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Malta illustrated

December 16, 2019, 1:01 pm
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Malta-based Italian illustrator Magda Azab. Right: What’s a Town Without its Band Club?

The Maltese islands have drawn many foreign artists over the centuries and still capture the imagination of many. Some visit briefly, others are spending longer periods of time here during artist-in-residence programmes, while a growing number are moving to Malta and Gozo for good. One of these is Italian freelance illustrator Magda Azab, who decided to set up shop here four years ago. Her colourful and bright artworks, made of graphic elements, geometrical shapes and textures and replete with visual metaphors, are instantly recognisable. She works with a wide range of projects, from editorial illustrations to branding and clothing patterns. Her clients include Mondadori, The Daily Telegraph, La Stampa and Endless Vacation Magazine. Ms Azab has slowly but surely made a name for herself even locally and her most recent collection reflects her love for the island. “Malta is completely different from my hometown,” says Ms Azab, who is of Egyptian origin but grew up in a small town near Milan, Italy. “I love everything authentic, simple and characteristic. There’s something here that sends me back in time. I love how traditions and modernity coexist,” she notes. Titled Ciao...
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49 journalists murdered in 2019

December 16, 2019, 9:35 pm
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The coffin of murdered journalist Lyra McKee being carried into Saint Anne's Cathedral in Belfast. Photo: Shutterstock

Forty-nine journalists were killed across the world in 2019, Reporters Without Borders said Tuesday, the lowest death toll in 16 years. The "historically low" number mostly died covering conflicts in Yemen, Syria and Afghanistan, the Paris-based watchdog said, which warned that "journalism remains a dangerous profession". Some 80 journalists a year have lost their lives on average over the last two decades, said the organisation, which is known by its French initials RSF. But its head Christophe Deloire warned that the number of journalists murdered in countries supposedly at peace was still alarmingly high, with 10 dying in Mexico alone. "Latin America, with a total of 14 reporters killed across the continent, has become as deadly as the Middle East," he added. While he said that the fall in the number of fatalities in conflict zones was something to celebrate, "more and more journalists are being assassinated for their work in democratic countries, which is a real challenge to democracy." While fewer journalists are dying, more are ending up behind bars, according to RSF. Some 389 were locked up in 2019, up 12% on last year. Nearly half were imprisoned in three countries -...
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Announcements - December 17, 2019

December 16, 2019, 9:42 pm
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OBITUARY PETROCOCHINO. On December 14, LILIANA née Busuttil, passed away peacefully at Mater Dei Hospital, comforted by the rites of Holy Church. Widow of Maurice and predeceased by her beloved Linette, she leaves to mourn her loss  Natalie and her husband Christopher, Rosanne, Maurice and his wife Romaine and Albert and his wife Rita, her beloved grandchildren Luke and his wife Nicky, Bianca and her fiancé Alan, Karl and Maria as well as her treasured great-grandchildren Fred, Lucy and Mae, her niece and nephews, other relatives and friends. The funeral cortège leaves Mater Dei Hospital tomorrow, Wednesday at 8.15am for St Dominic Church, Rabat, where Mass præsente cadavere will be said at 9am followed by interment at Santa Maria Addolorata Cemetery. No flowers by request but donations to the Ursuline Sisters would be greatly appreciated. Lord, grant her eternal rest. The family would like to thank the dedicated carers at Casa Arkati.     IN MEMORIAM BRINCAT – GODFREY. Today the 44th anniversary of his demise. Treasured memories of a beloved father and grandfather. His sons Fr Albert, O.Carm., Fr Joe, Fr Paul, Henry and his wife Maria, grandchildren Ivan and Ruth and their...
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Chris Fearne says he will not call an early election if he becomes PM

December 16, 2019, 9:52 pm
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Chris Fearne. Photo: Jonathan Borg

