Malta’s Civil Protection to send support to Turkey as another 7.5 magnitude earthquake strikes

Feb 6 2023

Only a few hours after a 7.8 magnitude earthquake shook Turkey & Syria to their core, destroying multiple buildings and killing thousands in the process, yet another 7.5-scale earthquake has Turkey.

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The latest earthquake reportedly struck roughly 100 kilometres to the north of the first, followed by an aftershock of magnitude 6 just 12 minutes later.

Minister for Home Affairs, Security, Reforms and Equality Byron Camilleri has reported that Malta will be offering support to Turkey through the European Civil Protection mechanism, with a number of earthquake specialists to head to the country in aid.

The death toll in Turkey currently surpasses 1,200, with 5,385 wounded in the process.

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Malta LGBTIQ Rights Movement becomes a member of the Voice for Choice coalition

Feb 6 2023

MGRM- Malta LGBTIQ Rights Movement has joined the Voice for Choice coalition, a group of organisations fighting to decriminalise abortion.

“We are proud that MGRM – an organisation with a strong history of grassroots activism and providing a voice for its community- has decided to join our coalition,” Voice for Choice said.

“Malta’s current laws mean that everyone faces the threat of imprisonment if they have or provide an abortion – regardless of their gender identity or sexual orientation,” the coalition added. “We seek to represent and fight for all those who find themselves at risk of imprisonment if they have an abortion,” the coalition said.

MGRM noted that criminalisation and lack of abortion access has long been an issue that affected the LGBTIQ community as well.

“LGBTIQ issues and abortion access are both inextricably linked because they both involve undue political interference in individual autonomy. We want to move away from the myth that decriminalisation of abortion is only needed for cisgender, heterosexual women. All people who need abortion should be able to access it safely, without worrying about facing prison time,” MGRM added.

The Voice for Choice coalition is also currently active in ongoing debates on Bill 28- a proposed amendment to the current law that criminalises abortion which will provide an exception in cases when the woman’s health is in grave jeopardy.

The Voice for Choice coalition includes MGRM – Malta LGBTIQ Rights Movement, Young Progressive Beings, Women’s Rights Foundation, Moviment Graffitti, Doctors for Choice, Students for Choice, Lawyers for Choice, Integra, Aditus, Men Against Violence, Parents for Choice and Malta Humanists Association.

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Tenishia Thornton wins Atlas Youth Athlete of the Year Award 2022

Feb 6 2023

The young weightlifter, Tenishia Thornton, has been named the Atlas Youth Athlete of the Year for 2022.

This prestigious award was determined by a panel of three sports journalists and a public online vote. She won this award after winning the Atlas Youth Athlete of the Month for June, which marked the first of many impressive achievements for the 16-year-old.

At the World Youth Championships in Leon, Mexico, Thornton stunned the field with a successful 78kg snatch, 100kg clean and jerk, and a total of 178kg, setting a new Commonwealth and national record.

In November, she also won the best individual female athlete at the Weightlifting European Small Nation Championships in Cyprus.

During the Malta Weightlifting Awards 2022, Thornton received the Diamond Award for reaching 104.23% in international rankings, the Achievement Award for breaking 144 national records, and the Recognition Award for participating in the top 10 international competitions of the year.

The annual award, along with a sports apparel voucher, was presented by the management of Atlas Insurance and the Malta Sports Journalists Association. This initiative is a joint effort between the two organisations to promote and acknowledge young Maltese athletes.

The monthly winners of the award are eligible for the annual prize, with the adjudicating panel taking into consideration the athletes’ achievements and nominations from local sports associations and federations.

Atlas Insurance has confirmed its renewal of the collaboration with the Malta Sports Journalists Association for another year.

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Customs canine Peter officially retires after 4 years of service

Feb 6 2023

After serving the Customs Department for four and a half years, K9 Peter has retired from his duties as a sniffer dog.

Throughout his time on the job, Peter demonstrated exceptional olfactory skills and a winning combination of obedience and docility.

He was responsible for 84 positive hits, 27 of which were related to cash seizures that amounted to over half a million euros in undeclared cash. In addition to cash, Peter also successfully detected contraband tobacco and a small amount of narcotics.

In recognition of his outstanding performance, Peter was awarded the Best Dog in Uniform award during Malta’s Animal Honours Award ceremony in 2021.

Customs Malta is proud of Peter’s contributions and grateful for his service, as they bid him farewell and welcome a new recruit to the team, k9 officer Dezerto.

Dezerto is a young Springer pup who was donated to the department by Tat-Tarġa Kennels in 2022. Despite being a newcomer, he has shown promise in his training and response to instructions.

Customs Malta is excited to see what Dezerto will achieve in his new role as a sniffer dog and wishes him all the best in his working venture.

As per internal procedure, a Customs Canine Officer, upon retirement, is usually homed by a Customs employee. If none of the Department’s employees show interest in adopting the sniffer dog, then a suitable home is found for the canine.

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Source: Customs Malta