The US Supreme Court on Friday ended the right to abortion in a seismic ruling that shreds half a century of constitutional protections on one of the most divisive and bitterly fought issues in American political life. The conservative-dominated court overturned the landmark 1973 "Roe v Wade" decision that enshrined a woman's right to an abortion, saying that individual states can now permit or restrict the procedure themselves. "The Constitution does not confer a right to abortion; Roe and Casey are overruled; and the authority to regulate abortion is returned to the people and their elected representatives," the court said. In the majority opinion, Justice Samuel Alito said "abortion presents a profound moral issue on which Americans hold sharply conflicting views. "The Constitution does not prohibit the citizens of each State from regulating or prohibiting abortion," he said.  Dissenting were the three liberals on the court. The ruling will likely set into motion a cavalcade of new laws in roughly half of the 50 US states that will severely restrict or outright ban and criminalize abortions, forcing women to travel long distances to states that still permit the procedure. The...

Travellers who arrived on an Air Malta flight from Heathrow last week can finally heave a sigh of relief as their stranded luggage finally made it home on Friday. Following a technical malfunction at London's Heathrow Airport baggage system, around 100 bags belonging to airline passengers who returned to Malta on Friday last week were still waiting to be delivered a week later. As the conveyor belt at the airport was not working, passengers were asked to leave their luggage a few metres away from the check-in point, passengers had told Times of Malta as they described the “carpet of luggage” at UK’s busiest airport.  Only one Air Malta flight was impacted by the issue. Up until Friday morning, passengers were still in the dark about what had happened to their belongings. But an Air Malta spokesperson informed Times of Malta later that some 100 bags were delivered to Malta on Friday and are currently being processed for collection or delivery to passengers.  “The process of contacting passengers has started and passengers will be informed to either collect them or have them delivered. There are around 100 bags to process so it takes a while." Air Malta apologised to its...

Italian Francesco Bagnaia negotiated the slippery conditions to set the fastest time after Friday’s first two practice sessions ahead of the Dutch MotoGP at Assen. The Ducati rider had trailed in the first session under the rain but took advantage of the dry track in the second later in the afternoon for a quickest lap of 1min 46.877sec to edge out Spaniard Aleix Espargaro of Aprilia by 0.178sec. The 25-year-old Italian is looking to make up for his fall last week when he was in pole position at the German MotoGP. World champion Fabio Quartararo, who leads Espargaro in the overall standings this season, said he “preferred not to push to the maximum” in the rain and was third fastest for Yamaha at 0.305sec around the 4.542km Assen circuit.  Continue reading this article on SportsDesk, the sports website of the Times of Malta

A 77-year-old man was grievously injured on Friday in an accident at Vittoriosa. The police said the accident happened in Triq il-Kottonera at 8.50am. The victim, who lives in Żabbar, lost control of the Mitsubishi Pajero he was driving and crashed with a parked Ford Transit. He was given first aid by a medical team on site and was then transferred to hospital by ambulance. The police are investigating.    

Germany would be confronted with "difficult societal decisions" in the event of a gas shortage, its economy minister said on Friday, as Russian supplies of the fuel dwindle. "When there is not enough gas, some industries that need gas will have to be turned off," Economy Minister Robert Habeck told magazine Der Spiegel. On Thursday, Habeck raised the alert level under Germany's emergency gas plan after supplies of gas from Russia were slashed, bringing Europe's economy one step closer to rationing.  Russian energy giant Gazprom last week reduced deliveries via the Nord Stream pipeline to Germany by 60 per cent, attributing the move to a delayed repair. Germany has dismissed the gas company's technical justification, seeing a "political" motive behind the decision: retaliation for the West's support for Ukraine following Moscow's invasion. The reduction in supplies has put Germany in a position it had never been before, Habeck said, with both German industries and households both reliant on energy imports to meet their needs. Without enough gas, Germany would "have to make difficult societal decisions", Habeck said, adding that there were "no good decisions, only less wrong...

