Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1529458
maltatoday | SUNDAY • 17 NOVEMBER 2024 5 ALMANAC Nature Notebook 945. European Greenfinch THE greenfinch (M. verdun) nests right across Europe all the way down to North Africa. But here we see this chunky green bird on- ly on migration, and the reason isn't the urban sprawl, though this certainly doesn't help. It's a few thousand selfish bird trappers who keep getting their way, despite the fact that trapping is supposedly illegal, as it is in the rest of the EU. An aerial view of Malta shows up several thousand oblong trapping sites – 4,400 registered this year – pock-marking the countryside like a disease, mostly concentrat- ed around the coast. With caged decoy birds and electronic callers, these hideous contraptions attract tired wild birds flying in from the sea to a violent capture and a life of captivity. So while coun- tries around us enjoy the greenfinch's wheezy call all year round, our trees lie silent. We have trappers to thank for that. Community Garden: The Giving Garden Join Friends of the Earth Malta (FoEM) for the third autumn Commu- nity Gardening event! Gain hands-on experience in crop growing, preparing the soil, pruning, composting/vermiculture, creating a seed bank, beekeeping, water con- servation, and more! Snacks and drinks provided! Saturday, 23 November 2024. 1:00 PM - 5:00PM @ Friends of the Earth Malta, Floriana. Victor Falzon, Aron Tanti (photo) Green idea of the week 80 Register your interest through the following link: https://foemalta.org/event/20241123_communitygarden/ Don't miss this Beyond Redemption Nov 20 Place: Valletta Campus Theatre Beyond Redemption - A production by Company of Dance Arts. Give nature a voice. Become a BirdLife member 50 Sena Malta Repubblika Dec 13, 14, 15 Place: St. George's Square, In 1974, the Maltese people were present in St George's Square to get a glimpse of the first President of the Republic of Malta. Fifty years later, you are invited to be part of history and join in the 50th Anniversary Celebrations in the same square. A GOOD WEEK Good Week/Bad Week A BAD WEEK When Emilia Pérez premiered earlier this year, it became one of the breakout hits of the Cannes Film Festival, where its four lead stars jointly won best actress. On Wednesday, the Spanish-language musical is released worldwide on Netflix as the film awards race continues to heat up ahead of the Oscars in March. Timothy West has died at the age of 90, his family have announced. He was known for roles on stage and screen including in TV sitcoms Not Going Out and Bedtime, dramas such as Bleak House and Gentleman Jack, and soaps Coronation Street and EastEnders. Selena Gomez, Zoe Saldaña, Karla Sofía Gascón and Adriana Paz launched the movie at the London Film Festival last month, where it continued to build its momentum. A statement released by his children said the actor died "peacefully in his sleep" and was "with his friends and family at the end".