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Miriam-Christine and Faniello eliminated in Eurovision Malta semi-finals

February 7, 2014, 9:28 pm
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Former Eurovision winners Miriam-Christine and Fabrizio Faniello were among those eliminated in the semi-finals of the Eurovision Song Contest Malta last night. The concert, presented by PBS at the MFCC in Ta’ Qali saw 20 songs fight it out for the 14 places in today’s final night. The winners were: One Last Ride - Daniel Testa; Take Me – Pamela; Because I have you – Amber; Let the sunshine in – Sophie; Hypnotica – Jessica; Love will take you home – Franklin; Oblivion - Chris Grech; Lovetricity - Christabelle Borg; Some kind of Wonderful - Wayne William; City Lady - Ryan Paul Vella; Until we meet again - Deborah C; Brand new day – Davinia; Coming home - Fire Light and Pin in the Middle - De Bee. The eliminated singers were Andreana Debattista, Fabrizio, Miriam Christine, Corazon, Romina Mamo and Raquela. The show was opened by all the participants singing extracts of past Malta Eurovision winning songs. Last year’s winner Gianluca then came on stage singing his own song, accompanied by another former winner, Ira Losco. The two co-presented the show with Moira Delia. The winning song of last year’s Eurovision Song Contest, Teardrops, was then performed on stage by Emmelie de...
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Update 3 - Mosta animals killer left note, says he is being tormented

February 7, 2014, 10:25 pm
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Updated Saturday 9.52 am A note addressed to St Philip was found inside the crucified cat on Monday written in a wretched and self-pitying tone, bemoaning the neglect its author suffered, Times of Malta has learnt. The bloodied note was inserted in between the cat’s outer skin layer and its muscular layer as it hung from the statue of St Philip on the parvis of the Mosta dome. The contents of this note, as well as of two others that had been attached to the crucified cats found in 2012 and a fourth that was attached to a dog that was also found crucified in 2011, were divulged to this newspaper. The author of all four notes draws on circumstances that would bring to mind the case of Franġisku Buhagiar, 83, who had shot dead his sister, Maria, on February 16, 1999, following an argument over burnt toast and a jersey that needed mending. He was sentenced to 10 years in prison. The house where the first puppy was found, back in 2011, was the place where the murder had occurred. The police had interrogated Mr Buhagiar over the spate of animal killings and he insisted he was being set up. The rather lengthy notes are written in a Maltese dialect, with sources confirming that the...
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National Bank: Government open for talks, does not rule out appeal

February 8, 2014, 8:11 am
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The government has indicated its willingness to resume talks over the possibility of reaching an out-of-court settlement with former shareholders of the National Bank. At the same time, the Attorney General is reserving the right to appeal preliminary court decisions upholding claims that the human rights of shareholders were breached when the government took over their shares in 1973. Asked by Times of Malta to declare the government’s stand following last Thursday’s second court judgment in less than a month in favour of the National Bank shareholders, Justice Parliamentary Secretary Owen Bonnici said the judgments only decided part of the claims. He pointed out that the former shareholders had already appealed another judgment that was decided in the government’s favour. “The cases are therefore still ongoing and it is only legitimate for the government to safeguard its rights according to law.” Dr Bonnici said the government was open for more discussions. “There were various attempts at finding a settlement to the issue in the past, which proved unsuccessful.”
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Fenech Adami marks birthday at Dar tal-Providenza

February 9, 2014, 6:28 am
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Former President Eddie Fenech Adami this morning celebrated his birthday with a thanksgiving Mass at the Chapel of Id-Dar tal-Providenza. Dr Fenech Adami turned 80 on Friday. He was joined by members of his family and his political successor as prime minister and head of the PN Lawrence Gonzi. Dr Fenech Adami has held a thanksgiving Mass for his birthday at Id-Dar tal-Providenza for the past 36 years. Meanwhile, his autobiography Eddie – My Journey will be released later this month. It will be published by Allied Publications, with the proceeds going to Dar tal-Providenza. Dr Fenech Adami was assisted with the writing of the book by Times of Malta editor-in-chief Steve Mallia.
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Malta has to be land of opportunity, equality and innovation - PM Muscat