Updated US lawmakers broke a decades-long stalemate on firearms control Friday, passing the first major safety regulations in almost 30 years, less than 24 hours after the Supreme Court bolstered the right to bear arms. Gun regulation is a touchstone issue for both conservatives and liberals in the United States that has consumed national politics amid multiple mass shootings in recent years. The Democratic-led House of Representatives voted to rubber-stamp a bipartisan Senate gun bill that - while modest - amounts to the first significant piece of legislation to regulate firearms since 1994. Fourteen Republicans defied their leader Kevin McCarthy to cross the aisle and approve the 80-page package, which advanced from the evenly-divided upper chamber with cross-party backing late Thursday. That vote came hours after the Supreme Court's conservative majority had struck down a century-old New York law requiring permits for concealed-carry handguns. The gun legislation includes enhanced background checks for younger buyers and federal cash for states introducing "red flag" laws that allow courts to temporarily remove weapons from those considered a threat. Billions of dollars have...

The issue of a sewage overflow which caused a “nauseating stench” for Sliema residents was resolved on Thursday evening but the situation is still being monitored. Last week, the health authorities banned swimming in part of the popular Qui-si-Sana bay in Sliema because of a sewage overflow and placed signs on the rocks along the beach. The sewage leak formed green puddles on the beach, where the contaminated water ending up in the sea. One resident told Times of Malta that the smell of the sewage was “nauseating”. Mayor John Pillow pleaded with the authorities to remove the outflow at Qui-si-Sana and return the bay to the people. People were still swimming at Qui-si-Sana in spite of a ban. Photo: Matthew Mirabelli On Friday, both the Environmental Health Directorate and the Water Services Corporation (WSC) confirmed that the situation had been resolved but the site was still being monitored by the authorities. “The ban will be lifted once the water samples are negative to contaminated water, a spokesperson for the Environmental Health Directorate told Times of Malta.  But although the ban was still in place on Friday, people were still sunbathing near the puddles of...

Swedish veteran Sarah Sjostrom surged to her fourth straight world title in the women’s 50m butterfly in Budapest on Friday. In the night’s second final, Ben Proud claimed Britain’s first gold of the championships as he grabbed victory in the 50m freestyle. Sjostrom won her race in 24.95sec to edge Frenchwoman Melanie Henique by 0.36sec with China’s Zhang Yufei third at 0.37. She tied the record for most consecutive world titles in the same event, but the record could prove short-lived. American Katie Ledecky was racing the women’s 800m freestyle, which she has won four straight times, later in the evening. Continue reading this article on SportsDesk, the sports website of the Times of Malta

Xewkija celebrates the feast of St John the Baptist on Sunday, June 26. Gozo Bishop Anton Teuma will lead a Pontifical Mass at 9am. Fr Mario Attard, OFM Cap. will deliver the panegyric. The Missa Papa Giovanni XXIII, by Mro Joseph Vella, will be executed. The orchestra will be directed by Mro Colin Attard, with the participation of Vox Clamantis choir. The Victory Band will play marches along the main streets of Xewkija at noon, followed by a fireworks display synchronised with music. Archpriest Mgr Daniel Xerri will lead a solemn Mass at 6.15 pm, followed by the procession with the statue of the saint. The Precursor Band, under the direction of Mro Mark Gauci, will take part. Celebrations will be broadcast on Radju Prekursur 99.3FM and streamed on www.radjuprekursur.com

Former Manchester United and England star Wayne Rooney has resigned as manager of troubled Derby as the club prepare for their first season in the third tier for 36 years. Rooney was unable to keep Derby in the Championship last season after the crisis-torn club were hit by a 21-point deduction as punishment for financial issues. In his first managerial role, Rooney impressively kept Derby in contention to avoid relegation into the final weeks of the season. That valiant effort had suggested the 36-year-old would be able to lead Derby to promotion from League One next season. But with Derby remaining in administration throughout a turbulent close-season, Rooney has opted to quit the Rams with the new campaign starting on July 30. Continue reading this article on SportsDesk, the sports website of the Times of Malta

The Planning Commission has approved an application for a deer farm on land outside the development zone near Mġarr, after the applicants dropped their original proposal for a slaughterhouse on site. The commission voted against the Planning Directorate’s recommendation for refusal – which included strong objections by the Environment and Resources Authority – following the removal of the slaughterhouse, a visitors’ centre and a proposed winery from the application. There are already 200 deer on site, in line with permits issued by the veterinary department. “The latest drawings are considered to address the reasons for refusal since the originally proposed winery and slaughterhouse were removed from the proposal. The latest drawings were accepted by the Agriculture Advisory Committee,” chairman Martin Camilleri said before he and the two commission members, Anthony Borg and Frank Ivan Caruana Catania, proceeded to vote in favour. The approved application was submitted by architect Charles Buhagiar on behalf of applicants Emanuel Ciantar, Francis Galea and Nazzareno Galea. There are already 200 deer on site, in line with permits issued by the veterinary department. The site...

