2 Arrested After Trafficking Cocaine Into Malta From Sicily

Oct 24 2024

Two Italians were arrested on Tuesday evening after they were found in possession of 4 kilograms of a substance suspected to be cocaine, with a suspected street value of €500,000.

The two persons, a 46 year old woman and an 18 year old man, were in a Mercedes driven by the woman.

They were stopped in Malta after they arrived with the catamaran from Sicily after suspicions of trafficking from Italy.

The vehicle was taken to the police garage and investigations were carried out. In a fake compartment at the base of the car were four packets which weighed around 1 kilo each.

€1,000 in cash were also found. Members of Customs also assisted police in the investigations.

The two are being held at the General Lock Up and are expected to be arraigned in court at around 1400hrs.

Investigations are still ongoing.

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Former Maltese Miss World Welcomes Daughter Aurora

Oct 24 2024

Former Maltese Miss World contestant Shanel De Battista has joyfully welcomed her daughter, Aurora, into the world.

She shared a heartwarming video featuring the newborn, capturing a touching moment where Aurora’s tiny hand squeezes her parents’ fingers, with Shanel and her partner, Alberico, lovingly comforting her.

In her heartfelt post, Shanel expressed her overwhelming love and gratitude, saying, “Our hearts overflow with love and gratitude as we cherish every little moment with you. We can’t wait to watch you grow and fill our lives with so much love.”

This beautiful announcement marks an exciting new chapter for Shanel and Alberico as they embark on their journey of parenthood, embracing the joy and love that comes with welcoming a new baby.

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Red Bandit Steals Home To Win 2024 Rolex Middle Sea Race

Oct 24 2024

The German yacht Red Bandit, skippered by Carl-Peter Forster, was declared the winner of the 45th Rolex Middle Sea Race on 23 October 2024.

The Royal Malta Yacht Club confirmed that no other competitors could beat Red Bandit’s IRC corrected time. Forster expressed pride in his young crew, most of whom had limited experience on large boats just four years ago. He praised their teamwork and skill in handling the challenging conditions of the race.

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This year’s race saw a mix of light winds and extreme weather, including winds of up to 60 knots.

The crew, who had previously retired from the race in 2023 due to equipment damage, faced similar conditions on the first night but persevered without any breakage, thanks to improved preparation.

Forster’s Red Bandit campaign is part of the Forstar Offshore Foundation, which provides young sailors with opportunities to develop offshore racing skills.

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With the exception of Forster and tactician Jesper Radich, the crew is under 30 years old. Their victory follows a strong performance at the 2023 Giraglia and marks Red Bandit as the third German yacht to win the Rolex Middle Sea Race, joining Saudade (1983) and Morning Glory (2006).

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MCAST Academics Designing AI Prototype To Enhance Undergraduate Dissertation Research

Oct 24 2024

The Undergraduate students, especially those working on their final year dissertations, face a challenging task. They need to demonstrate a deep understanding of concepts and knowledge in their field of study.

As the body of research grows ever larger, it becomes increasingly difficult for students to connect all relevant knowledge to their specific research problems. Studies have shown that using information maps, which can include literature reviews, videos, diagrams, and other sources, can significantly enhance the learning process. However, creating and maintaining these maps can be difficult for new researchers, taking up valuable time and requiring constant effort to keep them updated.

The STAR project, led by the MCAST, aims to address these challenges by designing an AI application that can automatically generate a scrapbook of research information. This application, which can be moderated by a supervisor and categorized based on different learning styles, aims to make the dissertation process easier for students. The project also seeks to explore how well this AI tool is accepted by both students and supervisors.

The team is currently training an AI model on various published material to eventually test the application with a sample of students and supervisors. This initial testing will help determine how relevant and useful the automatically generated information is. For students, particularly those conducting research dissertations, the AI application could be a game-changer. If successful, the AI application can also help students and supervisors explore alternative sources and methods of representation, making it easier to understand and map information.

For example, the tool could identify webinars and other audio resources that might be more accessible for some students than traditional written papers, while also offering to supervisors the potential to track which sources students interact with. From a broader perspective, this project pushes the boundaries of AI by exploring how generative AI can support educational processes.

The insights gained from this project could lead to further advancements in the field of AI, demonstrating its potential to autonomously generate useful, relevant information for academic purposes.

Project STAR financed by the Xjenza Malta, for and on behalf of the Foundation for Science and Technology, through the FUSION: R&I Research Excellence Programme under grant agreement number R&I-2023-043 (STAR).

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