never made it to his own pockets. According to the complainant,...

Bangladesh MP 'hired lookalikes' for uni exams

October 22, 2019, 1:07 am

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A Bangladeshi lawmaker has been expelled from university after allegedly hiring as many as eight lookalikes to take exams in her place, officials said Monday. Tamanna Nusrat, from the ruling Awami League party, is accused of paying the lookalikes to pretend to be her in at least 13 tests. The scandal emerged after private broadcaster Nagorik TV entered a test hall and confronted one of the women posing as Nusrat, in a video that went viral. Nusrat, who was elected to parliament last year, was studying for a Bachelor of Arts degree with the Bangladesh Open University (BOU). "We expelled her because she has committed a crime. A crime is a crime," BOU head M.A. Mannan told AFP. "We have cancelled her enrolment. She will never be able to get admitted here again." "The proxy students were protected by the MP's musclemen when they sat for the tests. Everybody knew it but nobody uttered a word because she is from a very influential family," a college official said. Nusrat could not be reached for comment. Test fraud, cheating and leaking of question papers ahead of exams are common in Bangladesh, prompting authorities frequently to cancel results.

Youth organisations join forces to call for climate emergency

October 22, 2019, 1:31 am

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Thirty youth organisations have joined the National Youth Council in calling for a climate emergency to be declared in Malta. Malta is set to declare a climate emergency on Tuesday, once a final vote on a motion moved by the Opposition is taken. Although the government disagrees on the particulars of the motion, Environment Minister José Herrera agrees a climate emergency declaration should be made and said the government would be reaffirming it as a fact. In a letter to all members of Parliament, the youth organisations told MPs that the future of young people, the country and the world were all in danger because of climate change challenges. They appealed to MPs to set aside political division and instead focus on present and future generations, saying they wished Malta to once again lead by example in the issue. The letter was signed by the National Youth Council, IEF, The Scout Association, LGBTI+ Gozo, TDM2000, Insite, The Third Eye, Għaqda tal-Malti Università, Youth for the Environment, KSM, Medical Students’ Association, SDM, Għaqda Studenti tal-Liġi, Malta Youth in Agriculture Foundation, ŻAK, JCI, ESO, Pulse, KSJC, KSU, MUSC, Moviment Graffitti, Girl Guides, MŻPN,...