Citroen has unveiled its C5 X as a range-topping model for the brand. Designed as a cross between an estate and an SUV, the C5 X takes inspiration from Citroen’s recent CXperience Concept while harking back to classic models from the French firm, including the CX.  Want to read the full article? Visit timesmotors.com

A man who went on a violent spree last October, vandalising 13 bus shelters in one night and racking up over €15,000 in damages, has been handed a 32-month prison sentence.   Solomon Abrham Tekelu, a 31-year old Eritrean national, had been arrested and charged following a tip-off about a man who was damaging a Birkirkara bus shelter in the very early hours of October 24.  When the suspect was tracked down shortly after, the police found a metal tool and pieces of glass in his bag. The man originally pleaded not guilty to wilfully damaging 13 bus shelters in various localities including Hamrun, Marsa, St Paul’s Bay, Mellieha, Marsascala and Luqa, during that one-night spree.  He was also charged with recidivism. But as criminal proceedings continued earlier this month, when the prosecution wrapped up its evidence, the accused changed his plea and registered an admission.  When delivering judgment on Monday the court took note of that fact as well as the serious nature of the charges. The extent of the damages which he “gratuitously and inexplicably caused in a continuous manner,” and which totalled €15,082.40, were also considered for the purpose of meting out punishment. The...

Italians flocked to bars, restaurants and cinemas following an easing of coronavirus restrictions on Monday, as Prime Minister Mario Draghi unveiled a massive EU-funded plan he said would shape the crisis-hit country's future. After months of stop-start restrictions imposed to manage second and third waves of COVID-19, Italy hopes this latest easing will mark the start of something like a normal summer. "I've cleared my schedule," enthused 71-year-old Ottavio Rosati, a movie director in Rome. "I'm booked up with museums, restaurants and bars... I'm not going to sit still!" Draghi has admitted to taking a "calculated risk" with the reopenings, as infection rates have fallen but COVID-19 deaths still mount by hundreds every day, to more than 119,000. Italian businesses are desperate to reopen after the pandemic sparked the deepest recession since the end of World War II. The country is pinning its hopes on a 220-billion-euro plan funded by the European Union, which Draghi told lawmakers on Monday would affect "the country's destiny". Great to be back Three-quarters of regions dropped into the lower-risk "yellow" category, with bars and restaurants permitted to restart table...

Cannnabis use among 15- and 16-year-olds in Malta is lower than the European average, even though a higher-than-average share say it is easy to obtain, a recent study has indicated.  This data emerged from a study conducted by the Faculty of Social Wellbeing within the University of Malta, and puts together the latest research covering alcohol, tobacco, illicit drugs and other prescription drugs, along with the perception of young people towards substance use.  The study was commissioned by the Save a Life Foundation, which was established by Nationalist Party MP Claudio Grech.  Titled ‘Substance use in adolescents and emerging adulthood’, the study found that 16 per cent of youths aged 15-16 in Malta use cannabis - a figure four percentage points lower than the EU average. Cannabis use is currently high on the policy agenda, following a white paper proposal by the government to liberalise its recreational use and cultivation. The proposals are currently open to public consultation. According to the study launched on Monday, a third of Maltese 15- and 16-year-olds perceive cannabis to be easy to obtain, more than double the rate of their European peers. This finding reflects the...

Regulators have launched an anti-trust probe into Meituan, one of China’s biggest food delivery firms, they said on Monday, as Beijing clips the wings of its soaring tech companies. The probe was prompted by reports that Meituan allegedly engaged in forced exclusivity agreements with vendors, the State Administration for Market Regulation said in a statement. Those were among its “suspected monopolistic behaviours”, the regulator said. E-commerce titan Alibaba was hit by a record 18.2 billion yuan (€2.3bn) fine this month after facing a similar charge. The woes of Meituan, which counts gaming giant Tencent as a shareholder, is the latest sign that China’s assault on big tech is far from over. Beijing has taken the country’s tech firms to task in order to curtail the reach of private companies into the public’s daily finances and – analysts believe – to rein in their runaway expansion as well as the status of their super-rich founders. Two weeks ago the regulator warned 34 technology giants – including Baidu, Tencent and Meituan – to “rectify” any anti-competitive measures, prompting a series of public pledges to abide by anti-monopoly guidelines. Regulators told internet...

