Turkish president awards Malta’s Civil Protection Unit for their service

Apr 28 2023

Malta’s Civil Protection Department has been awarded the Turkish Presidential Medal and Order of Distinguished Humanitarian Service during a ceremony yesterday.

Chief assistance rescue officer Kevin Pace, who was the team leader of MUSAR Team Malta for the department deployment in Malatya, Turkey due to the earthquakes, was present for the ceremony.

Along with deputy head of the Embassy of Malta Ms Vella Mamo, they received the award on behalf of the Maltese by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

This comes after Malta sent a team to Turkey following the earthquakes that hit the zones, with one of them being a magnitude Force 7.8. The officers had to struggle with collapsed buildings in freezing cold to rescue trapped civilians from under the rubble.

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Xagħra mayor submits resignation: PM in discussion to keep him on

Apr 28 2023

Xagħra mayor Christian Zammit, who has often been outspoken in regards to the environment and overdevelopment in Gozo, resigned from the council and positions in the Labour Party on Thursday.

In a short letter to the council’s executive secretary and secretary of the Gozo Regional Committee, Zammit stated that he was resigning from mayor and councillor with immediate effect.

He also addressed the resignation on Facebook, saying that he wants to avoid any doubt and that it has been a very difficult decision to take considering his involvement for the past 23 years.

He concluded his statement with an Italian phrase ‘mi tolgo dai piedi, e tolgo il disturbo’, which roughly translates to getting out of the way not to be of any burden.

Times of Malta later reported that Prime Minister Robert Abela was in contact with the former mayor and is trying to resolve the issues that forced his resignation.

Abela addressed the media saying that Zammit’s environmental values are needed by the party and that he still has a lot to contribute. Abela also called Zammit a personal friend.

The resignation comes a year after Zammit claimed with Times of Malta that there was a scaremongering campaign by the construction industry to eliminate him.

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First official trailer for Hunger Games prequel film drops

Apr 28 2023

Fans of the Hunger Games series get to return to the world of Panem as the first official trailer for ‘The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes’ drops.

The film will serve as a prequel to the worldwide hit series by Suzanne Collins and has a stellar cast – including Tom Blyth, Rachel Zegler, Peter Dinklage and Viola Davis.

The book that the film is based on was released back in 2020 and tracks the story of a young Coriolanus Snow before he became the tyrannical president that Katniss Everdeen has to lead a revolution against.

The premise sees Snow enrolled as a mentor for a Hunger Games tribute, a young Lucy Gray Baird from District 12 for the 10th ever Hunger Games as it starts to become a media sensation for citizens of The Capitol.

The film will drop in cinemas on November 17th 2023, so it won’t be long before fans get to hear the mocking-jay tune once again.

#MaltaDaily

Devis Mangia found guilty of improper conduct, not sexual harassment

Apr 28 2023

The Malta Football Association has released an official statement detailing how former Malta National Football Team coach Devis Mangia was found guilty of improper conduct but not sexual harassment.

In an investigation carried out by the Safeguarding Board of MFA, it was deemed that no sufficient evidence to support the allegations of sexual harassment or grooming was found.

On the other hand, the board claimed to have found sufficient evidence to support the allegation of improper conduct.

The Board subsequently decided that Mangia shall be ‘temporarily suspended from participating in any football activity in Malta until he enrols to a course on professional boundaries, which he must complete within six months. The course chosen needs to be approved by the MFA Safeguarding Board.’

This comes after the coach was relieved of his duties in September of last year after two players from the national team reported him for improper conduct.

Mangia denied the claims and he may also appeal the new decision taken by the board.

#MaltaDaily