German car sales fell sharply in June, official figures showed on Wednesday, as the sector remained grip by supply issues. New car registrations in Europe's top economy fell by 18.1 per cent year-on-year to 224,558 units in June, the federal transport authority KBA said in a statement. New car sales had already fallen by 10.2 per cent in May and by 21.5 per cent in April. Just over 1.2 million cars were registered in Germany in the first half of 2022, 11 per cent fewer than in the same period last year. Car manufacturers were already battling with supply issues in 2021, which led to intermittent production stops and a slump in sales. Those problems have persisted in recent months as lockdowns in China and the outbreak of the war in Ukraine have added to the difficulties in sourcing key components. There was "no sign" that the market would turn around in the second half of the year, said EY analyst, Peter Fuss. In addition to supply issues, soaring inflation was limiting consumers' "willingness to buy" and companies' investment appetite, he said. The added concern caused by the possibility of a gas shortage in Germany this winter meant the conditions for a recovery in the car...

Manchester United completed their swoop for Feyenoord defender Tyrell Malacia on Tuesday as Erik ten Hag made his first signing since taking charge at Old Trafford. United landed Malacia in a reported £12.95 million ($15.4 million) deal after making a late move to sign the Netherlands full-back, who had been close to joining French club Lyon. The 22-year-old has agreed a four-year contract with the option of a further 12 months. It is a landmark deal for Ten Hag, who had been linked with a host of potential signings before finally making Malacia the first acquisition of his United reign. Ten Hag arrived at United in May after finishing his successful spell at Ajax, where he had plenty of opportunities to see Malacia’s quality with Dutch rivals Feyenoord. Full story click here.

Sports are a popular activity in Malta. In 2022 alone, people in Malta already have an interesting lineup of events, including the Malta Open Water Swimming Competition and the Mdina Grand Prix. These are but some of the fun ways that people in the region will unwind after long weeks of hard work. And as they await these events, they will also have the chance to get in on the international scene where a range of other sporting competitions will be underway. Let’s look at what dates you can tick in advance to ensure you do not miss what will inevitably be the talk of the town. 1.    The FIFA World Cup It’s no secret that people in Malta love football, with a preference for association football, the most popular sport in the region. And when they are not flocking to Ta’ Qali Stadium to support their favorite teams or watch the Maltese Premier League, they also enjoy watching other teams go at it. You can expect their eyes to be on the World Cup this year.  Malta was part of the Group H qualifying teams comprising Cyprus, Russia, Croatia, Slovakia, and Slovenia. Croatia eventually bagged the win and qualified for the finals, while Malta came in at fifth position with five points.

The auditor general was given almost no documents on the 2015 negotiations between the government and the foreign company which won the 2015 national bus service contract, leaving him unable to give the process a clean bill of health.   Auditor General Charles Deguara on Tuesday presented a detailed performance audit report to speaker Anġlu Farrugia, looking into the €430 million deal to run Malta's national bus system.  The audit reviewed the 2015 contract signed between the government and Autobuses de Leon, the operators of Malta’s national bus service, which will run until 2030.  The NAO was tasked with looking into whether the deal was struck in a manner that "conformed with the principles of good governance and transparency".  'Practically no documentation' In the 42-page report, the NAO complained that it was provided with “practically no documentation” related to the negotiation phase of the contract.  “While this Office could not pinpoint any significantly concerning outcomes from this process, it is still concerned with the fact that it was not forwarded with a complete documented audit trail,” the auditor said.  The NAO said that such a situation "impeded it from...

Roma have signed Turkey international Mehmet Zeki Celik from Lille, the Serie A club announced on Tuesday. In a statement, Roma said the 25-year-old full-back “has signed a four-year contract with the Giallorossi that runs until 30 June 2026”. The 32-times capped Celik arrives for a reported fee of seven million euros ($7.2 million) with 15 percent of any future sale also going to Lille. In his four years at Lille Celik played nearly 150 times in all competitions, winning the 2021 Ligue 1 title.

