Attempted Murder Charges After Stabbing Man In The Back

Aug 9 2023

Two Maltese men, Sean Grech (33) and Johan Cassar (34), both residents of Cospicua, have been charged with attempted murder, grievous bodily harm, unlawful detention, carrying a weapon while committing a crime, and carrying an unlicensed knife following a stabbing incident in Cospicua.

The victim, a 36-year-old Libyan man, had walked into a police station with stab wounds and reported the incident.

The victim recounted that he had entered a house and encountered Grech and Cassar. One of the men approached him from behind and stabbed him despite his inquiry about the knife.

The police, with an arrest warrant, later entered the house where only Josef Grech was found. The other two suspects were arrested and detained, but Josef Grech was released without charges.

During the arraignment, the defence lawyers argued that their clients hadn’t seen the victim’s recorded statement before being questioned by the police. The body cam footage of the statement was not yet available.

However, the police explained that the accused were informed of the charges against them. The defense requested a psychiatrist’s assessment due to their clients’ refusal of legal assistance during questioning and their drug addiction issues.

The court granted the request and also ordered drug tests. The accused were remanded in custody, and the prosecution was led by attorney general lawyer Ramon Bonett Sladden, alongside police inspectors Kurt Farrugia and Antonello Magri.

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Maltese Scouts In South Korea Safely Evacuated

Aug 9 2023

A group of Maltese scouts, totalling 75 children and teenagers along with their adult leaders, were successfully evacuated from their campsite in South Korea due to an impending typhoon.

The scouts were among the 43,000 participants from 150 countries attending the World Scout Jamboree.

Leader Timmy Cutugno told Times of Malta that they were initially situated in the projected path of the approaching typhoon. The evacuation, which took place on Monday, was part of a larger operation that saw scouts relocated to safety.

According to Cutugno, the evacuation was carried out with professionalism, leaving the young scouts to perceive it as an extension of their adventure.

The group left the South Korean area of SaeManGeum and headed toward Seoul, a location considered less susceptible to the impending Typhoon Khanun.

The Korean government facilitated the evacuation by arranging transportation for all scouts in approximately 1,000 buses to various hostels and centers in Seoul. As of Tuesday, the scouts were reported to be in high spirits and good health.

This comes after a heatwave disrupted the jamboree, with the Maltese proving to be used to the hot climate and receiving water, ice and free ice cream to deal with the situation.

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Microphone Thrown By Cardi B At Fan Sold For Nearly $100K

Aug 9 2023

Rapper Cardi B’s thrown microphone, which targeted a fan during a recent concert, has been sold on eBay for nearly $100,000.

The microphone gained significant attention through an online auction due to its connection to a highly publicized incident. The incident involved Cardi B hurling the mic and sparked discussions about fan conduct at live shows, even leading to a brief police inquiry.

The microphone, owned by an audio production company named The Wave based in Las Vegas, was auctioned on eBay to raise funds for the Wounded Warrior Project and a local charity called Friendship Circle, assisting children with special needs.

The auction concluded with an impressive final bid of $99,900, contributing substantially to these causes.

Despite the microphone being thrown with force, it remains functional according to Fisher, a representative of the audio company.

Interestingly, this auction and the microphone sale occurred shortly after Cardi B, real name Belcalis Almánzar, was legally cleared in Las Vegas. An investigation into the incident, where she threw the microphone into the crowd after being splashed with liquid, concluded with no charges filed against her.

A clip from the incident showed the fan who apparently threw the drink apologizing after the microphone toss. Another fan even claimed on social media that they were hit by the microphone.

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28,000 Non-EU Residents Given Maltese Working Permits in 2022

Aug 8 2023

According to new data released by Eurostat, around 28,000 non-EU residents were given Maltese working permits in 2022.

The European data & statistics hub revealed that Malta registered 37,851 residence permits, an increase of 164% from the 14,358 permits granted in 2021.

These permits are granted to persons requesting residence in a European Union State for more than 3 months pending the presentation of a valid reason.

Amongst other permits in 2022, 27,549 people were granted working permits, 5,260 were granted education permits and 2,693 were granted permits to visit their family.

The last census revealed that Malta had a population of 519,562, with 115,449 of them being foreigners. For context, 3.7 million residence permits to non-EU citizens were granted in the European Union in 2022, with Germany issuing 538,690 residence permits which accounts for 15% of the EU’s residents permits.

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