A total of 729 items, including computer equipment, a megaphone, a kettle and donation envelopes, were reported stolen from public schools over the past eight years. Answering a parliamentary question by Opposition MP Karol Aquilina, Home Affairs Byron Camilleri said the total value of the stolen goods adds up to  €106,376. Some 14 thefts from public schools have been reported so far this year. There were 43 thefts last year, while another 186 were reported in 2018. Msida holds the record for the most reported thefts, with 307 thefts. Of these, 144 were reported by the University of Malta reported a total of 144 thefts in the past eight years. Computer equipment is the most expensive stolen item: a total of €26,848 worth of equipment was stolen over eight years from all schools. Meanwhile, a total of €10,268 in cash was stolen from public schools. Among others, cash was stolen from a Xaghra school, which reported a number of envelopes with donations towards the missionaries going missing.  Answering a similar question, Education Minister Justyne Caruana said that so far, two people were charged in court over theft from public schools.  

Over the past week, the authorities issued 948 fines to people who failed to follow COVID mitigation rules, down from last week’s 1,137.  According to government data published on Monday 634 fines were handed to people who did not wear their mask or failed to wear it properly.  Another 275 people were fined for gathering in groups of more than two.  A total of 31 people were fined for breaking household meeting rules, while just one establishment was fined for breaking regulations.  The authorities also fined seven people who broke quarantine regulations. They were fined €10,000 each.  Monday marks a new phase in Malta’s COVID-19 reopening strategy, where non-essential shops and businesses reopened after seven weeks of shutdown.  Apart from the opening of non-essential shops and businesses, Monday also saw groups of up to four people allowed in public - up from two - and rules for private gatherings eased to allow four households to meet in private residences. Fines are handed out by health, tourism, police, transport and LESA officials.

Stephen Paris, appointed by MFSA last month to run Zenith Finance has been replaced by court-appointed administrator Hector Spiteri. In March the Malta Financial Services Authority suspended the operations of Zenith Finance Limited and Zenith (Tied Insurance Intermediary) Limited after its owners Matthew Pace and Lorraine Falzon were granted bail over money laundering charges. The two, along with their advisory firm, previously known as MFSP, have been charged with a slew of other financial crimes on Saturday. Their case is linked to alleged graft involving former OPM chief of staff Keith Schembri and former managing directors of Allied Newspapers Adrian Hillman and Vincent Buhagiar. The authority had appointed Paris to safeguard the interests of clients. On Monday it said court had appointed Spiteri administrator of Zenith Finance to take control of the business as well as preserve its assets. "MFSA will be terminating the appointment of Paris as Competent Person for Zenith Finance since his designated role and responsibilities overlap those that will be undertaken by Spiteri." The authority said people can contact Spiteri on hectorspiteri58@gmail.com.    

UEFA announced on Monday it investigate Zlatan Ibrahimovic’s alleged involvement in a betting company. The 39-year-old Sweden forward, who signed a new one-year deal with AC Milan last week, has invested in Malta-based site Bethard according to newspaper Aftonbladet. “In accordance with Article 31(4) of the UEFA Disciplinary Regulations, a UEFA Ethics and Disciplinary Inspector has today been appointed to conduct a disciplinary investigation regarding a potential violation of the UEFA Disciplinary Regulations by Mr. Zlatan Ibrahimovic for having an alleged financial interest in a betting company,” the body said. Continue reading this article on SportsDesk, the sports website of The Times of Malta  

The US Justice Department on Monday announced an investigation of systematic abuse by police in Louisville, Kentucky, 13 months after officers shot dead black medical technician Breonna Taylor in a raid on her home. Just days after launching an investigation of Minneapolis police in the wake of the killing of George Floyd, Attorney General Merrick Garland said the examination of Louisville will focus on a pattern of unreasonable use of force, unlawful searches and seizures, and discrimination against African-Americans. Both investigations could lead to the police being legally bound by consent decrees to enact reforms. After Donald Trump refused to use federal pressure to reform local police departments, the probes underscore the determination of President Joe Biden's administration to hold the police to account amid a series of unjustified shootings and killings of African-Americans. "All of these steps will be taken with one goal in mind: to ensure that policing policies and practices are constitutional and lawful," Garland said. The Louisville police came under particular scrutiny in the nationwide Black Lives Matter protests against police abuse last year because of the...