Chris Fearne says he will not call an early election if he becomes prime minister. He says in an interview it was Keith Schembri, not Labour, that was too close to big business. He wants a passport scheme that does not embarrass Malta internationally and would apologise to the Caruana Galizia family if an inquiry established that the government was at fault.    How will Chris Fearne be different from Joseph Muscat? Joseph Muscat did a lot of good for this country. He did a lot of good for the party too. Our party had practically given up on ever winning an election. Joseph Muscat won one election after another with extra-ordinary margins. But I believe that aside from this good – which we must continue delivering on – the situation in the country shows that we need firmer governance, we need to strengthen institutions, and we need to be more transparent and fairer in what we are doing. If the Labour Party members put their trust in me, then in the first 100 days of my leadership we will introduce reforms to the country’s institutions to make them more effective and independent. In so doing, we will ensure that what has happened in the country over the past few months won’t...
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Today's front pages - December 17, 2019

December 16, 2019, 10:03 pm
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The following are the main stories in Tuesday’s newspapers. Times of Malta says Opposition leader Adrian Delia was on Monday afternoon handed a full copy of the Egrant inquiry report after an appeals court ruled in the morning that he had a right to receive it. The newspaper also interviewed deputy PL leader Chris Fearne who said that, if elected prime minister, he will not call an early election. L-Orizzont says the Prime Minister wants the publication of the Egrant inquiry with the necessary safeguards. In-Nazzjon says the court’s decision on the Egrant inquiry report is a victory for Malta. The Malta Independent says a major development in Mensija has got the thumbs down from the Planning Authority.
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Super Cup success a boost for Birkirkara women title aspirations

December 16, 2019, 10:05 pm
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Birkirkara will wrap up their 2019 commitments with their final BOV Women’s League game of the year against Kirkop today. The Stripes will be looking to conclude the year with another win while retaining their top status in the women’s championship as they look to make it four titles in a row. The Kirkop encounter comes just days after their comfortable 5-0 victory over Mġarr United which earned them their fifth Super Cup of their history. Coach Melania Bajada is hopeful that the Super Cup success will be a source of motivation for her Birkirkara players to maintain their hunger for silverware. “The Super Cup game is always a different animal because it is a one-off game,” Bajada told the Times of Malta. “However, this success gives us a lot of motivation to remain hungry for titles while giving us an inject of belief in our abilities. “We want to thrive in every competition we play in so that we can remain a dominant team. On the other hand, though, I cannot take anything away from Mġarr United because this could have been just an off day for them and we are aware of the type of challenge they can provide.” One of the Stripes’ protagonists in the game was youngster Kailey...
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Boorish boars hog highways in Israel's Haifa

December 16, 2019, 10:08 pm
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A man approaches a group of wild boars rooting up roadside grass in Israel's Haifa, shooing them away - but after lazily trotting a few steps, they resume their activity. Dozens of the beasts have taken up residence in the northern coastal city since it banned culling them. The wild pigs rip up vegetation and rummage through bins, sparking a fierce debate between animal rights defenders and those in favour of driving them out or killing them. The city nestles at the foot of the Carmel Mountains, home to boars, foxes, jackals and other animals, all protected by Israeli law. Boars have long entered Haifa at night looking for food and water. But residents say in recent months they have been increasingly brazen, blocking traffic, digging up public gardens and even overturning large refuse bins. Haifa mayor Einat Kalisch-Rotem has defended the ban on killing them, saying they are part of nature. When AFP visited, a group of boars crossed a road in mid-morning, unbothered by traffic or the film crew following them. One amorous male even mounted a female in a public garden. "They've turned our lives into a nightmare," one woman shouted. Looking for a home Ilana Dihno, Haifa resident...
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Editorial - The vicious cycle of abuse

