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Payment firm says MFSA violated its right to a fair hearing

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File photo

A payment processing company fined by the financial services watchdog for alleged regulatory breaches has filed a constitutional challenge claiming that its rights to a fair hearing were breached. Phoenix Payments Ltd is challenging the Malta Financial Services Authority’s (MFSA) power to act as investigator, prosecutor and judge when it slapped it with a €32,400 fine in March.  While the company is appealing the decision, it argued that aggrieved parties have no effective remedy to the MFSA’s decisions. In its constitutional application, Phoenix said it had been denied a fair hearing before an impartial and independent tribunal, as guaranteed by the European Convention of Human Rights and the constitution. In March, the company was found to have breached three articles of the Financial Institutions Act and was given an administrative penalty. The MFSA also restricted its licence with regard to ceasing to provide new services to existing clients. The company was found to have structural shortcomings, including the fact that it did not have a functioning board of directors at the time of the inspection, that the board was not regulated and that it had not adequately assessed the...


Murder victim’s business partner never thought he was in trouble

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File photo of the murder site

The business partner of a man murdered in Gozo in 2018 and who was with him just a few hours before he was killed told a court on Friday that he never thought the victim was in any kind of trouble.  He said the last thing he did before he left his apartment that evening was bring him some beers he had bought from a bar close by.  “I had known him for around 18 months. Some eight months before he died, we took on a job together and we were both happy. I did not socialise with him. We were work colleagues, but I never got the impression that he was in any kind of trouble,” Terrence Zammit told Magistrate Donatella Frendo Dimech.  He was testifying in the compilation of evidence against Aleksandr Stojanovic, 42, a Serb who lives in Safi, who stands accused of the murder of Egyptian Walid Salah Abdel Motaleb Mohammed. The father of two was found dead in a remote field in Għarb, Gozo, on January 15, 2018. Mohammed, who he knew as Willy, worked in the construction industry as a plasterer. He explained that he had spent his last day with him. At around lunchtime, Mohammed and his two daughters accompanied him to meet a client in Malta. He said they went to Mellieħa, then for lunch and...

The Audi e-tron S is an electric SUV with more motors and added power

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Photo: PA Motoring

In the world of electric vehicles, the premium SUV has quickly become king. It makes sense – EVs can be expensive, which is easier to justify in a premium car, while everyone in this market wants an SUV. The Audi e-tron was one of the first electric SUVs to market, and now we have this, the e-tron S. It follows a similar recipe to other Audi S models, in that it takes the regular car’s practicality and adds a little more performance, sportier looks and some dynamic tweaks and changes that make it more fun to drive. Want to read the full article? Visit timesmotors.com 

Vatican bank still profitable despite tough COVID-19 times

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St Peter’s Basilica in the Vatican. The IOR routinely subsidises other Vatican bodies. Last year’s contribution was over twice the size of 2019’s subsidy of €12m. Photo: Andreas Solaro / AFP

The Institute of Religious Works (IOR), better known as the Vatican’s bank, said on Friday its profits remained relatively stable last year despite “very challenging” coronavirus-related circumstances. The IOR posted a 2020 net profit of €36.4 million, down from €38 million in 2019, the bank said in a statement. It added that three-quarters of the sum, around €27 million, will be turned over to Pope Francis – who has a personal charity fund – or other targeted Holy See entities. The IOR, which called 2020 “a very challenging year for the world economy”, routinely subsidises other Vatican bodies. Last year’s contribution was over twice the size of 2019’s subsidy of €12 million, an indication of the Vatican’s need for cash during the coronavirus crisis. The bank said the remaining 25 per cent of its 2020 profits will be used to increase equity, which at the end of last year stood at €645.9 million. The bank also said it had boosted investments in technology, including to strengthen its cybersecurity defences.  The Vatican includes a large governing machine, known as the Roman Curia, bankrolled by donations, rental income from the Church’s real estate holdings, and ticket sales...

German bishop says 'why not'? to blessing same-sex unions

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Photo: Shutterstock

A German bishop gave a nod to blessing same-sex couples on Friday, following a meeting with Pope Francis who has voiced his opposition to the practice. "If they (same-sex couples) ask for some blessings, why not?" said Bishop Franz-Josef Overbeck of Essen, in western Germany, responding to questions from journalists at the Vatican.  The bishop, one of the vice presidents of the European Union's Commission of Bishops' Conferences (Comece), had been received by the 84-year-old pope along with other members of the delegation.  He was asked by reporters to comment on the more than a hundred Catholic churches across Germany who in May held wedding ceremonies open to "all those who love each other", whether gay, lesbian or heterosexual. Part of the "Love Wins" grassroots initiative launched by priests, deacons and volunteers, the organised blessing of same-sex couples came in direct defiance of the Vatican.  In March, the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF), the Vatican body that defends Church doctrine, issued a note reaffirming that homosexuality is "a sin" and confirming that same-sex couples cannot receive the sacrament of marriage. "We are a pastoral church for all...