Leicester strengthened their grip on third place in the Premier League as Kelechi Iheanacho’s superb strike capped a spirited fightback in Monday’s 2-1 win against Crystal Palace. Brendan Rogers’ side trailed to Wilfried Zaha’s first half goal at the King Power Stadium. But Timothy Castagne equalised soon after the interval with his first goal since September. Continue reading this article on Sports Desk.

Joaquin Correa ensured Lazio kept their hopes of Champions League qualification alive on Monday with a double in a 3-0 win over AC Milan while Napoli jumped up to third thanks to a 2-0 triumph at Torino. Correa opened the scoring for Lazio with only a minute on the clock at the Stadio Olimpico in Rome and added the second five minutes after the break. Ciro Immobile struck the third with three minutes left as Lazio moved five points off the Champions League spots with a game in hand on their rivals. Continue reading this article on Sports Desk. 

Malta and Europe’s rich heraldry tradition will be the focus of a masterclass which Heritage Malta will be streaming in English on Facebook on May 4 at 6.30pm. During this masterclass, the chief herald of arms of Malta, Charles A. Gauci, will be giving an overview of the evolution of heraldry in Malta and Europe. The masterclass will also delve into different types of coats of arms, which may be personal and hereditary, or impersonal and non-hereditary. Gauci will explain how coats of arms are essentially insignia of identification. He will also dispel the common misconception that heraldry is the sole prerogative of the nobility. Despite the abundance of armorial bearings all over the Maltese islands, there has never been, until recently, a local central authority regulating the granting or registration of coats of arms. In March 2019, the Office of the Chief Herald of Arms of Malta was established by Heritage Malta upon the recommendation of the prime minister and the cabinet secretary. The Office of the Chief Herald of Arms of Malta is now charged with regulating heraldry within the Maltese islands. Gauci will be briefing participants as to how to apply for a grant or...

Qala parish church, which is dedicated to the Immaculate Conception of Our Lady and Saint Joseph, will be celebrating the feast of Saint Joseph the Worker on Saturday. Qala parish priest Nazju Borg is urging all parishioners to attend the church functions and implore Saint Joseph’s protection during the coronavirus pandemic. Saint Joseph’s rosary will be said at 6.30pm, followed by a concelebrated Mass, led by Seminary rector Fr Richard-Nazzareno Farrugia at 7pm. The Saint Joseph parish choir will take part. On May 8, the parish will be marking the 117th anniversary of the dedication of the church. Vespers will be sung at 6.30pm, followed by a concelebrated Mass, led by Fr Borg, at 7pm. Meanwhile, a bazaar, organised by the fundraising and the flowers groups, in aid of the church will be held at the parish centre, also on May 8, between 3 and 7pm. Sweets, plants and flower bouquets will be on sale. Fr Borg is also encouraging the faithful to rediscover the family aspect during the month of May by reciting the rosary and place flowers and candles in front of the statue of Our Lady at home.

Gozitan seminarians, together with their rector and vice rector last Saturday took part in a pilgrimage from Victoria to Ta’ Pinu sanctuary, where prayers were said, followed by Mass celebrated by Fr rector Richard Nazzareno Farruġia and vice rector Samuel Grech. Deacon Andrew Grima of San Lawrenz and seminarian Gabriel Vella of Qala, prolaimed their vows in preparation for their ordination on Friday. Grima will be ordained priest while Vella deacon. At the end of the celebration, the Regina Caeli was sung.

Understanding ERA’s role ERA has been the subject of criticism for allowing development to subsist and for voting in favour of certain developments in the decision stage of development permissions. It is time to clarify ERA’s role in the development process and how ERA has been a critical instrument in mitigating the effects of development. It is to be clarified that ERA is an external consultee to the Planning Authority. ERA’s role is limited to that of assessing proposed developments from an environmental perspective and, based on that, ERA puts forward its own recommendations to the Planning Authority. In this role, ERA does not provide recommendations on a whim but bases its recommendations on scientific assessments and/or studies it requires or undertakes. On its own motion, the authority holds discussions with developers and other entities in a bid to abate environmental impacts, including the reduction of development. Has ERA always been successful in such instances? Of course not but it has certainly been effective in numerous instances whereby the efforts of the authority have yielded a better design that is environmentally balanced. It is critical to understand that...