February 9, 2014, 2:43 am
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Prime minister Joseph Muscat said today that Malta has to become a land of opportunity, a land of equality and a land of innovation. Concluding the annual general conference of the Labour Party, Dr Muscat said Malta was ready and able to compete to be the best. It had shed its inferiority complex. The new generation was ambitious in the good sense, he said. This was not a generation that was satisfied just with what it was given. This was a generation which sought new ways to create wealth.  This was an era of the social networks. One had to defend one's identity not by refusing change and being insular, but by being relevant, by thinking global and by embracing change. The Maltese had to be reasonable as well as firm, confident in their abilities to make their country a land of opportunity which created good jobs for its people, created the right business environment and made Malta a natural investment destination from all areas of the globe, he said. This was a era of open governance, a government which listened, cut red tape and cut taxes. Malta, Dr Muscat said, also had to be a land of equality. Social justice was an important principle. All should have equal access to...
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1960s Cabinet considered Valletta-Sliema cable car

February 9, 2014, 7:32 am
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The Cabinet in the early 1960s considered a proposal for cable car between Valletta and Sliema. According to Cabinet Papers made public last week, the aerial ‘ropeway’ was proposed in 1958 by Edward Vincenti Kind but was been turned down by the government in 1960, mainly on aesthetic grounds and because it was not economically viable. The developers re-applied a few years later under the administration of George Borg Olivier. The cable car would have linked Hastings Gardens in Valletta to St Anne’s Square or a floating at The Strand, Sliema. The developers suggested the fare would have been three pence for passengers on a monthly subscription and “somewhat higher” for passengers who travelled occasionally. The British naval authorities had no objection provided there was a minimum clearance over the harbour of 150 feet (46 metres). The Antiquities Committee also did not object as long as the Valletta-side station was not be less than 10 feet (three metres) from the bastion. The Aesthetics Board said it would not object if the government considered the project “economically desirable and in the national interest”. The only objection was that of the General Transport Union that...
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Busuttil hits out at government's 'broken promises', Sant's comments

February 9, 2014, 2:45 am
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Opposition leader Simon Busuttil said today that the government was failing in its most central promises -  Malta Taghna Lkoll and meritocracy. He said the government was being discriminatory not just with the Nationalists, but even those Labourites who were not close to the party's inner circle. Speaking at a PN conference in Gozo, Dr Busuttil said the government had still not said how much the wife of the Energy Minister was earning from her post in the Far East. While those close to the Labour inner circle were enjoying themselves, Malta was seeing creeping unemployment. In the EU, unemployment was going down, in Malta it was going up. This when under the Nationalist government, Malta had done well despite the economic storms in Europe. This only showed sheer government incompetence. It was incompetence which was also reflected with yet another legal notice to govern the citizenship scheme.  The PN had won the argument on this issue. It had called for the elimination of  secrecy, for a direct investment link and a period of residence. All had now been introduced. But problems were persisting. The government had agreed to have one-year effective residence for applicants. But...
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Three in hospital after Rabat crash

February 9, 2014, 1:22 am
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Two 17-year-old girls and a 35-year-old woman were hospitalised this morning after a crash between two cars at Triq l-Infetti, (the road below Rabat). The accident happened at around 10 a.m. The incident involved a  Ford Escort and a Renault Clio. The Ford was driven by a 19-year-old man of Paola whilst the Renault was driven by a 35-year-old woman of Mosta. The girls were passengers in the Ford Escort while the 35-year-old woman were driving the Renault.
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Firelight - Our aim is to stand out at Eurovision

February 9, 2014, 9:15 am
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Firelight, the band which won the Malta Eurovision Song Contest, said today that they had aimed to stand out in the festival yesterday, and they intend to do so again at the Eurovision Song Contest with their song Coming Home. The group members said they were still coming to terms with their triumph, although they always had confidence in the song. Formed in June last year, the group consists of Michelle Mifsud (vocals, piano, percussion), Richard Edward Micallef (vocals, acoustic guitar, Appalachian mountain dulcimer, percussion), Tony Polidano (vocals, upright bass, electric bass, acoustic bass, percussion ), Matthew Ellul (acoustic guitar, electric guitar) and Leslie Decesare ( drums, percussion, harmonica). They spoke to Kristina Chetcuti (See video above). 
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Malta police have more top brass than London Met

