First summer storm to hit Malta between Wednesday and Saturday

Aug 8 2022

Various weather forecasters have revealed that the first summer storm is expected to hit between Wednesday and Friday.

According to ‘It-Temp Madwarna’, the weather next week is expected to be relatively clear and sunny, but some isolated thunder storms could hit between Wednesday 10/8 and Saturday 13/8.

The weather is set to feel humid throughout the night, with the UV meter set to drop to around 9 and 10. Winds are also set to be relatively light with varying directions.

Maximum temperatures are expected to drop to 31°C from the previous 34°C. Minimal temperatures are set to settle at around 24 to 25°C. As previously reported, sea temperatures have reached up to around 29°C, around 3°C hotter than the August average.

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Maltese waters hit 29°C as Mediterranean continues to heat up

Aug 8 2022

According to news portal ‘It-Temp Madwarna’, the sea around the Maltese islands has hit 29°C, which is 3°C hotter than the August average.

The news portal further informed readers that some parts of the Western Mediterranean Sea have heated up at 5°C higher than the average.

This beat a previous record set in 2003, a time period when Western European waters also experienced massive spikes in heat. A main reason for this, the portal explained, was the lack of wind which causes the mixing of currents.

This heating up is causing marine organisms to have less oxygen to breathe and thus to adapt to the new water conditions. Many species are in fact dying out due to this overall increase in temperature.

The increase in heat poses the threat of worse storms as well, potentially causing damage to marine infrastructure as well as having other consequences on land. This comes as various European countries experience heat waves and rampant fires being largely associated to climate change.

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Up to 47 traffic accidents everyday between April and June

Aug 8 2022

According to the National Statistics Office (NSO), an 18% increase in traffic accidents over 2021 during 2022’s second quarter was registered. This translates to a total of 4,240 traffic accidents in 3 months. Six people died due to traffic accidents; 3 drivers, 3 pedestrians.

15 deaths were registered in the first 6 months of 2022 – with 9 fatalities in first three months. An increase of 25.5% over 2021 in overall first quarter accidents was also registered. The majority of grievously injured were males (71.4%). 6 fatalities also all male. Most of the casualties (at 62.6%) involved people aged between 26 and 59.

Passenger cars majority of vehicles involved in accidents (57.6%). Motorcycles in second (34.5%). Vehicles carrying goods came in third at around 4.6%. Birkirkara registered most accidents with 294 cases, followed by St Paul’s Bay and Qormi with 218 and 206 cases respectively.

All districts recorded an increase in road traffic accidents when compared to the second quarter of the previous year. Highest number of road traffic accidents took place on Monday (16.2%), whereas the highest number of road traffic casualties occurred on Tuesdays with 80 casualties.

The time bracket which saw the highest amount of road traffic accidents was between 15:00 – 17:59 with 22.1% of total cases. The 09:00 – 11:59 time bracket followed second with 915 cases. The least amount of accidents occurring daily took place between 03:00 and 05:59 with 71 cases.

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10 MPs receive penalties from Standards Commissioner over unauthorised absence from Parliament.

Aug 8 2022

Standards Commissioner George Hyzler wrote to ten MPs throughout 2021 to remind them of due administrative penalties over unauthorised absence from parliament.

This piece of news was unveiled through the annual report released by the standards commissioner for 2021.

Back in 2016, an administrative penalty worth €50 over unauthorised absences was introduced. This penalty is applicable to every MP including the Prime Minister, ministers, parliamentary secretaries, shadow ministers and back benchers.

In order to take a session off, MPs must be excused by the Speaker. A leave of absence will be given to members if they are sick and can prove it, have business to attend to which affects the government, parliament or their party and/or extraordinary circumstances which will also need to be backed up by some sort of evidence.

It was reported that in 2018 and 2017, a total of €8,600 was spent by MPs as fines for skipping or missing parliament sessions.

From information tabled by the house, it was found out that between June 2017 and December 2019, opposition MP Marlene Farrugia missed the most sessions with a total of 47. Next in line were Labour MPs Anton Refalo and José Herrera and Nationalist MPs Marthese Portelli and Karl Gouder who missed 38 sessions.

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