If you’re eager to find out the sports you can enjoy in Malta, you will be happy to know that they are similar to what you would find in most other regions. This similarity owes to the British influence during the 19th and 20th centuries, which has continued to date. You may have heard of some of these sports, while others will be a discovery. Without further ado, let’s uncover the three top options. Football Like most other nations, football is deeply entrenched in Maltese traditions. So popular is this sport that almost all locals have engaged in a game at one point. After all, people play football just about anywhere. Locals play it on the streets, in their homes, on the beaches, at school, during work retreats, etc. You get the gist – there’s always a football game taking place. Moreover, players have the chance to take their gameplay to the next level by betting on their favorite teams using betting sites like bet365, which cater to fans in the region. Maltese fans often support their local teams but also have preferences in the international scene. Thus, placing wagers is another way to enjoy football and hopefully make some money. That’s why the game has caught on like a...

Australian tennis ace Nick Kyrgios will face court after being charged with assault, his barrister told the Canberra Times newspaper Tuesday. The news broke as the 27-year-old, one of the most polarising yet exciting figures in tennis, prepared to enter the quarter-finals at Wimbledon on Wednesday. Police in the Australian Capital Territory, where Canberra is located, released only a brief statement on Tuesday evening without identifying the player. “ACT Policing can confirm a 27-year-old Watson man is scheduled to face the ACT Magistrates court on the 2nd of August in relation to one charge of common assault following an incident in December 2021,” the statement said. Barrister Jason Moffett told the Canberra Times that his client was aware of the charge. “It’s in the context of a domestic relationship,” he was quoted as saying. “The nature of the allegation is serious, and Mr Kyrgios takes the allegation very seriously.” More details here...

Police sergeant Jessica Degiorgio from the Cospicua district was on Tuesday named Malta Police Force Employee of the Year. She was honoured for her commitment, motivation, positive attitude and dedication, inspiring her colleagues. “This recognition fills me with more motivation to continue to work but without the assistance of my colleagues, it would not have been possible, she said accepting the award. Another 20 members of the force were given certificates of commendation and merit as recognition for their work in 2021. They included an officer who saved the life of a person who was choking on food, policemen who saved people who were going to commit suicide and others who saved people from drowning. Other officers were rewarded for being instrumental in complex investigations and others for assisting a mother taking her son to a hospital appointment. A group of 51 community officers were given a recognition certificate after they were recognised as (Team) Worker of the Year on a national basis. Both Home Affairs Minister Byron Camilleri and Police Commissioner Angelo Gafà congratulated the officers.

Two dozen water bombers and helicopters backed by more than 100 firefighters on Tuesday battled a fierce fire threatening one of central Greece's largest olive groves, the fire service said. The wildfire approaching the Amfissa olive grove has already destroyed 300 hectares (740 acres) of farmland and 900 hectares of brush, fire service spokesman Yannis Artopios told reporters. Scientists have warned that extreme weather and fierce fires will become increasingly common due to man-made global warming, and Greece's conservative prime minister has linked blazes in the country to climate change.  Located at the foot of Mount Parnassus and stretching as far as the Gulf of Corinth, the grove in Amfissa, a town 280 kilometres north of Athens, contains hundreds of thousands of olive trees, many of them over 100 years old. The fire started on Monday afternoon near the village of Sernikaki, 15 kilometres from the ancient archaeological site of Delphi. An investigation has been launched into the cause of the blaze, which has not reached the 4th-century BC world heritage site, the authorities said. Fanned by winds of up to 70 kilometres per hour, the flames spread rapidly towards...

Tottenham’s new forward Richarlison will miss the first game of the Premier League season after being banned for celebrating a goal by throwing a smoke flare while playing for Everton last season. Richarlison sealed a £60 million ($71 million) move to Tottenham last week, but the Brazilian will have to wait for his first top-flight match in a Tottenham shirt. The 25-year-old scored Everton’s goal in a 1-0 win against Chelsea on May 1 and reacted by picking up a flare which had been thrown on the pitch before launching it into the Goodison Park stands. The victory was an important step in Everton’s successful battle to avoid relegation. But Richarlison, who agreed a five-year contract with Tottenham, admitted to improper conduct after being charged by the Football Association on June 1. More details here...

Belgian Wout van Aert made a late solo break to win stage four of the Tour de France and extend his overall lead on Tuesday. After coming second on each of the first three stages in Denmark, the Jumbo-Visma man crossed the finish line in Calais eight seconds ahead of the fast-closing peloton. Van Aert’s feat was a rare act of brilliance that will live long in the memory, and makes up for the disappointment of his three narrow misses. After 160km dominated by two escapees, Van Aert’s Jumbo team and Adam Yates’ Ineos launched a blistering attack on a short, steep climb. Van Aert crossed the summit first and then powered over the final 8km at over 55km/h, waving his arms in mock flight at the finish line. More details here...

