KSU erect banner at UOM to commemorate construction victims

May 24 2023

The Kunsill Studenti Unversitarji (University Student Council) – KSU have erected a banner as a tribute in memory of construction victims in Malta.

The banner, hung off a campus building, has the word ‘Ġustizzja’ (Justice) surrounded by the names of various people who lost their lives due to construction accidents.

These include Jean Paul Sofia, Miriam Pace, Joseph Ellul, Rita Vella and Emmanuel Grech. This comes as protests and demonstrations surrounding construction, workplace safety and infrastructural planning pick up heat.

The act was supported by many, including Facebook group ‘Għal Jean Paul’, through which the mother of the late Jean Paul issued her thanks for the act.

‘A big heartfelt thanks from me and each and every person who loved my precious son. I am proud of you for being brave. We need to fight for justice not fear of the bullies’ wrote Isabelle Bonnici.

The group have been holding continuous pressure on authorities regarding the magisterial inquiry launched into the tragedy which took Sofia’s life.

On Saturday, various groups including Moviment Graffitti and Friends of the Earth Malta, will be marching in Valletta to protest on similar thematic grounds – highlighting the rampant construction ‘our country (is being) buried under.’

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Scam email telling students to resit O-level exam

May 24 2023

The official Matsec – University of Malta social media has released a statement warning students of a scam email circulating which states that they need to retake their assessment.

‘Matsec has been informed that some students have received an email informing them that they need to re-sit their exam as a result of a damaged exam paper’ the statement read.

It went on to urge students to ignore the email as the communication did not originate from the official Matsec offices.

According to Times of Malta, the email claimed that a fire in the storage unit damaged a batch of examination papers.

A spokesperson confirmed with ToM that only one student has reported the email, originating from [email protected]. Matsec communicates with students through [email protected] or [email protected].

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Red-draped trees spotted across Malta as uprooting uproar continues

May 23 2023

A number of red-draped trees have been spotted across Malta, leaving drivers and passers-by perplexed at the reason for the move and whoever is behind it.

Trees in Valletta, Mosta, Pietà and other central locations have been cloaked in a bright red cover, with some deducing that such a move may have to do with the recent uproar in the face of the recent removal of mature trees in Zabbar.

Others have suggested that the red drapes may represent some form of protest, however the actual reason behind such a move is yet to be confirmed.

Do you have an idea what these red drapes could be?

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Yorgen Fenech’s testimony in PAC suspended until court proceedings are concluded

May 23 2023

Yorgen Fenech, one of the suspects in the assassination of Maltese journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia, appeared before the Public Accounts Committee (PAC), in Parliament to provide testimony regarding the Electrogas power station contracts.

Strict security measures were implemented within and around the parliament building for the session. Only authorised individuals, including journalists, were permitted entry to the room where the PAC session took place.

Yorgen Fenech was accompanied by lawyers Gianluca Caruana Curran and Charles Mercieca. Mercieca argued that Fenech should not testify due to other court cases taking place at the moment that have not reached decision yet. He asserted that Fenech’s testimony should be withheld until the court proceedings are concluded.

In response, the PAC reached a decision to suspend the testimony and Fenech will testify once his court proceedings are concluded.

This marked the first time that Yorgen Fenech was seen outside prison walls since his arrest back in 2019. Fenech is regularly escorted to the courts of Malta because of ongoing cases however was never seen in public. He was today scheduled to testify before the PAC regarding the Electrogas contracts. Previous witnesses included former Minister Konrad Mizzi, former Chief of Staff Keith Schembri, Enemalta and Electrogas officials, among others.

Chaired by Nationalist MP Darren Carabott, the PAC includes representatives from both the Opposition and the Government. Opposition MPs Graham Bencini and Robert Cutajar were present, while MPs Andy Ellul, Clayton Bartolo, Glenn Bedingfield and Naomi Cachia represented the Labour Government.

#MaltaDaily