Super League rebel trio have ‘lost moral and sporting battle’ - UEFA chief

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UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin ruled out abandoning disciplinary action against Real Madrid, Barcelona and Juventus, telling AFP in an interview on Friday that the Super league trio have “lost the moral and sporting battle”. European football’s governing body on Wednesday suspended legal action “until further notice” against the three teams who have refused to give up on the breakaway European Super League. “The process will resume for sure,” Ceferin told AFP in an interview before Euro 2020 kicks off in Rome later on Friday. “There’s an independent disciplinary committee and the lawyers have advised them. “We should leave it to the lawyers to finish it. Continue reading this article on SportsDesk, the sports website of the Times of Malta

Which restaurants will be offering vouchers to diners?

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Patrons enjoy a drink while seated at a restaurant. This is a file photo. Photo: Chris Sant Fournier

Forty-nine restaurants across Malta and Gozo have signed up to a voucher scheme that will match government vouchers with dining credits of their own. The 49 eateries (see below) range from cafes to upmarket restaurants and are all members of the Association of Catering Establishments, which launched the scheme on Wednesday. No list of participating restaurants had been provided during the initiative's launch.  Diners who visit any of these restaurants and use €15 government vouchers when settling their bill will receive an equivalent number of €15 vouchers to be used at that same restaurant. The restaurant-issued vouchers will be redeemed as a minimum 33% discount, meaning patrons must spend a minimum of €45 to obtain their full value. Only one such voucher can be redeemed per table or bill. Diners who wish to use their restaurant vouchers when ordering take-away or delivery service from participating eateries must order directly with the restaurant. A mock-up published by the ACE on its website on Friday showed vouchers valued at €10, but an ACE spokesperson assured Times of Malta that vouchers issued would be for €15. Restaurants reopened in May with limitations on their...

Maltese entrepreneur lands deal on UK TV show Dragon's Den

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Maltese entrepreneur Yanika Cordina (right) lands a deal after pitching her business 'Cordina Hair' to five multi-millionaire 'dragons'

A Maltese entrepreneur and haircare brand inventor has landed a business deal after pitching her business and products on hit UK TV show Dragon's Den.  Yanika Cordina left the show with £75,000 (€87,500) secured from businesswoman Sara Davies, in exchange for equity in her firm.  Dragon’s Den is a popular British television programme shown on BBC One in which entrepreneurs present their business ideas to a panel of five wealthy investors, better known as “dragons”, in the hope of securing investment. In exchange for the capital, contestants offer the dragons a stake in their company in return.  Originally from Fgura, 31-year-old Cordina landed a £75,000 deal with ‘dragon’ businesswoman Sara Davies on Thursday night’s episode. She pitched her Cordina Hair business, and heatless hair curler products, the ‘Flower Curl’ and ‘Wave Bun’ to five multimillionaire 'dragons': Deborah Meaden, Touker Suleyman, Tej Lalvani, Theo Paphitis and Davies. Cordina had to give Davies 50 per cent of her company in order to secure the investment - a far higher equity share than the 15 per cent stake that she was originally offering. “I decided to go for it as I preferred to leave the Den with a deal...


Tsitsipas becomes first Greek to reach Grand Slam final at French Open

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Stefanos Tsitsipas became the first Greek player to reach a Grand Slam final on Friday when he defeated Germany’s Alexander Zverev in a bruising five-setter at the French Open. Fifth-seeded Tsitsipas won 6-3, 6-3, 4-6, 4-6, 6-3 and will face either 13-time champion Rafael Nadal or world number one Novak Djokovic in the championship match. However, the 22-year-old will have his work cut out on Sunday — he is 2-7 against Nadal and 2-5 playing Djokovic. “All I can think of is my roots, a small place outside Athens where I dreamed to play on the big stage at the French Open,” said a tearful Tsitsipas on making his first final at the majors, secured on a fifth match point. Continue reading this article on SportsDesk, the sports website of the Times of Malta

Man who stole phone, cameras jailed six months

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File photo

A man who stole a mobile phone on Thursday morning, merely days after being placed under probation has been jailed for six months.  Francis Grech, a 55-year-old Valletta resident, was tracked down by police as the suspect behind the theft of an iPhone 6 from a Valletta restaurant on Thursday, some time after 8.30am.  The man, whose criminal record reflected past brushes with the law, was linked to another theft of two cameras, which had gone missing from a retail store on a busy main street at Ħamrun on May 20 afternoon.  Upon his arraignment on Friday, the suspect faced charges over both thefts and also for allegedly breaching the public peace during a separate rowdy incident that broke out on Republic Street on June 8.  He was further charged with relapsing as well as committing such offences during a term of probation imposed  by a Magistrates’ Court on May 28 in separate criminal proceedings.  The accused registered a guilty plea, while his lawyer, Noel Bianco, explained that the man needed help to overcome a drink problem.  After hearing submissions on punishment by both parties, the court, presided over by magistrate Yana Micallef Stafrace, declared the accused guilty upon...

