Nadur Youngsters and Għajnsielem, the main challengers for the title, both earned maximum spoils from their respective matches last weekend to go top of the GFA Division One. The Youngsters and the Blacks are leading the way on seven points and are the only teams in the division who are still unbeaten. The results of the weekend practically established a table that expresses the real potential of the eight teams, as it seems that the current joint-leaders Nadur Youngsters and Għajnsielem should not find much competition from any of the other six teams in the category.  The three teams behind them in the standings, Kerċem Ajax, Victoria Hotspurs and Xewkija Tigers are expected to battle for third spot while the remaining sides in the standings are expected to battle to avoid relegation. Continue reading this article on SportsDesk, the sports website of the Times of Malta

This week young Maltese waterpolo players have the opportunity to watch one of the greatest teams in the world as Champions League winners Pro Recco are currently in Malta for a short training camp at the Neptunes WPSC pool in St Julian’s. Pro Recco are regarded as one of the best teams in the waterpolo scene with a staggering 48 titles won, which include nine Champions League titles and 33 Italian championship crowns. They are the current European champions, after defeating Olympiacos in the final last June, and have some of the world’s best players such as Italy captain Pietro Figlioli, formerly on the books of Sliema ASC, Montenegrin scorer Aleksandar Ivovic and Francesco di Fulvio just to name a few. Club president Maurizio Felugo said that he was delighted to have finally realised the idea of bringing the team to Malta and has no doubt that the camp will be the perfect preparation to launch their club’s assault for major honours this season. Continue reading this article on SportsDesk, the sports website of the Times of Malta

The Church on Thursday defended its decision to sell unutilised, developable land it previously owned in Għargħur and is now subject to a planning application for what residents say is a “monstrous high-rise project”. It was now up to the competent authorities to decide on the applications submitted by the present owners, in line with existing policies and building regulations, the Curia said. It was reacting to a report in Times of Malta on Thursday about Għargħur residents’ fierce opposition to the project.  The prospective development is covered by three separate applications filed by different people within the development zone but just a stone’s throw away from the village’s urban conservation area.  It was originally planned to be turned into catechism classrooms but was, instead, sold to developers by the Curia.  A Curia spokesperson said that two of the four applications shown in an image submitted to the Planning Authority, with the proposed and possible future developments on the site, are not on the site previously owned by the Church.  He insisted that the Church is not involved in any way in this development. “The Church understands that the Planning Authority, the...

Malta will start recognising the digital COVID-19 vaccine certificates of Kuwait and Singapore, the health authorities said. In a statement, the authorities said the certificates will be recognised from Friday if vaccines approved by the European Medicines Authority would have been taken, which shall be a full course and 14 days after the last dose. Currently, Malta is recognising the digital vaccine certificates of the EU, Switzerland, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, Serbia, Gibraltar, Jersey, Guernsey, Qatar,  Albania, Australia, Egypt, Lebanon, Canada and the United States of America record card.  A legal notice published on Monday shows that 19 countries have been added to Malta's travel red list. That came into force on Thursday. Travellers from red list countries can enter Malta without quarantine, provided they possess a recognised vaccine certificate.  According to that legal notice, travel to Malta from Bahrain, Gabon, Kuwait, Maldives, Bermuda, Rwanda, Russia, Mongolia, Cape Verde, Namibia, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Myanmar, Malaysia, Tunisia, Morocco, Iraq, South Africa, Timor and India is now allowed.

Over 20 employees of Atlas Insurance recently spent a day cleaning various coastal areas in Malta as part of the company’s voluntary leave day initiative. A total of 51 bags of plastic and sea debris were collected from various seaside locations on the north-western coast. During the clean-up, the team collected floating debris from the sea, from the seabed and swam to the coast to collect rubbish there, before bringing it back to their respective boats. The team was then treated to lunch courtesy of Atlas and took some time off to enjoy the rest of the day at sea. “We are passionate about the environment we live in and the contribution we can make, however small, to help rid the sea from the harmful plastic and other debris,” Jackie Attard Montalto, chief human resources officer, said. “This is part of our well-being strategy, which looks at our people holistically to ensure we contribute positively to all aspects of people’s lives, dedicating significant resources to our people’s well-being and our contribution to our society.” “This was one of our first team building events after the long months of lockdown and restrictions, and it was great to return and be able to enjoy...