February 9, 2014, 1:12 am
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The Malta Police Force has more deputy and assistant police commissioners than the London Metropolitan Police, whose force is some 17 times the size. An exercise carried out by The Sunday Times of Malta also showed that the Maltese force has more officers serving in its second and third highest positions than its counterparts in Ireland (An Garda Síochána), and more third-ranking officials than the much larger Police Scotland. Last week seven new assistant police commissioners were appointed, bringing the total number of officers holding the Malta Police Force’s third highest rank to 10. This followed the appointment of the three deputy commissioners last month. When the Nationalist government was voted out in March, there was one deputy commissioner and eight assistant commissioners. The London Met has one deputy commissioner and four assistant commissioners. More comparisons, details, in The Sunday Times of Malta and the e-paper on timesofmalta.com Premium.
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New ID cards to be rolled out this week

February 8, 2014, 3:26 pm
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The new cards may have a lifespan of 10 years. Photo: Matthew Mirabelli

The long-awaited new identity cards are set to be rolled out from Wednesday, but initially only those needing an urgent renewal and those obtaining their identification document for the first time will be eligible. The mass rollout to renew some 320,000 cards will be carried out in the near future, as the government wanted to take a gradual approach, according to Godwin Grima, head of the task force in charge of this project. However, further delay is no longer possible as Malta would risk losing €7.7 million from the EU, which funded this project under the digital agenda initiative for the period between 2007 and 2013. “Rather than funding the new cards, the EU is financing the accessibility of electronic services as the new ID card will give access to a host of e-government and other online services,” Dr Grima said. From a strictly security point of view, the new cards will have two digital certificates embedded on an electronic chip to guarantee its authenticity as well as the holder’s signature. As a result, if it goes missing nobody else would be able to use it unless they get hold of the personal identification number and password, just like a debit card. Those who...
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Federica Falzon triumphs again in RAI show

February 8, 2014, 10:19 pm
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Updated - new video Young Maltese Federica Falzon again displayed her magical soprano voice as she won yesterday's edition of Rai Uno's Ti Lascio una Canzone. It was her second victory in as many weeks, this time singing Il mare calmo della sera. In both cases she formed a duet with young Italian Vincenzo Carnì. They had won the first edition with Un amore così grande. Falzon turns 11 on February 17. The duet received a standing ovation and the judges showered them with praise. The accent of yesterday's edition was the 60th anniversary of television and the San Remo Festival and it was with Il mare calmo della sera that  Andrea Bocelli won at San Remo 1994.
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Forensic psychologist.: Notes with crucified animals point to convicted murderer

February 8, 2014, 11:09 pm
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The notes left with crucified animals in Mosta seem to point to a convicted murderer, according to a top forensic psychologist, although it is not yet clear if they are genuine or aimed to mislead. Times of Malta yesterday revealed the contents of four notes the perpetrator left along with dead animals in 2011, 2012 and – more recently – last Monday.  (See story at http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20140208/local/police-issue-mosta-animal-killer-video.505874#.Uvcpyvsguvk “The police must have been very confused upon reading the notes. They’re very misleading,” forensic psychologist Roberta Holland told The Sunday Times of Malta. “If the notes are genuine and not written by someone who is faking it, the author clearly has a problem of flawed thinking. His train of thought does not follow the norm. There are also elements of paranoia. “There is a problem and the perpetrator is trying to resolve it. Even if it is a gimmick, it still shows this person is doing it to try and feel good about himself.” The perpetrator, Dr Holland continued, is praying for help but, at the same time, not behaving in a way that would lead to him getting help. “I suspect that the motive behind the...
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Farrugia Sacco continues to defy judiciary watchdog