The European Commission called Friday on the members of the aviation sector to join an alliance to prepare for the advent of carbon-neutral aircraft. It envisages the Alliance for Zero Emission Aviation alliance including representatives of aircraft manufacturers, airlines, airports, energy companies and fuel providers, as well as passenger and environmental interest groups and regulators and certification agencies. All will work to "identify all barriers to the entry into commercial service of these aircraft, establish recommendations and a roadmap to address them, promote investment projects and create synergies and momentum amongst members," said the commission. The decarbonisation of aviation, which currently contributes between 2.5 and 3% of global CO2 emissions, is one of the major challenges toward the carbon neutrality goal the EU seeks to achieve by 2050. In the immediate future, reducing the aviation sector's footprint will require sustainable aviation fuels that can replace the current fossil ones. Manufacturers are also working on new generations of regional aircraft using hybrid or electric propulsion, with a range of several hundred kilometres. The European...

Former US president Donald Trump on Friday said "God made the decision" to end the national right to abortion after the Supreme Court overturned nearly five decades of settled law. "This is following the Constitution, and giving rights back when they should have been given long ago," Trump told Fox News after a 6-3 majority said individual states should be allowed to make their own rules on abortion. Asked if he felt he played a role in this outcome, having appointed three conservative justices to the court while in office, Trump said "God made the decision." But a short time later, the 45th president chimed in again to take credit for the ruling. "Today’s decision, which is the biggest WIN for LIFE in a generation...(was) only made possible because I delivered everything as promised, including nominating and getting three highly respected and strong Constitutionalists confirmed to the United States Supreme Court," he said in a statement. "It was my great honour to do so!" Trump's four years in office saw the appointment of three justices that tilted the balance of the Supreme Court to its current conservative majority. Those appointees were Neil Gorsuch, Brett Kavanaugh and Amy...

After conceding their first league defeat at the hands of San Ġiljan, Sliema picked expected spoils at the expense of Birżebbuġa in the first series of crossovers. Likewise, in the other crossover match, there was nothing Exiles could do against leaders Neptunes whose powerful shooting sent Matthew Castillo’s net bulging with regularity. Sliema will hope this will be a victory which would hopefully open the way for a long winning streak for the Blues whose pride was vented last Wednesday when San Ġiljan punctured their invincible aura. Sliema’s seven-goal barrage in the opening session dismantled Birżebbuġa who found no answer to Zach Mizzi’s scoring instincts. At 10-1 it was game over by the long interval. Continue reading this article on SportsDesk, the sports website of the Times of Malta

Obituaries AQUILINA. On June 24, Sr ANTONIA, aged 91, passed away peacefully comforted by the rites of Holy Church. She leaves to mourn her great loss the congregation of the Sisters of St Dorothy, her beloved nephews and nieces and their families, other relatives and dear friends, especially Jane Said. The funeral cortège leaves Mater Dei Hospital on Monday, June 27, at 9.30am for St Paul’s Metropolitan Cathedral, Mdina, where Mass præsente cadavere will be celebrated at 10am, followed by interment at the Rabat cemetery. No flowers by request but donations to the Dorothean missions will be appreciated. Lord, grant her eternal rest. Thank you to the hospital staff and carers for all the care and love shown towards her. SIDOTI. On June 25, MELITA aged 87, a much beloved aunt, passed away peacefully comforted by the rites of Holy Church. She leaves to mourn her loss Renato and Louise Cefai, Adriano and Valentina Cefai, Clarissa and Julian Zammit Maempel, cousins, nephews and nieces in Italy and her many friends in Malta and Italy. The funeral cortège leaves St James Hospital, Sliema, on Monday, June 27, at 8.15am for St Gregory’s parish church, Sliema, where Mass praesente...