The statue of Our Lady of Sorrows, forming part of the Crucifixion statue at Xagħra basilica, is back in the church after it was restored by Atelier del Restauro. The statue, along with the crucifix, are exposed on the main altar of the basilica. Representatives of the firm recently gave a talk about the restoration intervention. The statue was made by the famous artist Luigi Guacci of Lecce, Puglia, Italy, using the cartapesta (papier mȃché) technique, in 1914. Throughout its history, the statue was repainted several times. Furthermore, it suffered from a severe insect infestation.  The restoration project included the consolidation of the papier mȃché support, the removal of the overpainted layers, the retouching of losses on the skin tones and golden decorated motifs and a specialised Anoxia treatment to eradicate any insect infestation. Atelier del Restauro is grateful to the basilica’s Collegiate Chapter, including archpriest Carmelo Refalo, for entrusting them with this challenging task. 

Former Minneapolis police officer Derek Chauvin has appealed his conviction for the murder of George Floyd, citing 14 complaints about his high-profile trial earlier this year in a case that roiled the United States and laid bare deep racial divisions. The killing of Floyd, a 46-year-old Black man, in May 2020 went viral after being caught on camera and sparked America's biggest demonstrations for racial justice in decades. Chauvin, who in June was sentenced to more than 22 years in prison for killing Floyd by kneeling on his neck for nearly 10 minutes, appealed the conviction Thursday night with a Minnesota district court, on the last day he was able to do so.  He accuses the state of prejudicial misconduct and lists multiple issues with the jury selected for the trial, among other objections. The former police officer accuses the court of "abusing its discretion" by denying requests to postpone or move the trial, and refusing to sequester the jury for its duration. Chauvin, a 45-year-old white man, was filmed kneeling on Floyd's neck, indifferent to the dying man's groans and to the pleas of distraught passers-by. Floyd repeatedly said "I can't breathe" before he died. The...

BMW hit the ground running when it came to electrified vehicles. You might remember the striking i8 which, although a hybrid and not a fully electric car, showcased what the future of the firm’s battery-assisted vehicles might look like, alongside the little i3 which has soldiered on for many years as BMW’s core EV. But after that duo, things fell rather silent. Until now, that is, thanks to this – the iX3. It’s the first in a whole new wave of EVs for BMW, kicking off a fleet of battery-powered models for the company. Let’s check out what this new iX3 is all about. Okay, we’ll admit that on the outside at least, this looks like a pretty regular X3. But look slightly closer and you’ll notice the closed-off front grille, the aerodynamic wheels and the subtle blue badging BMW reserves for its electrified models. It is, of course, completely silent too – only emitting that now-recognisable ‘hum’ when it passes. Famous composer Hans Zimmer has also had a hand in how the car sounds from the inside. In Sport modes and under acceleration, a somewhat other-worldly sound is emitted from the iX3’s speakers – different, for sure, but it’s actually really exciting. Read the full test-drive...

Americans Xander Schauffele, the Tokyo Olympic champion, and US PGA playoff winner Patrick Cantlay face Europe’s Ian Poulter and Rory McIlroy in Friday’s opening foursomes session of the Ryder Cup. Pairings revealed at Thursday’s opening ceremony unveiled the lineup for the first session of the 43rd biennial match play showdown between holders Europe and the United States at Whistling Straits. Europe talisman Poulter and four-time major winner McIlroy, who combined for a foursomes point at Paris in 2018, go off last against Schauffele and Cantlay. Continue reading this article on SportsDesk, the sports website of the Times of Malta

Barcelona made it three games without a victory on Thursday as a goalless draw with Cadiz further weakened Ronald Koeman’s position as coach. Frenkie de Jong was sent off in the 65th minute at the Ramon de Carranza stadium but holding on for a draw will earn little credit for Koeman, who was also shown a red card in injury-time. Whether Koeman is still in the post for Barca’s game at home to Levante on Sunday remains to be seen but it appears now to be more a matter of when the club can find a replacement than if he will continue in charge. “You have to always try to win each game, but you have to be realistic, you have to see the squad we have, the people we’re missing,” said Koeman. Continue reading this article on SportsDesk, the sports website of the Times of Malta

Asian markets fluctuated on Friday as investors kept a wary eye on developments in the Evergrande debt crisis, while keeping an upbeat outlook for the global recovery outlook. Investors struggled to track a surge on Wall Street that followed news the Federal Reserve planned to start tapering its vast monetary easing programme within months, which observers took as a signal of confidence that the world’s top economy is well on the right track. A more hawkish tilt by the British and Norwegian central banks hinted at a similar outlook, while analysts said markets would likely end the year on a strong note. Subsiding concern about the future of Evergrande added to the broadly positive mood, while hopes a US debt default could be averted also provided support. Traders are keeping close tabs on the battered real estate firm, with no sign that it had paid interest to bondholders on a note due Thursday. Still, the firm has a 30-day grace period to stump up before it is considered in default. Markets were sent spinning at the start of the week by fears that the company – one of China’s biggest developers in the crucial property sector – would go under and drag others with it, in turn...