Local creative branding agency Blonde and Giant has announced a new look, and a new international brand vision aimed at helping startups and scaleups to raise capital and grow through strategic brand storytelling. Since 2019 Blonde and Giant has been engaged by over 40 investor-backed startups and VC funds across Europe and North America for investor deck services, creative branding and website development. The agency’s impressive client base includes billion euro funds like Cherry VC and Target Global, headline-making tech unicorns like Flink ($5bn) and Mondu ($64m), and start-ups in every sector from videogaming, to fashion, to medical tech. “In the midst of the pandemic we needed to find new opportunities for our business, and in the process we discovered our true niche," said Blonde and Giant co-founder Beppe Coleiro. "We help innovative businesses to craft powerful narratives that tell their story to investors, partners, talent, and clients. In the world of innovation and tech start-ups, the ability to take a complex product and articulate it in a simple but inspiring way is an extremely valuable skillset. But it doesn’t just boil down to being proficient communicators -...

Maltese film-makers are still unaware of when they can apply to benefit from the annual government film fund, with the film commission promising it will happen soon. The Malta Film Commission and the tourism ministry launched a fund, Screen Malta, in April 2020, providing an annual budget of €600,000 for financial support for local film producers. More than halfway through the year, producers told Times of Malta they are unable to plan productions as they do not know when the applications for funding will be opened. The aim of Screen Malta is to financially support local film-makers to write, develop, produce and distribute Maltese audiovisual work. It also aims to boost and nurture local film talent. For years, film-makers have been asking for more investment in the form of increased budgets and a set calendar for producers and directors to know when funds will be available throughout the year. Yet, the issue of the film fund blew over when a number of local film producers boycotted the first edition of the Malta Film Awards in January. The decision not to attend was in protest at the proposed €400,000 being spent on the one-night black-tie event in comparison with the...

Former Tottenham Hotspur manager Nuno Espirito Santo has been named coach of Saudi league runners-up Al-Ittihad replacing Romanian Cosmin Contra. The club announced the two-year deal on Twitter on Monday, sharing a video in which Santo said: “It’s an honour for me to join the greatest club in Saudi Arabia: Al-Ittihad.” Santo, 48, has coached several top-tier European clubs, including Spain’s Valencia and Portugal’s Porto, as well as Premier league side Wolverhampton Wanderers. Al-Ittihad announced the end of Contra’s tenure after he failed to guide the club to the Saudi Pro League championship title. Al-Ittihad led throughout the season before the crown was snatched from them by 18-time champions Al-Hilal. More details here...

The suspected gunman who opened fire on a July 4 parade in a wealthy Chicago suburb planned the attack for weeks and wore women's clothing to aid his escape, police said Tuesday. Robert Crimo, 21, whose family lives in Highwood, just north of Highland Park, where the shooting occurred, was arrested Monday after six people were killed and more than 30 wounded during an Independence Day parade. Deputy police chief Christopher Covelli said no motive had been established for the attack, in which the gunman sprayed the crowd with dozens of semi-automatic rounds fired from a rooftop. Video: AFP "We do believe Crimo pre-planned this attack for several weeks," Covelli said. "He brought a high-powered rifle to this parade, he accessed the roof of a business via a fire escape ladder and began opening fire. "Crimo was dressed in women's clothing and investigators believe he did this to conceal his facial tattoos and his identity and help him during the escape with the other people who were fleeing the chaos." Covelli said the gunman fired more than 70 rounds from a rifle "similar to an AR-15" that he had purchased legally. Authorities are investigating disturbing online posts and videos...

Defending champion Novak Djokovic battled back from two sets down to reach an 11th Wimbledon semi-final on Tuesday as mother-of-two Tatjana Maria booked her first Slam last-four spot after 15 years of trying. Djokovic triumphed 5-7, 2-6, 6-3, 6-2, 6-2 over Italian 10th seed Jannik Sinner, coming from two sets down for the seventh time in his career. The Serb will face either Britain’s Cameron Norrie or David Goffin of Belgium for a place in Sunday’s final. Maria, who defeated fellow unseeded German Jule Niemeier 4-6, 6-2, 7-5, awaits either world number two Ons Jabeur or Marie Bouzkova in her semi-final. Djokovic, a 20-time major winner, said he had to give himself a talking to after going two sets down. “The first two sets compared to the next three were like two different matches,” he said, “He was the better player for those first two sets. “But at the end of the second set I took a toilet break, gave myself a little pep talk, tried to gather my thoughts. “I broke early in the third set. I saw a little bit of doubt start to come into his movement. I have many years’ experience of playing on these courts and coping with the pressure.” More details here...

UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson suffered two high-profile departures from his government Tuesday, including his finance minister, in the first stirrings of a cabinet uprising after a slew of scandals. Rishi Sunak quit as chancellor of the exchequer and Sajid Javid resigned as health secretary with both saying they could no longer tolerate the culture of scandal that has stalked Johnson for months.  Their resignations were announced minutes after the prime minister apologised for appointing a senior Conservative, who quit last week after he was accused of drunkenly groping two men.  Days of shifting explanations followed the resignation of deputy chief whip Chris Pincher, with Downing Street initially denying Johnson knew of prior allegations against Pincher when appointing him in February. But by Tuesday, that defence had collapsed after a former top civil servant said Johnson, as foreign minister, was told in 2019 about another incident involving his ally. "I think it was a mistake and I apologise for it," the prime minister told reporters, after opposition MPs and some Tories accused him of lying over what he knew when he appointed Pincher. "In hindsight, it was the wrong...

New Hibernians signing, Spanish defender Gonzalo Lerena is set to start for the Paolites, together with Rodolfo Soares as the side’s centre-back partnership in Tuesday’s UEFA Champions Qualifying clash against Irish side Shamrock Rovers (kick-off: 20.30). Fellow new-boy Gabriel Mensah also finds his place in the starting 11 on Tuesday for his debut with the side. Buoyed by their ‘heroics’ in last season’s participation in the UEFA Conference League qualifiers, which has seen the Malta champions coming agonisingly close to reaching the Play-Off round, Stefano Sanderra’s clan will be keen to try and make further progression this season. Sanderra will not be on the bench for his side, as he is serving a suspension. The same goes for defenders Andrei Agius and Ferdinando Apap and midfielders Jake Grech and Bjorn Kristensen who all received bans during the side’s loss to Latvia’s Riga last season. The Paolites will be led from the dug-out by assistant coach Ryan Pulis. More details here...

Bordeaux’s relegation to the third division was confirmed Tuesday after French football’s financial authority (DNCG) dismissed their appeal, increasing the risk of the club filing for bankruptcy. The six-time French champions finished bottom of Ligue 1 when the season ended on May 21. They were relegated for a second time barely three weeks later over financial irregularities, but the club hoped an appeal would allow them to begin next season in Ligue 2. Bordeaux have been plagued by financial difficulties and were unable to reassure the DNCG that they had resolved them. Club owner Gerard Lopez called the decision “unacceptable and incomprehensible” and vowed to continue to fight the ruling. They can still appeal to the French Olympic Committee.   Continue reading this article on Sports Desk, the new sports website by Times of Malta

GŻIRA UNITED             1 Jefferson 46 ATLETIC D’ ESCALDES 1 Lopez 64 GŻIRA UNITED D. Zarkov, G. Bohrer, N. Muscat, Z. Scerri, M. Dias, L. Riascos (74 C. Gauci), T. Kolega, M. Cosic, Maxuell, Jefferson (77 E. Mbong), J. Mendoza (60 R. Correa). ATLETIC CLUB D’ ESCALDES A. Campagne, A. Cistero, A. Rodriguez, H. Bouharma (68 X. Puerto), G. Lopez (90 D Lopez), J. Bolivar Cano (68 A. Martinez), V. Becerra (90 E. Naranjo), I. Garrido, J. Aguilera, V. Alonso (81 G. Vieira), V. Madueno. Referee: Z. Hovhannisyan (Armenia FA). Yellow cards: Becerra, Riascos, Aguilera, Muscat, Lopez. Gżira United stayed in contention to reach the second qualifying round of the Europa Conference league after gaining a 1-1 draw against debutants Atletic Club d’Escaldes at the Centenary Stadium. Yet their cause was complicated with this draw as they now need to win in Andorra next week to set up a showdown with Serbian side FK Radnicki. Gżira United coach Darren Abdilla had done well to assemble a strong squad after the departures of Antonio Pavic and Yuri Messias, and the unavailability of Steve Pisani and Nevin Portelli. He handed a debut to new signing Marcelo Dias and Luis Riascos, who was...