EU's new top graft fighter to probe 'powerful and dangerous'

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Laura Codruta Kovesi. Photo: AFP

Europe's new top graft fighting body will probe the "powerful", "rich" and "dangerous", its head warned Friday on her first visit to an EU member since taking up her post. The Luxembourg-based European Public Prosecutor's Office (EPPO), headed by Laura Codruta Kovesi, a former Romanian anti-corruption chief, started work this month. The independent outfit has the job of cracking down on fraudulent use of EU funds and fight cross-border VAT fraud, money laundering, and corruption. "We will investigate all those who commit crimes that fall under our jurisdiction. Because we have to prove that the law is equal for everybody," Kovesi told reporters in the Bulgarian capital Sofia. "Yes, we will also investigate powerful people, yes, we will investigate rich people, yes, we will investigate dangerous people." She also warned that if anyone tried to interfere with the EPPO's work, "I will make this public." The central office has 22 European prosecutors who will oversee cases from member states and approve the main decisions in an investigation, such as indictments. EPPO also has a network of 140 European delegated prosecutors sitting in member states' capitals, but working for the...

Remembering Fran: a teen's shock death leads to a foundation for sick children

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Fran Vella died two days after suddenly falling ill. Photo: Family hand out

It was a case that left doctors astounded and a family devastated. One year ago, 13-year-old Fran Vella suddenly fell seriously and inexplicably ill and died two days later. Now, her parents, Berta and Kevin, have mustered the strength to set up and launch The Remembering Fran Foundation, a social fund in their daughter’s honour that they hope can help other seriously ill children by providing life-saving medical equipment. “She was a beautiful, very smart 13-year-old, with plans for a bright future,” her heartbroken mother said. “I just woke up one morning and thought I would like to do something in Fran’s memory a year from her passing.” The idea is to support not only children with severe medical needs but also their families, through the guidance of top paediatricians at Mater Dei Hospital. Consultant paediatric endocrinologist John Torpiano, secretary of the foundation, said the life of “a truly lovely young lady with a promising future was cut short by a fulminant series of events following a sudden, severe illness”. It was “devastating for the whole medical team trying desperately to keep her alive, so one can only imagine what the impact has been on her loving...

Pulitzer Board honours teen who filmed George Floyd murder

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This AFP still image taken from a May 25, 2020 video, courtesy of Darnella Frazier via Facebook, shows Minneapolis, Minnesota, police officer Derek Chauvin arresting George Floyd.

The Pulitzer Prize Board awarded a "special citation" on Friday to the teenager whose video of the murder of George Floyd by a white police officer sparked worldwide protests against racial injustice. Eighteen-year-old Darnella Frazier was honored as New York's Columbia University announced the 2021 prestigious journalism awards in a virtual ceremony. Frazier was being recognized "for courageously recording the murder of George Floyd, a video that spurred protests against police brutality around the world, highlighting the crucial role of citizens in journalists' quest for truth and justice," the citation said. Frazier was also among the witnesses who testified at the trial of former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin, who was convicted in April of Floyd's May 25, 2020 murder. In the video taken by Frazier, Chauvin is seen kneeling for more than nine minutes on the neck of Floyd, a 46-year-old Black man, as bystanders urge him repeatedly to get off and Floyd says that he can't breathe, before losing consciousness.  The staff of the Star Tribune of Minneapolis was awarded the Pulitzer in the breaking news category for its coverage of Floyd's death and its repercussions. The...

PA advised member to recuse herself in db project decision, NGOs say

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The db project on the former ITS site was approved for a second time on Thursday.

Six environmental NGOs have called on the Planning Authority to explain why their representative on the board was advised to recuse herself for the hearing on the controversial db Group project in Pembroke. The €250 million project was approved on Thursday with four votes in favour and three against despite unprecedented opposition from councils, residents and environmental groups. It will see the construction of a 12-storey hotel and two 17- and 18-storey residential towers on the former ITS site.  The decision was taken by seven board members after five members decided to recuse themselves due to a possible conflict since they were present when the project was first approved in 2018.  PA chairman Vince Cassar, Environmental Resources Authority chairman Victor Asciak, Joseph Brincat and NGO representative Annick Bonello sent a note to the board saying that although they believed they could decide on the matter, they had decided to withdraw from the hearing anyway. Lawyer Chris Cilia recused himself over a potential professional conflict.   In their statement on Friday, Flimkien għal Ambjent Aħjar, Moviment Graffitti, Ramblers Association of Malta, Rota, Birdlife and Nature...

