PN MP Darren Carabott pays tribute to parents on day of swearing in

May 8 2022

While some Maltese MPs chose to walk the streets of Valletta with their partners, others opted to take their parents to celebrate an important day in their political lives.

Nationalist MP Darren Carabott stated that his parents were always there for him and it was the least he could to to let them know how grateful he is for what they did with him and his brother.

Carabott stated that his only regret was that he could only invite one guest to attend the mass at St. John’s Co-Cathedral and the state opening of Parliament, presumably due to a logistical issue. Regardless of this, Carabott’s father joined in on the event, enthusiastically waiting for the MP and his mother as they walked the streets.

Carabott wholeheartedly dedicated that important day in his political career to his parents, stating that he is what he is thanks to their sacrifices and upbringing.

“It was just a small way of saying thank you, even if I’ll always fall short of doing so.”

#MaltaDaily

Engineers develop ‘super recycling’ enzyme which breaks down plastic in hours

May 8 2022

A team of engineers from the University of Texas in Austin has developed a new variant of enzyme which is able to ‘supercharge’ the recycling process and ultimately reduce pollution at a large scale.

The enzyme, dubbed FAST-PETase, completes what is called a ‘circular process’ which breaks down the plastic into smaller components. It operates in regular temperatures rather than extreme hot or cold conditions, making it an ideal solution for plastic in landfill sites.

Professor Hal Alper from the McKetta Department of Chemical Engineering said that “the possibilities are endless across industries to leverage this leading-edge recycling process.”

Only 10 per cent of the world’s produced plastic has been recycled, with billions of tons sitting in landfills and waterways globally. Enzymes have served as the most efficient means of breaking down plastic and this newly-engineered creation may offer a much-needed push in the world’s sustainability goals.

#MaltaDaily

Cat saved from well by Civil Protection Officers

May 8 2022

Yesterday, officials within the Civil Protection Department saved a cat from a well in a delicate operation in Gozo.

A number of CPD officials headed to Xewkija after reports of a disgruntled cat who fell down an empty well. The cat was escorted to safety after one of the officials descended into the narrow well.

Many took to the comments to thank the Civil Protection Department for their efforts.

#MaltaDaily

Brand-emic? US Customs seize $10 million worth of counterfeit Rolex watches

May 8 2022

As the global fashion industry continues to grow, so does the counterfeit market, with millions upon millions of counterfeit products entering international markets every single day.

However, US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) have just made a major dent in the false frenzy, busting two major shipments of counterfeit Rolex watches on April 27 and 29, valued a total of $10.1 million if real. Coming from Hong Kong to Brooklyn, New York, the agency had previously gathered information from the vendor sending the shipment, noting a number of fraudulent shipments in the past, triggering CBP offers to inspect them.

The April 27 shipment contained up to 300 counterfeit Rolex Watches while the April 29 shipment carried 160, a news release revealed.

Malta is also no stranger to counterfeit products; a simple search on Facebook’s Marketplace feature will find a significant number of ‘luxury watch’ offers at ridiculous prices.

Anyone fancy a €50 Rolex?

#MaltaDaily