British Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Monday survived a vote of no confidence from his own Conservative MPs but with his position weakened after a sizeable number refused to back him. The Brexit figurehead called the 211-148 split a "convincing result, a decisive result".  "As a government we can move on and focus on the stuff that really matters," he told reporters. The vote -- just over two years after he won a landslide general election victory -- was brought after a string of scandals that have left the Tory party's standing in tatters. Chief among them was the "Partygate" controversy over lockdown-breaking events at Downing Street, which caused public outrage and saw him become the first serving UK prime minister to have broken the law. Johnson, 57, needed the backing of 180 MPs to survive the vote -- a majority of one out of the 359 sitting Conservatives in parliament. Defeat would have meant an end to his time as party leader and prime minister until a replacement was found in an internal leadership contest. Speculation will now turn to whether Johnson can survive having lost the confidence of so many of his own MPs -- and whether senior ministers will now resign. In...

An old adage is attributed to Lao Tzu: give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; teach him how to fish and you feed him for a lifetime. It is, effectively, the definition of education in its broadest sense, an education that enriches the mind, gives purpose to a person’s life and, everything else being equal, is conducive to a good standard of living. But life is never that simple. Anyone can learn to fish but if they cannot obtain the tools to do so, they go hungry. And that hunger is growing. Alarming headlines indicate that the rising cost of living in this post-pandemic era is hitting single families and elderly couples the worst. The recent story of a single mother of four, illiterate and unemployed, trying to scrape by on meagre benefits but having to rely on charity to make it to the end of the month is not uncommon. Just check the lines outside the many food banks or ask the indefatigable chefs at Victory Kitchen. Severe material deprivation has risen to 5.5% – 28,000 people in Malta cannot afford certain basic needs. A recent survey revealed 6.1% of the population cannot afford the most basic of needs like replacing worn-out clothes with new or owning two pairs of...

An illustrated talk, connected with the exhibition of 50 artworks by 20th century masters currently on display at Il-Ħaġar museum, was given recently by Christian Attard. An art and art history lecturer at the university, Attard treated the artistic cross-currents between Malta and Italy in the years 1920 -1964. He mentioned various Maltese artists who studied or lived in Italy – mostly in the fascist period – and discussed a couple of works, emphasizing obvious influences. He also delved on the importance of bursaries for Malta Art School students to further their studies abroad. Attard, researcher and educator, has published several articles and papers which deal with different aspects of History of Art.    

Recently, I experienced an extraordinary epi­sode in which lies, half-truths and untruths were spouted by someone in a position of leadership. The who and where is irrelevant but the lessons learnt are worth sharing. At first, I was shocked. I mean I couldn’t believe the persuasiveness of the ‘narrative’, the seeming ‘authenticity’ of the delivery and the passion injected into the communication. The reality is that leaders lie as part of their efforts to remain in power and retain power or extend power. So do the heads/managers/employees who work with them. Research shows that people tend to lie in 25 per cent of all social interactions. Psychologist Robert Feldman argues that lies and liars are part and parcel of social fabric; it is ‘normal’ to lie or be lied to. For more information, please refer to his book The Liar In Your Life: The Way To Truthful Relationships. This means that management or leadership just got harder since there is a truth bias at the workplace which prevents managers and leaders from spotting the liars or dealing with them. According to research carried out by Harvard University, “we lie if honesty doesn’t work” and the four biggest reasons why people...

Pet owners will no longer be able to take their animals with them while food shopping, despite measures to ensure safety and hygiene, as the health authorities have started clamping down on supermarkets, warning it is illegal. The sudden crackdown is expected to kick up a backlash from once contented customers who are accustomed to being accompanied by their pets, supermarket owners fear.  Last week, they received surprise on-site visits and were informed that pets were no longer allowed, in accordance with the Food Safety Act of 2004 that “prevents domestic animals from having access to places where food is prepared, handled and stored”. The supermarkets have, to date, allowed pets, either in specific trolleys  or carried in customers’ arms and in handbags, in their own carriers, or on a short leash, effectively excluding big dogs from entering. Pama and Pavi deputy CEO Malcolm Camilleri said his supermarkets have had dedicated trolleys for pets, mainly dogs, for two years now, following pressure from customers to allow them in. He was now expecting to face complaints and problems for having to reverse this policy. “From the feeling we have, pets are like kids for their owners...

