Parliament this evening commemorated the holocaust and observed a minute’s silence in honour of the victims – six million Jews, including 1.5 children. The brief ceremony was part of events held all over the world.

Education Minister Evarist Bartolo said it was not the case of just remembering the victims but also of striving to learn lessons so that such events would not be repeated.

Nationalist MP Tonio Fenech referred to what he called “the modern holocaust - abortion” and pointed out that in the US alone, since 1973, more than 60 million unborn children were killed.

Deputy Speaker Ċensu Galea said another modern holocaust was character assassination and he appealed to MPs and all people to think before writing anything that would have an adverse effect on those they named.