December 16, 2019, 10:25 pm
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Domestic violence or abuse is ‘domestic’ in nature if the perpetrator is a person who is associated with the victim. The victims of abuse are usually women as well as children. Such abuse often leads to homelessness or even human trafficking as vulnerable and desperate victims are occasionally driven by traffickers to engage in survival sex or dealing in drugs. A research study by Outlook Coop, on behalf of the YMCA, recently opened a window on the humiliation that victims of domestic abuse have to endure merely to survive. The anecdotal evidence gathered in this study paints a very grim picture of the challenges faced by those who live on the fringe of society because of economic dependence on their abusive partners. The most worrying revelation that comes out of this study is that victims of domestic abuse often find that the police are not always sensitive and empathetic when dealing with these vulnerable people. Another collateral effect of domestic abuse is homelessness and forced illegal behaviour. Even when victims of domestic abuse are employed, the escalation of rent frequently outruns their income. Some find themselves living on the streets or in substandard...
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Brothers jailed in Australia for meat grinder bomb plot

December 16, 2019, 10:36 pm
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Two brothers were handed lengthy jail terms in Australia Tuesday for plotting to bring down a Sydney to Abu Dhabi flight with a bomb carried in a meat grinder by their unwitting brother. Australian-Lebanese brothers Khaled and Mahmoud Khayat were convicted of terrorism offences for trying to bomb an Etihad Airways passenger jet in July 2017 under instructions from the Islamic State group. Khaled was sentenced to 40 years with a minimum of 30 years without parole, while Mahmoud received 36 years' jail time and ordered to serve at least 27. The improvised device was to be smuggled inside the luggage of a third, unwitting brother. A fourth brother, who is said to have fought with the Islamic State in Syria, is accused of directing the plot from overseas. The plotters disapproved of their brother "because he drank, went clubbing, gambled and was gay, which they regarded as bringing shame on the family", judge Christine Adamson noted. The plan was aborted at the airport when the plotters decided it was too risky to get through customs after airline staff said their bags were overweight. In handing down her sentence, Adamson said despite no one being killed, the offenders had...
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'No policy should rob children of their future'

December 16, 2019, 10:52 pm
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Professionals working with children have strongly condemned the threat of expulsion of 22 kids threatened with eviction, warning authorities that no policy should be prioritised to the detriment of young people’s mental health. “It is unacceptable that anyone, including this policy, should take a decision to rob these children of a childhood and their future, especially based on their parent’s financial income,” the Maltese Association of Psychiatry said. The children have had their residence permits refused by Identity Malta. According to Identity Malta, their parents do not satisfy the financial requirements of a policy that requires third-country nationals to earn €19,000 a year and €3,800 extra for each child. The association flagged the “large discrepancy” between the minimum income quota stipulated in this policy and Malta’s minimum wage (around €9,140) that many other families were raising their children on. The Association for Child and Adolescent Mental Health, which includes psychiatrists, psychologists, pediatricians, nurses and social workers among others, meanwhile, also noted that the early years were crucial for the development of children’s self-identity and...
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Man injured in traffic accident

December 16, 2019, 11:01 pm
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A 30-year-old man was grievously injured in a traffic accident on Monday. The police said the accident happened at 7.40pm in Triq Dawret il-Gudja, Gudja. The victim, a 30-year-old Italian who lives in Marsascala, was riding a Kymco that collided with a Mitsubishi Shogan that was being driven by a 55-year-old man from Gudja. He was taken to Mater Dei Hospital by ambulance. The police are investigating.
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What happened on... December 17

December 16, 2019, 11:16 pm
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The front pages of Times of Malta from 50, 25 and 10 years ago.  Become a Times of Malta premium member to gain full access to our archive dating back to January 1930.
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A daydream for cooling down

December 16, 2019, 11:45 pm
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Drivers rarely associate scoring points with teamwork, except on a frozen lake in Swedish Lapland, where 'moose points' are awarded as a penalty for leaving a given track. One point if your teammates manage to push the car out of the snow, three points if the tow hook has to be used. It’s all just fun; being there is everything. It’s not a competition, right? Simply pin your moose points badge on your jacket and smile. First lesson: skidding off ruins the track. Make way for the most important man on the snow and ice – the Icemaker. [attach id=809368 size="medium" align="left" type="image"][/attach] The season starts for him on December 1. Why this day exactly? Johan Sellbom shrugs his shoulders. “Because it's always been like that,” he says. Born in Sweden 31 years ago under the zodiac sign of Aquarius, he owns a third of the lake, which lies 859 kilometres by car north of Stockholm. Sellbom's fleet is impressive, including snowmobiles and special-purpose tractors, next to which a Porsche 964 looks like a toy car. “Preparation of the lake always begins with measuring the thickness of the ice, after which the people in charge determine the track layout,” he says. Then you have...
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Live blog: Fenech in court, arrest warrant for Schembri

