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Meta qorbot lejn tmiemha s-sena skolastika, l-għalliema tad-drama, Miss Borg, ħasbet biex bħal kull sena, ittella’ reċta. Fiha dejjem kienu jieħdu sehem għadd ta’ tfal minn klassijiet differenti. It-tfal l-oħra, li ma kinux jingħataw parti, kienu jsegwu r-reċta minn fuq is-siġġijiet tas-sala tal-iskola flimkien mal-kumplament tal-għalliema u l-Kap tal-iskola. Il-ġenituri ma setgħux jattendu minħabba li r-reċta kienet tittella’ waqt il-ħin tal-iskola.

Din is-sena, Elise kienet se tieħu sehem fir-reċta għall-ewwel darba. Anki Emma u Danica, li kienu fl-istess klassi tagħha, intgħażlu minn Miss Borg. It-tlieta li huma ngħataw parti żgħira fir-reċta u ma xxennqux għal xi parti prinċipali għax daqshekk kien biżżejjed għalihom biex ikunu kuntenti. Ir-reċta kienet se tkun dwar x’jagħmlu l-għalliema u l-istudenti tagħha waqt il-lezzjoni tal-Matematika; u Elise, Emma u Danica kellhom ikunu tliet studenti minn fost grupp ta’ ħmistax. Għaldaqstant, il-kostum ma kienx se jkun problema għalihom għax kienu se jitilgħu fuq il-palk bl-uniformi tal-iskola stess. Miss Borg tathom l-iskript, li kienet kitbet hi stess bil-Malti, u indikatilhom liema linji kellhom jistudjaw. Fil-brejk bdew joqogħdu ġewwa fil-klassi biex jgħinu lil xulxin jistudjaw il-linji sew.

Ma ridux jaqgħu għaċ-ċajt ħalli darb’oħra Miss Borg terġa’ tagħżilhom għal reċta oħra. Saħansitra, meta Elise kienet tasal lura d-dar mill-iskola, kienet terġa’ tirrevedi l-linji mal-papà, li meta kien għadu tifel, kien l-għors tiegħu jieħu sehem fir-reċti tal-iskola u tal-Mużew fejn kien jattendi. Elise kienet tgħallmet il-linji tagħha kollha bl-amment f’qasir żmien, u meta marret għall-provi tar-reċta, Miss Borg kellha kliem ta’ tifħir lejha, u l-istess lejn sħabha.

Iżda bħal sajjetta fil-bnazzi, jumejn biss qabel ittellgħet ir-reċta, Elise qabdet tagħtas waħda f’waħda, kellha wġigħ ta’ ras taqsam u telgħalha d-deni wkoll. It-tabib wissieha biex tibqa’ fis-sodda sakemm jgħaddilha għalkollox. Kienet belgħet riħ mat-taqlib tal-arja mid-dehra. Sa mnalla kienet laħqet lestiet mill-eżamijiet għax li kieku falliethom kien ikollha tagħmel sajf tistudja biex tagħmilhom f’Settembru qabel is-sena skolastika li jmiss. Xorta ddispjaċieha bil-kbir talli kienet tilfet ir-reċta. Imma ma kienx hemmx x’tagħmel. Anki l-mamà u l-papà xtaqu li Elise ma marditx lejlet ir-reċta, iżda qalulha li aħjar tieħu ħsieb saħħitha, u ma tgħaddasx rasha u tmur l-iskola, ma jmurx ikollha konsegwenzi agħar.

Il-linji tagħha qasmuhom bejniethom Danica u Emma bejn għax kienu jafuhom fuq ponot subgħajhom u bejn għax Miss Borg ma kellhiex żmien biżżejjed biex tqabbad lil xi ħaddieħor minflokha. Però, lil Elise wegħditha li s-sena ta’ wara żgur kienet se tagħtiha parti f’reċta oħra, grazzi għall-entużjażmu tagħha. Għalkemm kien fadal ftit żmien mhux ħażin, it-tifla diġà ħassitha timtela bil-kuraġġ u bil-ħerqa. Fir-reċta li kien imiss, Miss Borg tatha l-parti prinċipali, li daħlet għaliha b’ruħha u b’ġisimha. Tgħidx x’applaws u prosit kbira qalgħet mill-udjenza għaliex ħarġet bl-unuri fuq il-palk daqs l-aqwa attriċi!

Ġappuniż ta’ 80 sena sar l-ixjeħ raġel li tela’ fil-quċċata tal-Muntanja Everest

Xi żmien ilu, Yuichiro Miura rnexxielu jitla’ fuq nett tad-29,035 pied, u kiser ir-rekord li kien wettaq ir-rival tiegħu ta’ 81 sena min-Nepal, Min Bahadur Sherchan.

