Luxol St Andrews will be facing two former winners of the UEFA Futsal Champions League when they launch their historic elite round campaign. The Maltese representatives were drawn in Group C against Benfica of Portugal, Kairat Almaty of Kazakhstan and Chrudim of Czech Republic. The elite round of this competition will be played from November 22 to November 27, with Luxol St Andrews set to play their group games in Portugal. Click here for full story. 

The Malta Tourism Authority has been handed the Best LGBTQ+ Destination award by Travel Bulletin, one of the UK’s leading travel trade brand publications. The presentation was made at the first StarAwards Ceremony in three years, celebrating the ‘shining stars’ of the industry, voted for by Travel Bulletin readers. Over 30 awards in seven different categories were presented at the event in London. The Best LGBTQ+ Destination award was presented to the Malta Tourism Authority's UK Office team. Tourism Minister Clayton Bartolo said that across the globe, Malta was recognized as a champion of LGBTIQ+ rights. "The progressive and liberal programme that the Maltese government embarked on for the past nine years has shifted the Maltese Islands into a welcoming country to visitors coming from every strata in society all year round. We are looking forward to celebrate this successful story next year by hosting Europride in our capital city Valletta during September 2023,” the minister was quoted as saying in an MTA statement. The MTA's UK office director, Tolene van der Merwe, said that throughout its campaigns this year, the team had been emphasising Malta's inclusivity and diversity,...

England are likely to be without Ben Chilwell at the World Cup after the left-back pulled up with a hamstring injury in Chelsea’s 2-1 Champions League win over Dinamo Zagreb on Wednesday. Denis Zakaria scored the winner on his Chelsea debut as the Blues came from behind to beat the Croatian champions at Stamford Bridge. But the night ended on a sour note for Chelsea and England when Chilwell, 25, had to be helped off the field in stoppage time to seemingly spoil his hopes of going to Qatar. Click here for full story. 

The Bank of England on Thursday announced its biggest interest rate hike since 1989 to combat sky-high inflation that it warned was pushing Britain into a recession set to last until mid-2024. Following a regular meeting, the BoE said it was lifting borrowing costs by 0.75 percentage points to three percent -- the highest level since the 2008 global financial crisis -- to cool UK inflation that it sees shortly peaking at a four-decade high near 11 percent. "It is a tough road ahead," BoE governor Andrew Bailey told a press conference. "The sharp increase in energy prices caused by Russia's invasion of Ukraine has made us poorer as a nation. The level of economic activity is likely to be flat and even fall for some time," he warned. The latest rate increase mirrors aggressive rate-tightening by central banks worldwide as food prices and energy bills soar. On Wednesday, the US Federal Reserve sprang a fourth consecutive hike of 0.75 percentage points -- and its boss Jerome Powell suggested they would go higher than expected. The BoE said British inflation would peak at 10.9 percent this year, but with the level so high, analysts said the central bank rate could hit as high as five...

Two men were remanded in custody on Thursday after being accused in court of stealing cars, seven cigarette vending machines and cash. Clyde Mallia, 22, from Għaxaq and Massimo Fasanelli, 23, from Marsascala pleaded not guilty to the string of thefts which started in July and ended with the latest one in the very early hours of Wednesday morning which led to their arrest. The court was told that police had been gathered footage which appeared to indicate that after each robbery, the getaway vehicle always headed south. The investigations climaxed on Wednesday at 1am when a police patrol driving through Valley Road, Birkirkara suddenly heard the sound of shattering glass. The officers got out of their vehicle and started checking the commercial establishments in the area for signs of break-in, when a silver Toyota Vitz, flashed past at high speed. The police then came across signs of a forced entry at one of the stores, confirming that a robbery had taken place. They immediately alerted colleagues patrolling the southern areas of the island. Some time later, a silver vehicle, matching that of the suspected thieves was spotted at Marsascala, bearing number plates which belonged to...

