1st Maltese To Place 3rd At European OCR Championship

Jun 26 2024

Maltese Clayton Abela has become the first local to achieve a podium at the European OCR championships in Folgria in the 24/29 age group.

Clayton took to social media to celebrate, writing: ‘This victory tastes so sweet after so much preparation and hard work knowing what a challenging competition this would be.’

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A post shared by Clayton Abela (@clayton_abela)

‘These results stem from a lot of dedication and effort that have all started 2.5 years ago when I embarked on my OCR athletic journey. A placing/podium is a cherry on the cake every time I complete, whats more important is the learning, growth and experience gained.’

‘What made this one special is the fact that you are representing your country – a responsibility I and no one should take lightly. One that also carries with it pride and satisfaction through and through.’

Abela thanked all those who supported him, including coach Kevin Zammit who travelled to there physically for the achievement.

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Alex Aguis Saliba Re-Elected as One of The European Socialists Vice Presidents

Jun 26 2024

Re-elected as one of the nine vice presidents of the Socialists and Democrats Group in the European Parliament is Alex Aguis Saliba.

The Labour MP declared his intention to continue serving the interests of the Maltese and Gozitans as he announced his re-election on Facebook.

December 2021 marked his initial election to the position. Aguis Saliba is a member of the S&D Group’s Bureau, which oversees the group’s political actions, as one of the nine vice presidents of the organisation.

Specific EU policy portfolios and cross-committee matters are overseen by individual vice presidents.

Maltese Maestro Vinny Vella Dies Aged 96

Jun 26 2024

Valletta’s Maestro Vinny Vella Senior passed away on Wednesday at the age of 96. A renowned clarinet and saxophone player, Vella’s career spanned from the 1940s to the 1990s.

He led the band Vinny’s Blue Jackets and performed with notable artists like Albano Carrisi, Bobby Solo, and Wilma De Angelis. Vella was closely associated with venues such as The Premier, Phoenicia, Strait Street, and Chalet.

His grandson Jamie shared with Times of Malta that Vella was among the musicians who performed at a ball in Malta attended by then-Princess Elizabeth.

On Facebook, Jamie remembered him as a “true legend” and “nannu Vinny,” the heart of their family, expressing gratitude for his love, wisdom, and music.

As news of his death spread, many paid tribute to Vella on social media. Fellow musician Mark Spiteri Lucas credited Vella with shaping Malta’s musical scene in the latter half of the 20th century.

Vella is survived by his three children, Tania, Carmen, and Vinny Jr., who continued his father’s musical legacy.

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New Shrek 5 and Donkey Spin-Off Movie in the Making

Jun 26 2024

As the twenty-fifth anniversary of the debut of the first Shrek movie, there’s good news as it won’t be too long until we see the cast of this film on our screens again.

In a recent interview, Eddie Murphy revealed some exciting news for fans of the beloved Shrek franchise. Not only is a new Shrek movie in the works, but Eddie Murphy also revealed that Donkey, one of the most adored characters in the franchise, will have a stand-alone movie.

“We started doing Shrek 4 or [Shrek] 5 months ago,” Murphy disclosed. I completed the recording of the first act, and we plan to continue this year. Donkey will have a feature film of his own, and Shrek will be released. We will also be doing Donkey. Thus, we will be producing a Donkey and a Shrek movie. Murphy gave more details about the plans for his character’s standalone feature. Murphy has been the endearing and amusing voice of Donkey since the 2001 release of the first Shrek movie.

The next adventure is in the works, with an estimated release date of 2025. It promises more heart, more humour, and more Donkey. For more on Shrek and Donkey’s future, keep checking Collider.

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