Snin ilu, Yuichiro Miura tela’ l-istess muntanja, iżda ma rnexxilux jegħleb lil Sherchan, sal-quċċata, li meta wettaq ir-rekord, kellu 76 sena.

Mill-quċċata tal-Everest, Yuichiro u ibnu Gota, ikkuntattjaw lit-tim tal-appoġġ tagħhom, biex ħabbrulhom l-aħbar. Yuichiro qal “qed inħossni l-aqwa fid-dinja, iżda għajjien totalment.”

Meta tħabbret l-aħbar, Min Bahadur Sherchan kien qed iħejji biex jipprova jerġa’ jikseb rekord għalih.

F’aċċident li ma jitwemminx, kelb tat-triq f’Oman, sab u salva tarbija tat-twelid meta ġarrha f’ħalqu mid-deżert sa ġiet salvata min-nies. L-awtoritajiet f’Oman fetħu investigazzjonijiet wara li dan l-aċċident seraq l-attenzjoni tal-pajjiż kollu, bl-Għarab jaqsmu bejniethom l-informazzjoni permezz tal-internet.

L-istorja seħħet f’Kharbika, Oman. Raġel li kien qed isuq rota lemaħ kelb mitlub miexi fit-triq b’xi ħaġa f’ħalqu. Imbagħad lemaħ qtar tad-demm fit-triq u għalhekk mar qrib tal-kelb biex jarah mill-qrib. Ma setax jemmen lil għajnejh. Il-kelb kellu tarbija tat-twelid, li ma kinitx ilha mwielda aktar minn ftit sigħat u kienet għadha bil-kurdun imwaħħal.Ir-raġel ħaseb li l-kelb kien se jiekol lit-tarbija, u li seta’ jagħmel għalih, iżda hekk kif inġemgħu aktar nies, il-kelb deher jitlaq lit-tarbija minn ħalqu. In-nies skantaw bir-reazzjoni tal-kelb, l-aktar għax kien kelb mitluq! Huma qalu li l-ħarsa f’għajnejn l-annimal kellha elf tifsira…. “Għinuh” jew “x’dinja krudila.”

Jidher li l-kelb kien qed iqarreb lejn sptar (jew jipprova jsib wieħed) biex iwassal lit-tarbija fis-sala tal-emerġenza. It-tobba baqgħu perplessi għax ma emmnux lil għajnejhom, peress li t-tarbija ma kinitx feruta u min jaf il-kelb kemm kien ilu jżommha f’ħalqu.
Mirakolożament it-tarbija ġiet salvata!

Waqt li l-awtoritajiet fetħu investigazzjoni,biex jaraw x’wassal għal dan l-abbandun, il-pulizija ċċekkjaw l-isptarijiet kollha għax ħasbu li l-kelb seta’ seraq lit-tarbija minn xi wieħed mill-isptarijiet, iżda l-ommijiet kollha kellhom it-trabit tagħhom. Ebda tarbija ma kienet nieqsa.

Madankollu, xhieda fl-ispatrijiet qalu lill-pulizija li aktar kmieni, tifla marret fl-emerġenza u ma riditx lit-tabib jinvistaha, kemm-il darba kien se jagħmel xi referenza għat-twelid. Għalhekk ħarbet. 

Il-Pulizija hi tal-fehma li din it-tifla taf tkun omm it-tarbija. Wellditha u ħallietha xi mkien fejn in-nies ma setgħux isibuha, iżda l-kelb sabha u kien jaf fejn għandu jmur biex isalvaha!

U minn dan kollu jirriżulta wkoll li anki fl-aħrax tad-deset, il-klieb jistgħu jitqiesu bħala anġli neżlin mis-sema.

At the entrance of Valletta, next to the new House of Parliament, stand the ruins of the Royal Opera House. This ‘Teatro dell’Opera’ was built in 1861 on the site of a demolished house, known as ‘Casa La Giornata’, the residence of the Turcopilier of the Auberge d’Angleterre (English Auberge). 

There were several reasons which led to the building of a new Opera House at Valletta. The Manoel Theatre had become too small to house an ever increasing number of people. The Manoel’s stage became too small to stage certain type of operas such as those of Rossini, Donizetti, Puccini and Verdi. The number of tourists visiting the island was increasing, some wanted to visit this theatre for an opera night. The need for a new bigger theatre was being felt and an English architect Edward M. Barry was chosen for the project. The facade of the Opera House was typically Corinthian and it had a colonnade on all its sides. Its cost amounted to £60,000 which was a huge sum of money at the time.

