Duncan Micallef Finishes In Second Place At Euro Finals

Sep 11 2024

Top Fuel Dragster driver Duncan Micallef, who dominated the FIA European Drag Racing Championship with impressive record-breaking performances, narrowly missed out on the title in the final round at Santa Pod Raceway from September 5th to 8th.

Micallef, who had set a career-best time of 3.79 seconds and a European speed record of 321.4 MPH, entered the Euro Finals with a commanding lead. Despite his outstanding season, he fell just 4 points short of the championship, losing to Switzerland’s Jndia Erbacher.

This close finish underscores the fierce competition and the slim margins that often decide the outcome of a racing season. In addition, Micallef’s son, Jacob, competed in the Euro Series 2024 at PF International Karting Circuit, highlighting the family’s ongoing impact in the racing world.

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366 Apartments Sold In August 2024

Sep 11 2024

The residential property market in August 2024 witnessed a slight dip in the number of final deeds of sale while seeing a modest increase in promise of sale agreements.

According to the Malta National Statistics Office, 957 final deeds of sale were registered during the month, marking a decrease of 34 deeds compared to the same month in 2023. This represents a year-on-year drop of 3.4% in finalised sales transactions.

The number of promise of sale agreements — preliminary contracts often indicating future sales — experienced a 3.3% increase over the same period. In total, 1,000 promise of sale agreements were registered in August 2024, 32 more than in August 2023.

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Man Arrested Over Helena Dalli Threatening Note

Sep 11 2024

A 30-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of leaving a threatening note and a bag of drugs at the residence of European Commissioner Helena Dalli.

The incident, reported by Il-Mument on Sunday, involved the man driving to Dalli’s home in Malta, walking up the driveway, and leaving the items at the doorstep.

Dalli later confirmed that the incident occurred on July 31 and that she had provided the police with clear CCTV footage of the suspect.

On Sunday, her son, Luke, expressed frustration with the police, accusing them of not taking the investigation seriously. The note left by the suspect read: “Next time I will be prepared to get something for the kids.”

The suspect has reportedly since been taken to Mount Carmel Hospital. He was also allegedly previously charged with harassing a woman. The police are continuing their investigation to determine if others were involved in the case.

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Coffee May Reduce Risk Of Death Linked To Sitting For A Long Time

Sep 11 2024

A new study suggests that drinking coffee may help reduce the health risks associated with sitting for long periods. Conducted by researchers at Soochow University in China, the study analyzed data from over 10,000 U.S. adults and found that sedentary individuals who drink coffee daily are 1.58 times less likely to die from any cause over a 13-year period compared to non-coffee drinkers who also sit for extended hours.

The study, published in BMC Public Health, is the first to examine how coffee consumption might offset the negative health effects of prolonged sitting, such as heart disease and type 2 diabetes. Interestingly, the increased risk of death associated with sitting for six or more hours a day was only observed in non-coffee drinkers. Coffee drinkers, even those who consumed more than two and a half cups per day, showed a lower risk of all-cause mortality.

Though the exact reason for this protective effect remains unclear, researchers suggest that coffee’s antioxidants, as well as its impact on metabolism and inflammation, could play a role. Further research is needed to better understand the relationship between coffee and health.

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