auto-update week 33

europe/mt.json

@@ -1,4 +1,9 @@
 {
+  "Introduction": {
+    "Background": {
+      "text": "With a civilization that dates back thousands of years, Malta boasts some of the oldest megalithic sites in the world. Situated in the center of the Mediterranean, Malta’s islands have long served as a strategic military asset, with the islands at various times having come under control of the Phoenicians, Carthaginians, Greeks, Romans, Byzantines, Moors, Normans, Sicilians, Spanish, Knights of St. John, and the French. Most recently a British colony (since 1814), Malta gained its independence in 1964 and declared itself a republic 10 years later. While under British rule, the island staunchly supported the UK through both world wars. Since about the mid-1980s, the island has transformed itself into a freight transshipment point, a financial center, and a tourist destination while its key industries moved toward more service-oriented activities. Malta became an EU member in May 2004 and began using the euro as currency in 2008."
+    }
+  },
   "Geography": {
     "Location": {
       "text": "Southern Europe, islands in the Mediterranean Sea, south of Sicily (Italy)"
@@ -95,11 +100,6 @@
       "text": "the country comprises an archipelago, with only the three largest islands (Malta, Ghawdex or Gozo, and Kemmuna or Comino) inhabited; numerous bays provide good harbors; Malta and Tunisia are discussing oil exploration on the continental shelf between their countries, although no commercially viable reserves have been found as of 2017"
     }
   },
-  "Introduction": {
-    "Background": {
-      "text": "With a civilization that dates back thousands of years, Malta boasts some of the oldest megalithic sites in the world. Situated in the center of the Mediterranean, Malta’s islands have long served as a strategic military asset, with the islands at various times having come under control of the Phoenicians, Carthaginians, Greeks, Romans, Byzantines, Moors, Normans, Sicilians, Spanish, Knights of St. John, and the French. Most recently a British colony (since 1814), Malta gained its independence in 1964 and declared itself a republic 10 years later. While under British rule, the island staunchly supported the UK through both world wars. Since about the mid-1980s, the island has transformed itself into a freight transshipment point, a financial center, and a tourist destination while its key industries moved toward more service-oriented activities. Malta became an EU member in May 2004 and began using the euro as currency in 2008."
-    }
-  },
   "People and Society": {
     "Population": {
       "text": "467,138 (2023 est.)"
@@ -542,7 +542,7 @@
         "text": "president indirectly elected by the House of Representatives for a single 5-year term; election last held on 2 April 2019 (next to be held by April 2024); following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or majority coalition usually appointed prime minister by the president for a 5-year term; deputy prime minister appointed by the president on the advice of the prime minister"
       },
       "election results": {
-        "text": "<em>2019:</em> George VELLA (PL) elected president; House of Representatives vote - unanimous; <em>2020:</em> Robert ABELA (PL) appointed prime minister<br><br><em>2014:</em> Maria Louise Coleiro PRECO elected president; House of Representatives vote - unanimous"
+        "text": "<em><br>2019:</em> George VELLA (PL) elected president; House of Representatives vote - unanimous; <em>2020:</em> Robert ABELA (PL) appointed prime minister<br><em>2014:</em> Maria Louise Coleiro PRECO elected president; House of Representatives vote - unanimous"
       }
     },
     "Legislative branch": {
@@ -1179,14 +1179,22 @@
       "text": "Malta maintains a security policy of neutrality, but contributes to EU and UN military missions and joined NATO&rsquo;s Partnership for Peace program in 1995 (suspended in 1996, but reactivated in 2008); it also participates in various bilateral and multinational military exercises; Malta cooperates closely with Italy on defense matters; in 1973, Italy established a military mission in Malta to provide advice, training, and search and rescue assistance (2023)"
     }
   },
+  "Space": {
+    "Space agency/agencies": {
+      "text": "Malta Council for Science and Technology (MCST; established in 1988 by the Maltese Government as a public body to provide advice and coordinate on science, technology, and space-related issues) (2023)"
+    },
+    "Space program overview": {
+      "Space programs overview": {
+        "text": "the Malta Council for Science and Technology (MSCT) is a public body originally established by the Maltese Government to provide advice on science and technology policy; its mission has since expanded to building relationships with foreign space agencies, the Maltese Government, industry, and the educational sector with the aim of exploring the use and sharing of space-related applications; the MCST acts for and on behalf of the Foundation for Science and Technology; it has established relationships with the European Space Agency (ESA), the French Space Agency (CNES), the Italian Space Agency (ASI), and Eurisy, a Paris-based, non-profit association that brings together space agencies, international organizations, research institutions, and private businesses involved or interested in space-related activities across Europe (2023)"
+      },
+      "note": "<strong>note:</strong> further details about the key activities, programs, and milestones of the country’s space program, as well as government spending estimates on the space sector, appear Appendix S"
+    }
+  },
   "Transnational Issues": {
     "Disputes - international": {
       "text": "<p>none identified</p>"
     },
     "Refugees and internally displaced persons": {
-      "refugees (country of origin)": {
-        "text": "5,890 (Ukraine) (as of 16 July 2023)"
-      },
       "stateless persons": {
         "text": "11 (2022)"
       },