10 years ago - The Times

Friday, December 12, 2008

High rate of teenage pregnancies

Malta has one of the highest rates of teenage pregnancies in the EU, according to a new report comparing data on maternal and infant health across the continent for the first time.

The European Perinatal Health Report (EPHR) says that Malta had a teenage delivery rate of 5.8 per cent of all women who gave birth in 2004, which is the year for which data were collected. This places it in seventh place alongside Poland among 25 EU states and Norway. The lowest rate was registered in Denmark (1.3 per cent) and the highest in Latvia (9.3 per cent).

For the purposes of the report, a low proportion of births to teenage mothers was defined as below three per cent and those in the intermediate position between three and five per cent. Malta falls in the last category with a relatively high rate. At the other end of the scale, a total of 11.7 per cent of women were registered as delivering at 35 years or older in Malta when compared to 7.5 per cent in Slovakia and 24.3 per cent in Ireland.

The figure for Malta is among the lowest in Europe. The Euro-Peristat (perinatal statistics) report notes that both early and late childbearing are associated with higher-than-average rates of preterm birth, growth restriction and perinatal (before and after birth) mortality.

25 years ago - The Times

Sunday, December 12, 1993

Armed Forces chief may be asked to resign

The head of the Armed Forces of Malta, Brigadier Maurice Calleja, has denied he is under pressure to resign his post following the recent arrest and arraignment of his daughter, 24-year-old Clarissa Cachia, on cocaine possession and trafficking charges. Mrs Cachia is being held in jail pending the court’s compilation of evidence.

But government sources said yesterday that if Brigadier Calleja does not offer his resignation voluntarily, he will be putting the government in an embarrassing situation, which could lead to his forced removal.

Dutch academics reply to press reports

Two Dutch academics have written to The Sunday Times, through their lawyer, following a report carried on November 28.

Writing on their behalf, Dr Grazio Mercieca pointed out that Dr Veronica Veen is not an archaeologist but a cultural anthropologist and art historian, holding degrees in both specialities from Dutch universities. Dr Veen and her husband Dr Adrian van der Blom, denied they are in dispute with the Museum authorities over excavation works at Tac-Ċawla, Gozo.

Half a century ago - Times of Malta

Thursday, December 12, 1968

Tunis-Malta flights boost to tourism and business

The Malta Airlines and British European Airways yesterday started operating their scheduled once-weekly London-Tunis-Malta return services, using the ‘Comet’.

BEA operated on the Malta-Tunis route some 11 years ago. The Malta Airlines, which have now been given the licence to operate on the same route, decided to introduce the service on a scheduled basis as a result of the findings of the Malta Government’s exploratory trade mission which visited Tunisia last June.

Electricity board workers ordered to strike

The Government Section of the General Workers’ Union and the National Association of Clerical and Supervisory Staffs last night ordered 600 Malta Electricity Board workers to go on an indefinite strike as from 7am today.

A statement issued last night above the signatures of Mr J. Borg, president, and Mr G.N. Campagna, Secretary of the Government Section, states that the strike was ordered in support of 10 claims before the Malta Electricity Board.

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