December 16, 2019, 11:51 pm
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Murder accused Yorgen Fenech (left) wants Inspector Keith Arnaud (right) removed from the Daphne Caruana Galizia investigation.

Daphne Caruana Galizia murder accused Yorgen Fenech is due in court on Tuesday in his legal attempt to remove police inspector Keith Arnaud from the case over a potential conflict of interest.  This blog is being constantly updated. Refresh your page to see latest entries. Police briefings at Castille 10.13am Arnaud is being asked about the briefings he gave to Prime Minister Joseph Muscat, after claims Keith Schembri was able to pass on details of these to Fenech.  Arnaud says that his first briefing and his first visit to Castille where he met Prime Minister Joseph Muscat "for the first time", was some weeks before the arrest of the three murder suspects in December 2017.  Those present included Police Assistant Commissioner Silvio Valletta, the prime minister and Keith Schembri. "It was the first time I saw him (Schembri) in my life." Arnaud says he is not sure if the Attorney General and other Ministers were present.  At that first briefing there were no dates for the arrests. There was a second, short briefing, days before the arrests on a week day, possibly the Wednesday before the Monday arrests. The same people were present.  "However, even at the second briefing the...
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First woman mayor of Bogota marries girlfriend

December 17, 2019, 12:25 am
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Claudia Lopez

Claudia Lopez, the first woman elected mayor of Colombia's capital Bogota, married her girlfriend of three years on Monday. Although the country is deeply religious and conservative, same-sex marriage is legal and gay couples have the right to adopt children - whether or not they are the biological children of one of the partners. "I promise to honor you and love you for life!" Lopez wrote on Instagram to her wife, opposition senator Angelica Lopez. "Thanks to life for this wonderful year: I earned my doctorate, won the Mayor's office and married the love of my life." The message was accompanied by four pictures of the couple dressed in white and carrying bouquets of flowers. The ceremony was private and not open to the press. Lopez - who won the October mayoral poll in a narrow victory - seen as a significant step forward in a country used to being led by male elites. The centre-left former senator, who will take office on January 1, is the first woman to win the post of mayor of Bogota. Lopez defeated liberal Carlos Fernando Galan with just over 35% of the vote in the capital city of 7.2 million people.
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Live: PM remaining in power 'a slap in the face' for the Maltese

December 17, 2019, 12:45 am
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EU Commission vice president Věra Jourova on Tuesday slammed the lack of progress made by Malta in rule of law reforms.  Taking the floor during a three-hour debate about the rule of law in Malta, Ms Jourova said the Commission expected a thorough investigation into journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia’s death, free of political interference.  “The people of Malta first and foremost demand truth and justice. We stand by them,” Ms Jourova said.  She said the Commission's role was to address structural and systemic issues in Malta, particularly in the judiciary and the fight against money laundering. The commissioner gave a rundown of the action already taken against Malta, including infringement procedures for a breach of the anti-money laundering directive. She said one of the top priorities was strengthening judicial independence and establishing a fully independent prosecution service.  While the Maltese authorities have expressed a willingness to reform, there was a “lack of significant progress”.  She said Malta was expected to fully implement the Venice Commission recommendations.  “These are European issues. The EU is built on mutual trust among its members. Each citizen...
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Judge orders arrest warrant after Schembri court no-show