The following are the top stories in Malta's newspapers. Times of Malta leads with a detailed description of how the explosion at the Mosta fireworks factory on Saturday is thought to have occurred, with experts warning that summer is the worst time to produce pyrotechnics. It also reports how British Prime Minister Boris Johnson survived a party confidence vote on Monday, but his majority was not big.   The Malta Independent gives prominence to the court testimony of a sex worker in a case involving human smuggling, She told the court she lived in fear for her life. The newspaper also reports that more people are reporting cases of domestic violence.  l-orizzont reports a declaration by the Speaker that the time has come for ordinary citizens to have a right to reply to what is said about them under privilege in parliament.  In-Nazzjon says Home Affairs Minister Byron Camilleri is refusing to give details about how Iosif Galea was allowed to leave the country despite being on police bail and under a European Arrest Warrant. It also says the opposition has requested a ruling on the way the government wants proceedings to be carried out in the Public Accounts Committee.  

Street fighting raged Tuesday for control of Ukraine's flashpoint city of Severodonetsk, with the situation changing "every hour", an official said, as Kyiv warned its troops were outnumbered by Russian forces. Just days ago, Moscow seemed close to taking the strategic industrial hub in the east but Ukrainian forces have managed to hold out. "Our heroes are holding their positions in Severodonetsk. Fierce street fights continue in the city," Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said in a video address late Monday. Concerns about a global food crisis also grew as Zelensky warned of tightening grain supplies -- Ukraine is a top producer of the commodity -- due to what Washington described as a Russian strategy of "blackmail". Thousands of civilians have been killed and millions forced to flee their homes since President Vladimir Putin ordered Russian troops into Ukraine on February 24. After being repelled from other parts of the country, including Kyiv, Russia has concentrated its assault on the eastern Donbas region and had been making slow but steady progress. Severodonetsk -- the largest city still in Ukrainian hands in the Lugansk region of the Donbas -- has been the focal...

ECB monetary operations On May 30, the European Central Bank (ECB) announced the seven-day main refinancing operation (MRO). The operation was conducted on May 31 and attracted bids from euro area eligible counterparties of €410 million, €251 million less than the previous week. The amount was allotted in full at a fixed rate equivalent to the prevailing MRO rate of zero per cent, in accordance with current ECB policy. Also on May 31, the ECB conducted the eight-day US dollar funding operation through collateralised lending in conjunction with the US Federal Reserve. This operation attracted bids of $182.50 million, which was allotted in full at a fixed rate of 1.08 per cent. Domestic Treasury bill market In the domestic primary market for Treasury bills, the Treasury invited tenders for 91-day and 182-day bills for settlement value June 2, maturing on September 1 and December 1, respectively. Bids of €35 million and €15 million were submitted for the 91-day and 182-day bills, respectively, with the Treasury accepting all submitted bids. Since €36 million worth of bills matured during the week, the outstanding balance of Treasury bills increased by €14 million, standing at...

A homeless man drowned in the US state of Arizona while three police officers watched, according to a video and transcript released to the public on Monday. The officers have been suspended pending the results of multiple investigations into the incident, according to a statement by the city of Tempe. On May 28, police responded to a "reported disturbance" between the man, 34-year-old Sean Bickings, and his partner, who were near an artificial lake, the statement said. Video footage released by the city shows officers speaking to his partner, then Bickings, who after a few minutes climbs over a fence and slowly wades into the lake. The officers tell him swimming in the lake is not allowed, but he continues to swim out and under a pedestrian bridge. The video then stops, with the city claiming the remainder is too "sensitive" and instead offers a transcript of the audio. "So what's your plan right now?" asks one of the officers, according to the transcript. "I'm going to drown. I'm going to drown," said Bickings. "No, you're not... go to the pylon and hold on," another officer responds. "I can't. I can't" said Bickings. "Okay, I'm not jumping in after you," said the second...

