Environment
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Historic industries in Maltese waters
Malta can be considered as the quintessential maritime state, not just because of its island status but also due to its extensive marine resources. Its territorial waters are almost 14 times the islands’ land area and its strategic location in the...
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Birgu’s Auberge d’Italie
The Italian Knights were strongly represented and highly influential within the Order. The langue occupied a prestigious post within the Order – Captain General of the Fleet. The original auberge was destroyed during World War II and...
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Auberge de France
After the Order settled in Vittoriosa and enlarged the old Palace in Fort St Angelo as a residence of the Grand Master, they embarked on building seven Auberges for the Knights. They built one auberge for each langue except for Provence and Auvergne...
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Seas rising faster than expected
Sea levels are rising 60 per cent faster than UN projections, threatening low-lying areas from Miami to the Maldives, according to a study published yesterday. The report, issued during UN talks in Qatar on combating climate change, also said...
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A snake without venom
The leopard snake is a beautiful indigenous reptile that lives in vegetated areas and sometimes visits gardens. Despite being active during the day, it is rarely seen although it may be caught hunting at dusk. In Maltese, the leopard snake is known...
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Auberge de Castille et Portugal (Leon)
According to Bugeja et al there were two auberges of Castille, one of which was known as the vecchia alberghia di Castiglia. No known remains of this can be traced. The only remains of the second auberge, located in what was formerly known as...
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What’s eating the shells in Antartica?
The shells of some marine snails in the seas around Antarctica are dissolving as the water becomes more acidic, threatening the food chain, a study published in the journal Nature Geoscience said on Sunday. Oceans soak up about a quarter of the...
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Hopes of extension to Kyoto treaty look dim
Fifteen years ago, fears about man-made climate change were enough to bind most of the industrialised world into a treaty that was flawed but at least seemed to cement the principle that greenhouse gases must be cut. Yet today – with levels of...
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Recycling electrical, electronic waste
A revised waste directive is about to be transposed into local law. The main objective is to reduce the amount of waste electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) that piles up in landfills. Safe recovery and disposal is the ultimate aim. Among...
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Auberge d’Auvergne
This building lies adjacent to the Auberge de France. These southern French langues were responsible for the administration of the Treasury and Armouries. Although the building was spared the destruction of the war, the original fabric underwent...
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Auberge D’Aragon
This auberge, which was situated within the collacchio, housed the Knights from Aragon and Novara. This Langue was responsible for the purchase and storage of supplies of the Sacra Infermeria. Today, the façade of the building has been subject to...
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Climate change may increase Europe’s north-south divide
Rising temperatures could widen the gap between the Europe’s rich and poor nations, an EU agency warned yesterday, as it announced the warmest decade on record in the continent. The warning came in the latest report from the European Environment...
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An edible yet deadly plant
The black nightshade is a common annual or short-lived perennial plant found in disturbed habitats such as shaded road and way sides, footpaths and under trees. It is easily recognised by its small white flowers and black berries. These plants can...
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Vittoriosa’s Auberge D’Angleterre
After the Order settled in Vittgoriosa in 1530 and enlarged the old Palace in Fort St Angelo as a residence of the Grand Master, they embarked on building seven Auberges for the Knights. An individual auberge was built for each langue except for...
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No nation immune to climate change
The World Bank warned that global temperatures could rise by four degrees this century without immediate action, with potentially devastating consequences for coastal cities and the poor. Issuing a call for action, the World Bank tied the future...
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Slow-paced UN talks need an overhaul
Nations working on a deal to fight climate change should cap the size of delegations and use majority voting to overhaul negotiating rules that stifle progress and harm the interests of the poorest nations, researchers said. Almost 200 nations will...
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44 million nesting birds disappeared in UK since 1966
An estimated 44 million nesting birds have been lost from the UK since 1966, according a new report. Experts estimate that breeding birds have vanished from the British countryside at an average rate of one pair every minute. There are now thought...
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Villa Mekrech’s first victims
The diatribes between Flimkien għal Ambjent Aħjar (FAA) and the Malta Environment and Planning Authority about Villa Mekrech in Għaxaq have confused many who found it hard to follow the timeline of events and judge both entities’ actions. I have...
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Auberge d’Allemagne
The German Langue used to occupy the post of Grand Bailiff within the Order. The building is located in the central part of the city and just within the boundary of the collacchio. Although these are situated on different streets, the Auberge...
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Inquisitor’s Palace at Girgenti, Siġġiewi
Inquisitor Onorato Visconti built his summer residence at Girgenti in 1625. The palace is set within the countryside located within the valley of Għajn il-Kbira. The layout is simple and consists of a series of rooms set along a rectilinear...
