Spike is officially the world’s oldest living dog at 23

Jan 22 2023

Spike is a chihuahua mix from Ohio, and he has just been named the world’s oldest living dog at 23-years-old by the Guinness World Records.

Spike, whose name was inspired by Tom and Jerry’s massive dog character, was born in November 1999 and achieved the record as of December 7th, 2022 proving he is at least 23 years and 7 days old at the date of certification.

Spike’s human owner is Rita Kimball, who had him for around 14 years after finding him abandoned in the parking lot of a grocery store in 2009.

Speaking to CNN, she revealed how the poor dog was shaved up his back, had blood stains around his neck from a chain or rope, and looked pretty rough.

A grocery store clerk told Rita the dog had been there for three days, leading to Rita taking the then 10-year-old Spike home to her farm. He made himself comfortable immediately as he settled into his forever home.

Weighing 12.9 pounds and surviving multiple attacks from other bigger dogs and animals, Spike reportedly has the attitude of a much larger dog as he always bounces back stronger than ever.

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New €80K vehicle to give wheelchair users car driving lessons

Jan 22 2023

A brand new specially equipped vehicle has been added to the Aġenzija Sapport fleet and will be giving the chance to wheelchair users the chance to drive.

The vehicle, worth €80,000, will be utilised to teach wheelchair users and other people with physical disabilities how to drive.

With seven occupational therapists as well as two driving instructors given specialised training to be able to teach people to drive this vehicle, they were flown in from Birmingham for such training.

Minister for Inclusion, Voluntary Organisation and Consumer Rights Julia Farrugia Portelli, along with Sapport CEO Oliver Scicluna, attended a training session on the new vehicle.

Scicluna described the mechanics of the vehicle as giving the opportunity to wheelchair users to become more independent and mobile. The vehicle will be used by wheelchair users at the Sonia Tanti Independent Living Centre.

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Pelin Kaya’s family speaks out after body’s repatriation

Jan 22 2023

A statement issued by the family of the late Pelin Kaya, who was unfortunately killed in Gżira after Jeremie Camilleri ran her over with his car, reveals that her body was repatriated from Malta yesterday.

‘Pelin left Malta dead, but our belief that justice will be done, remains alive’ the statement reads. ‘We will fight in Pelin’s name so who interrupted her wonderful life will get what he deserves and can no longer harm anyone else.’

The statement revealed how her mother and father are awaiting Kaya’s arrival s they were too devastated to travel to Malta.

The family went on to thank the Maltese authorities for their full cooperation so that the body could be transported back to Turkey, where she will be buried, only a few days after she died.

The Ministry for Foreign and European Affairs and Trade and the Government of Malta were also thanked for their commitment to cover all funeral expenses such as transportation.

The vigil held two nights ago was described as a ‘significant moment’ for the family as they expressed gratitude for the solidarity showed.

The vigil saw family members lighting up Kaya’s birthday cake, given that she was killed on her 30th birthday. The accused, Jeremie Camilleri, who was found to be drugged with cocaine and continued to assault Kaya, other pedestrians and police after the incident, has so far plead not guilty to the murder.

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Photo Source: Sadia Sudha

fourth edition of ŻiguŻajg Season 2022-2023 launched

Jan 21 2023

Fourth edition of ŻiguŻajg Season – Arts for Children and Young People 2022-2023 launched

Following the positive outcome of the ŻiguŻajg Festival 2022, Minister for the National Heritage, the Arts and Local Government Owen Bonnici launched the fourth edition of ŻiguŻajg Season 2022-2023 in order to showcase work for children and young audiences all year round. Children and their families will enjoy numerous activities devised by international and local creatives through different art forms such as music, film, theatre, digital animation, dance, and storytelling.

Minister Bonnici explained that with 12 projects, 7 art forms, and over 40 artists, this year’s ŻiguŻajg season will showcase some of the best productions on offer and, in so doing, promote inclusion within the arts community and beyond.

“Just like in past years, ŻiguŻajg continues to work towards celebrating diversity and addressing relevant and timely issues through creativity. In this context, this year sees the return of the school shows, as well as tailored sensory-friendly performances meant to make the whole experience more inclusive and accessible to the public”, concluded Dr Bonnici.

Rupert Cefai, Chairperson of Fondazzjoni Kreattività, spoke about the importance of having a program like this produced for children, as well as the importance of ŻiguŻajg in the life of a young person. He said that “such a programme allows us to focus on the development of children and how this is essential in giving them the tools to perceive life in a creative and somewhat more artistic way. We also see our children as our future audience and future artists with their exposure to the creative sector and opportunities for career development”.

Spazju Kreattiv’s Artistic Director, Daniel Azzopardi, explained that by producing quality-driven work for children and young audiences, the ŻiguŻajg brand seeks to raise awareness about the importance of arts and culture for social well-being through the annual Festival and Season program. Case in point, having families participate in such ventures allows them to appreciate the benefits of the arts for their children’s creative outlook and critical thinking. He concluded by saying that they are looking forward to welcoming schools and families to Spazju Kreattiv for another excitingly diverse ŻiguŻajg season.

For more information, visit www.ziguzajg.org

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