The culture of elections is constantly changing. Political parties’ marketing machines regularly conduct social research to determine the electorate’s priorities. They then run campaigns to appeal to the broadest possible section of the voters. A few weeks before the 2022 election, the concerns and aspirations of the electorate are becoming more evident. A survey conducted by market research firm Esprimi for Times of Malta produced some expected results and quite a few surprising ones. As many still struggle to return to normality after more than two years of COVID-induced health risks and restrictions on social behaviour, it is not surprising that the health system is still perceived to be the most crucial challenge facing the country. In more normal times, one would expect economic issues that directly impact most people’s lives to rank in the top three or four priorities. The fast-accelerating growth in inflation is not surprisingly considered a daunting challenge for more than a quarter of the electorate, according to the survey. So far, both main political parties have glossed over this issue. The Labour Party has promised that, if elected, it would continue to absorb the...

President Volodymyr Zelensky said he is no longer pressing for NATO membership for Ukraine, a delicate issue that was one of Russia's stated reasons for invading its pro-Western neighbour. In another apparent nod aimed at placating Moscow, Zelensky said he is open to "compromise" on the status of two breakaway pro-Russian territories that President Vladimir Putin recognized as independent just before unleashing the invasion on February 24. "I have cooled down regarding this question a long time ago after we understood that ... NATO is not prepared to accept Ukraine," Zelensky said in an interview aired Monday night on ABC News. "The alliance is afraid of controversial things, and confrontation with Russia," the president added. Referring to NATO membership, Zelensky said through an interpreter that he does not want to be president of a "country which is begging something on its knees."  Russia has said it does not want neighbouring Ukraine to join NATO, the transatlantic alliance created at the start of the Cold War to protect Europe from the Soviet Union.  In more recent years the alliance has expanded further and further east to take in former Soviet bloc countries,...

Obituaries ATTARD KINGSWELL. On March 6, at Mater Dei Hospital, ELENO, of San Ġwann, aged 87, passed away peacefully comforted by the rites of Holy Church. He leaves to mourn his loss his son Charles, his daughter Miriam and husband Anthony Haidon, his grandchild Ryan, his brother John, his nephews and nieces, his in-laws and their children, other relatives and friends. Mass præsente cadavere will be said today, Wednesday, March 9, at 8.30am, at Our Lady of Lourdes parish church, San Ġwann, followed by interment at the Santa Maria Addolorata Cemetery. No flowers by request but donations to Id-Dar tal-Providenza, Siġġiewi, will be greatly appreciated. Lord, grant him eternal rest. BUSUTTIL. We sadly announce the passing of our dearest mother, THERESE, née Borg Bartolo, widow of Louis, comforted by the rites of Holy Church. Her irreparable loss is deeply mourned by her children Louiana, Franco and Alexis, Jean Paul and Mirjam, her cherished and precious grandchildren Christina and Robert, Francesco and Myranne, Audrey and Kurt, Sarah and Peter, and Sophie Ann, her treasured great-grandchildren Giuliana, Angelina, Francesca, Isabella, Emily and Peter, her brother Victor and Lina,...

Finaro (formerly Credorax), a global cross-border payment provider, and a fully licensed bank by the Malta Financial Services Authority (MFSA), has entered into an agreement with Shift4 for its acquisition in a deal worth $575 million (€526m). Together, Finaro and Shift4 will be better positioned to provide merchants with the best-in-class global omni-channel payment solution and stand alongside some of the biggest players in the payments industry, including Adyen, Nuvei and WorldPay. “This acquisition underscores our aggressive efforts to deliver a unified commerce experience across the world. This deal clearly shows our ability to support existing transformational and global customers like SpaceX Starlink & St Jude Children’s Research Hospital,” Shift4 CEO Jared Isaacman said. Finaro will provide the global infrastructure and cutting-edge technology needed to drive Shift4’s international ambitions to deliver a unified commerce experience. By integrating Finaro’s capabilities, Shift4 will be able to expand the company’s current services, including its next-generation SkyTab POS solution, Shift4Shop eCommerce platform and VenueNext stadium offering. Shift4 also has over 425...