Italy get Euro 2020 off to impressive start against Turkey

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Italy got their Euro 2020 campaign off the mark with an impressive 3-0 win over Turkey in the curtain-raiser for the postponed continental tournament at home in Rome on Friday. Playing their first major tournament in five years after failing to qualify for the 2018 world Cup, all the goals came in the second half in front of a Stadio Olimpico that was filled to a quarter of its capacity. Merih Demiral’s own goal put Italy ahead before Ciro Immobile and Lorenzo Insigne netted for Roberto Mancini’s side in the Group A opener. The win capped an emotional night in the Italian capital which saw 16,000 fans return to the Stadio Olimpico. A spectacular sound and light show and fireworks preceded kick-off for the month-long 24-team event, which will be played across 11 countries having been delayed for a year because of the coronavirus pandemic. Continue reading this article on Sports Desk, the new sports website by Times of Malta


Book on former Nadur archpriest

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Daniel Meilak during a book signing session at Nadur parish centre. Looking on is Nadur vice parish priest Reuben Micallef. Photo: Charles Spiteri

The parish of St Peter and St Paul, Nadur, in collaboration with the Nadur local council, has published a book, entitled Dun Martin: Ħajtu u Ħidmietu. The publication documents the life and work of Canon Dr Martin Camilleri who served as Nadur’s archpriest from 1910 until his death 100 years ago on September 8, 1921. Camilleri is credited to have brought together some of the best artists and professionals in order to enlarge and embellish the Nadur church. These included Lazzaro Pisani, Gianni Vella, Francesco Saverio Sciortino, Pio Cellini and Gianni Bonnici. The book, edited by Daniel Meilak and with a contribution by Fr Dennis Mifsud, contains his story, set in the local context of the late 19th and early 20th century, together with a photo album documenting his life and works. The book is on sale from Nadur parish office.

Żepp - June 12, 2021

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100th day of the 'new normal' Vaccine conspiracies (5) Żepp is produced by Ġorġ Mallia. See more Żepp cartoons.

Letters to the editor - June 12, 2021

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Balluta Bay is only one bastion Who will win indeed over the Balluta Bay tussle? Watching carefully over the next 15 or so months, however, is not the only point; there are such things as moratoriums and 15 months are not for ever. The real morons are those who continue to be hoodwinked just as the real whores are the ones who are so easily bought with promises, permits, etc. They say that you get the government you deserve. Perhaps one meditation over the next few months would be to take a leaf out of the dog training book: you reward behaviour you want to reinforce and penalise what you do not. If you don’t, it’s your own stupid fault when said dog turns around and mauls you. Anna Micallef – Sliema Construction moratorium! How elated I was to read the front page of the Times of Malta stating that a two-year moratorium was to be enforced on any new construction on Gozo and that all construction presently under way on Gozo has to be halted with immediate effect. Also, at the end of the two-year moratorium, the situation is to be reassessed with the possibility of a further extension to the moratorium. To be clear, this stop notice only applies to Gozo, therefore, builders here...

Self-taught artist specialises on feast street decorations

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Manwel Grech working on a sculpture for a new street pedestal, of St Anne, in Marsascala. Photo: Charles Spiteri

Manwel Grech, a self-taught artist, uses his skills on feast street decorations mainly and his works are found across the country. Visiting his workshop in Victoria, one can view a number of life sized papier-mache statues waiting for a final touch of colour before being delivered to different villages and towns. In 2016, Grech, a Gozitan, created a crib that was exhibited at St Peter’s Square. It was Pope John Paul II who, in 1982, started the tradition of having a crib exhibited in St Peter’s Square at Christmas time. Grech’s crib was the first which was not built in Italy. The following year, the crib was exhibited in Bethlehem.

Government eyes constitutional change following Venice Commission opinion

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The government is expected to attempt to move constitutional amendments in parliament. Photo: DOI/Omar Camilleri

The government is expected to forge ahead with controversial plans to hand public entities the power to impose much larger fines than they can right now. The changes seek to allow high administrative fines to be imposed by any public officer or authority, and in the process redefine the meaning of a ‘criminal offence’. Currently, such fines can only be imposed by a court. The proposed reform comes in the context of increased international scrutiny of Malta’s fight against major financial crime.  It is understood that the proposed reform was one of the commitments the government made to international assessors looking at whether or not the island is doing enough to fight money laundering. Government sources told Times of Malta the reform is on the agenda for next week’s Cabinet meeting during which ministers are expected to discuss proceeding with plans to tweak the constitution. This, however, will not be that simple, as changes to the constitution – the supreme law of the land – must be put through parliament and require a two-thirds majority vote in favour to pass. The Nationalist Party in Opposition has already declared its position against the government’s plans and urged it...

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