February 9, 2014, 6:41 am
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Mr Justice Lino Farrugia Sacco is involved in the running of the International Committee for the Mediterranean Games (ICMG) despite not seeking re-election to the Malta Olympic Committee. The judge was censured by the Commission for the Administration of Justice over his involvement in the Malta Olympic Committee and only left that post last year as an impeachment motion for his dismissal was being discussed by the commission. He contested and was elected to the executive committee of the ICMG until 2017. Mr Justice Farrugia Sacco is president of the disciplinary anti-doping commission of the same organisation. The judiciary’s code of ethics precludes members of the Bench from holding “any office or post, even though of a temporary, voluntary or honorary nature, and may not perform any activity, which in the opinion of the commission may compromise or prejudice their position or their duties or functions”. More in The Sunday Times of Malta and the e-paper on timesofmalta.com Premium.
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Drug Squad arrests 14 in Paceville

February 10, 2014, 5:59 am
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Drug Squad Police arrested 14 persons during an operation in Paceville last night.  The arrested persons, aged between 17 and 39 years, were found in possession of cocaine, heroin, cannabis grass, ecstasy and mephedrone (meow meow). They will be arraigned in court in the coming days.
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Not enough doctors, nurses, for new hospital or enlarged Mater Dei - MAM president

February 10, 2014, 6:08 am
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The president of the Medical Association of Malta, Gordon Caruana Dingli, has cautioned that while there is a need for more hospital beds, there aren’t enough doctors and nurses for a new hospital or an enlarged Mater Dei. The investment will be substantial and the health budget will have to increase, he told Times of Malta. Health Minister Godfrey Farrugia said recently that Malta was some 400 hospital beds short to treat acute cases. Dr Caruana Dingli suggested an improved primary healthcare services to remove the need for people to go to Mater Dei; keeping elderly patients in a home environment and having lower dependency beds for the elderly to free the acute beds at Mater Dei.
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Billboards ‘tip of iceberg’

February 9, 2014, 10:01 am
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An example of three billboards placed illegally on the hard shoulder of one of Malta’s busiest junctions.

Illegal billboards of all shapes and sizes are mushrooming along arterial roads across the island. Billboards and advertising screens should be covered by a permit and owners are meant to pay encroachment fees in public places, but sources said the authorities have been turning a blind eye to illegalities. Mepa said there were currently 117 legal billboards on main roads and another 70 illegal ones subject to an enforcement notice. But according to Mepa sources, the number of illegal billboards in the authority’s files shows just the tip of the iceberg. Under the law, those served with an... This article is part of our premium content. Full story is available on Times of Malta Premium.
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Police take delivery of new motorcycles

February 10, 2014, 6:17 am
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The police force has taken delivery of 10 BMW RT 1200 motorcycles for use by the Traffic Branch.  A further four BMW 850 have been assigned to the Gozo traffic police. Some of the motorcycles are replacements for older models which have been retired.  
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‘Facebook scammer pretended to be me’

February 10, 2014, 2:48 am
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The Facebook page belonging to Rita Vella, inset, was copied by an unknown scammer.

Rita Vella received a phone call from a friend last week alerting her that someone had created a fake Facebook page using her identity. The person behind the fake page was telling people she had won the lottery and directing them to the website from where she won the money that would change her life; clearly a scam. The Facebook page was identical to hers. The fraudster had used her profile photo and other images, together with her name and other personal details. “It was horrible to see that someone can just take your photos and details and try to use them in a bad way. It’s horrible that... This article is part of our premium content. Full story is available on Times of Malta Premium.
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Anglu Xuereb updates monorail proposal

February 10, 2014, 10:46 am
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Entrepreneur Anglu Xuereb has updated his plans for a rail-based transport system. Instead of tunnels below sea level to cut across the harbours, he is suggesting inland subways closer to the road surface and a monorail transportation system. Mr Xuereb originally submitted a metro proposal 23 years ago but the project was deemed too expensive by the government. “This time around, the government is more receptive,” he said. He is proposing four main underground stations: one close to Mater Dei Hospital, another in Valletta and the others in Fgura and Marsa. Six kilometres of track would be underground where, he notes, it is “easy to dig tunnels” due to the geology of the islands. Another 1.5 kilometre-long stretch in Marsa would be above ground. His original proposal would have cost €400 million in today’s money. His newly revised proposal is estimated to cost about €300 million. The largest expense would be the building of an underground car park able to take 2,000 vehicles at each station. The project would also include electric cabins or buggies used at transportation nodes. A number of them would circle Valletta, he said, encouraging commuters to venture off the common...
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