At the “Human Library”, you can “loan” a person to tell you their life story, an original concept born in Denmark that is designed to challenge prejudice and which has spread around the world. Iben – a quiet 46-year-old sexual abuse victim with mental health issues who doesn’t give out her last name – is one of eight “books” curious people can loan on this autumn day in Copenhagen. For 30 minutes, you can ask anything you want, either one-on-one or in a small group. Video: Camille Bas-Wohlert / AFPTV/AFP “The Human Library is a safe space where we can explore diversity, learn about ways in which we’re different from each other, and engage with people we normally would never meet... and challenge your unconscious bias,” explains Ronni Abergel, the project’s garrulous initiator. He created the living library in 2000 during the Roskilde music festival and went on to build a non-profit organisation. The concept has since found its way into more than 70 countries. “A reading truly is a conversation,” says Abergel. “I’m going to take a few minutes to explain my topic, my background, and to make sure that you can ask me anything about being HIV (positive) or disabled, or transgender,...

Using a raised eyebrow or smile, people with speech or physical disabilities can now operate their Android-powered smartphones hands-free, Google said Thursday.  Two new tools put machine learning and front-facing cameras on smartphones to work detecting face and eye movements. Users can scan their phone screen and select a task by smiling, raising eyebrows, opening their mouth, or looking to the left, right or up. "To make Android more accessible for everyone, we're launching new tools that make it easier to control your phone and communicate using facial gestures," Google said. The Centre for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that 61 million adults in the United States live with disabilities, which has pushed Google and rivals Apple and Microsoft to make products and services more accessible to them. "Every day, people use voice commands, like 'Hey Google', or their hands to navigate their phones," the tech giant said in a blog post. "However, that's not always possible for people with severe motor and speech disabilities." The changes are the result of two new features, one is called "Camera Switches", which lets people use their faces instead of swipes and taps to...

Heritage Malta is marking this year’s European Heritage Days – which take place in the 50 countries party to the European cultural convention – with a programme of events between October 1 and 3. There will be guided tours and discussions, special openings of closed sites, workshops at UNESCO World Heritage Sites, and an open day at Heritage Malta’s conservation labs – all at a minimal fee or free of charge. This year’s shared theme is the celebration and promotion of inclusivity, which fits perfectly with Heritage Malta’s own mission of accessibility, the agency said.  On October 1, HM, with the collaboration of the Mġarr council is organising an event for senior citizens at Ta' Ħaġrat, listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Participants will be given a guided tour of the site, with a choice either at 8.30am or at 9am, followed by a discussion with the site’s curator at the council premises. The talk will focus on daily life in the Neolithic period, and the community's involvement in the excavation of the site. Participation is free but pre-booking at the Mġarr council is required.  On October 2, HM is inviting the public to visit two unique sites which are normally closed for...

A crane pictured behind the recently vandalised Salib tad-Dejma had been illegally parked there for weeks and the site used as a dumping ground for years, according to Qormi mayor Josef Masini Vento. On Tuesday, the seven-centuries-old Salib tad-Dejma in Ħandaq Industrial Estate, Qormi was reduced to rubble in a “criminal act of vandalism” denounced by Heritage Minister José Herrera and former president Marie-Louise Coleiro Preca. The case is under police investigation. However, photos showing the horizontal boom of a crane behind where the tall cross used to stand had raised suspicions about what could have destroyed the structure. The boom of the crane behind where the Salib tad-Dejma used to stand, in a photo taken the day the vandalism was discovered. Photo: Facebook.com Masini Vento told Times of Malta the crane had been parked behind the historic monument for weeks and was part of a larger issue of illegal dumping at the site which he had reported for many years. This was one of the reasons why the Qormi local council had put forward an application to have Salib tad-Dejma restored, he said. “We were hoping that, after restoration, the site would be given more protection,”...

