Occupy Justice Malta protest with pig masks in front of parliament

Apr 18 2023

Yesterday evening, Occupy Justice Malta staged a protest outside parliament to ‘highlight the fact that politicians and government appointees, elected and nominated, respectively, to serve the country are, instead, using their positions of privilege to pillage the country’s coffers for their personal gain.’

Donning pig masks, some of them visibly butchered, the group explained in a statement that it is evident that ‘these individuals have no qualms about feeding at the trough and lining their own pockets with undeserved wealth.’

Accusing the government of treating the population with contempt, the group said that the recent WhatsApp chat revelations between Rosianne Cutajar and Yorgen Fenech ‘proved, black on white, what we already know – only this time it was coming from the horse’s mouth.’

The group lamented that these individuals ‘seem to belong to a clique of untouchables, who are above the law, abetted and aided by crumbling institutions that have been weakened by lack of good governance and an absence of checks and balances.’

‘The disrespect with which voters are treated is disgraceful and, in some cases, criminal. Of course, our dormant Police Commissioner and Attorney General have done absolutely nothing to rectify the situation, and it is only thanks to the relentless work of courageous journalists and civil society activists that the acts of these disgraceful, greedy politicians have remained in the spotlight’ the statement concluded.

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End of an era: Goodbye to AirMalta by end of 2023

Apr 18 2023

Times of Malta confirmed with Air Malta’s chairman David Curmi that Malta will have a new national airline by the end of the year as we see the end of an era.

Despite the end of Air Malta, a ‘largely seamless’ introduction of a new airline will be carried out – one that passengers should not find much issue with.

The chair told ToM that the ‘creation of a new airline to replace Air Malta was in the final phase, as were discussions with the European Commission, which had rejected the government’s request to inject nearly €300 million into the airline in a bid to save it.’

When asked by the same newsroom about Air Malta’s current 330 employees, which were brought down to that number from a workforce of over 1,000, Curmi revealed that they would be made redundant but would be able to apply for employment with the new airline.

He added how the end of complex discussions with the EU Commission is soon to come as it did not want ‘a photocopy of Air Malta. We showed the commission that we mean business.’

‘We created a five-year business plan and we are close to concluding on that. If we stick to this plan, then we will have a national airline that makes business sense’ he told ToM.

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Restoration works at Għajn tal-Ħasselin in Msida nearing completion

Apr 18 2023

The Minister for the National Heritage, the Arts and Local Government Owen Bonnici and the Parliamentary Secretary for Local Government Alison Zerafa Civelli visited the works currently underway at the Għajn tal-Ħasselin in Msida. This project is being carried out to preserve the external and internal fabric of the structure. Restoration works began in January 2023 and are expected to be completed by the end of June 2023.

This project is one of ten projects being funded by the Local Councils Scheme, which aims to restore historic structures in various localities and communities. The restoration works are being carried out by the Restoration Directorate.

Minister Owen Bonnici highlighted the importance of preserving historic structures like the Għajn tal-Ħasselin. He acknowledged the commitment of the Restoration Directorate towards this project and said that this work contributes greatly to strengthen Malta’s cultural heritage.

“It is important that we continue to invest in the preservation of Malta’s historic patrimony, not just for their aesthetic value, but also for the educational, cultural and economic benefits they can bring,” concluded Minister Bonnici.

Parliamentary Secretary Alison Zerafa Civelli stated that “restoration works on historic buildings is important in order to preserve our cultural heritage, boost the local economy, promote sustainability, provide educational opportunities, and provide a unique identity to the community”. She also commended the Local Councils for their commitment in identifying historic places that require restoration.

Architect Daphne Fenech, who is responsible for the restoration, explained that the project includes the conservation and restoration of all the external and internal fabric. It also includes the maintenance of the roof, including its current rainwater diversion system, and the installation of guards to prevent debris from entering the structure and contaminating the water.

The Msida Local Council will also be changing the current lighting system to a new energy-efficient one that respects the built fabric while highlighting its architecture. Members of the Msida Local Council were also present for the press conference.

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Sony World Photography Award 2023 winner reveals photo was AI generated

Apr 18 2023

The winner of a prestigious photography award has turned down his prize after revealing that his work was in fact AI generated.

German artist Boris Eldagsen inputted his entry into the Sony World Photography Award, entitled ‘Pseudomnesia: The Electrician’. He said that he used the picture to test the competition itself and create a discussion about photography’s future when contrasted with artificial intelligence.

BBC News was informed by organisers of the award that Eldagsen misled them about the extent of AI that would be involved.

Eldagsen himself backed this through a statement on his website, saying that he was a ‘cheeky monkey’. He thanked the judges for selecting the image and making this a historic moment.

‘AI images and photography should not compete with each other in an award like this’ he stated. ‘They are different entities. AI is not photography. Therefore I will not accept the award.’

He also stated that photography competitions are not prepared for artificial intelligence and that this should spark an immediate and urgent debate about the issue.

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