With one round of games to go in the regular season of the MAPFRE MSV Life Women League, the playoff race is further wide open after the latest wins by Caffe Moak Luxol and Starlites Naxxar. Leaders Hibs have a small buffer to rely on but a play-off spot is still not mathematically certain for them although they know that should they falter in all the three round-six games and Depiro, now three games behind, would win all their games and tie with Hibs in the standings, the Paolites would still progress having an advantage in the direct encounters.   Continue reading this article on Sports Desk, the new sports website by Times of Malta

I want to go to Serbia, which is a dark red country. It seems the Maltese authorities are insisting on acquiring an authorisation to go, which is almost always denied. I am 68 years old, so I have the required age to travel alone, without someone holding my hand. I also know that, on my return, I have to spend one week closed in my house (quarantine) since I live alone and am single. So I am not bothering anyone else. And I had the two doses as well as the booster. The booster was taken on January 17, 2022. Why is it that I still cannot travel to Serbia? – Peter Montebello Across the EU, in order to control the spread of COVID-19, some restrictions to travel have been required. The impact of travel from countries with high rates of cases has been clear across the waves of this pandemic. At EU level, the European Council adopted ‘dark red’ classifications for the mapping of risk areas and set stricter measures for travellers from high-risk areas. Malta has been adopting a hybrid approach with country classification as red zones and dark red zones, along with a person-based approach on their vaccination status. Specific authorisation is required for travellers to and from dark red...

The Swiss public prosecutor on Tuesday called for Paris Saint-Germain president Nasser Al-Khelaifi and FIFA’s former number two Jerome Valcke to be sent to prison for corruption over a World Cup TV rights deal. The Swiss authorities are appealing the verdicts handed down to the two men after a 2020 trial which acquitted Al-Khelaifi and handed Valcke a suspended sentence. Al-Khelaifi, the chairman of beIN Media, was cleared of inciting aggravated criminal mismanagement, with Valcke found guilty of a separate charge of forging documents related to the attribution of Italian and Greek World Cup TV rights. Valcke was ordered to pay 1.65 million euros in compensation to FIFA, including 400,000 euros in the main case, as well as 80,000 Swiss francs ($87,000) in legal costs. Continue reading this article on SportsDesk, the sports website of the Times of Malta

Energy Minister Miriam Dalli has dismissed concerns that the Ukraine war could disrupt Malta’s power supply, saying the country is “not dependent” on Russian gas. Dalli spoke to Times of Malta hours before the EU announced plans on Tuesday to wean itself off Russia, which supplies 40% of the bloc’s Liquified Natural Gas (LNG). Malta gets around 17% of its power from the European grid through the Malta-Sicily interconnector. “As a country, when it comes to Liquified Natural Gas (LNG), we’re not dependent on Russia,” Dalli said. “We don’t have any contracts with Russia whatsoever. We are all the time, however, monitoring what’s happening on the market because we understand the EU has a number of agreements when it comes to Russia. “And, so, I am insisting that we can’t be solely reliant on the interconnector because we are seeing the prices soaring and increasing all the time,” Dalli said. Energy supply figures for 2020 show that the island generated 73.6% of its electricity from power plants, 16.7% supply from the interconnector and 9.7% from renewable sources. The lion’s share of that energy is generated through burning LNG, Enemalta data indicates. Company figures for 2019, the...

McDonald's, Coca-Cola and Starbucks on Tuesday bowed to public pressure and suspended their operations in Russia, joining the international corporate chorus of outrage over Moscow's invasion of Ukraine. Several of these companies, symbols of American cultural influence in the world, have been the subject of boycott calls on social media as investors have also begun to ask questions about their presence. "We cannot ignore the needless human suffering unfolding in Ukraine," the fast-food giant said, announcing the temporary closure all 850 restaurants in Russia, where it employs 62,000 people. Starbucks, Coca-Cola and PepsiCo announced their own decisions to halt or restrict business in quick succession, noting the growing human cost of the invasion. PepsiCo said that despite halting sales in Russia of its flagship beverage, as well as 7Up and Mirinda, it would continue to offer products like milk and baby food. "By continuing to operate, we will also continue to support the livelihoods of our 20,000 Russian associates and the 40,000 Russian agricultural workers in our supply chain," PepsiCo CEO Ramon Laguarta said in a statement. Starbucks, which has 130 Kuwaiti conglomerate-run...

The maritime sector, which accounts for 14 per cent of Malta’s GDP, is crucial for an island economy such as Malta. The upcoming general elections can be a catalyst for a series of improvements that could make this sector more robust and competitive. The Maritime Cooperative Network, within the Malta Cooperative Federation, has launched its elections proposals with a view to provide legislators with an opportunity to discuss maritime issues with professionals working directly in this sector. The network consists of the following cooperatives: Comino Ferries Cooperative Ltd, Malta Boatmen and Mooring Services Cooperative Ltd, Malta Maritime Pilots Cooperative Ltd, Malta Mooring Masters Cooperative Ltd, Mediterranean Maritime Research and Training Centre Cooperative Ltd, and Ports Foreman Cooperative Ltd. The first proposal of the Network is for the appointment of a minister responsible solely for maritime affairs and the blue economy since the industry deserves the highest consideration in government strategies and policies, including at cabinet level. A demerger of Transport Malta and the creation of a Maritime Authority is also necessary. But equally necessary is that a new...

