Around 1,971 migrants disappeared or died in the Mediterranean last year

Feb 7 2022

According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, up to 1,971 migrants died or disappeared in the Mediterranean last year. The number shoots up to 23,000 over the past decade.

36 NGOs gathers by the harbour in Single on ‘CommemorAction’ Day on Sunday to remember all those who passed away, faced persecution, went missing, or disappeared whilst crossing the sea and borders.

The NGOs remarked how despite the Mediterranean Sea remaining one of the world’s deadliest migratory routes, Malta’s authorities are not doing enough and are looking away from their duties to protect the lives of people seeking asylums in our search and rescue zone.

Posting to Facebook, Moviment Graffiti, one of the NGOs, appealed to the EU’s institutions to offer strong assistance measures to ensure that both Malta and other member states are in a position to offer security and dignity to immigrants who have a right to all these principles.

‘We remind the authorities that these people are mothers, fathers, siblings, children and have a name’ the statement said. ‘We remind the authorities that it is their moral and legal obligation to save the life of people trapped at sea.’

The 6th of February is regarded as World Commemorative Action Day because in 2014, the Spanish police killed at least 15 people as they tried to cross to the Spanish enclave in Ceuta from Tarajal. They were killed and sank after the Civil Guard opened fire upon them.

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Photo Source: Moviment Graffiti FB

Cristiano Ronaldo first person to pass 400 million Instagram followers

Activist calls for ban of single-use BBQs due to waste

Feb 7 2022

Activist Cami Appelgren took to social media to call for a ban of single use BBQs, calling upon Environment Minister Aaron Farrugia to take action.

Appelgren stated that Malta should follow in the footsteps of other countries which actually banned them. Listing off several reasons, the activist said that due to them being single use, they always end up as landfill waste.

She also said that people do not know how to dispose of them, and are prone to getting scared of them starting fires in bins. This leads them to leave them behind in usually natural areas.

She also pointed out how they pose a fire hazard, claiming that she has stopped counting the times she had to put out fires spread due to these BBQs as a patrolling ranger. Appelgren also highlighted how burning charcoal releases more particle pollutants and 2-3 times the amount of carbon dioxide as burning gas will.

‘I can’t find even ONE reason NOT to ban the sale of these […] Invest in a good portable gas BBQ, the camping shops have them at a very good price. And if you use a metal tray, buy quality charcoal which hasn’t been sourced unethically’ she said.

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Photo Source: Cami Appelgren FB

French military jet makes emergency landing in Malta for refuelling

Feb 7 2022

Many heard it during the early hours of Monday morning – a French navy military jet had to make a sudden emergency landing in Malta after it encountered problems with refuelling mid-air. Speaking to newsroom The Malta Independent, a Malta International Airport spokesperson confirmed that a French Dassault Rafale M ’41’ military jet landed safely at the airport at around 19:30 on Sunday.

The jet did not have enough fuel to continue with its journey, resulting from a malfunction which occurred with the aircraft’s mid-air refuelling system. Stationing itself on Apron 2, it awaited French technicians to be flown in by helicopter for a quick re-fuel and repair of the issue. They arrived via NH-90 ’24’, with both aircrafts departing at around 00:16 the same night.

The jet was heard by many on the island, some exclaiming how the aircraft was, according to the intensity of the sound, flying really low. The Dassault Rafale is a twin-engine fighter jet capable of reaching a top speed of 1,912 km/h.

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