The Commission on Gender-Based-Violence and Domestic Violence is leading an online campaign to raise awareness and educate the public about what constitutes sexual abuse and violence and how these can be prevented and handled when they occur. Sexual violence can occur on various levels and in different settings, not least in intimate relationships that, according to accounts by domestic violence survivors, start off as a perfect romance but somehow turn into a trap, or a nightmare, over time. Research shows that an insidious way that erodes relationships is ‘gaslighting’,  where the ‘gaslighter’ tries to control and violate victims’ sense of reality, distorting their perceptions of everything, from minor details of everyday life to their partners’ entire biographies. The term ‘gaslighting’ originated as the title of the 1944 film that tells the story of a young woman who is driven to believe that she is mentally ill through her husband’s manipulation. For example, he convinces her that she is wrong to believe that the lights are dimming, while he himself lowers the gas to the lights and, hence,  the title of the film. Sexual ‘gaslighting’ is a form of psychological abuse,...

In its editorial of June 14, this newspaper questioned whether there is a “smell of dead cat at the opera house”, symptomatic of “another example of the government’s missteps with regard to the whole culture sector”. I could not agree more. The site of the former Royal Opera House in Valletta has long been marred by controversy, more so now that the government has restated its intention to roof over Pjazza Teatru Rjal, the open-air theatre which formed part of Piano’s plans to transform the entrance of our capital city. I have raised this point in parliament and questioned the point behind the plan. Roofing over the theatre would reduce the noise pollution that spills into the surrounding area, the subject of justified complaints from the immediate neighbourhood. It would also keep out the natural elements, thereby extending its use through all the seasons. But this is where it stops. In no way will a roof facilitate any form of artistic representation, nor will it increase the facilities for performing artists. In fact, no venues in Malta provide adequate facilities. Very few try to come close but they still lack the professional space and set-up to provide a fully-fledged,...

The findings of a magisterial inquiry and the documents forming part of it are not readily accessible to the public. By law, the procès-verbal can only be inspected and copies distributed at the discretion of the attorney general. However, that cannot be taken to also mean that the main conclusions shall not be communicated to the parties involved. The so-called in genere inquiries are intended to collect and preserve evidence of a potential crime. They do not seek to establish whether or not a person is guilty or innocent. Instead, their function is to establish if there is enough evidence to file criminal charges. Since magisterial inquiries can cover offences punishable by imprisonment exceeding three years, cases can vary from theft of electricity to murder. Some are straightforward but others can be very sensitive and complicated. For different reasons, such exercises usually take time, leaving many victims – at least those still alive – their families and loved ones often hoping against hope that closure will come about sooner rather than later. Occasionally, the suffering and anguish of those eager to have an explanation, based on hard evidence, as to what happened to...

Two torpedoes hitting PN Two political torpedoes have hit the PN within a few days. The first one is the latest “battle” within the PN’s civil war which has been ongoing since Adrian Delia made it known that he would be contesting the PN leadership race in 2017. It started when new PN MP, Joe Giglio unleashed his unexpected attack on Maria Efimova, the alleged fraudster who had originated the Egrant story on which Daphne Caruana Galizia and Simon Busuttil had promptly jumped, believing Efimova’s accusation that the Egrant company had belonged to then prime minister Joseph Muscat’s wife, Michelle would bring down the PL government to be replaced by a PN one. Giglio’s definition of Efimova as “a manipulator of facts” and as a person who could not be trusted – adding that he had in hand documentary proof which prove what he was saying – was considered by the PN’s ‘establishment’ and its Repubblika ally as an attack also on the PN’s credibility and “an insult” to the memory of the slain blogger. Joe Giglio unleashed an attack on Maria Efimova. One must keep in mind that then magistrate Aaron Bugeja’s 15-month inquiry had concluded that Efimova’s accusations were not only unfounded...

The police are expected to drop criminal charges filed against two senior government officials over health and safety breaches at the Gozo courthouse. This follows the justice ministry paying a fine of €1,500 and doing a programme of works to bring the courthouse in line with minimum standards by the end of this month. The fine was issued by the police after the Occupational Health and Safety Authority found multiple shortcomings during an audit of the courthouse last year. A spokesperson for the justice ministry confirmed that the €1,500 fine issued by the OHSA had been paid in full. Sources said that, in view of these developments, the police would withdraw the charges when the two officials appear in court on Monday. Times of Malta reported earlier this month that criminal charges had been issued against Gozo Courts director general Mary Debono Borg, 59, of Fontana, and Court Services Agency chief executive Eunice Maria Grech Fiorini, 42, of Tarxien over their failure to ensure minimum health and safety standards at the Victoria courts. Borg is the mother of Nationalist MP Alex Borg. The two are due to be charged in their personal capacity but the case may now well be a...