Inbound tourists in August 2008 are estimated to have increased by 1.2 per cent when compared to the same month in 2007. Year on year, total nights spent decreased by 0.4 per cent. August 2008 - According to the ongoing frontier survey, tourist departures in August are estimated at 178,570, implying an increase of 1.2 per cent over the same month in 2007. The increase reflects primarily a rise in the Italian, German and Scandinavian markets, while tourists coming from UK, Netherlands and France registered decreases. Results also show that 87.7 per cent of inbound tourists in August came to Malta on holiday. Meanwhile, total nights spent decreased by 0.4 per ... Read more...

The Employment and Training Corporation and the European Employment Service (EURES) in Malta organised the annual European Job Days fair. This fair was held simultaneously in over 200 cities across Europe. The purpose of the European Job Days are to promote workers' mobility across Europe. EURES Malta, which operates within ETC, organised the fair to promote several employment opportunities in Europe. Job Days play a key part of encouraging labour mobility, and therefore economic growth, in Europe. Areas of the world with a high degree of labour mobility are places with high economic growth. Europeans have traditionally been reluctant to move for work, even though mobility encourages better skills, better standards of living and a ... Read more...

Enemalta have advised that there will be power suspensions in Nadur tomorrow, Wednesday the 1st of October, between the hours of 8.00am and 3.00pm. The following areas will be affected by these scheduled power suspensions: Triq il-Qortin, Triq San Blas, Triq Torri Sopu, Triq Wied ir-Rihan, Triq Wied Bingema, Triq Attard Frangisk, Triq Dahlet Qorrot, Triq Ellul Mercer Guze, Dahlet ta' Gazaman, Triq tar-Rdum and Trejqet ta' Xurdin

This weeks 30th of September edition of The Maltese Herald Gozo section is now available for download by clicking here. Previous editions are also available by clicking on this link. The stories covered in this weeks issue are: Don Bosco Summer Club ends with special activities. Restoration works at the Xaghra Collegiate and Basilica church. Gozitan altarboys at the Vatican. A commemorative lapidary unveiled at Xaghra Parish. Gozo marked the 44th anniversary of independence with a ceremony at Independence Square, Victoria. Parishioners from Ghajnsielem went on a pilgrimage to Lourdes on the occasion of the 150 anniversary of Our Lady's apparitions to Bernardette Soubirous.

MaltaPost has announced that a special hand postmark - 50 Sena Bazilika San Gorg 1958 - 2008, will be used at the St. George's Basilica's Parish Office, Triq il-Karita', Victoria, Gozo on Sunday 5th October 2008 between 9.00am and 12.30pm. The special hand postmark commemorates the occasion of the 50th Anniversary from the announcement of the arrival of the Basilica of St George (1958). Envelopes cancelled with this special postmark can also be ordered from the Philatelic Bureau, 305, Triq Hal-Qormi, Marsa MTP 1001, telephone 25961749, or e-mail: philately@maltapost.com....

The Gozo Federation for Persons with Disabilities has highlighted the fact that only seven of the fourteen local council buildings in Gozo are fully accessible. These findings are from a recent survey conducted by the FSU on physical access to, and within local council buildings. The Federation added that while they appreciate the work that has been done, and time given by all council members for the good of the localities they would like to remind everyone that individuals with disabilities are to be considered as equal local citizens. They have the right to have an equal opportunity to benefit from services offered and participate in all activities. The Federation stressed the importance ... Read more...

The Committee Against Bird Slaughter (CABS) has announced that its Bird Guard operations against illegal bird hunting on Malta have been extended. "As a result of the massive scale of birds shot in the past two weeks part of the group have volunteered to stay on and have taken extra unpaid leave from their jobs," the CABS president Heinz Schwarze explains. In the past weeks 24 CABS activists have registered 257 offences against hunting regulations, including 45 directly observed shooting down/injuring and 97 attempted shooting of protected birds, 30 offences involving the use of illegal electronic lures, 83 breaches ... Read more...

April-June 2008: Balance of Payments Transactions with the World - A provisional Balance of Payments statement for the second quarter of 2008 shows a deterioration in the current account balance of €123.3 million, from a net deficit of €46.0 million during the June 2007 quarter to one of €169.2 million during the June quarter this year. Leading towards this outcome was essentially an equal worsening in the net balances of both the goods account as well as the income account of the statement. In fact, the visible trade gap in the goods account expanded by €107.2 million, from a net deficit of €212.4 million during the second quarter of 2007 to one of €319.6 million during the ... Read more...

Alternattiva Demokratika has said that the number of protected species of birds shot dead this week is a major cause for concern. AD Chairperson, Arnold Cassola said AD condemns the irresponsibility of those hunters who are flouting the law. This continuous flouting of the law can only lead to further action by the EU against Malta. On his part, Carmel Cacopardo, AD spokesperson on sustainable development and local government said that AD is pleased that FKNK secretary Lino Farrugia has also publicly condemned hunters who are hunting protected species. FKNK sias that apart from embarrassing the whole hunting community the continuous flouting of the law can lead to the closing of the hunting season. Carmel ... Read more...

Enemalta have advised that there will be power suspensions in Sannat tomorrow, Tuesday the 30th of September, between the hours of 8.00am and 12.00pm. The following areas will be affected by these scheduled power suspensions: Triq Dun Xand Aquilina, Triq ta' Cenc and Triq Santa Marija.