The 2022 waterpolo national league gets underway this evening with the opening matches from the Preliminary Round. National team coach Karl Izzo is expecting a keen battle for both this year’s title challenge as well as a place in the Premier League. This year’s championship will be contested by a record 12 teams with the inclusion of Barracuda who are making their first appearance in the national championship after an absence of several years. Birżebbuġa and Valletta will get the action under way and Izzo said that he is looking forward to what promises to be a very hard-fought campaign. “I’m really excited for the start of the season that will lead us to name the 15-man squad that will compete for a fourth time in the European Championships in Split in August,” Izzo said. Continue reading this article on SportsDesk, the sports website of the Times of Malta

A homeless man drowned in the US state of Arizona while three police officers watched, according to a video and transcript released to the public on Monday. The officers have been suspended pending the results of multiple investigations into the incident, according to a statement by the city of Tempe. On May 28, police responded to a "reported disturbance" between the man, 34-year-old Sean Bickings, and his partner, who were near an artificial lake, the statement said. Video footage released by the city shows officers speaking to his partner, then Bickings, who after a few minutes climbs over a fence and slowly wades into the lake. The officers tell him swimming in the lake is not allowed, but he continues to swim out and under a pedestrian bridge. The video then stops, with the city claiming the remainder is too "sensitive" and instead offers a transcript of the audio. "So what's your plan right now?" asks one of the officers, according to the transcript. "I'm going to drown. I'm going to drown," said Bickings. "No, you're not... go to the pylon and hold on," another officer responds. "I can't. I can't" said Bickings. "Okay, I'm not jumping in after you," said the second...

Asian markets struggled on Tuesday on long-running worries over surging inflation and rising interest rates, which overshadowed hopes that China would ease off its regulatory drive against the country’s beleaguered tech giants. A spike in US Treasury yields took the wind out of the sales for Wall Street, with focus now on the release of inflation data from the United States and China at the end of the week. Analysts are tipping the Federal Reserve to lift borrowing costs by half a point at its next three meetings as officials try to get a grip on runaway prices. But that is causing discomfort on trading floors as investors fret over the impact on economic growth and firms’ bottom lines. “Inflation concerns are not going anywhere fast,” Fiona Cincotta, at City Index, said. “Rising crude oil prices and a strong labour report have lifted bets that the Fed may need to act aggressively to rein in inflation.” And SPI Asset Management’s Stephen Innes added: “Investors are hyper-focused on inflation, economic growth, and future Fed policy. Most assume the worst and think a financial tsunami will hit the US and global markets thanks to the quorum of US-based bank CEOs that have given the...

Gareth Southgate said Germany remain the benchmark for England as a result of their trophy-winning pedigree as he prepared his side for Tuesday’s Nations League clash in Munich. England will look to bounce back from their surprise Nations League defeat to Hungary when they face the four-time World Cup winners in Munich. Southgate’s men beat their old rivals in the last 16 of Euro 2020 last year and will be hoping to repeat the feat on Tuesday. But Germany have won every match under new boss Hansi Flick, who took over from Joachim Loew after the European Championship.   Continue reading this article on SportsDesk, the sports website of the Times of Malta

Three men, believed to form part of an international pickpocketing ring, have each been handed a 54-month jail term and a €10,000 fine following a plea bargain agreement. Romanian-born Theodor Dumitrescu, 55, a driver, Vasilica Ionel Harabagiu, 40, a hairdresser and Marian Tenescu, a 41-year old fitter, were arrested in September soon after their arrival in Malta on a flight from Budapest. The arrests followed a joint operation between Europol, Interpol and law enforcement agencies across various countries to locate the trio, trace their history and movements as the suspects behind a string of thefts in tourist hotspots across Europe dating back to 2010. Police intelligence flagged the men’s return to Malta in September. Malta police believed that the suspects were involved in a pickpocketing spree targeting bus commuters on various routes along the Sliema seafront, from Valletta to St Julian’s, Mellieha to Qawra, Rabat to Valletta and Valletta to Sliema. Within minutes of their return, the trio stole a number of items, including a roll-on deodorant and toothbrush, at an airport store. Upon their arraignment, the men pleaded not guilty to theft, money laundering, criminal...