World number one Carlos Alcaraz swatted aside Grigor Dimitrov in straight sets on Thursday to reach the Paris Masters quarter-finals, while Lorenzo Musetti dumped out third seed Casper Ruud. The Spanish teenager, hoping to win a third Masters title of the year after previous successes in Miami and Madrid, saw off former world number three Dimitrov 6-1, 6-3 in 72 minutes. Alcaraz will be confirmed as the year-end world number one before the ATP Finals in Turin later this month if he lifts the trophy this weekend in the French capital. Click here for full story. 

Stock markets around the world sank on Thursday while the dollar rallied after the Federal Reserve warned that US interest rates would go higher than previously expected in its fight against decades-high inflation. Meanwhile the Bank of England warned that Britain faced a recession set to last until mid-2024. The Fed on Wednesday unveiled a fourth straight 0.75-percentage-point increase as expected – the sixth hike this year to cool rampant prices. The dollar rose strongly against the pound on Thursday despite the Bank of England also delivering a 0.75-percentage-point hike – the largest in 33 years – to 3.0 per cent, or the highest rate since 2008. The pound fell by two per cent against the dollar in afternoon trading. Norway's central bank raised its policy rate for a fourth consecutive time, with a quarter-point increase that took it to its highest level since 2009 at 2.5 per cent. European Central Bank president Christine Lagarde flagged more interest rate hikes on Thursday with comments that a "mild" eurozone recession was looming but would not be enough to bring down record-high inflation. Oil prices also fell heavily on Thursday as aggressive rate hikes increase...

Migrant rescue group SOS Mediterranee said Thursday that it had called on the governments of France, Greece and Spain to help find a port for 234 people rescued while trying to reach Europe, after Italy and Malta failed to respond.  The NGO, whose Ocean Viking vessel responds to migrants in distress in the Mediterranean, said it was the first time it had pleaded for direct help from the three countries. "We're not asking France to open a port, but to help us find a solution," SOS Med director Sophie Beau told AFP, saying the ship was currently south of Sicily. Since embarking on its latest mission on October 22, the group asked Malta and Libya, the country from which most migrants hoping to reach Europe from Africa depart, to allow them into port, since they were the nearest countries to the rescue sites. Beau said neither had responded even as weather conditions worsen, with high winds, strong waves and lower temperatures forecast for coming days. The ship then requested aid from Italy, whose new Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni has vowed to stop migrants from crossing to Europe from Africa. As of Thursday, it had no official response, but the group said that it was facing "a...

Relieved environmental activists hailed 'the power of perseverance' on Thursday as they welcomed a decision by the Planning Review Tribunal to dismiss an appeal by a company wanting to develop Ħondoq Bay in Gozo. The project, involving a hotel,  villas, apartments and amenities was unanimously refused by the Planning Authority in 2016 but developers Gozo Prestige Hotels appealed, claiming that their right to a fair hearing had been breached. The tribunal rejected the appeal earlier on Thursday. Lawyer Claire Bonello, who represented Mayor Paul Buttigieg and the Qala local council, said that Thursday’s decision was proof of the power of perseverance and evidence that sustaining an appeal was often a marathon rather than a sprint.  “This is a testament to the power of perseverance and courage, chiefly that of mayor Paul Buttigieg, who has fought in this saga for many years, amid  persistent attacks on his political career,” she said.  “People have always loved and supported the Ħondoq cause and there is a great wish for this bay and others to remain free and preserved in their natural state for present and future generations to enjoy.” 'We will always be there to defend...

Alfred and George Degiorgio have filed a court appeal demanding a retrial, just over a fortnight after pleading guilty to the murder of journalist Daphne Caruana Galizia. The brothers were each sentenced to 40 years for their part in the car bomb that killed the journalist outside her home on October 2017.  But in a bizarre development on Thursday, the convicted killers filed an application requesting that their trial by jury begin again. They claimed that their last-minute admission was prompted by a lack of equality of arms, a right that means a fair balance is struck between both parties in a criminal case. On the day that their trial began, on October 14, the brothers agreed to plead guilty in exchange for more lenient sentences.  Right to fair trial They argued that they were disadvantaged because their lawyer had renounced the brief weeks before the trial, while the prosecution was fully prepared for the final leg of the case.  All their attempts to find another lawyer of choice proved futile since no lawyer would take on such a feat and consequently, the Degiorgios were each given each a legal aid lawyer. But the voluminous evidence compiled throughout the years, made it...

