€300 fine for man calling for public hanging for Repubblika activist

Jan 16 2023

A Facebook commenter who called for the hanging of a Repubblika and civil society activist was fined a €300 fine as well as a conditional discharge.

45-year-old Joe Schembri was charged with incitement in a Żebbuġ district sitting last October after he called for the hanging of Repubblika president Robert Aquilina’s hanging from ‘the nearest lamppost’ in a Facebook comment.

Aquilina testified, saying how he led a protest in March 2022 to denounce Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Schembri commented below a photo which was posted by zookeeper Anton Rea Cutajar to critique Aquilina. Schembri’s defence lawyer said that his client had no real intent of violence and that such phrases were ‘common in the South’.

Magistrate Lia found Schembri guilty as charged, with Schembri being conditionally discharged for one year and fined €300.

#MaltaDaily

Four vehicles crash in Mosta traffic accident

Jan 16 2023

Police were informed yesterday at around 1730hrs that their assistance was needed in Vjal l-Indipendenza, Mosta due to a traffic accident.

Police convened immediately on site and preliminary investigations showed that a 28-year-old man resident of Mosta who was driving a Honda motorcycle and a 27-year-old man resident of Swieqi driving a Husqvarna suffered injuries after being involved in accidents with two other cars.

A man driving a Toyota Vitz resident of Ħamrun and a 31-year-old man resident of Imsida driving a Peugeot 208 were also involved in the accident.

A medical team was called on site, with ambulances taking the motorcyclists as well as a 25-year-old man resident of Swieqi who was riding as passenger along with the 27-year-old to Mater Dei.

The two men were later confirmed to have suffered grievous injuries, but the woman was confirmed to have not suffered any injuries.

Police investigations are still ongoing.

#MaltaDaily

Pairs to hold referendum on banning e-scooter rentals

Jan 16 2023

Parisians will be asked to take a vote on whether or not to allow electric scooter rental services to operate in the city. Authorities are currently weighing banning the for-hire vehicles as the issue as become extremely divisive and controversial.

The capital city’s mayor, Anne Hidalgo, told the Le Parisien newspaper how critics of the service say that riders only show cursory respect for the rules of the road.

Critics pointed to reckless parking, the abandonment of scooters in parks (with others even getting tossed into the Seine river) as well as driving on pavements.

On the other hand, users praised the alternative mode of transport as a fast and efficient means of commuting. It was estimated that the scooters totalled 15,000, all owned by companies Lime, Dott and/or Tier.

The referendum, planned for April 2nd 2023, will ask residents the simple question of: ‘Do we or don’t we continue with free-floating rental scooters?’

The mayor herself revealed she was leaning towards a ban, but wants to respect the Parisian’s vote. The three operators were already threatened in September of last year with non-renewal of their licenses if they fail to limit reckless use of the vehicles.

#MaltaDaily

Lightly secured concrete blocks fall off truck in Coast Road

Jan 16 2023

Images uploaded to Facebook by independent political candidate Arnold Cassola shows blocks of concrete after having fallen off a truck.

The blocks were shown to be tied to the truck by a light rope, thus preventing the massive objects from being held safely as the vehicle travelled across the Coast Road.

Cassola addressed the issue, saying that ‘the cleaning should not be paid by taxpayers. Negligence and incompetence and blocking of traffic at 8:00 AM this morning.’

According to other sources, no one was injured after the blocks fell off the truck, with police conveying on site to address the situation.

#MaltaDaily

Source: Arnold Cassola