Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1249395
8 maltatoday | WEDNESDAY • 20 MAY 2020 NEWS Today 100 best recipes Today 100 best recipes FOOD Saying it aS it iS SAVIOUR BALZAN Volume I In volume 1 of 'Saying it as it is', Saviour Balzan tells the story of his journey from being an active environmentalist, to becoming a teacher, a politician, a journalist and finally, the owner of a media house. In his uncouth and abrasive style, he speaks frankly about the thankless job of being an investigative reporter and what running a media house truly entails. But perhaps more interesting, however, are the anecdotes and inside stories also embedded in the narrative, which pick up on key happenings over the past few years. The book also has a semi-autobiographical streak, as Balzan reminisces over the incidents that ended up having an effect on his writings. He uncovers the political networks and the friends and foes of the politicians who dominated the Maltese political scene for the past 35 years. Zoning in on events which he believes left a lasting impact on readers, Balzan expands on the background behind important news stories. In 'Saying it as it is', what emerges most clearly is that scandals have no political boundaries. Saviour Balzan takes us through a brief journey of his journalistic work. He also underscores the influence of politics and politicians in Malta, and the challenges of independent journalism. MediaToday Co. Ltd. Vjal ir-Rihan, San Gwann. SGN 9016, Malta www.maltatoday.com.mt Saying it aS it iS Volume I SAVIOUR BALZAN SAVIOUR BALZAN was born in Birkirkara, Malta in 1963. He was a biology and environmental science teacher for eight years and a part-time journalist during that time. He was active in the environmental lobby and later co-founded the Green Party in 1989 but left politics altogether in 1997. He worked for the newspapers il-Fehma, Alternattiva, The People, and The Independent. He was appointed editor of MaltaToday in 1999 and today co-owns that same newspaper, as well as the independent media company MediaToday based in San Gwann. At MaltaToday he built a reputation for running the most daring, investigative and independent newsroom. He hosted the TV discussion programme Reporter for seven years on PBS until his programme was stopped in 2009. He now hosts the same daily discussion programme on Favourite Channel. He lives in Naxxar with his wife and two children. €30 ISBN 978-99957-0-427-8 20mm All round Bleed DRAGONFLIES AND DAMSELFLIES OF THE MALTESE ISLANDS DRAGONFLIES AND DAMSELFLIES OF THE MALTESE ISLANDS Charles Gauci Dragonflies are large, oen brightly coloured, insects which few people would not notice actively flying over water, whether it is while walking along water reservoirs in valleys or while visiting gardens where water features are present. However, these are only one stage in their life cycle aer having spent a much longer period living under water as larvae. Most species of dragonflies and damselflies are highly habitat specific in both their larval and adult stages. e Maltese Islands lack most types of riparian habitats and as a result the number of species found locally is very small. is is compensated for by the high concentration of these insects at most water bodies. is book describes each of the nineteen species recorded in the Maltese Islands and each species is amply illustrated by photographs which, for the commoner species, illustrate most or all the stages in their life cycle. It is hoped that besides being of help and interest to nature lovers, it will also raise a much needed awareness among the general public about biodiversity and nature conservation,. e author spent fourteen years teaching Integrated Science and Biology at secondary State schools before moving to the Għadira Nature Reserve where he was Managing Warden until his retirement twenty four years later. He has been interested in dragonflies for the last ten years. Having been an avid bird watcher since his early teens, he co-authored a number of ornithological books – Bird Studies on Filfla, L-Agħsafar, A Guide to the Birds of Malta, A New Guide to the Birds of Malta and e Breeding Birds of Malta. He also co-authored several ornithological papers and was the editor of BirdLife Malta's scientific journal 'il- Merill' from 1986 to 1994. Since his initial interest in dragonflies in 2008 he has been so fascinated by these wonderful insects to the extent that they now oen take precedence over birds. ISBN: 978-99957-894-0-4 CHURCHES IN MALTA maltatoday PART 1 TOWERS, FORTS & BATTERIES IN MALTA maltatoday MALTATODAY ©2017 in collaboration with the MTA TOWERS, FORTS & BATTERIES IN MALTA maltatoday CHURCHES PART 2 maltatoday MALTATODAY ©2019 in collaboration with the MTA IN GOZO maltatoday CHURCHES IN GOZO MATTHEW AGIUS A man has been remanded in custody over an alleged arson attack on a residence in Luqa in December last year. Before magistrate Rachel Montebello this morning, 45-year-old Alan Brown of Pietà was accused of voluntarily setting fire to a residence when there was a person inside and criminal damage. Inspectors Mario Xiberras and Hubert Ci- ni accused the unemployed man of having set alight a potted plant near a house in Triq il-Wilga, Luqa on 19 December last year between 3am-5am. The front door of the house subsequently caught fire. At least one person was inside the house at the time of the alleged arson. Lawyer Martha Mifsud, appointed as legal aid to the man, did not contest the validity of the arrest. Brown pleaded not guilty to the charges. Inspector Xiberras told the court police and court experts had established that the fire had been started deliberately. The fire was put out by the occupants. Less than €250 in damages were suffered. But more arrests are in the pipeline with regards to this crime, said the inspector. Bail was requested. The damage inflicted was minimal and the accused had collabo- rated fully with the police and had indicat- ed third parties. His mother, aged over 70, needed him to take care of her, they said. Inspector Xiberras objected to bail as the investigation was still ongoing. The pros- ecution also requested a ban on the publi- cation of the circumstances of the crime, in particular about the details of the investiga- tions which led to the accused. The court, after taking into account the law and the fact that the investigations are still underway with respect to third parties, upheld the request for the ban and prohib- ited the publication of the circumstances which led to the arrest of the accused, as well as the particular facts of which investi- gations are being made. The accused was remanded in custody in view of his criminal record and the particu- lar circumstances of the case, due to the fear of the accused interfering or tampering with evidence, amongst others. Man remanded in custody over Luqa arson JAMES DEBONO A four-storey hotel controversially approved outside the development zones on Xaghra's Marsalforn road in 2018 is now seeking to sanction two illegally excavated basement levels. The hotel is being constructed in close proximity to a number of cave structures. The regularisation of the excavations would allow the hotel two extra base- ment levels for an indoor pool and gym, and a 27-slot car park not fore- seen in the original permit. Moreover the latest application also foresees an extension in the footprint of the hotel, which is itself not even mentioned in the application and sim- ply referred to as placing the hotel "on a different layout". But plans comparing today's plans with the 58-room hotel approved in 2018 clearly show the hotel will be oc- cupying a larger footprint. The hotel overlooks the valley be- tween Marsalforn and Xaghra. Al- though partly located in a rural ham- let, its footprint will extend into the neighbouring countryside. The site presently consists of an abandoned agricultural farmhouse with a 220sq.m footprint and adjoining agricultural fields. Hotels are not mentioned among the types of development allowed in rural hamlets in the Gozo local plan. The only tourist development envisaged in these areas are hostels. The development will also include two swimming pools outside the boundaries of the hamlet, and an ad- jacent three-storey terraced house. The Superintendence for Cultural Heritage had previously drawn atten- tion to the presence of caves along the overhanging rock falling immediately outside the site footprint proposed for development, as well as beneath the site's footprint. The development is being proposed by developer Alfred Refalo and will be managed by Frankie Spiteri, who also manages the Quaint Hotel chain in Gozo. Xaghra hotel wants illegal excavations sanctioned