An attraction of this theatre was the salon, which was placed over the entrance hall. This hall was lit by five large windows. The theatre’s painting-room and the workshops were on the roof. As the Opera House was one of Valletta’s attractions, the local government tried its best to manage this ‘musical heaven’. The day to day running was left in the hands of a committee which was appointed by the government of the day. By time the new theatre started to be very popular with both the Maltese and the families of the British servicemen who were stationed in Malta. The village elite used to dress up in their best attire and hire a ‘karozzin’ (Maltese traditional horse-driven coach) to take them to Valletta to watch an opera at this theatre.

History

The Royal Opera House opened on the night of 9 October, 1866, with Bellini’s famous opera ‘I Puritani’. Month after month, year after year, the opera seasons went on uninterruptedly, even during the First World War. There was only one exception; that is a brief interruption from 1874 to 1877 following a fire. This incident had destroyed the theatre’s interior fittings and decorations. It was reopened on 11 October, 1877, with Verdi’s new opera Aida. The theatre became more beautiful with boxes in five tiers and a pit which could accommodate more than 1,000 persons.

The Second World War brought the end of a long story of famous operas, composers’ visits and resonant voices. During this great war, one direct hit from an air attack brought the theatre to its knees. There were many attempts to rebuild the Royal Opera House. In the end it was decided to convert the site into an open-air theatre known as Pjazza Teatru Rjal.

Għeluq snin in-nanna kien jaħbat nhar il-festa ta’ San Pawl, fl-10 ta’ Frar. Iżda, ommha u missierha kienu semmewha Marija minħabba li kienu Mostin u lil Santa Marija kienu jħobbuha wisq. Elise u Luca kellhom lill-ħabib tal-qalb tagħhom, Gordon li kien jiċċelebra għeluq sninu jumejn biss qabel in-nanna, jiġifieri fit-8 ta’ Frar. Billi dik is-sena kellu l-lucky birthday, il-mamà tiegħu ħasbet biex torganizzalu festin żgħir u tistedinlu erbat iħbieb minn tiegħu.

Xi jiem wara li rċivew l-invit id-dar, Elise u Luca marru l-Belt mal-mamà tagħhom biex jixtru rigal għal Gordon. Xtrawlu ġakketta u qalziet blu tal-jeans għax żgur kienu jogħġbuh daqskemm kien iħobb jilbes il-ħwejjeġ tal-jeans. Kif kienu hemm, xtraw dublett iswed għan-nanna ħalli jagħtuhulha rigal ukoll f’għeluq sninha. Imbagħad la rritornaw id-dar, il-mamà kebbet iż-żewġ rigali fil-karti bojod irrigati bl-aħdar ċar, li kienet xtrat mill-Belt ukoll, u qegħdithom fuq il-pultruna tas-salott b’tali mod li setgħet tagħrafhom minn xulxin. Poġġiet ir-rigal ta’ Gordon quddiem ir-rigal tan-nanna billi huwa kien se jirċevih l-ewwel. Imma r-rigali ma baqgħux f’dik l-ordni għall-ħin twil għax malajr ċaqalquhom minn posthom Elise u Luca meta daħlu jilagħbu fis-salott bil-moħbi tal-mamà.

Dakinhar tal-festin, Elise u Luca marru xi ftit kmieni għand Gordon għax il-mamà tiegħu, li kienet tħobbhom daqslikieku kienu wliedha, riedet tagħtihom ftit ikel u ħelu żejjed qabel jaslu l-mistednin. Fil-fatt, wara li lestew il-homework, libsu, ħatfu wieħed mir-rigali bl-addoċċ mis-salott u telqu bil-pass lejn id-dar ta’ ħabibhom li kien joqgħod ftit bibien ’il bogħod mid-dar tagħhom. Peter ma kienx mistieden u baqa’ d-dar mal-mamà jara l-cartoons.

Hekk kif messew il-qanpiena tal-bieb ta’ barra, il-mamà ta’ Gordon marret tiġri tiftħilhom. Daħħlithom fil-kċina u hemmhekk sabu lil Gordon jistenniehom b’dik is-soltu tbissima fuq wiċċu. Kantawlu Happy Birthday u tawh ir-rigal. It-tifel fetħu f’kemm ilni ngħid, iżda nħasad xħin sab dublett iswed. Ommu riedet tmut bid-daħk u Elise u Luca ħmaru nar bil-mistħija. Kienu tawh ir-rigal tan-nanna Marija bi żball. Bla telf ta’ żmien, marru lura lejn darhom biex jeħdulu r-rigal li kien verament tiegħu. Il-mamà riedet tikolhom bl-għajjat malli saret taf  x’kien ġara. Mill-ewwel indunat li din il-balbuljata kienet saret għax l-għorrief uliedha ma kinux ħallew ir-rigali fejn qegħdithom hi.