Germany’s coach Hansi Flick said on Monday that his team would need to improve against England’s ‘extraordinary players’ in a Nations League clash in Munich on Tuesday. Flick praised the English Premier League at his pre-match press conference saying “the quality is very high”.  “They have six or seven clubs of almost equal level,” said Flick, a former Bayern Munich coach. Flick said German players who move to the Premier League “take a step up”.   Continue reading this article on SportsDesk, the sports website of the Times of Malta

The Malta FA, in collaboration with Sound Salon and the South End Core, is once again organising a fan zone, before the matches between Malta and Estonia on Thursday and Malta against San Marino on Sunday.   Where is the pre-match family fan zone?  The pre-match family fan zone will take place in front of the Centenary Stadum in Ta’ Qali, close to the Malta FA Training Grounds.  The area will be adorned by red and white flags, together with gazebos, and umbrellas for the shade.  Benches and chairs will also be provided.  Before the stadium opens its doors, fans will be able to gather with the South End core at a meeting point which is in front of the Centenary Stadium, which will operate until the game begins. What time will the family fan zone open? Fans can gather at the family fan zone as from 5.00pm up to 8.30pm. Stadium doors will open at 7.15pm. Continue reading this article on SportsDesk, the sports website of the Times of Malta

A public consultation has been launched on the proposed second energy interconnector project. The Environment and Resources Authority (ERA) launched the public consultation ahead of the environmental impact assessment that will be completed later this year. Malta is set to get a second electricity interconnector linking the island to Sicily. The 200-megawatt cable is expected to cost €170 million and will run parallel to the existing interconnector that links Malta with Ragusa. It is expected to be completed in 2025. Malta’s first interconnector started operating in 2015 and enabled the island to import cheaper electricity from the European grid. Interconnect Malta, the government entity tasked with overseeing the project, has already issued tenders for technical studies for the second cable. These include a request for a preliminary marine survey analysing the seabed of a 600-metre-wide corridor between Magħtab and Marina di Ragusa. Although the new electrical cable is expected to use the same terminal stations at Magħtab and Ragusa, the cable route underwater connecting both terminal stations need to be different. This is to avoid the possibility of both cables being damaged...

Three men, believed to form part of an international pickpocketing ring, have each been jailed for four-and-a-half years and fined €10,000 following a plea bargain agreement. Romanian-born Theodor Dumitrescu, 55, a driver, Vasilica Ionel Harabagiu, 40, a hairdresser and Marian Tenescu, a 41-year old fitter, were arrested in September soon after their arrival in Malta on a flight from Budapest. The arrests followed a joint operation between Europol, Interpol and law enforcement agencies across various countries to locate the trio, trace their history and movements as the suspects behind a string of thefts in tourist hotspots across Europe dating back to 2010. Police intelligence flagged the men’s return to Malta in September. Malta police believed that the suspects were involved in a pickpocketing spree targeting bus commuters on various routes along the Sliema seafront, from Valletta to St Julian’s, Mellieha to Qawra, Rabat to Valletta and Valletta to Sliema. Within minutes of their return, the trio stole a number of items, including a roll-on deodorant and toothbrush, at an airport store. Upon their arraignment, the men pleaded not guilty to theft, money laundering, criminal...

Roberto Mancini said Monday that Wilfried Gnonto shouldn’t have pressure put on him despite the teen attacker’s Italy debut exciting fans still reeling from failing to qualify for the World Cup. FC Zurich forward Gnonto set up Lorenzo Pellegrini’s goal after coming on as a substitute in Saturday’s 1-1 Nations League draw with Germany and looked at home in a new-look Azzurri side not featuring many of those who won Euro 2020. And coach Mancini says Gnonto needs to be left in peace to develop after an explosion in interest in the 18-year-old ahead of Tuesday’s clash with League A, Group 3 leaders Hungary. “He’s only 18 and he shouldn’t have too much pressure put on him, he needs to be left alone to develop,” Mancini told reporters. Continue reading this article on SportsDesk, the sports website of the Times of Malta

Part of the promenade at Marsascala Bay collapsed early on Tuesday. No one was injured but the council urged people to avoid the site, which is close to the parish church, along the seafront.   The collapsed area was raised, to allow rainwater runoff into the sea. Mayor Mario Calleja said repair works by Infrastructure Malta will start on Wednesday morning.  The collapse happened during the night for unknown reasons, although a Facebook commenter said she had seen a cherry picker truck there.