Afforestation project seeks to give Malta new breath with over 40,000 trees

Sep 22 2021

A new project called ‘Help Malta Breathe’, created and revealed by a group of 24 architects and engineers, seeks to give the Maltese islands over 40,000 new indigenous trees. The project proposes planting the trees in Inwadar National Park, which stretches from Zonqor Point to Marsaskala and Xghajra. Covering up to 315,000 square meters, the area currently consists of just abandoned fields and foreshore. Supported by a readily available irrigation source in the form of polished water from the Ta’ Barkat sewage treatment plant, the area would provide people with a fresh green landscape for al to enjoy.

The proposal captures the project’s intended goal through video format, featuring drone footage of what the area looks like as of writing this article. It then cuts to beautiful panoramic shots of what the site could look like in 20 year’ time should the proposal pass approval. Such artificial afforestation is not a new concept or practice for Malta. A similar exercise was one in the 1960s with a successful project carried out in the Mizieb limits of Manikata, Mellieha. Could this be the ambitious Malta sorely needs to tackle its environment problems?

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Photo Source: Periti Studio FB

Juventus manager Allegri says that next match against Spezia is a ‘relegation six-pointer’

Sep 22 2021

Juventus manager Massimiliano Allegri has told reporters that today’s game against Spezia will be a ‘relegation six-pointer’. The Bianconeri haven’t had the best of starts, only gaining two points in their first four matches. That point tally is 11 points less than leaders Inter Milan who have played just one more game. This is the worst start Juventus fans have had to endure since 1961 when they finished the season in 12th place.

In the pre-match interview Allegri told reporters “Looking at the table right now Spezia v Juventus is a relegation six-pointer… we need to be realistic, we can’t talk about our goals as it stands,”. This is a far cry from the Juventus team he had managed before, with himself also admitting “There’s no point talking about the past, this is a different Juventus team.”

Allegri also explained what happened during the 2nd half of Juventus’ recent match against AC Milan where they lost their 1 goal lead, he said “After the break against Milan the same thing happened, we made mistakes when there was no pressure,”. That was the third time this season that Juventus had lost their lead, losing 2-1 to Napoli and drawing 2-2 to Udinese on the opening day.

This isn’t the start that Allegri would have hoped for, but he id aware that there is still time left. The Italian manager will be looking to stride Juventus into the Champions League places and maybe an unlikely title challenge considering the circumstances they find themselves now.

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Petition to remove masks for primary school students garners support

Sep 22 2021

Well over 2000 individuals have signed a petition calling for the removal of masks for primary, and now secondary, school students while seated in class. The education ministry had announced that despite schools seeing the return of PE, lab work and classroom birthday parties, kids will still have to wear face masks in class as part of the pandemic health measures for school return. Petition creator and concerned parent Evicka Grech stated that this measure would have serious repercussions on children and was overly excessive given the risks involved. She argued that wearing masks would massively impact speaking and writing learning skills.

With kids sitting down in ventilated classrooms and with desks distanced at 1.5 meters apart, the petition still supported the wearing of masks at all other times except for when eating and engaging in physical activity. But with restaurants allowing tables of up to six people and other standing events being permissible, sitting in a classroom with a mask on made no sense for Grech and all the others supporting the petition. Elsewhere, mask-wearing is mandatory for primary school children in Spain, France and Italy, whereas in Denmark, the Netherlands, Sweden and the UK it is not obliged.

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Return to University campus left unguaranteed sparks outrage

Sep 22 2021

As the next scholastic year rolls closer, student organizations are questioning why not all of the University of Malta students will not be returning to campus for in-person lectures this first semester. One of the main issues leading to this unguaranteed return is the fact that Gateway Building was leased to the health authorities at least until January to be used as an emergency hub should COVID-19 cases spike, leading to a lack in available space for lectures. Five large lecture theatres and smaller rooms cannot be used, making replacing lecture rooms whilst also respecting COVID-19 health restrictions immensely difficult for the University.

This prompted three student organizations to seek redress from the Prime Minister since the University cannot guarantee a return to live lectures. Among them, ‘Ghaqda Studenti tal-Ligi’ (ELSA Malta) and Junior Chamber of Advocates issued a letter to Prime Minister Robert Abela, Health Minister Chris Fearne and Education Minister Justyne Caruana, lamenting the double-standards being adopted when it comes to such matters. They pointed out how with both major political parties holding rallies and other standing events with 100 people being permissible, live lectures should be guaranteed.

Questioning these ‘double-standards’ was also Nationalist Party candidate Justin Schembri who, on a MaltaToday comments section stated that the manner in which ‘[we] hide behind the pandemic to keep our students, both of Sixth Form and University, in the dark is leaning towards the ridiculous.’ Schembri also pointed to the mass events happening as being reason enough to return to education’s usual ‘rhythm’. However, with education being ‘oppressed’ in this regard, he asks why the pandemic is only being feared in the classroom. Schembri pledged to put an end to such nonsense and give students a social life beyond just Paceville.

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Photo Source: Study in Europe, Justin Schembri FB