A man was injured when a metal structure fell on top of him as he worked at Ta' Xbiex seafront on Thursday afternoon. The police said the accident happened at 2pm The 50-year-old Valletta resident was hospitalised in a serious condition. 

The government on Thursday said it will reduce VAT on menstrual products, introduce a minimum threshold of women who must sit on public boards, and study the introduction of free contraception.   Reforms Parliamentary Secretary Rebecca Buttigieg announced the measures which form part of a five-year strategy to mainstream gender equality.  Among its highlights, the document says that emergency contraception will be freely available at Mater Dei or primary health care centres, without any hindrances, for victims of rape.  Malta will also explore easier access to menstruation products, with a view to eliminating “period poverty” - a lack of access to menstrual products.   The VAT rate on menstrual products will be set to the lowest possible in accordance with EU legislation and free menstruation products will be provided in schools to root out stigma. The strategy document says that over the next five years, the government will explore the introduction of free contraception, including its cost and methods of distribution. Malta will also explore the possibility of free female sterilisation (even if not medically required). This is a medical procedure to permanently prevent...

South Korean football fans have subjected Marseille’s Chancel Mbemba to a torrent of abuse online, some of it racist, and demanded he apologise to Son Heung-min with the forward’s World Cup in doubt. South Korea’s skipper and talisman will have surgery on a fracture around his left eye after a collision with Mbemba in Spurs’ 2-1 win at Marseille on Tuesday in the Champions League. The Premier League club have given no date for Son’s return, but he faces a race against time to be fit for South Korea’s opening match of the World Cup against Uruguay on November 24. Click here for full story. 

Human rights should not be "violated", Pope Francis said Thursday after he arrived in the Gulf state of Bahrain, which has been criticised by rights groups for alleged abuses. Religious freedom should be "complete and not limited to freedom of worship", said the pontiff, who had been urged by activists to speak out during his trip to the Sunni-led monarchy. The pontiff also demanded "safe and dignified" conditions for workers. Rights for the Gulf's migrant labourers have been in the spotlight in the run-up to the World Cup in neighbouring Qatar. The pope warned that "much labour is in fact dehumanising. This does not only entail a grave risk of social instability, but constitutes a threat to human dignity". "Labour is as precious as bread... and often too, it is a bread that is poisoned, since it enslaves," he told assembled dignitaries in the opening speech of his visit. Men and women, "rather than being the sacred and inviolable end and goal of work, are reduced instead to a mere means of producing wealth," he added. He was addressing dignitaries including his host King Hamad bin Isa Al-Khalifa, hours after arriving in Manama on a trip aimed at fostering ties with Islam. It is...

German carmaker BMW reported Thursday a 23 per cent increase in third-quarter profit thanks to robust demand for pricier luxury models, but it warned that soaring inflation could limit purchases from consumers. The Munich-based group said it had booked a net profit of nearly €3.2 billion, up from €2.6 billion between July and September last year. Car deliveries, however, were down nearly one per cent over the period, as the industry continues to grapple with supply chain disruptions and COVID lockdowns in China. BMW said "higher prices" for its premium vehicles had helped deliver a "solid" third quarter. BMW CEO Oliver Zipse Photo: Alfredo Estrella / AFP The group said it was on track to meet its full-year earnings targets. Although the overall sales volume was expected to be "slightly lower" than in 2021, sales of fully-electric vehicles should still double, it said. "The market success of our fully-electric models, in particular, means we can look forward to the coming months with confidence," CEO Oliver Zipse said in a statement. With many countries bracing for a recession as Russia's war in Ukraine sends energy prices higher and central banks raise interest rates to tame...