Wara ftit, reġgħu marru għand Gordon u l-mamà marret magħhom ukoll. Skużat ruħha miegħu u m’ommu f’isem Elise u Luca. Sa mnalla ħadd mill-mistednin ma kien għadu wasal għax min jaf kemm kienu jaqgħu iżjed għaċ-ċajt dawk iż-żewġt itfal imqarbin! Il-biċċa malajr mietet fuq ommha għax malli ra dik il-ġakketta u dak il-qalziet tal-jeans li tawh Elise u Luca, Gordon kien pront tefagħhom fuqu u tgħidx kemm iddandan bihom waqt il-festin quddiem il-mistednin. Kien jaf li Elise u Luca kienu jħobbuh u li ma kinux tawh rigal b’ieħor apposta. Imma kien jaf ukoll li l-praspar kienu jikluhom bil-ħobż u issa kien drahom sew dejjem joħorġu b’xi waħda ġdida.

Charles B. Spiteri

Biċċa papiru użata biex issir il-maskra ta’ mummja, jaf fiha l-eqdem kopja ta’ vanġelu.

Il-materjal reċiklat fih parti mill-Vanġelu ta’ San Mark, li kien miktub fl-ewwel seklu u, skont l-esperti, hu eqdem minn dak misjub, b’madwar mitt sena.

Il-kitba, li aktarx tkun pubblikata, ħarġet fid-dawl mill-ġdid permezz ta’ teknika li ntużat u li tippermetti li l-kolla użata għall-infaxxar iddub mingħajr ma tagħmel ebda ħsara lil-linka fuq il-papiru. Madankollu teqred l-artifatt oriġinali.

Waqt li l-Faragħuni kien ikollhom forom tad-deheb, kienet ħaġa komuni għall-Eġizzjani fi grad inqas li jindifnu b’maskra tal-papiru, żebgħa u kolla – speċi ta’ papier-mâchè.

Peress li l-papiru kien jiswa l-flus, in-nies kienu jerġgħu jagħmlu użu minn dawk il-papiri li jkollhom il-kitba fuqhom.

Xjenzjati fil-Kulleġġ Acadia Divinity f’Wolfville, Nova Scotia, neħħew il-kolla biex wettqu s-sejba.

Craig Evans, professur tal-Istudji tat-Testment il-Ġdid, qal lil LiveScience: “Qed niksbu dokumenti qodma mill-ewwel, it-tieni u t-tielet seklu, li ntużaw biex jagħmlu l-maskri tal-mummji.” Żied jgħid li s’issa nstabet ukoll kitba  Griega klassika, fosthom poeżiji ta’ Homer, dokumenti bibliċi u karti ta’ negozju li jmorru lura eluf ta’ snin.

A characteristic of the Maltese Islands is the pealing of bells. These are heard in old parts of towns and villages especially when one is passing by a major church. The visitor may wonder at the different peals and frequency of ringing.

The best two localities, famous for ringing bells, are Ħal Qormi (St George’s) and Birkirkara (St Helen’s). Their bells have kept the traditional rule of informing the faithful of events occurring in the locality.

The bells start the day very early. At around 4.30 am the ‘Pater Noster’ is rung with 33 strokes. 33 stands for the number of years Our Lord spent on earth. The other three main ringing times are at 8.00 am, midday and sunset. Many people associated these ringing times with a prayer called ‘Angelus’. The day ends with the ringing of the last bells an hour after the evening ‘Angelus’. This is referred to as ‘De Profundis’. In some localities, their bells ring again another hour after ‘De Profundis’ to remind the faithful that the first hour of the night had already passed.

The celebration of Mass has its particular pealing. Mass is announced by a few strokes of a bell fifteen minutes before it starts. This gives enough time for the faithful to leave home and gather in church. Another particular pealing occurs when a church is elevated to the dignity of a Collegiate. In this case the bells ring a two-toned peal for fifteen minutes to inform everyone that the members of the church’s Chapter will gather for matins and vespers.

In former days, the church bells used to peal to announce that someone in the parish was dying. This started by nine strokes which were followed by three strokes every hour until the passing bell was rung. The passing bell was followed by the death bell. These last two types of bells are still very common in old towns and villages. There was also a special bell peal called ‘Gloria’ when an infant died.

Feast days and sermons had their special pealing. On a festive season, before High Mass and vespers of the titular feast the church bells ring in four periods. When the feast is of secondary importance, the bells ring in three periods of ringing. When there is a special sermon the church bells ring a few minutes before it starts.