BirdLife Malta has announced that, this summer, a pair of Little Egrets (Agrett Abjad) nested, for the first time ever in Malta or Gozo, in the Salina area laying three eggs. Breeding activity at the Salina site was suspected in mid-June by the owner of the land who immediately proceeded to inform BirdLife Malta about this activity and invited members of the organisation to visit. The visit resulted in the confirmation of the presence of a nest containing three eggs. At this time, the news was kept under wraps in order to protect the birds from being targeted by illegal hunters, as Little Egrets are often shot illegally during migration. Read more...

Moviment Graffitti has said that it strongly objects to the development described in No. 5277/96 which seeks to develop large tracts of virgin land at Ta' Cenc as a first heritage park and Multi-ownership tourist hotel development including approximately 33 bungalows and 37 villas. "If the permit is given it will continue to reduce the precious little remaining natural landscape that we as Maltese citizens still have and should be actively preserving for future generations." Moviment Graffitti is against further development at Ta' Cenc for the following specific reasons, listed in detail below : Read more...

The Ministry for Rural Affairs and the Environment has announced this year's autumn bird hunting and trapping seasons following recommendations made by the Ornis Committee - Hunting from the ground will be permitted between the 11th of September 2007 and the 31st of January 2008, whilst hunting at sea will be allowed from the 1st of October 2007 to the 31st of January 2008. The trapping season for songbirds will be open from the 1st of October 2007 until the 31st of January 2008, whilst that of turtle doves and quail will open from the 1st of September 2007 to the 31st of January 2008. The trapping of blackbirds and golden plovers will be permissible between the 20th of October 2007 and the 10th of January 2008. Read more...

The government is still holding discussions over demands from bakers to either increase the subsidy on the production of the traditional Maltese loaf, or to raise the regulated price by two cents per loaf. The Bakers' Cooperative has threatened to halt the production of the hobza tal-Malti, the price of which is regulated, and instead only produce other types of bread, which are not regulated. Read more...

Enemalta corporation has announced changes in the price of fuels for September. The higher prices include an increase of 2.7 mills given in the commission to service station owners. The price of unleaded petrol will rise from 46c3 to 46c4 per litre and LRP from 49c3 to 49c4. However, the price for diesel has decreased by 8 mills per litre from 42c5 to 41c7 and kerosene has decreased by 9 mills from 42c4 to 41c5. The price of 200 degree thin fuel oil will increase by Lm2.50 per tonne, 450 degree thin fuel oil increases by Lm3.00 per tonne and 950 degree thin fuel oil increases by Lm4 per tonne.

During a press conference at the Marsalforn Tower, Green Party leader, Dr. Harry Vassallo, together with members of the Gozo Regional Committee of AD, put their muscle into cleaning up some of the mass of broken bottles, plastic debris and other rubbish around the tower and littering the historic saltpans. Dr. Vassallo said that "Whereas the Minister for Gozo recently issued a media release boasting about how much she cares about Gozo's heritage and her purported intention to present it to tourists in the best possible light, she negligently ignores the obvious fact that Gozo's natural and historical environment is our most valuable asset for attracting high added value tourism and the career opportunities associated with it." Read more...

Sale of tickets for the Malta Music Festival's spectacular events spread over the first two days of November will kick off later this week from all GO outlets in Malta and Gozo. The two-day event, a first-time mix for Malta, is expected to attract huge crowds. Football supporters of Italy and England as well as Simply Red fans - not to mention sports enthusiasts and music lovers in general, can get their tickets from GO outlets. Tickets for the gala dinner which will be held after the match will also be on sale. Read more...

A wide range of upgrading and modernisation works is currently underway simultaneously in six schools in Gozo in preparation for the beginning of the next scholastic year. This means that work is currently in progress in just under half of the public schools in Gozo for students below 16 years of age. The Minister for Gozo, Giovanna Debono, visited the works in progress at the Xewkija, Nadur, Ghajnsielem and Zebbug primary schools yesterday. The Minister said that, the current works once again confirm the Ministry's commitment in the continual development of the educational sector on Gozo. Read more...

Enemalta have advised that there will be power suspensions in Zebbug tomorrow, Friday the 31st of August, between the hours of 8am and 12.30pm. The following areas will be affected by these scheduled power suspensions: Triq Ic-Cnus, Triq Sant' Indrija, Triq Fra Baskal, Triq Dun Karm Cachia, Triq Mons Guzeppi Depiro, Triq Il-Kanun, Triq Il-Mithna, Triq Il-Ponta and Triq Il-Kap Frangisk Vella

The Menhir Qala Folk Group, a traditional Gozitan song and dance folk group from Qala, has been invited to participate in an lnternational Folk Festival which is being held in the town of Kralyevo in Serbia next month. The group, presently made up of 17 dancers, 1 musician and a soloist soprano singer, will be representing Malta abroad for the third time since its formation in September 2003. Their first time abroad was in July 2005 when the group was invited to participate in the 3rd edition of the Mediterranean Folk Festival MIFF held in Val Piran, Slovenia where other foreign folk groups participated, amongst them from Italy. Portugal and Greece. Read more...