Who are the Malta Rangers?

Feb 8 2022

As the world around us continues to develop, the safeguarding of our natural environment is as important as ever. On a local scale, you may not familiar with Malta’s environmental rangers but rest assured that their tireless work and relentless passion towards the environment is to be commended.

Launching in 2020, the rangers were recruited to patrol protected Natura 2000 sites and familiarise the public about local flora and fauna. They operate under the guidance of Ambjent Malta’s scientific team which oversees and implements various projects in these Natura 2000 sites and other areas together with developing green infrastructure across the country. Speaking to Malta Daily, Joe, one Malta’s environmental rangers highlighted how much like we enjoy having a clean home, we must ensure that our environment is equally respected.

Joe went on to highlight how the safe-keeping of the environment is a collective effort and much like how the rangers correspond with Ambjent Malta, the general public must collaborate and co-operate with their fellow human beings in order to ensure that these fragile sites are maintained are protected.

Ambjent Malta’s Josianne Muscat revealed how the organisation and its rangers conduct various works such as clean-ups, removal of invasive plants, vandalism control and collaboration with other entities for the benefit of the environment.

Take a look at our most recent video with the Malta Rangers to understand further what they do:

What do you think of this video? Were you familiar with the Malta Rangers?

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Green light for St Paul Feast in Valletta but it must be seated

Feb 8 2022

The green light was given to Valletta festa enthusiasts to celebrate the procession commemorating St Paul’s Shipwreck in Malta today.

The Għaqda tal-Pawlini, A.D. 1970 – Valletta announced on Facebook that the activity will be taking place but it must be seated and following health authority protocols.

The statue of St Paul will be taken outside during the event, accompanied by traditional music played by the Soċjeta Filarmonika Nazzjonali La Valette. Over 600 people signed a petition for the procession to be allowed, with many Valletta enthusiasts calling on authorities to find a way for them to enjoy the national holiday while respecting health protocols.

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Men who send unsolicited d**k picks face two years in jail in UK

Feb 8 2022

Men who send unsolicited pictures of their genitalia will face up to two years in jail and be made to sign the sex offenders register under a law change in England and Wales.

The act is called cyber-flashing, which is when a person is sent an unsolicited sexual image on their mobile device by an unknown person through social media, messages or other technological means.

There is currently no law which directly addresses cyber-flashing in England and Wales, despite the act being made illegal in Scotland around 12 years ago.

This is also the case in Malta where, despite there being cyber-security laws, there isn’t a law specifically targeting cyber-flashing. The UK’s move intends to reflect penalties for indecent exposure in public, making cyber-flashing part of the Sexual Offences Act 2003.

Sean Caulfield, a criminal solicitor, said that the prosecution would need to prove someone intended to expose their genitals, and that they did so intending to cause alarm and distress. ‘It can apply to anyone, whether the victim is a stranger or someone they know.’

This comes after several researchers were warning that a lack of thorough accountability and identity-checking measures are helping to fuel the online sexual harassment of young people. Should Malta take on a similar route?

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Maltese feel their voices matter less than other Europeans says new study

Feb 8 2022

A new European Parliament barometer survey published on Tuesday, Maltese people were found to less likely feel that their voice counts in their home country than other Europeans.

The barometer survey covers 505 face-to-face and online interviews carried out in November of last year. Maltese people appear to view the EP in a positive light overall, but this decreased slightly compared to the same period last year.

Compared to people living in other member states, Maltese people want to see the European Parliament play a more important role in EU politics. An overwhelming 71% of Maltese respondents said they want to see a more active European Parliament when compared to 58% of EU citizens.

However, despite sharing a positive view of the EP, the majority of respondents said they don’t feel that their voice counts in the EU. Maltese people are also less likely to feel that their voices count in their country compared to the EU average.

53% of Maltese interviews agreed that their voice counts in Malta, while 58% of people across the 27 Member States reported the same. The survey indicated that the total number of people who felt their voice did not count in Malta grew by 8% points compared to last year.

Still, many Maltese still see EU membership as a good thing for their country. An overwhelming 89% said Malta benefited from being a member of the EU, citing work opportunities and economic growth as benefits.

35% felt that Maltese people have very little influence on decisions made at EU level, while 23% felt that EU membership undermines Malta’s control over external borders. The survey predates Metsola’s election as EP president.

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