Malta, Pizza Hut and Soviets: 7 facts about Mikhail Gorbachev

Aug 31 2022

He ended the Cold War whilst in Malta alongside George Bush.

Gorbachev was in Malta in December 1989 for a summit with former US President George Bush Senior, held aboard the Soviet ship Maxim Gorky. The summit is credited to have ended the Cold War just a month after the fall of the Berlin Wall.

Was born into a Russian-Ukrainian peasant family in 1931.

Mikhail Sergeyevich Gorbachev was born on March 3rd 1931 in the village of Privolnoye, Stavropol Krai. His mother, Maria Panteleyevna, was a devout Orthodox Christian. The baby was initially named Viktor, but secretly christened ‘Mikhail.’

He became the last leader of the Soviet Union on March 11th 1985.

Gorbachev did not expect to be recommended for the role after the USSR’s elderly and ailing leader Konstantin Chernenko died on March 10th. At 54 years of age, he had already been passed over for the position in 1984. Unanimously voted into leadership, no one expected the radical reforms he would introduce.

Performed in a Pizza Hut advert to support his charity group.

In 1997, a year after his failed run for Russian president was viewed as a national joke, Gorbachev acted in a TV advert for Pizza Hut to earn money for his charitable foundation. He appeared sitting down at a Moscow outlet of a major US chain Pizza Hut with his grand daughter.

Oversaw withdrawal of Soviet troops from occupied Afghanistan.

Gorbachev saw the withdrawal of Soviet troops from occupied Afghanistan between 1988 and 1989. The Soviets had invaded in 1979 to secure the country’s alignment during Cold War against the US-backed mujahideen. By the late 1980s, the Soviet army faced some 15,000 deaths but failed to put in place a regime.

Agreed to reuniting East and West Germany and tear down the ‘Iron Curtain.’

By the summer of 1990, Gorbachev had agreed to the reunification of East and West Germany, tearing down the Iron Curtain which divided the globe during the Cold War. Alongside instituting a radical new programme of cultural, electoral and diplomatic reform, the leader openly supported reforms of countries in Soviet Eastern Europe bloc.

Ran for Russian presidency in 1996 but got 1% of the vote.

In 1996, Gorbachev ran for the presidency but only got 1% of the vote. Despite the loss, he remained a notable figure in Russia as a member of several think tanks as well as co-owner of independent newspaper Novaya Gazeta.

#MaltaDaily

7-year-old son of couple charged with drug trafficking told to discard drugs in case of police raid

Aug 31 2022

Judith Bakoush and Murat Nazwan, the couple recently charged with drug-trafficking, had advised their 7-year-old son to throw away drugs in case of a police raid, the court has been told.

During the compilation of evidence against Bakoush and Nazwan, the young boy told police officers that his parents instructed him to throw away the sachets of drugs if police had to enter the property.

The couple is accused of trafficking heroin, cocaine, crack cocaine and marijuana through their Valletta property, together with the act of money laundering. Police surveillance unveiled that drug abusers with criminal profiles would frequent the property for short periods of time.

During the testimony, the magistrate paused to tell Bakoush to “stop laughing like she’s king Carnival”, before going going on with proceedings.

#MaltaDaily

Maltese woman finds massive dead bat on her balcony

Aug 31 2022

A Maltese woman took to local Facebook group ‘Are You Being Served’ to report finding a massive bat on her balcony.

The woman, by the name of Tara Bonello, asked for assistance, later on revealing that Nature Trust convened on site to help. Unfortunately, the elderly bat died due to old age as it had no notable injuries.

We commend the woman for seeking immediate assistance when encountering such a creature, as Nature Trust have been urging people to do when it comes to bats.

Wildlife NGOs had previously issued tips on what to do when bats fall into their homes due to the intense summer heat. Despite usually being small bats no larger than a coin, large bats may still end up falling and be in need of assistance.

#MaltaDaily

Online backlash after trees mutilated to fit Senglea feast decorations

Aug 31 2022

Many on local social media took issue with a recent post which showed trees in Senglea stripped of good chunks of their canopies to accommodate feast decorations.

Photos posted to Facebook group ‘Friends of Cottonera Forum’ showed trees with leaves and branches shaved off as statues, ropes, drapes, poles and other decorations took up the vacuum.

Times of Malta confirmed that an unnamed source said the heavy pruning was done to accommodate the decorations.

With the feast set to be held next week, arborists had previously advised against pruning unless necessary in summer. Commenters weren’t impressed by the stunt, pointing out the environmental disregard which accompanies the act. Some even called out for those responsible for this to be fined.

#MaltaDaily