December 17, 2019, 1:12 am
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Judge Lawrence Mintoff has ordered a warrant for Keith Schembri’s arrest after his court no-show on Tuesday morning.  The prime minister’s former chief of staff was expected to feature as a witness in a constitutional case Daphne Caruana Galizia murder suspect Yorgen Fenech filed against lead investigator Keith Arnaud to have him removed from the case.  Mr Schembri did not turn up on Tuesday as the courts failed to formally notify him about being called as a witness.  The former top official has spent the last weeks since his resignation holed up in his Mellieħa villa.  He has not answered his doorbell when approached by media camped outside his home.  His confidante Neville Gafà, as well as an OPM car, have regularly been observed visiting Mr Schembri’s home.  In November, Mr Schembri dropped a libel case to avoid testifying about 17 Black.  Mr Schembri was arrested and interrogated by the police hours after his resignation in connection with Ms Caruana Galizia’s assassination.  He was released two days later without charge.  Mr Fenech has told police the former government official was involved in the commissioning of the murder.  Self-confessed middleman Melvin Theuma has also...
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The Audi e-tron is a genuine Tesla rival

December 17, 2019, 5:29 am
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It’s been more than four years since the Volkswagen diesel emissions scandal broke, bringing with it a pivot towards eco-friendliness and sustainability within the group. Given the long production cycles that new vehicles require, it’s no surprise we’re only just starting to really see the fruits of that change. [attach id=809647 type="video"]The Audi e-tron on snow and ice.[/attach] The Audi e-tron, then, is a pretty big deal. The German firm is at the forefront of the VW Group’s switch towards electrification, so this first effort needs to show it means business. With a premium SUV being one of the most profitable segments in the market, it’s no surprise to see that’s where Audi has gone first – but with rivals such as the Jaguar I-Pace, Mercedes-Benz EQC and Tesla Model X already on the market, it needs to hit the ground running. While many manufacturers – including the VW Group – are building electric vehicle-specific platforms, others are adapting existing ones to fit big battery packs. Currently, that’s what Audi’s doing, with the e-tron utilising a heavily modified version of the existing Q7 SUV platform. [attach id=807055 size="medium" align="right"...
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Social benefit payments brought forward because of BOV's IT upgrade works

December 17, 2019, 5:46 am
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Social benefit payments are being brought forward to Christmas eve because of upgrade works on the Bank of Valletta IT infrastructure which will limit bank services for a number of days after December 27.   The Family and Social Welfare Ministry said payments made by cheque and direct credit due on December 28 will be moved forward to December 24. The arrangements also apply for payments made weekly. Anyone needing further details can phone on 153. Bank of Valletta will be closed for business on December 30, December 31 and January 1, 2020 (Public Holiday).  It will resume operations and banking services as from 8.30am on January 2, 2020. Bank of Valletta urged customers to carry out the banking transactions by Friday December 27, including transfers to their card-linked accounts to ensure that they have access to enough funds throughout the upgrade period. BoV Internet Banking and BoV Mobile Banking will not be available during the upgrade period. The use of BoV cards locally and abroad, BoV Pay and Cash withdrawals from ATMs will operate in the normal manner. 
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Kane relishing chance to learn from new Spurs boss Mourinho

December 17, 2019, 6:22 am
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Harry Kane

Harry Kane says he has embraced the chance to learn from new Tottenham boss Jose Mourinho despite his huge respect for predecessor Mauricio Pochettino. Spurs registered their fourth win in five Premier League games under Mourinho at Wolves on Sunday after sacking Pochettino last month. Kane said the two managers work in different ways, but the England skipper hopes to benefit from life under the former Chelsea and Manchester United boss. "I got on very well with Poch and I respect Poch very, very, very much," Kane said after Jan Vertonghen's late winner at Molineux on Sunday. "But Mourinho's got his own style, his own way of doing things. For me, it is about learning that way. "Obviously my top-level career has only been with one manager, so for me it's good to experience new things, see how different managers work. "Mourinho's one of the highest-level managers in our sport, so I can only learn from him." Spurs have shot up the Premier League table to fifth since Mourinho's arrival and Kane believes the impetus of a fresh face has reawakened Tottenham's challenge for a top-four finish. "Whenever a new manager comes in, everyone's ready, wants to work, wants to impress. But it's...
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