Film, television and theatre director Roger Michell, who was best known for his work on the romantic comedy Notting Hill, has died at the age of 65, his publicist announced on Thursday. "It is with great sadness that the family of Roger Michell, director, writer and father of Harry, Rosie, Maggie and Sparrow, announce his death at the age of 65 on September 22," a statement said. The South Africa-born son of a British diplomat, Michell lived in Beirut, Damascus and Prague as a child before returning to the UK. After finding success with 1999's Notting Hill, starring Julia Roberts and Hugh Grant, Michell went on to direct the 2002 Hollywood road-rage drama Changing Lanes, with Ben Affleck and Samuel L. Jackson. In 2014, he told the BBC he had made a decision to focus more on films based in England and Europe and directed movies like the 2004 adaptation of Ian McEwan's novel Enduring Love and Venus, starring Peter O'Toole, in 2006. Michell also won plaudits for his work in the theatre, where he began his directing career, with credits including Nina Raine's Consent, Harold Pinter's The Homecoming and Dylan Thomas' Under Milk Wood. Earlier this month, he appeared at Telluride Film...

The increased time spent on screens and away from friends during the pandemic has impacted young people’s well-being and made them more susceptible to online bullying, which could explain why 15 per cent of older students reported thoughts of self-harm, according to experts. The figure emerged from the preliminary findings of a study carried out by the Lisa Marie Foundation and published last week.  In the study, it was also found that eight in 10 students were spending more time online. While about half said they were generally happy socialising with friends online, seven in 10 said they had stopped sports activities because of the pandemic. The foundation is an NGO focused on safeguarding children from harm. Its survey was carried out among 1,951 children and young people between the ages of seven and 16 in 29 schools, asking students about the impact of the global pandemic on their wellbeing.  Key findings, to be published next month, also showed that 87 per cent expressed concern about their family’s health due to COVID-19 and 61 per cent felt uneasy and afraid about the future.  What the experts say Professor Marilyn Clark, from the Department of Psychology within the...

Exiled former Catalan president Carles Puigdemont was awaiting a court hearing in Italy Friday after being arrested four years after fleeing Spain in the aftermath of an independence referendum that Madrid ruled illegal. The European MEP - who has been based in Belgium since the 2017 referendum - was detained in the Sardinian town of Alghero on Thursday, his chief of staff Josep Lluis Alay said. "He'll appear before the judges of the court of appeal of Sassari, who will decide whether to let him go or extradite him" to Spain, where he faces charges of sedition, he announced on Twitter. Video: AFP Puigdemont's Brussels-based lawyer, Gonzalo Boye, told AFP on Friday his client had spent the night in a jail cell and was waiting for news of the preliminary hearing. "We don't know if it's today or tomorrow," he said, an assessment confirmed by an Italian lawyer helping Puigdemont in Sardinia, Agostinangelo Marras. Supporters had already gathered outside the court in Sassari, a city in the north-west of Sardinia, with one holding aloft a large Catalan flag. One banner called for freedom for "Catalan political prisoners". Boye had previously said Puigdemont was arrested as he arrived...

The International Monetary Fund warned on Friday that Australia must act to curb runaway home prices, which have surged more than 20 per cent in major cities over the past year. With the pandemic doing little to cool Australia’s turbocharged real estate market, the Washington-based institution urged policymakers to step up. “Surging housing prices raise concerns about affordability and financial stability,” the IMF warned in a periodic review of Australia’s economy. It urged “structural reforms” to boost the housing supply and support for those with low incomes who have been priced out of the market. Financial oversight “should be tightened and lending standards closely monitored”, the fund added. Property speculation is virtually a national sport in Australia, where newspapers are filled with stories about the latest high-end auctions and sales. Nationwide, home prices have risen more than 18 per cent in the past year, according to data from CoreLogic, despite major cities being locked down or under pandemic restrictions for most of that period. Prices in Hobart, Tasmania, rose 25 per cent in a year and, according to data from real estate website Domain, Sydney home prices rose...

The Nationalist Party has proposed lowering the VAT rate for hotels and restaurants to seven from 18%. PN spokesman Peter Agius and candidate Ivan Castillo told a media conference in Gozo this was one of the main proposals from among 100 contained in the document 2 + 8 'A way forward to tourism recovery'. The document contains a series of measures designed to alleviate the reduced turnover in the tourism sector due to the pandemic. The PN is also proposing a measure where the tax due is repaid over five years. Agius explained that a VAT rate reduction is possible through derogations allowed by European directives. The reduced rate could spur renewed investment at a time when the tourism sector needs a sign of courage to return to pre-pandemic levels leading economic activity. "Only if we continue to invest will we be able to remain competitive," said Agius. Castillo explained how investment in hotels helps diversify the Maltese tourist offer and the PN proposals also address direct support for hotel upgrades as well as the promotion of niche market hotels targeting particular sectors. Castillo said the PN was also proposing how the government will be a main partner in targeted...