Recent works carried out by the government in Comino broke the law, the Ombudsman has found. The works consisted of the construction of a service culvert on a dirt road to Blue Lagoon, raising vociferous objections from environmental NGOs. Construction was carried out without a planning permit and was, therefore, in breach of the law regulating planning and construction, the Office of the Ombudsman said in a report. It recommends the site be returned to the state it was in before the works were carried out and that the PA should impose fines that would be placed in a fund for Comino’s environment. Comino is classed as a Natura 2000 site and its environment needs to be conserved. The report was spurred by a complaint filed by PN whip and opposition spokesperson for the environment Robert Cutajar. Earlier this month, the works were stopped after the NGO outcry but a week later the Environment and Resources Authority allowed them to resume with “mitigation measures to curb environmental damage”. The Ombudsman found that service culverts were built of brick in a recently dug ditch and paved over with concrete slabs. Construction material was found dumped onto the garigue...

The Planning Authority (PA) has reissued a permit for upgrading works on a Baħrija farmhouse after it passed an environmental test, with the new developer made to pay a €10,000 contribution towards the environment fund for a water management project. The Environment and Resources Authority (ERA) gave its green light to the project that had been the centre of controversy before the European Parliament elections in June 2009 because of a permit granted to former PN general council president, Victor Scerri, and his wife for the rehabilitation of the dilapidated farmhouse in Wied tal-Marċa. The controversy subsequently led to Scerri’s resignation. He had insisted he wanted to defend his case as a private citizen without dragging the party into the controversy. The property has since been sold to a third party who went ahead with the planning application for identical alternations proposed by the previous owners, using the services of the same architect, Robert Musumeci. The decision, originally issued in 2002, had raised eyebrows as the development was situated in a sensitive ecological area outside the development zone. A month after the controversy erupted, the planning watchdog...

 President Joe Biden will propose a tax hike on the investment gains of the wealthiest individuals to pay for his new plan to help US families, a top White House economist said Monday. Biden this week is expected to lay out his $1.8 trillion American Families Plan that would provide national child care, paid family leave and free community college, using higher taxes on the rich to offset the hefty price tag. The increased levy on the profits earned from sales of stocks and other assets will only impact those earning $1 million a year, a narrow sliver of American taxpayers comprising 500,000 people, said Brian Deese, head of the White House National Economic Council. "This change will only apply to three tenths of a percent of taxpayers, which is not the top one percent, it's not even the top one half of one percent," he told reporters, citing 2018 tax filing data. The change will help "to offset the long term cost of those investments by making reforms to our tax code that reward work and not just wealth," Deese said. He did not provide any details of the new higher tax, but media reports last week cited officials saying the plan will increase the capital gains tax rate to 39.6...

In Memoriam AVALLONE. In loving memory of MARYANNE (ex-Air Malta Purser), on the ninth anniversary of her demise. So sadly missed and always in our thoughts and prayers, her mother Emanuela, Ferdinand, her sister Jennifer and family. AVALLONE. In ever loving and unfading memory of MARYANNE, today the ninth anniversary of her demise. Fondly remembered and deeply missed by her partner Ferdinand k/a Fernie, her mother Emanuela, her sister Jennifer, her husband and nieces Kylie and Thea. CAMILLERI-BRENNAN. Trea-sured and fondest memories of MARION, a very dear wife, mother and grandmother, on the first anniversary of her demise. Forever in our hearts and prayers. May the Lord grant her eternal rest. Her family. PORTELLI – JOHN. Unfading memories of a dear father and grandfather on the anniversary of his death. Fondly re-membered by Victor, Tania, in-laws and grandchildren. SCOREY – VINCENZA. Unfading memories of a dear mother and grandmother on the anniversary of her death. Fondly remembered by Jeffrey, Joan, Brian, in-laws and grandchildren. TESTA – THERESA. In loving memory, on the 15th anniversary of her demise. Fondly remembered by her husband Godfrey, her daughters and sons and...