Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1438848
16 maltatoday | WEDNESDAY • 22 DECEMBER 2021 ACROSS 1) Discovers 6) Bowler's headache 11) Pro with a balancing act? 14) Emulate an active volcano 15) Kane on an old soap 16) It fits a thole 17) Launderer of old 19) MOMA home 20) Fury 21) Bit of lingerie 22) Head-scratcher's com- ment 23) Bands around the biceps 27) Candy-coated 29) Move along quickly 30) Stops a squeak 32) Like a desert 33) Conclude 34) Disrespectful expression 36) Cut lumber further 39) "Fat chance!" 41) Certain commercial designer 43) ___ spumante wine 44) Coffee before bedtime 46) Web destinations 48) Reggae-loving guy? 49) Screen symbol 51) Rectangular paving stone 52) Mandela's party 53) Hue close to garnet 56) Algonquian speaker 58) Next to nothing? 59) Musical acuity 60) Historian's study 61) Barnyard butter? 62) Stage crew member 68) Gene's ID? 69) Metal mix 70) On the maternal side 71) Strong desire 72) "Generation of Vipers" author Philip 73) Bowling alley button DOWN 1) Handful 2) Musical Gershwin 3) Xis' predecessors 4) Oxford doctorate, briefly 5) Hi-fis 6) Follow a pattern, per- haps 7) What an athlete might tum 8) They branch out 9) Youth who flew too near the sun 10) Scarlet bird 11) House of Representa- tives member 12) Check recipient 13) Flew like a javelin 18) Part of the eye 23) In the lead 24) ___, lather , repeat 25) Native American healer 26) Some winter vehicles 28) Type of rug 31) Highway behemoths 35) Hotel figures 37) Make retribution 38) Flinch of distress 40) It's washed daily 42) Like some regions 45) Hand of a quadruped 47) Type of pistol 50) Alm ost 53) Needing editing 54) Asinine 55) Oddly amusing 57) Knight of "Seinfeld" 63) Maui finger food 64) Peacock tail feature 65) Female parents, infor- mally 66) Polished off 67) Tennis court divider Solution to last week's crossword The answers to today's crossword will be published in next week's Midweek edition Weather Partly to rather cloudy with the possibility of an occasional shower becoming cloudy with showers locally thundery, gusty and with hail at times TODAY TOMORROW Crossword WEATHER POSSIBLE SHOWERS SHOWERS 16 0 / 10 0 16 0 / 10 0 FEELS LIKE 16 0 FEELS LIKE 16 0 KURT SANSONE MALTA Public Transport has "paused" its road safety video campaign after the equality com- mission ordered the clips to be withdrawn over race and gender stereotypes. The bus company said on Tues- day afternoon that it has reached out to the National Commission for the Promotion of Equality and other organisations to dis- cuss the educational videos at the centre of controversy. "Malta Public Transport would like to ensure that its educa- tional content clearly communi- cates its values of inclusivity and equal opportunities, therefore the campaign will be paused un- til it has been discussed with all stakeholders and a consensus is reached as to the best method to raise awareness on road safety," the company said in a statement. The clips were issued by MAP- FRE Middlesea, an insurance company, and Malta Public Transport as part of an educa- tional campaign on road-safety. Earlier, the NCPE said it re- viewed the video clips and iden- tified both racial and gender stereotypes, ordering them to be withdrawn. "Although the video-clips cen- tre around cartoonish charac- ters, the storyline still portrays these characters as racialised per- sons through the use of specific skin-colours and hair-textures, with the black character depict- ed in a negative way. Addition- ally, women and men are also portrayed in stereotypical gen- der roles within and outside the household," the NCPE said. It added that in view of their problematic portrayal of gender and race, the video-clips in ques- tion should be withdrawn. The clips were condemned last week by organisations that com- bat racism. MAPFRE had de- fended the campaign, describing it as "totally innocent" and calling the reaction "disproportionate". The videos depict a black char- acter with Afro hair named Mr Careless, who drives recklessly, and a light-skinned family named the Safe family, who drive well on the road. The NCPE said that while the stereotypical depictions might have been unintentional, com- panies have to ensure that pub- lished material is free from racist and sexist stereotypes to avoid reproducing prejudice and ine- quality in society. It added that companies and other organisations can ask for assistance and training from the NCPE on matters related to equality, discrimination and har- assment. Road safety campaign 'paused' after equality commission slams videos for racial and gender stereotypes A screen shot from the road-safety awareness video which depicts a black character in a negative way, while portraying fair-skinned people in a good light