Shaun Farrugia Surprises Massive Fan For His Birthday

Oct 29 2023

Shaun Farrugia is a wholesome content generating machine.

Singer and songwriter Shaun Farrugia took some time from his day to surprise a big fan of his music named Jacob after his girlfriend Emily reached out to the Maltese artist.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Shaun Farrugia (@shaunfarrrugia)

Posting to social media, Shaun explained that he still finds the concept of having a super fan utterly bizarre. This did not stop him from meeting with Jacob, who was absolutely baffled at the fact that the singer was sitting next to him asking if they could have coffee together.

Shaun started to get emotional when Jacob realised what was happening and started to hug and kiss his girlfriend as a thanks for the lovely surprise.

#MaltaDaily

More Hedgehogs Rescued As Others Return To Nature

Oct 29 2023

The volunteers at the Gozo Section of the Wildlife Rescue Team were busy with hoglets over the weekend as they released, and rescued, more hedgehogs.

After having released rehabilitated Massimo, Dolly and Andrea, the team picked up Shanti, Martha and Jojo, with another one named Sky rescued from Comino.

Shanti, Martha and Jojo were found on their own with no sign of their mothers or their nests in various areas around Gozo.

‘Hoglets always do best when raised by their mothers, so we only intervene and take in hoglets when we can find no sign of mum or the nest nearby’, the team explained.

‘Hoglets can get separated from their mothers for a number of reasons; sometimes the hoglet is too curious and confident and wanders out of the nest only to get lost. Sometimes the mother sadly passes away or she abandons the hoglet as she senses that something is wrong. Sometimes, it is because the mother is struggling to find enough food and water to keep herself and her hoglets alive.’

‘Hedgehogs are Lactose intolerant and should NEVER be given cows milk, we use special hedgehog formula to feed the hoglets that we rescue.’

Meanwhile, Sky was found ‘in the middle of the path in daylight. Sky is still a very young hoglet who has likely gotten separated from it’s mother. It is much too young to survive in the wild on it’s own, when found it was very cold and hungry. Sky has been given special hedgehog milk and a hot water bottle and will be cared for by our volunteers until old enough to be released.’

#MaltaDaily

No Marina In Sally Port Confirmed

Oct 29 2023

The Ministry for Transport, Infrastructure and Capital Projects has clarified that there are no plans for a marina in Sally Port, Birgu.

This follows a public demonstration, which saw activist groups such as Moviment Graffitti side by side with Birgu Mayor John Boxall, in protest against the ’no swimming signs.’

The signs installed in the area were solely for public safety, unrelated to any proposed marina extension. The restoration of quays, spanning 600 meters, has been completed for public use.

‘The signs placed here by Infrastructure Malta suggest something much more alarming’, a statement by Moviment Graffitti read. ‘It is not acceptable that the spaces used by the residents for generations are stolen by those who want to place them under private use.’

‘These quays, under the Birgu bastions along the Kalkara shore, had suffered significant storm damage, the statement by the authority in response to the backlash explained.

‘Infrastructure Malta invested €5 million in this project, reconstructing damaged sections and repairing submerged quay structures. A post-construction stage risk assessment prompted the installation of warning signs.’

#MaltaDaily

Green Roof With 3,000 Plants To Gather Future Project Data

Oct 29 2023

A new experimental green roof at the Għajn Water Conservation Centre in Rabat will gather scientific data to explore the potential of this green infrastructure for flood prevention, while making buildings more sustainable and energy efficient.

Minister for the Environment, Energy and Enterprise Miriam Dalli met the Energy and Water Agency (EWA) team that developed this green roof, as part of the GiFluid Project in collaboration with the University of Catania, and co-funded by the European Union under the Interreg Italia-Malta Programme. During the visit, Minister Dalli announced that following the upcoming two-year data collection period, the Agency is planning to open the green roof to visitors.

The new green roof is a multi-faceted structure, featuring a diverse mix of vegetation capable of thriving in Malta’s local climate, complemented by photovoltaic (PV) panels to generate clean energy. Over three thousand plants were carefully selected and introduced to the roof, specifically chosen for their ability to withstand Malta’s arid conditions.

For the next two years, this project will serve as a prototype for EWA to gather data on how green roofs affect rainwater flows on roofs, how much of it is retained by the vegetation and the time taken to release it. The Agency will also analyse the quality of rainwater runoff from the green roof, focusing on nutrient levels, notably nitrates. This evaluation will shed light on any potential impacts associated with the adoption of green roofs.

Minister Miriam Dalli hailed this project as a significant step forward in Malta’s commitment to climate innovation. “These projects have the potential to regulate building temperatures, enhance energy efficiency and promote water conservation. The data that EWA is gathering in the coming years will help us determine the implementation of more projects of this nature throughout the country,” Miriam Dalli said.

EWA CEO Manuel Sapiano said that through the GiFluid project, the Agency will assess the numerous advantages offered by green roofs, including enhanced PV panel productivity. It is also a pioneering effort to explore the potential of green roofs in mitigating flood risks within the Maltese landscape.

Representatives from the Rabat Local Council and University of Catania were also present for this visit.

For more information, visit energywateragency.gov.mt and gifluid.eu.

#MaltaDaily