The MSE Equity Price Index on Thursday erased some of Wednesday's sharp drop as it rebounded by 0.27% to 3,614.457 points. The uplift reflected the positive performances of BOV and APS whilst IHI, PG and Farsons ended the day unchanged. Overall trading activity in equities eased to €0.16 million compared to €0.19 million on Wednesday. Bank of Valletta plc advanced by 1.1% to regain the €0.91 level across 50,500 shares. On Thursday, BOV reported a 3% increase in pre-tax profits to €47.8 million in the nine-month period up to September 2022  when excluding the impact from the settlement of the Deiulemar case. The growth in income reflecting the more favourable interest rate scenario coupled with the increase in lending and non-interest income activity offset the higher level of operating costs and impairment charges as well as the lower contribution from the bank’s insurance associates. BOV also reiterated its intention of materially strengthening its capital base with a view of expanding its lending book and treasury operations. Also in the retail banking segment, APS Bank plc surged by 2.5% to the €0.625 level albeit on trivial volumes. A single deal of 8,767 shares left the...

Brooklyn Nets star Kyrie Irving will make a $500,000 donation to groups working to eradicate hate after admitting on Wednesday that a film slammed as anti-semitic which he boosted on social media had a “negative impact” on the Jewish community. Irving ignited a firestorm of controversy last week after posting a link to the 2018 film “Hebrews to Negroes: Wake Up Black America” on social media. The film, based on a 2015 book of the same name, has been widely lambasted for containing a range of anti-semitic tropes. Click here for full story. 

Italy’s new far-right Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni held a “constructive” meeting with European Parliament president Roberta Metsola on Thursday. In her first official overseas trip, Meloni held a meeting with Metsola, during which the pair discussed Ukraine, high energy prices and inflation, among other issues.  Metsola said the European Parliament and Meloni are totally aligned on Ukraine. “We will continue to stand firm on sanctions. And we are united in reaffirming our support for Ukraine Giorgia Meloni and Roberta Metsola share a joke. "On energy and inflation, people need us now, we must act now. I am aware that Member States have different realities, but we must find the courage and political will to act as we did during the pandemic: by joining forces.” Upon becoming Prime Minister, Meloni offered reassurance about Western solidarity and support for NATO, distancing herself from the fascist roots of her Brothers of Italy party. A spokesperson for Metsola said the meeting confirmed Italy will continue its central role in EU decision-making. The spokesperson said Metsola mentioned the importance of adopting the EU’s latest legislative packages on energy and climate change...

Germany striker Timo Werner has been ruled out of the upcoming World Cup in Qatar with an ankle injury, his club RB Leipzig announced on Thursday. Werner hobbled off early in Leipzig’s 4-0 Champions League win over Shakhtar Donetsk on Wednesday. “Scans today in Leipzig showed that he has unfortunately torn the syndesmosis ligament in his left ankle and will therefore be out for the rest of 2022,” the Bundesliga team said in a statement. The 26-year-old has scored 24 goals in 55 international appearances for Germany and netted five times during qualifying. “This news is very bitter,” said Germany coach Hansi Flick. “I’m very sorry for Timo personally because he’s missing out on the World Cup, which he really wanted to play. Click here for full story

Students should be able to study at their own pace without any fear or stigma, Junior College vice-principal Roderick Vassallo believes, saying he feared the negative reaction to the four-year course option offered by the sixth form might have discouraged some from signing up. Just one student applied to stretch their Junior College studies over four years. In summer, the sixth form unveiled a revamped ‘flexi’ option aimed at those who might require more time to complete their post-secondary education. Acknowledging the college never envisaged a large number of students applying for the four-year course, Vassallo said there could have been an element of stigma that might have stopped some from opting for the longer course. “I think we need to seriously consider changing, first and foremost, the education system’s pace,” Vassallo said. “We – parents, teachers, institutions and our system – have a fixation with homework and extra work. Another fixation we have is exams. It’s absurd to think of an exam as this one moment in time when you are successful and good and that this moment in time is telling the world out there what you have acquired in all your education.” Such a...