The World Glaucoma Association is this week marking World Glaucoma Week, in a bid to raise awareness on the need to tackle the ever-increasing challenge posed by glaucoma. Glaucoma is a common eye condition. According to the WHO World Report on Vision 2019, there are around 80 million people with glaucoma and it is the fourth leading cause of preventable loss of vision. The prevalence of glaucoma is expected to increase significantly in the future, mostly due to an ageing population. A survey by Cachia J. et al. (1989) had found that around three per cent of those older than 40 years in Malta had glaucoma. An ongoing study will shed light on the current disease burden locally.   From personal experience, the word ‘glaucoma’ evokes various misconceptions. It is frequently wrongly linked with eye pain or headache and is equated with high pressure in the eye. General understanding about the condition is low and increased public awareness would help bring people forward to undergo regular eye testing.  So, what exactly is glaucoma? Defining this disease is challenging and ‘glaucoma’ is a label given to many different conditions which, ultimately, result in permanent damage to the...

Wednesday is day 17 in the general election campaign, which culminates with a national vote on March 26.   Keep tabs on the campaign throughout the day in our live blog below.  Read past blogs: Day one | day two | day three | day four | day five | day eight | day nine | day 10 | day 11 | day 12 | day 15 | day 16 Spotted something worth noting? Get in touch at newsroom@timesofmalta.com Live blog What happened yesterday?  8.46am A brief reminder of yesterday's key points and claims:  Labour pledged to make contraceptives and the morning-after pill free. The PN and Volt Malta have also made this pledge. The PL also pledged to start screening women for breast cancer at 45, rather than 50. The PN promised hunters it would fight for spring hunting and work to "simplify" hunting regulations.   The entertainment sector was up in arms after Julia Farrugia Portelli mocked PN candidate Julie Zahra by telling her “we’re not singing on a stage here”. Zahra is also a singer. Labour and the PN crossed swords over proposals for pensions and ESG-compliant businesses. Good morning 8.40am Good morning and welcome to today's live blog.  It's a slow start to the day, election-wise. Prime...

Carlo Ancelotti has been around long enough to know these are the games that really matter at Real Madrid. A Champions League last-16 tie against Paris Saint-Germain, with all the noise, the drama and the intrigue, will carry greater significance for Madrid’s president Florentino Perez than any of their other 39 fixtures so far this term. In 2018, Zinedine Zidane launched his entire coaching career off winning titanic battles like these. No matter that Real Madrid finished almost 20 points behind Barcelona in La Liga. Zidane marched his team past four European heavyweights in the knock-out stages – PSG, Juventus, Bayern Munich and, in the final, Liverpool – and was instantly hailed a genius.   Continue reading this article on Sports Desk, the new sports website by Times of Malta

The United States has banned imports of Russian oil, firing one of its biggest economic weapons against Moscow over the war in Ukraine where new humanitarian corridors were set to open Wednesday for civilians trying to escape besieged cities. Russia said the routes would open in five cities that its forces have been shelling, but Kyiv has repeatedly warned Moscow is not genuinely looking to allow civilians to flee and on Tuesday accused Moscow of bombing one corridor. "Such actions are nothing other than a genocide," the Ukrainian defence ministry wrote on Facebook. President Joe Biden said Tuesday the US oil embargo on Russia would cut "the main artery" of Moscow's economy, and vowed Ukraine would "never be a victory" for Russian leader Vladimir Putin. The invasion has sparked the biggest war in Europe and the continent's largest refugee crisis since World War II, while the West has responded with sanctions on Russia that have reverberated around the global economy. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has complained he needs more air support to fight Moscow's offensive, with the invading forces maintaining a devastating bombing campaign. But Washington on Tuesday rejected an...

Mazda’s new CX-60 has been launched with Mazda’s first plug-in hybrid powertrain, which links a 2.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine with a 100kW electric motor and a 17.8kWh battery. Combined, you get 322bhp and 500Nm of torque, which makes it Mazda’s most powerful road car. Despite this high output, the firm claims a combined fuel consumption of 188mpg alongside emissions of 33g/km CO2.  There’s also the ability to deliver 39 miles of electric range, or up to 42 miles when just driving around the city.  Read the full story at timesmotors.com 

A photographic exhibition, celebrating the strength, wisdom and beauty of women aged over 40, opened this week to mark International Women’s Day. The exhibition also marks the end of a long-running project by international photographer Amanda Hsu of Cranberry Photography Studio of Mosta. She had already mounted an exhibition on Maltese women over 40 in 2015, titled Women in Malta, and the positive feedback she received encouraged her to delve further into the subject. “We empower women by giving women confidence in front of the camera. We believe that beauty is working on both the inside and outside. We believe that by empowering women we can change the world,” Hsu writes in her blog. The exhibition, titled 40 over 40, features women from all walks of life and with various stories to tell. They shared their experiences and thoughts about womanhood, beauty and ageing, among others, with Hsu, who also interviewed them for her blog. Among these is Ruth Calleja, who suffered mental abuse for about 16 years. She started living one of her dreams when she began modelling abroad. Ruth Calleja “I tried to enter the Maltese modelling scene at 40 and none of the Maltese designers...

The Creative Voice that does not Shake, a publication by the women survivors of Violence Against Women who reside at Il-Milja, Fondazzjoni Sebħ, was launched on March 8 to commemorate Women’s Day. Through this publication, the women have been given the space to express themselves through creative means including art, poetry, messages as well as prayer. This publication gave survivors the well-deserved space to express themselves and raise awareness about the abuse and violence which, despite the achievements, continue to be present in the lives of many women around the world. This booklet wouldn’t have become a reality without the long-standing support of the Association of International Women in Malta, who this time funded the printing giving our women the message that their voice matters, that they matter.  An artwork created by one of the women. Yvonne Mallia, director of Fondazzjoni Sebħ introduced the event with a heavy heart following the murder of Rita Ellul, an alleged victim of domestic violence, only last week and Paulina Dembska earlier on this year.  Yet she also expressed hope as women residing at Il-Milja have shown courage and resilience when voicing their...

Pep Guardiola says Manchester City face a defensive crisis ahead of the second leg of their Champions League tie against Sporting Lisbon on Wednesday as his men prepare to defend a 5-0 lead. Defender Kyle Walker is suspended as he serves a three-game and Joao Cancelo is out ill, while Nathan Ake and Ruben Dias remain on the injury list. “We have just 14 players available,” Guardiola said at his pre-match press conference on Tuesday. “We have problems with a suspension for Kyle and Joao is sick and cannot play.” He added: “We have just three defenders… so we have to adapt with the second team. We will see what we are going to do.”   Continue reading this article on Sports Desk, the new sports website by Times of Malta

A man who was caught red-handed stealing from a car in Floriana is expected to be charged in court on Wednesday. The police said the incident happened in Triq Emvin Cremona at 3.30pm on Tuesday. The thief was confronted by the car's owner, a 28-year-old woman from Kalkara, who caught him in the act. He attacked the woman and escaped with a bag he had stolen. With her help and through CCTV footage in the area, the police could see what the aggressor was wearing and the direction he had taken. Through the Rapid Intervention Unit and the Criminal Investigation Department, officers traced him to Triq it-Tiġrija, Marsa, at around 5pm. The suspected aggressor, a 31-year-old Libyan, was arrested and is expected to be arraigned in court in front of magistrate Nadine Lia on Wednesday. The prosecution will be led by Inspectors Lydon Zammit, Stephen Gulia and Gabriel Micallef. His victim was taken to the Floriana health centre, where she was certified to be suffering from slight injuries.

Asian equities were mixed on Wednesday as three days of painful losses gave way to a semblance of stability, though oil prices extended gains after the United States and Britain moved to ban imports of Russian crude. But while the panic selling that characterised markets for two weeks eased, analysts warned of further volatility as Russia showed no sign of letting up on its invasion of Ukraine. The crisis has fuelled fears that the fragile global recovery from COVID-19 will be replaced by a period of stagflation, in which inflation surges and economies flatline or contract. A crucial driver of equity selling has been rocketing commodities prices. Crude is the main worry as the removal of Russia’s output will compound an already tight market. Russia is the world’s third-biggest oil producer. Wheat and metals, including nickel, have already hit record highs.  Warnings that US President Joe Biden would put an embargo on imports from Russia sent Brent prices soaring to as high as $139 on Monday – about $8 short of a 2008 record – before they retreated. However, confirmation of the ban on Tuesday, and news that Britain would join by the end of the year, sent the black gold roaring up...